When Sam and Nick met, the air crackled with excitement. Introduced through mutual friends, they were not the usual type each other dated, but as it turned out, they were perfect for one another. After many years together, Nick proposed to Sam on a beautiful snowy evening while on a getaway to Lake Tahoe.

Wedding planning was made easy, as both Sam and Nick knew their unique selves and hired plenty of talented and hard-working vendors to help express their perfect vision. “We had the dream team of wedding vendors!” says Sam.  And as the winning couple of Above & Beyond Cakes’ “Wedding Sweets Giveaway,” they were able to truly personalize their cake. Each tier of the three-tier cake was a different flavor: churro cake with pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting, chocolate cake with Oreo frosting and strawberry Champagne cake with cheesecake mousse.

Incorporating elements of their personalities in their wedding was a given, but Sam says it was the little touches throughout that really made it special. The combining of glass beads during their unity ceremony, which then were turned into a hand-blown glass vase, is just one of the many ways they exemplified their creative and unique personalities.

“We picked photos of our many travels and adventures to be displayed in ornate frames on each of the tables,” she explains when describing the ways in which they were innovative and unafraid to step outside of the box. They also provided an alternative to dancing for guests who forgot their dancing shoes with a  table of handmade wooden games like Jenga, Connect Four, tic-tac-toe and chess.

Though every moment of a wedding day is special, Sam says it was the first look they planned before the ceremony as well as the quiet time they had together during their pictures that provided them with the most magical memories. “We both loved setting aside time for the first look and photos of just the two of us. It gave us the opportunity to relax, have fun together and truly enjoy each other’s company,” she says. 

Sam and Nick were sure to think of everything for their guests that day; they provided warm blankets during their outdoor ceremony and kindly allowed guests to take them home. Even with those fabulous keepsakes, Sam says what she wants guests to remember most is their love. “We hope our guests remember the energy, our smiles, and the amazing time we all had celebrating our union.”

Because the couple spent so many years getting to know each other before they were engaged, there are not many unexpected changes to their happy lives together, but Sam does find it comfortable having transitioned from dating to marriage. “There is not much that has changed since we’ve said ‘I do’, although we do love being able to say ‘husband’ and ‘wife,’” she says. Just like their wedding, their relationship is unique and their love is timeless. 

—Abigail Blank