How did you meet?
We first unintentionally met at a mutual friend’s dinner party when we were both with previous partners at the time. This first interaction was five or six years before our official first “meet-up,” which we labeled it that, because it was just a casual drink (or two) with no pressure other than to catch up on life. Little did we expect that meet up would turn into us hanging out all night and closing down the third place we went to that evening. It just felt right. I knew I wanted to continue to grow with Sarah, and learn everything about her. I still do.
Tell us about your engagement.
September 13th, 2024 at Gray Whale Cove in Pacifica. I invited Sarah to come with me down to the beach after work. She thought something might be up because I brought my guitar with me and it wasn’t even that sunny out. Okay, there was zero sunshine out. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the sand, right? I had been writing a song for almost two years at that point, about our first date. After several edits and rewrites, a decent set of lyrics I stitched together on paper, and eventually practiced enough that I knew it by heart. Keeping the chords simple and with my hands shaking, not because of the cold air but because I’m absolutely terrified of singing in front of people, I did it. At the end of the song which I titled “My Forever Plus 1” it ends with just that question “Baby, Won’t You Be My Forever Plus 1”. I grabbed the ring from my pocket and she said yes! I then pulled out a picnic with some celebratory champagne and caviar. I was so relieved that I’d gotten through the song without having a heart attack. It was bliss at that point. My favorite person and I would be on this journey called life together, side-by-side, hand-in-hand, in both of each others hearts forever.
#WeddingGoals
Most of all, we wanted to create a loving, fun, relaxed gathering of all of our special people in our lives that could attend. It was the first time for our friend groups to get to know each other a little bit, and the first time for Sarah and I to meet a few family and friends we hadn’t yet met as well. Having it close to where we live, ultimately was the final decision factor. We wanted to showcase the area that we’ve grown to love and for people to experience all the magical beauty it brings. The weather is always unpredictable on the coast in Northern California so that was somewhat of a wild card, but we were prepared either way. Both Sarah and I really wanted to do a brunch time wedding and also have it all outside. The venue was cooperative with this request and we were so happy with how it all pieced together. Also, having our wedding on 4th of July weekend, we were grateful for so many to sacrifice there normal holiday plans. We were a little bummed we couldn’t have fireworks involved but, nonetheless it was a festive celebration in its own way.
How did planning go?
Sarah is the big time researcher and spread sheet maker. She had everything broken down, and is an absolute rockstar when it comes to planning. With all that research and information out there to gather up comes the question, so how do I chose? That’s where I come in. I’m more of a “let’s just do it” type of person, so if something just feels right, I’m all in. Yes, this has backfired on me many times before, but I have more wins than losses in my lifetime. So we met each other in the middle and were able to make those tough decisions together by always coming back to “what matters to us the most.”
The worst part was not being able to invite everyone. The favorite part of it all was creating a brand that represented us, and choosing the vendors that fit that brand. Another favorite part was close to the very end we were stuck on who could we possibly get to be our officiant. Early on in the process we both had our ideas of our friends or family members that might make a good officiant, but you just don’t really know. Then we started researching local area officiants and weren’t having any success in finding someone that we really thought we would vibe with or made sense for us. It seems like such a personal part of the whole day. So about a month before our wedding, we both remembered talking about Sarah’s cousin Kyle, and how she just felt he would be perfect at it and would cherish the responsibility. At that point we were saying to ourselves, “what would be the worst thing that could happen other than him declining?” So Sarah decided to give him a call, and before she could even finish asking him he emphatically said “Absolutely!” We were so stoked and honored and it just felt so much more personal and on par with our brand. He did such a beautiful job capturing us and our love.
Biggest Challenge?
Thankfully we had some much needed help and advice from friends and family. Narrowing down the guest list was probably the toughest and hardest part for Gary. For Sarah, it was compromising on choices to keep things manageable and closer to budget.
How was the Ceremony?
Magical. The venue Mavericks House with Pillar Point Harbor in the background created a picturesque scene that carried into the love, warmth and heartfelt vibe of the ceremony and the whole day. Seeing Sarah come down the aisle will forever be etched in my brain. I’ve replayed that moment over and over again so many times, and still get emotional thinking about it.
