Marcia and Jeff - San Diego Botanic Garden

At the end of May, I received an inquiry on my website for an August Sunday wedding from a couple who had met me at the April Bridal Bazaar at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Before we met, we also exchanged a bunch of emails, with Marcia filling me in on their situation, as well as of their families, how they met, and even a blog post that Jeffrey has written when he lost his first wife to cancer. So, I had an amazing sense of who they were - and how special it would be to work with them - before we even met!

At the meeting, they let me know that the wedding was going to be small and intimate, that they were both spiritual but not religious, that they wanted to include her kids somehow, and that music was very important to them, so maybe there would be some lyrics involved somehow. Awesome!

So, what did we create together? Since it was to be so small and intimate, and all of the guests were very important to them, we decided to include a ring warming - sending their rings around to everyone at the beginning of the ceremony (in an organza bag, to avoid dropping through the deck), to be "warmed" with their thoughts, wishes, prayers, and blessings for this couple. We included two readings, read by close friends: "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" by Louis de Bernieres, and "It's You I Like" by Mr. Rogers (yes, that Mr. Rogers).

We included a beautiful sand ceremony with the three kids - "As each pours in the sands, they show how the individual colors create a beautiful masterpiece of love and mutual respect. Just as the sands are forever intermixed, so are the lives of the people being celebrated today." Marcia and Jeff wrote their own vows - absolutely beautiful and moving for each other, and well as for everyone there. And, as always, I shared stories of them from their homework assignment for me. I particularly loved sharing how they describe their relationship to others and how they describe the other person to those who have never met the other - those gave such a clear look into their relationship! A surprise to Jeff and to everyone else there, though, was that Marcia had decided to sing a song to Jeff right after they exchanged their vows - that choked me up too! I loved it!

I was thrilled to be able to work again with Melanie of Goodnickels Photo on this wedding - below are her beautiful pictures, capturing the love and fun this couple shares!

Thanks again, Marcia and Jeff, for making me a part of your intimate celebration, and a part of your beautiful, loving, relationship! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness!

Venue: San Diego Botanic Garden (formerly known as Quail Botanic Gardens)
Photographer: Melanie of Goodnickels Photography 
(and here is her blog post about their wedding and engagement pictures with more beautiful images!)