Kristin and Todd, who struck up love on a dating app, got engaged at one of their favorite local restaurants in Downtown Sacramento. “He had everything planned out with our waiter, including where we would be sitting,” Kristin remembers. “I, however, asked to be seated outside throwing a little wrench in their plans. The ring was brought out after we were finished eating dinner. I was completely surprised and had no idea it was coming!”
Once the couple decided on their wedding venue, planning for the wedding actually began to take shape. “All I remember saying was I couldn’t live without sparklers to send us off,” says the bride.
One of Kristin’s favorite moments during the process was picking her gown. “After my first appointment I became really discouraged thinking what I wanted in a dress wasn’t out there,” she remembers. “So I decided to build certain features onto a dress.” The only major wrinkle in the planning was waiting too long to find a photographer. “Time was flying by and everyone I contacted had already been booked,” she explains. “I started to panic until I found The Red Sneaker Studio. After meeting with them, we knew we found the perfect match.”
Following a beautiful outdoor ceremony on the greens at Old Sugar Mill, the party moved on to the reception in the Boiler House on the property. “Everything was set up perfectly and the bistro lights were an awesome touch!” says Kristin. The couple also incorporated an “anniversary dance” for Todd’s grandparents, who celebrated their 56th anniversary that day. “But the most memorable moment for us, and I’m sure all of our guests as well, was when Todd ripped his pants during his signature dance move…and he wasn’t wearing any underwear!”
If there was any way to top that event, it was the moment they last saw each other as boyfriend and girlfriend before becoming husband and wife. “Throughout the day, I just remember feeling very jittery,” says Kristin. “All the girls were at our house getting ready, and I could not stay still. After arriving at the venue and getting dressed, we were all set for our first look. The second Todd turned around and we saw each other, everything else fell away and a sense of calm rolled over me. I won’t ever forget the way he looked at me, and I’m sure he won’t ever forget the way I looked at him.”
—Darren Elms
