Cupid intervened in the love story of Lauren (Lo) and Nick, circumventing their almost ending up as just star-crossed lovers because they lost touch. Having met years earlier on the job, Lo and Nick ended up parting ways when she left for another job opportunity. As destiny would have it, they crossed paths a couple years later and the spark was reignited.
Nick proposed in a planned moment of romantic nostalgia. Aiming for an intimate moment that would be special to both of them for years to come, he recreated their first date. Picnicking under the stars at a serene park, with In-N-Out in hand, Nick asked Lo to marry him.
During their yearlong engagement, they both worked diligently to create a wedding that would encompass both their unique style and laid back personalities. Lo and Nick held their ceremony and reception at the Leaning Tree Lodge, but they chose it for more than just its beautiful scenery, Lo grew up with the Nelson family, owners of the site. Lo says, “I remember helping pour concrete and watching their family home come to life from the ground up.” Though their decor and style was highly glamorous-—Gatsby themed with a hand-rolled cigar bar—they didn’t let the classic elegance override their personal vibes. They both agreed on the larger points of the wedding, but Lo took to the detailed planning making sure their day would be one they would look back on knowing that it was as special and unique as their own love. “I love little details, so it was amazing to work with my mom and Mrs. Nelson (owner of Leaning Tree Lodge) to make the perfect day come true,” the bride explains.
The couple approaches life with a glass-half-full mentality and they don’t sweat the small stuff. Therefore, their utmost concern for their wedding day was that their guests revel in the same feeling they shared. “Our wedding was extremely relaxed and intimate,” Lo says, adding, “when I look at our wedding photos with our guests, the wedding party, the decorations, the dessert bar, etc., it is pictured exactly how I remember it was on our wedding day.”
Lo says she will always be happy she approached their wedding day with such aplomb in the reflection of the love she shares with Nick. Her advice to other brides in planning their wedding is simple: don’t compare yourself to others, “just be true to you and what makes you, you!”
—Abigail Blank
