Joslande, a registered nurse, and Mike, a software engineer, were introduced through Mike’s friend (who met Joslande during a travel nursing assignment). They dated for two and a half years before getting engaged. Mike planned the proposal for three months. The couple had lunch and then walked through the vineyards at Paradise Ridge in Santa Rosa. “Toward the end of the walk, Mike got down on one knee and asked if I would marry him and to continue our amazing adventure together,” Joslande says, explaining a photographer was behind a tree and captured the engagement.
A year later, the couple married with a ceremony and reception at Monte Verde Inn in Foresthill. “We had an outdoor ceremony under a natural canopy of California redwoods,” says Joslande. “We had two readings, and then we expressed our devoted love for each other in front of our amazing friends and family and lit a unity candle.”
Pre-ceremony, Mike was a little nervous. That changed when he walked his mother and his future mother-in-law down the aisle. “As we started off, she leaned over and said to my mom, ‘Allison, now he is both of our sons.’”
The wedding day went fast. For Mike, it all started with the bride’s entrance. “She looked absolutely stunning,” he says. “When I look back at photos, I’m pretty sure I didn’t stop smiling for the next eight hours.”
Autumn inspired the wedding’s colors: coral, champagne and gold. “I’ve always loved fall, and those colors reminded me of a romantic storybook fall wedding, which is exactly what we had,” says Joslande, who loved the arch from their ceremony, calling it, “beautiful, fun and romantic. It was perfect.”
After a dinner of lamb and salmon, Joslande, Mike and their 77 guests enjoyed a traditional wedding cake with buttercream fondant and topped with fresh roses. Mike had a gluten- and dairy-free groom’s cake, which had a LEGO bride and groom topper. Mike also loved another detail: having pewter superhero pins on the groomsmen’s boutonnieres.
One of Joslande’s favorite memories was dancing with Mike to “It’s Your Love,” by Tim McGraw. “As the song ended, I opened my eyes and all our friends and family had formed a circle around us holding hands,” she says. “It was beautiful.”
―Kristen Castillo
First Dance Song
"All of Me" by John Legend and "Letting Go" by Sean Kingston
Father/Daughter Dance Song
"My Girl" by the Temptations
Mother/Son Dance Song
"What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
Cake Cutting Song
“Classic” by MKTO
Bouquet Toss Song
"Move Bitch" by Ludacris feat. Mystikal
Garter Toss Song
Mission Impossible Theme Song
Last Dance Song
"Oh, What a Night" by December 1963
Details about the cake
Traditional wedding cake, buttercream
Details about the flowers
Candlelight garden roses, standard roses, Dusty Miller and succulents
Details about the favors
Jordan almonds wrapped in tulle, made by the Bride & Groom
Anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
I really enjoyed my wedding day. All the planning paid off! It helps that we had an amazing team!
Rebecca our photographer is great at what she does, and she and her husband made a wonderful team. I don't know what we would have done without those two!
Kelly Dalisa and her crew at Monte Verde Inn, really did give us the fairytale wedding we wanted. Kelly kept things moving, and organized. She is worth every penny! I want to get married all over again!
Our DJ Bryan was the best there is! Our guests raved about him! He did an amazing job! Very organized.
Our flowers were beautifully done by O'Shay's Flowers.
My makeup by Shana Beals was so great that I wished it could have stayed on forever. My hair stayed put all day by Akela Douglass.
Everyone did such a great job! We call them the Dream Team!
There were a lot of special moments during the wedding, but one that struck a cord with me was during the cake cutting. "Classic" by MKTO came on, and every one was around us looking like they were having the time of their lives. They looked so happy to be sharing this wonderful day with us. We felt so Loved! It was a wonderful feeling.
Any tips you’d give brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
Things may seem stressful at the beginning, but when the big day comes it all will be totally worth it. In planning, choose what you and your husband want, because when the day is over, everyone but you has forgotten most of it, and only you two will remember. You want to think fondly of those memories.
There's a lot of information out there for inspiration. Once you find what you like, don't keep looking for better and better ideas, but concentrate on the ideas you love - and turn them into reality.
After the ceremony ends, take your time walking out! Enjoy every second. Soak it in. Live in the moment.
Hire the best photographer and videographer you can afford, because when it is over, the photos and the video are memories you will treasure forever.
Have fun! And don't get mad at your future husband if he doesn't help with the planning. He still loves the beautiful you, and believe me, he will have just as much fun as you do on your wedding day.
Weddings can be expensive and I looked high and low on how I could save some money. In the end, I concentrated on what was important and spent most of the money in that area. I realized that as long as my guests were comfortable, and my husband & I were happy with our selections, nothing else mattered. Happy Wedding!