A true hometown couple, Erika grew up in Roseville and Andy in Citrus Heights. The two first started dating over drinks, but that soon segued to a three-hour dinner and many more dates to come.
Two years into their relationship, the couple took a romantic trip to Hawaii. “We were walking down the beach to dinner when we stopped to watch our final Hawaiian sunset,” Erika says of their last evening on the island. “Just as the sun started setting on the water, Andy asked me to marry him and pulled a ring out of his shirt pocket. It was a private moment in the most public of places, yet no one even realized what just happened because everyone was focused on the sunset.” The pair celebrated with an ocean-side dinner at Duke’s that included a bottle of Champagne, fresh fish, and of course some famous Hula Pie, before sharing the amazing news with friends and family the next morning.
Although Erika and Andy didn’t have any preconceived ideas or plans when talking about the wedding, they did agree they wanted the event to be something they planned together. “It was a complete team effort and family affair from start to finish,” Erika says. “From DIY décor and favors to floral arrangements and centerpieces, we could not have done it without the support of our family and friends.”
One of the bride’s favorite planning moments was the day she found “the dress.” “They always say, ‘you just know when you put it on,’ but I never really believed it until that day,” she shares. “I figured when I put it on and tears started streaming down my face for all the right reasons, it was the right one.”
Leading up to the big day, the couple worked together to write the script for the ceremony, and chose Erika’s brother to officiate. Family was the cornerstone of the ceremony, with both of Andy’s brothers standing up as his best men.
Both ceremony and reception were held at the Auburn Valley Golf Club. “It was an intimate setting where we were able to socialize with all of our guests, dance the night away, and enjoy beautiful views of the golf course and foothills,” Andy says.
But the memory the bride and groom treasure the most was seeing each other for the first time before exchanging vows.
“The moment I turned around and saw Andy for the first time it took my breath away, literally,” Erika says. “I waited all my life to know what that felt like, and it was the most amazing moment ever.“
—Darren Elms
First Dance Song
Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum
Father/Daughter Dance Song
The Hokey Pokey and My Little Girl by Tim McGraw
Mother/Son Dance Song
I walk the Line by Johnny Cash
Money Dance Song
Thousand Years by Christina Perri and It’s Your Love by Tim McGraw
Details about the cake
We loved our cake! We chose a three-tiered cake. Two tiers were lemon cake with a lemon mousse filling and the third tier was white cake with a raspberry mousse filling. All tiers had a smooth, white buttercream frosting. We wanted a very simple, elegant cake and our baker delivered. It was perfect and three tiers of deliciousness!
Details about the flowers
We really wanted the color in our wedding to come out in our flowers and the lemon details. We chose a mix of calla lilies, ranunculus, and miniature spider mums for the bouquets, vibrant yellow gerbera daisies set in clear vases with sliced lemons for the centerpieces, and potted yellow mums for the aisles. The candelabras were styled with similar silk flowers to frame the ceremony site, and were later used as reception decor.
Details about the favors
Lemon drops in black boxes with custom stickers. Stickers were designed by the Bride & Groom, and printed by Vista Print.
Anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
• We could not have picked a more beautiful setting for our big day. It was an intimate setting where we were able to socialize with all of our guests, dance the night away, and enjoy beautiful views of the golf course and foothills.
• Our photographers were amazing. Mackenzie and Chuck made us feel comfortable and at ease the entire time and made the hours of picture taking fun for us and our wedding part and family. We were fortunate enough to have a beautiful setting for photos, and Mackenzie found some new, unique areas on the grounds to shoot us in. The photos in the wild grass and during the sunset are some of our favorites.
• One of the memorable moments was being introduced to our guests as Mr. and Mrs. Plank as we entered the reception to so many cheers and smiling faces.
Any tips you’d give brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
Enjoy the process and trust that everything comes together in the end. There are highs and lows during the planning, but it’s part of the journey. If you’re doing a lot of the work yourself, accept help if people offer it. And don’t get so caught up in everything being perfect – sometimes the little imperfections make for the most memorable moments or features.