Mia and Kevin met while attending the same classes at Lodi High School. “The first time we hung out outside of school was when my sisters and I had a baking competition, and Kevin and his friends wanted in on the sweets,” says Mia.
Fast forward to 2018 and the couple took a hike on the Tomales Point Trail on the Point Reyes National Seashore. “Kevin had been watching the weather all week because constant rain was expected,” says Mia. “Luckily, it only lightly sprinkled and was wonderful hiking weather.” Halfway through the hike, they reached the end of the peninsula, and Kevin got down on one knee with the ocean waves surging around them. “We hiked almost 10 miles that day, but the five miles back after the proposal flew by,” remembers Mia. They headed to Napa for a celebratory dinner to round out the day.
Their favorite parts of the planning process were the menu tasting at Park Winters and the cake tasting with Palette Cakes. “You could call us foodies, but both vendors simply serve the most delicious food and desserts,” shares the bride.
The couple wanted their big day filled with their closest family and friends, amazing food and a go-with-the-flow vibe. With Mia’s prior youth pastor leading the ceremony, the occasion was heartfelt and fun. “We shared both personal and traditional vows and loved doing so,” says Mia.
Guests then moved on to the whitewashed barn at Park Winters for the reception. “The most memorable moments were during the toasts,” shares Mia. “Wedding planners typically recommend each person giving a speech to leave it to three to five minutes. Of all five people toasting, not one made it within that time frame.” Mia’s two sisters toasted together intermixing speech and song with modified versions of “Mamma Mia,” “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” from The Sound of Music and “Satisfied” from Hamilton. The bride exclaims, “It was a crowd pleaser!” Kevin’s Dutch uncle and aunt also led the guests in a modified traditional Dutch song called “Aan de Amsterdamse Grachten” during the reception.
The music continued on the dance floor. “I have never seen a higher percentage of guests on the dance floor than at our wedding,” says the bride. “I have heard this from other vendors who have worked with Joe from SJ’s Disc Jockey. We honestly did not have time to pick out songs for dancing. Joe read the crowd, and we all had a blast!”
What they would have done differently? Mia shares “So many things. But in the end, none of it matters.” The couple would have taken off more time from work leading up to the wedding, packed ahead of time for the honeymoon and even opted for better items to put on their registry, but what was most important was sharing such a special day with their loved ones. “We were able to start the rest of our lives together with our closest family and friends. Any craziness, lack of planning and spontaneity made it so special.”
—Darren Elms
