Devin and Christopher met on the first day of senior year in high school. They went to homecoming that fall and have been together ever since. They dated three years before getting engaged during a vacation to Cabo San Lucas for Chris’s 21st birthday.
Three years later, they married at Wisteria Gardens in Elk Grove with both the ceremony and reception at the private estate. They loved the venue for its European charm, which coincidentally is located down the street from where each respectively grew up.
The ceremony, in front of 120 guests, included mostly local guests and a six-member wedding party, plus the couple’s pug, Daiquiri, who walked the rings down the aisle.
The wedding day went fast for Devin, co-owner of POP Event Rentals & Designs, and her groom, who is working toward a degree in mechanical engineering. “One minute you’re in the ceremony, next you’re doing the first [dance], and before you know it you’re at the end saying goodbye and thank you to your friends and family,” says Chris, who advises other couples to “not sweat the small stuff, have fun and enjoy every moment.”
Devin walked down the aisle with her dad to her parents’ wedding song, and her uncle officiated. The bride’s family Bible was passed down to the couple during the ceremony, which she says “was perfect and very us. It’s an amazing feeling to feel so much support from our guests as I walked down the aisle and watched everyone’s smiling faces. Definitely something I’ll never forget.”
The wedding’s style was romantic, vintage and antique. Devin’s favorite details included a vintage trunk sign and her bouquet. “They both turned out great and are items I will always hold on to and treasure. When we have guests over, those two items get a lot of attention,” she says.
Chris’s favorite wedding memory was the couple’s first look. “We chose to see each other before the ceremony and have the moment photographed from a distance. I was so nervous and excited at the same time,” he says. “It’s corny to say it was one of the most memorable short moments of my life, but I can honestly say I will always remember how beautiful she looked and the smile on her face when I saw her for the first time.”
Devin remembers that moment too. “His reaction was perfection,” she says. “I knew he would cry—it’s hard to forget a moment like that.”
— Kristen Castillo
First Dance Song
"Heart on Fire" by Johnathon Clay
Father/Daughter Dance Song
"My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw
Mother/Son Dance Song
"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts
Cake Cutting Song
"Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies
Bouquet Toss Song
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar
Garter Toss Song
"Do You Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stuart
Last Dance Song
"Save the Last Dance for Me" by Michael Buble
Details about the cake
We had a three layer cake and then a sheet cake. The flavors were amazing! They were Fuzzy Navel, Blueberry with a berry ganache, Champagne, Banana with a chocolate filling. We wanted fruity & fun flavors since we were a summer wedding. We chose a fondant frosting and had iridescent pearls flowing down the cake matching our pearl monogrammed “H” cake topper. We felt the style of the cake fit the romantic and vintage/antique style of our wedding. We also had cute take home boxes, with wooden forks, filled with cake for our guests. There wasn’t a crumb left at the end of the night
Details about the flowers
Our venue was that of a European garden. Everything was very green so we used minimal floral. What we did have though looked fantastic! We had these large arrangements on each side of the aisle on top of ornate pillars. My bridesmaids carried bouquets in cream and black that had anemones, roses, daisies, monkey tails, and dusty miller all bound with lace.
Details about the favors
Our favors were a "midnight snack" of milk and cookies.
Anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
We really loved how our inspiration for the wedding and our emphasis on our family history came together.
Our guests walked into our venue and first saw wedding photos of our family & friends hanging from a trellis on lace & ribbons in our wedding colors.
Our sign in was a black vintage trunk that our guests signed little messages on in Gold sharpie. The trunk looks beautiful and sits as furniture in our living room today.
I walked down the aisle holding a handmade brooch bouquet that contained antique brooches from all the women in my family.
My (Devin’s) uncle was our officiant and used a passed down family Bible for our ceremony.
Our centerpieces were lanterns that had illuminated photos of us at the age that matched the table number.
Chris and I feel that weddings are not only about celebrating two people that have chosen to spend their lives together, but acknowledging their pasts and the events that brought the couple together. Our wedding was the perfect blend of all the people and things that we love in life.
Any tips you’d give brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
My biggest tips are to really structure your planning and to hire a day of coordinator. Planning can easily take over your life if you let it. Try to balance planning with spending time with friends and family, and taking time for yourself.
Also I would suggest to every bride to hire a day of coordinator. Trust me, as a bride you may have everything detailed and know your timeline better than anyone, but your actual wedding day goes by pretty fast. Let your coordinator make sure everything runs smoothly so that you can enjoy it.