For Tancy and Paul, their wedding and their relationship is all about meaningful connections. For starters, the two are combining their last names, with an “M” from Tancy’s and the “ill” from Paul’s. The duo held their wedding on September 16th because it’s the area code for Sacramento, the town they now both call home after each moving several times before meeting. And they held their reception at The Waffle Experience, one of the first places they went out together and one of their favorite places to eat. Even their cat is named Waffles, adding yet another meaningful connection to the joyful day.
Tancy describes herself as a planner while they both agree Paul is far more spontaneous, which probably explains the unplanned proposal. “The longer I carried the ring, the more it stressed me out. After holding on to it for a couple months I was ready to throw that ring into the pit of Mount Doom.” says Paul. Eventually, he decided to propose spur-of-the-moment on a camping trip, suggesting that the two go for a walk next to a small stream. “I was warm by the fire and almost said ‘no!’” says Tancy. Fortunately, the proposal went off without a hitch, and the two decided to officially tie the knot.
The kept the ceremony cozy and small at Gold Hill Gardens, and were fortunate enough to use all the flowers and décor from a wedding the day before. The celebration then moved to the waffle restaurant; a location Paul says they choose because they wanted to create a low-key and fun atmosphere. “We wanted something that felt uniquely us—not too stuffy or formal,” he says. They opted to have guests choose one of two options off the standard menu, paired with a handful of sides. But the real treat was dessert. They decided against having a cake (“We skipped cake—it just wasn’t us,” says Paul) and instead treated their guests to a build-your-own-waffle bar. Guests selected mini waffles decked out with everything from apple compote to salted espresso caramel to candied walnuts and chocolate sauce.
Though Tancy doesn’t describe herself as anything close to “girly,” she says that one of her favorite wedding day details was her dress, along with her handmade flower-and-freshwater-pearl crown. For Paul, he thought the wedding was perfect and had a blast the entire time, which is why one of his favorite photos from the wedding is one where both he and Tancy look tired and defeated. ”I like to pull it up and laugh at it,” he says. “I actually had a lot of fun, so it’s hilarious that we were making that face.”
The two wrapped up their laid-back celebration with a laid-back honeymoon in Half Moon Bay, taking walks, paddleboarding and admiring the tide pools along the stunning coastline.
—Suzie Dundas
