Rick & Brandie,
Where do we start with sharing Rick & Brandie’s story?  Generally, we ask a few questions and summarize answers.  This time, however, we’re sharing their story in their own exact words because summarizing their responses just wouldn’t due their story justice.  We think you will agree!

How did you two meet?
“Rick and I had the opportunity to meet on Match.com.  It was unique in a sense that we had so very much in common, including our birthdays!  We were both single parents taking care of our wonderful kids and looking for an individual that had all of the qualities that were important to the both of us, and who would also love and care for our kids the way we did.”

What attracted you to each other?
“I was initially attracted to Rick because he has a very unique personality.  He is by far the most humorous, caring, honest, and loving man I have ever met.  He also is not afraid to be himself, no matter how goofy he looks or sounds.  I chalk this up to his high level of confidence he possesses.  I mean c’mon…the guy has a picture of a duck from Disneyland on our dresser!  According to Rick, my smile, and personality…simple as that LOL…”

How did he propose?
“We are Disney fans and trips to Disneyland are not uncommon since we are pass holders.  We went to Disneyland to celebrate our birthdays in the end of April, close to our birthdays.  It was common for Brandie to point to her ring finger during the Splash Mountain Drop with a sad face as if to constantly hint to something being missing.  This day, I was secretly hiding her engagement ring in my pocket.  The plan was to hold the ring up behind her during the drop on Splash Mountain with the intent that she would be pointing to her ring finger.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.  She decided not to do her famous pose and in the picture it was simply me holding and pointing to the ring…which you couldn’t really see!  EPIC FAIL!!  I told her I did something hilarious in the photo and we needed to go look at it.  As she peered at the picture, she kept asking, “What are you doing?  I can’t tell.”  Man, a guy can’t get a break can he?  She finally glanced up and there was the ring in my hand.  The rest is history!!”

What did you love most about your location ceremony/reception location?
“The thing that we loved most about Wedgewood was the close proximity to our close family and friends.  It was important to us that those close to our hearts were able to make it to our wedding.  But most of all, it was extremely important to us that we got married on our birthday.  We always felt that it was a blessing to have found not only a great partner, but one who was born the EXACT same day! What better way than to combine the two, our anniversary, AND birthdays!”

What was the most exciting part about planning your special day?
“Well, Troy and Marjorie OF COURSE!  Really and quite honestly, we were for a lack of a better term, hell bent on having them there!  We are to this day truly blessed to have had them share and capture such an important day in our lives.  It was so awesome to see their work and experience their expertise and general AWESOMENESS…from the day we first met them and even now.  The day we booked them was like a weight lifted from our shoulders.  We knew whatever happened the day of our wedding was going to be ok because they would be there.”

What was the most memorable experience of your wedding?
“Well…whatever happens, happened!  Most brides pray for the obvious—no rain, no tripping, falling, hair catastrophes, missing pastors…I prayed for all of that, however, I left out wind!!  It was SO WINDY that day (and our ceremony was outside) I was beside myself.  It was pretty horrible.  Thankfully, due to their innovative thinking, experience, and our combined humor, you could never tell from the pictures!   The wind made for some GREAT affects too!”

Do you have any comments about your vendors?
“All in all, the staff at Wedgewood was amazing.  We wouldn’t change anything except the hurricane like wind conditions LOL.  And we wouldn’t have wanted that day captured by anyone else!”

Do you have any words of advise to share with new brides?
”Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.  Determine what is important to you and what is not.  Whether it is the perfect location, or in our case, the most important photographers that could make an alley look like a Picasso…after the day is done, the most important piece of your puzzle is standing right next to you…”

Thank you Rick & Brandie for sharing your story with everyone!  You two are the best!  The wedding was just the beginning of our friendship!

In case any of you are wondering, May 1^st is both their birthdays.  Happy first “Birth-A-Versary!” guys!

Venue –
Wedgewood-Indian Hills
http://www.wedgewoodbanquet.com/indian-hills/

Florist –
Riverside Mission Florist
http://www.riversidemissionflorist.com

Photographer –
Imagery Concepts Photography
www.imageryconcepts.com

All Images and Content are the property of Imagery Concepts Photography

Some people just know when they see their soul mate for the very first time! That is exactly what happened for Angela and Patrick when they were having drinks with some mutual friends. Nothing could break the smile that Angela had on her face the entire time during their first conversation. The chemistry between them was instant!

The next thing you know, 8 years fly by and God had blessed them with a son named Mason.  During those years, their friends would often ask, “When are you two going to get married?”  They were very committed to each other and always knew they wanted to marry, but their first priority was their children (they each had a child from a previous relationship). They each knew that someday, when the timing was right, they would have the wedding of their dreams.

That right time was Labor Day Weekend of 2010.  They were visiting Patrick’s mom and step-dad at their home.  While Patrick and Angela were taking a walk to the edge of the lawn overlooking the valley, their son ran up to them shouting, “Mommy, mommy, mommy!”  Angela turned around to see what the emergency was and saw him holding a small square jewelry box in his hand.  Mason then said, “This is for you!”  Angela turned to Patrick to ask him what was going on.  Patrick took the small jewelry box and knelt down on one knee.  Angela couldn’t believe her eyes, and could hardly believe “IT” was happening!  With tears running down her face, she was unable to speak because of the overwhelming sense of pure joy she was experiencing!  But when she was finally able to speak, the answer was of course “YES!”

