Laura + Philip

How did you meet?

Online through Christian Mingle. Laura lived in Georgia and Philip was in Sacramento. We did a lot of FaceTime calls and cross-country visits.

Tell us about your engagement.

October 26th, 2024. Philip flew out to Atlanta to visit. He took me to a cute Bavarian town (Helen) in North Georgia for lunch. Philip didn’t anticipate Helen being crowded for Oktoberfest. By the time we got to the the originally planned waterfall nearby, the gates were closing, so he had to pivot and said there was another waterfall “nearby.” Forty-five minutes later, we arrived at Helton Creek Falls where he popped the question!

#WeddingGoals

I’ve always wanted a cellist playing during the ceremony. We had two!

How did planning go?

Winchester Estate made the planning relatively easy with their customizable packages and recommended vendors.

I originally wanted straps or sleeves added to my wedding dress. After I got the dress altered I wasn’t sure if I liked the sleeves, so after several conversations with my bridesmaids and family, I took the sleeves off! I’m so glad I did, but it was a stressful couple of days!

Biggest Challenge

Planning the wedding in California while I was living in Georgia.

How was the Ceremony?

It was a simple, Christian ceremony with communion.

Any funny or unexpected wedding moments that happened throughout the day?

I (Laura) cried before and while walking down the aisle. I didn’t expect to be so emotional.

Special Dances:

First Dance: Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez

Last Dance: At Last by Etta King

What was the best part of your day?

Laura: Seeing the day come together and getting to marry my best friend! It was a perfect day!

Philip: Getting Married! And celebrating with family and friends.

Laura’s Favorite Details

The flowers and custom cookie flavors.

Looking back, what do you think your guests will remember most about your wedding?

Beautiful location and delicious food!

#VendorRaves

All of our vendors were great to work with! Winchester Estate was excellent! They were flexible with needing to move wedding inside due to rain. Attentive to the needs of our parents. Very responsive. Made sure we had plenty of food and cake during the reception. Philippe Pro Studio did such a great job capturing our special day!

Advice from the Couple

It’s okay to keep things simple and limit the guest list. It gives you the opportunity to speak with everyone and enjoy your special day with those you love. At the end of the day, you are married and that’s all that really matters.