After meeting on Match.com in 2011, K.D. and Phil realized they had literally found their perfect match, and Phil popped the question to K.D. during a San Francisco getaway in 2015.

The couple started planning right away, giving them more than a year to make their wedding dreams come true. “I was not a girl who had dreamed or planned their wedding in advance,” K.D. explains. “I wanted it to be in a beautiful location that was a fun place for everyone who attended. I also had to keep on budget, so trying not to overdo it during the process was challenging.”

For their venue, K.D. and Phil decided to hold their wedding at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. “We have vacationed here often, as Phil’s parents have a timeshare at this location,” she says.

To help her construct a beautiful wedding while staying on budget, K.D. enlisted the help of her sister, Morgan, who she credits with doing most of the planning and keeping her on budget. “My sister made a spreadsheet to track budget and helped select many of the vendors that we used ,” K.D. says. “I gave my opinions and input throughout the process.” K.D. also says the wedding planner at the Hyatt was very helpful in planning the set-up and menu options. “Our package with the Hyatt included a lot of the details, so it saved some time and expense on my part,” she adds.

Despite their careful planning, K.D. says they did have one snafu: a videographer who turned out to be a scam and took her money. “This led to last-minute struggles finding another one at a reasonable price, but we were lucky to find one who was very understanding and did an awesome job!” she says.

K.D. and Phil chose a short, traditional ceremony followed by an indoor reception overlooking the lake. “I wanted the location to be the main beauty, which it was,” K.D. says. “Everything else was simple elegance.”

K.D. and Phil also had their daughter and son be part of the wedding. And during the reception they had a fun photo booth and open bar, which they felt helped to make things more lively. “It was just a good time with family and friends,” K.D. recalls.

For those currently planning their own wedding, K.D. advises newlyweds-to-be to just enjoy the process and try not to stress on their wedding day, as it’s not in their control. “The day of the wedding and celebration goes by so fast, just soak it all in and realize that everyone in attendance is there for you two as a couple. That’s a pretty awesome feeling.” 

—Corrie Pelc