Kat was beyond happy to marry Matt. “I remember thinking ‘finally!’” she says. “I know a lot of brides feel nervous before their wedding, but I was just too excited to be nervous.” She continues: “And seeing him for the first time on our wedding day, I think I just felt relief that we were here, together, and we were going to finally do it. I can’t remember a time in my life where I have cried tears of joy instead of sadness…knowing I was going to be calling him my ‘husband’ is one of the happiest memories of my life.”
The couple met while working in the same department for the City of Sacramento. While Kat had always dreamed of a destination wedding in Hawaii, she and Matt decided to get married closer to home.
Kat showed her love of the Aloha State by wearing an orchid hair pick behind her left ear, which under Hawaiian tradition symbolizes that she’s married. “Since I wasn’t able to get married in Hawaii, I wanted to have a little bit of Hawaii with me!” she says.
The wedding colors included white and ivory, as well as Tiffany blue, which Kat admits she “became borderline obsessed with.” Tiffany blue accents included invitation pocket folders, the bride’s shoes, the bridesmaids’ dresses, linens and incorporated in the favors.
During the ceremony, Matt honored his deceased father and grandmother with a poem and candles. The couple wrote their own vows, which were so emotional that even the photographer cried. The bride and groom also lit unity candles with their mothers. “After that, Matt and I lit one larger candle together as a symbol of our marriage and the union of our lives burning as one light that can’t be divided, just like our love,” she says.
Following the ring exchange, the couple presented a bracelet to Kat’s daughter, Kaelynn, with this message: “Today we promise to provide you with unconditional love, guidance and support for all the days of your life.” Matt was moved by Kaelynn’s reaction. “I remember seeing a tear fall down her cheek,” he says. “She was so touched to be part of ceremony. It was very important to me that my wife’s daughter knew how grateful that I was that she was accepting of me and how lucky I am that she is a part of my life.”
“Family is very important to us and we felt that our wedding was not just about our union, but welcoming and combining two families into one, and just sharing how we have grown as a family,” the bride remembers.
—Kristen Castillo
First Dance Song
You’re Nobody Til Somebody Loves You by Dean Martin
Father/Daughter Dance Song
Always Be Your Baby by Natalie Grant
Cake Cutting Song
Every Time I Close My Eyes by Baby Face ft. Mariah Carey
Bouquet Toss Song
Single Ladies by Beyonce
Garter Toss Song
You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate
Details about the cake
Two flavors for a 4-tier round cake:
• Pink Champagne flavored cake with vanilla Bavarian & raspberry marble
• Marble with chocolate flavored cake with fresh strawberries
Details about the flowers
• Bridesmaids: Esperance/pink roses
• Groom & ringbearer boutonnieres: Ivory rose
• Groomsmen boutonnieres: Pink rose
• Centerpieces and other decor were a variety of ivory roses, hydrangeas and lilies
Details about the favors
Tiffany blue colored boxes filled with white heart shaped mints, tied with white satin ribbon. I bought all the materials and put them together myself – so that all my guests would leave with their own “little blue box” like they would after shopping at Tiffany & Co.
Anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
• Many might think it’s tacky, but I saved a lot of money by doing some faux flowers for the ceremony and reception decor. We kept all the centerpieces with fresh flowers but the larger ceremony pieces and flowers on the head table were faux and no one could tell.
• One of my friends also made me my bridal bouquet for my bridal shower so that was faux also, but I still think it was absolutely beautiful and so worth it. Also, I don’t have to worry about preserving it because it naturally can last forever. I think saving money on certain areas allowed us to splurge on something else like our honeymoon.
Any tips you’d give brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• I was so afraid of becoming Bridezilla or putting the burden of “our” wedding on other people that I refused to ask for help and only got help if someone were to offer to help us. I mean, don’t get me wrong, as the bride I love being all artsy and crafty and making everything just “perfect” which is why I didn’t mind doing a lot by myself, but I think towards the last few weeks we just became overwhelmed with everything going on. We learned that sometimes you just have to ask for help in order to get it; that your friends will be willing to help, but maybe they don’t realize you need it, so they don’t remember to ask. That most of the time, they don’t mind taking on the burden with us because that’s what they’re there for, and even though they’re busy with their own lives, if your really need them to be there, they’ll come through and it will all work out.
Vendors
Ceremony Site:
Viaggio Winery & Estate Ceremony Music:
Elite Entertainment Photographer:
Lori Makabe Photography Videographer:
Sato Studio Reception Site:
Viaggio Winery & Estate Bridal Hair:
Rachelle Kroll of Stained Hair & Nail Salon Bridal Make-up:
Edith Piceno of Salon Cheveux Bridal Attire:
Enchanted Bridal Shoppe (gown) (now closed) Bridal Attire:
Love The Bride (earrings) Bridal Attire:
Keepsake Bridal Alterations