sacramento-wedding-photography-J&A-RW-WS14-17What culminated in an emotional ceremony woven with joy, tears and poignant touches, had begun the moment Jenn and Andres met at work seven years earlier. Instantly feeling the spark, they went their separate ways for work but embarked on a relationship that peaked on a sunlit, blue-sky day in May, as 200 family members and friends joined them for their wedding at The Pavilion at Haggin Oaks.

Although Andres initially considered Jenn out of his league, she didn’t agree. “Three weeks into meeting we were inseparable,” Jenn recalls. The couple built their love around commitment, mutual respect, caring and kindness—not just for each other but for those in their lives, too. According to the bride, the couple is known for being “passionate, selfless and supportive. We treat our friends like family,” she says.

Not much gets past Jenn, who works as an auditor, but somehow Andres pulled off his attempt to surprise her with a proposal. The two were officially engaged Labor Day weekend of 2012 on a moonlit beach in Capitola. “I later discovered that Andre had that ring in his pocket for four days, waiting for the moment to surprise me,” Jenn recalls.

With this new enchanting vision of the future in hand, the couple set about the difficult task of planning a wedding a mere eight months down the road. “I had a vision of my wedding and always wanted it outdoors with the reception in a white tent. Music and honoring loved ones we’ve lost had to play a role, too,” Jenn explains.

Deciding on a venue proved a tough decision, but selecting The Pavilion at Haggin Oaks worked out perfectly for the couple. “It was so beautiful—made more special because we got married under an arbor that Andres and his dear friend built themselves. My little brother officiated the wedding; I could see tears in his eyes as I walked down the aisle. It was very emotional and there was not a dry eye in the house,” she remembers.

Adding to the unique, personal touches of the day, the bride wore her late grandmother’s wedding rings as a necklace, in remembrance of her and the 70-year marriage her grandparents enjoyed. “That kind of commitment is what marriage is all about,” she says. It’s also about celebrating each other’s differences, so when the couple decided to have a bilingual ceremony, with Andres saying his vows to Jenn in his native Spanish, it made perfect sense.

At the reception, which featured hours of dancing and music, the newlyweds experienced their favorite moment of the day, as they were introduced as Jennifer and Andres Lopez for the first time (with a joke from Jenn’s dad about having a famous celebrity in the room). At that moment, Jenn recalls that time actually stood still as they gazed out at the celebration of their love.

— Carrie Poggio

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