Seamus can’t exactly pinpoint the exact moment when he knew he wanted to marry Karen. “It was not really a single moment, but a lot of little moments over time,” he said. “She is the most beautiful, kind and thoughtful person I know.”
For Karen, she is grateful that the fun and laughter doesn’t end no matter what they’re doing. “He is the person that I can be doing absolutely nothing with, like sitting on the couch, and we will be laughing and having the best time,” she said.
So when it came time to propose, he thought the Union Square ice skating rink in San Francisco would be the perfect romantic setting. “He snuck the ring in my jacket pocket and I was so surprised when I found it,” she said. “We finished the night with dinner at our favorite restaurant, House of Prime Rib.”
The couple, who met in high school, already had plans for their wedding. “We knew right away that we wanted to get married at The HideOut,” she said. “We booked it immediately after getting engaged and waited a few months to start with all the other details.”
Getting to tour the venue for the first time was a highlight for both of them. “It was late winter and it was gently snowing,” she said. “When we arrived, Tom, the owner of the property, met us off Highway 89. He had a sled hooked up to his snowcat and slowly towed us 1.5 miles down the snow-covered trail to the ceremony site. It was a perfect introduction to an amazing property; we instantly fell in love with it.”
Karen said the vision for their wedding was “woodsy, laid back and fun.” They wanted their guests to feel comfortable; enjoying the beautiful summer day and soaking up the nature around them.
The biggest challenge they encountered was staying organized. “The hardest part was the logistics of getting all of the supplies and gear to the venue. It is a fairly remote location without nearby grocery stores. We needed to stay organized to make sure we didn’t forget anything,” she said.
The couple opted to do a first look, which allowed them to have more time with their guests during the cocktail hour.
The whole vibe of the wedding was exactly as they wanted. “Casual, laid back and full of laughs,” she said.
They both want to remind other couples to be present. “We were both really excited,” she said. “When all the planning comes together, it is amazing. It’s important to take it all in.”
—Kourtney Jason