Since we couldn’t have fireworks, confetti, or anything to throw into the air because of our seaside environment, we made little wands with ribbons tied to the ends using the colors of our brand for all of our guests to wave in the air. We thought that was pretty cool when we came down the aisle to “What I Like About You” by the Romantics after we were announced husband and wife.
Memorable Moments
All of our toasts were so special and you could tell how much time, effort, thoughtfulness and love our friends and family put into them. We are so lucky to be part of a such loving tribe of family and friends. Sarah’s friends Eugene and Katy sang a spirited rendition of “Still the One” that we absolutely adored. Our first dance song “Lay Down” by Son Little was a song that both Sarah I fell in love with after we went to our first concert together on a Tuesday night at Harlow’s in Sacramento. We had just begun dating, and started dancing to that song all the time together, so it became “our song.”
Did you have any special cultural features to your wedding or factors that celebrated the heritage of you or your family?
Sarah’s mom is Jewish, so we did the celebratory stomping of the glass and had a prayer shawl on the arch. Her dad is Catholic, and he gave a prayer. Letting our loved ones contribute in ways that felt meaningful and personal to them, made the day feel rich with tradition.
Any funny or unexpected wedding moments that happened throughout the day?
I would have to say, after Sarah read her vows from a couple full size sheets of paper she had written it on, I then pulled out this little tiny scrap piece of paper from my pocket size notebook where I had condensed vows onto the front and back of one sheet. I may or may not have blurted out “size doesn’t matter, right?” People laughed, so I guess it probably did happen.
Special Dances:
First Dance: Lay Down by Son Little
Processional (Family Dance): All You Need is Love by The Beatles (Gary with Mom); Here, There, and Everywhere by The Beatles (Sarah with Mom & Dad)
Last Dance: Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton
What was the best part of your day?
Sarah: For me it was the ceremony. As soon as it started, everything just slowed down. Seeing my nieces sprinkling their petals so seriously, watching Gary’s and my parents beam on their trips down the aisle, hearing our family members honoring our unique love in their own words, looking out to see everyone smiling and supporting us — I’ve never felt so loved. Finally, looking Gary in the eye in the quiet of such a special moment, and telling him how much he and our journey together mean to me was the best. We choose each other every day and that’s special. Choosing each other on that particular day in that time-honored way felt sacred.
Gary: For me it was after our vows were done, and we could then finally relax and just have fun, and be in the moment with each other the rest of the day. I have a hard time speaking in front of people so I was freaking out up to that point. Thankfully seeing Sarah walking down the aisle as the sun finally came out at just that right moment, although very emotional, made me feel more at ease. At that point I just felt so proud to be marrying such an amazing woman and person.
Favorite Detail
Gary: I really liked our lobster buoy table numbers.
Sarah: I loved the celebratory colors we had incorporated everywhere, and all of our handmade details (including the welcome sign and the lobster buoys made by Gary).
Looking back, what do you think your guests will remember most about your wedding?
How much Sarah and I adore each other, how special our family and friends are to us, and most likely the beautiful surroundings of Princeton-by-the-Sea.
#VendorRaves
All of our vendors were absolutely amazing. Beth from Sassy Diva Design created a beautiful display for the arbor that was minimal but striking. Our DJ & Emcee Mark Addington was an absolute pleasure to work with, and his expertise and familiarity with the venue made the entertainment portion of the event flawless. Silvi Alcivar of the Poetry Store was such a creative genius with her on-the-spot poems. She has a true gift, and her old-school typewriter printed poems were very meaningful souvenirs for all that partook. Our face painter Tiffany of Pacific Face Painters not only was non-stop busy with the kids, but also adults. We extended her time due to the long line for people wanting a little face art.
Advice from the Couple
The ultimate goal is to make the day what you and your spouse want it to be. In the end, no matter how hard you try to stay present during the day, it is a blur. So looking back the planning part, you almost remember just as much, so make sure to have a good time with it, and you’ll learn how you work as a team which hopefully makes you stronger.
What would you have done differently?
Nothing. I think within the time and budget we worked with, it was just what we wanted.
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