They chose to have their wedding at Monteleone Meadows, located in Murrieta, CA.  They fell absolutely in love with the landscaping of the property, the swans, pond, dock, waterfall, and of course with Gaby and the owner Hennie Monteleone.  These ladies made their day effortless and seamless, taking care of the set up, coordinating, and ensuring every detail went as planned.

For most couples, choosing colors is only simply a matter of selecting colors they like or that complement the season. But for Patrick and Angela, their colors had a significant meaning.  Just 2 months prior to their wedding, Patrick’s father, Ric, unexpectedly left this world to go to heaven.  Ric was a member of the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club (VNVMC) Las Vegas, and their colors are red and black.  The VNVMC was Ric’s family, his brothers and his heart and soul.  They gave Patrick and Angela a whole new outlook on the family of bikers.  As Angela says “They aren’t just men on motorcycles, they are men with a story to tell.”  Ric’s spirit shined everywhere on their wedding day through the use of red and black colors.

The most memorable experience of their wedding day was the moment when Angela stepped out at the end of the aisle before the ceremony; she saw Patrick, and he saw her…priceless!

Angela’s advise for future brides –

“For all you brides, there is nothing more exciting than planning this most special day you’ve always dreamed of.  Remember not to lose sight of what’s most important–you and your groom.  There will be something that doesn’t go as planned and it’s okay because you will be the only one that knows it.  Don’t stress!  The time between planning and the day of your wedding truly flies by.  Please enjoy this time in your lives and soak [it] up and enjoy every moment.  Don’t let the stress overwhelm you.  When you stress, breathe.  Right before you walk down the aisle, breathe.  I always give the advice to “just breathe.”  Be sure to grab your groom at your reception, stand together off in the corner, look into your party and take it all in…breathe together because everyone is there for you two! Enjoy “

Venue -
Monteleone Meadows
www.monteleonemeadows.com

“Loved our wedding venue – Monteleone Meadows!  Their property is absolutely beautiful!  Gaby and Hennie took care of everything for us, all the set up, coordinating, and details went as planned.”

DJ –
ProSound DJ
www.prosounddjsinc.com
“Alex with ProSound was outstanding!  He helps keep up the schedule of the wedding day and knows how to keep the party alive with the right music!”

Bakery -
Jodee’s Bakery
http://www.jodeesbakery.com

Florist –
Michael’s Flower Girl
www.mfgfloral.com
“Amazing flower arrangements for my wedding party and ceremony.”

Photographer –
Imagery Concepts Photography
www.imageryconcepts.com
“Loved our photographers – Imagery Concepts!  They heard everything I said and brought our wedding day back to life in our photos! I can’t say enough about them for what we truly feel.  They are fantastic at what they do!  You can’t go wrong with IC!!!”

Angela’s special request to all reading this story:  “In honor of Ric and for his brothers, please be aware while driving on the road – look out for bikers.”  They experienced an unfortunate incident first hand at Ric’s memorial.  A member of the bike escort was struck by a car during the escort.

All Images and Content are the property of Imagery Concepts Photography

]]> http://abridesstory.com/2012/03/patrick-angela/feed/ 0 http://abridesstory.com/2012/01/jonathan-christie/ http://abridesstory.com/2012/01/jonathan-christie/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:01:40 +0000 admin http://abridesstory.com/?p=544 Jonathan & Christie -

Who would have thought it was possible to meet your sole mate while attending an Angel’s baseball game at the young age of 15!  That was Jon’s luck (Christie was 19 at the time).  His mom planned the afternoon outing of tailgating fun and a baseball game and invited Christie, who was her co-worker.  The funny part is that both of Jon & Christie didn’t even care for the teams that were playing (he’s a Dodger’s fan and she’s a Yankee’s fan!).
At first, Christie looked at Jon as her “co-worker’s son.”  It wasn’t until Christie’s 22^nd birthday that she started seeing him as dating material.  After all, he was now 18 and not in high school….game on!

Christie was first attracted to Jon’s deep hazel eyes. Jon, on the other hand, was immediately attracted to her from day one! He absolutely loves her eyes and is crazy about her smile!

When they first started to date, they would meet at the Westminster Mall in front of Macy’s.  They would spend countless hours walking around and talking.   After officially dating for two years, they enjoyed a nice dinner out before Valentine’s Day. At dinner, Jon mentioned to Christie that her Valentine’s present was at the Westminster Mall.  Funny thing is, Christie joked with him and told him “Really? There isn’t a Robbins Brothers at the Westminster Mall!”  So, after dinner they went to the mall, parked at their usual spot and walked into Macy’s.  They were only into the store about 20 ft when Jon pulled her back and dropped to one knee.  At the same time, their favorite song “Lost in This Moment” started playing from a boom box (thanks to his Best Man,Todd, who was in hiding).    Christie was SHOCKED!  Jon then said “Christie, we were each other’s first Valentines and I want to be each other’s last Valentine’s….Will you marry me?”  Once she realized what was happening, she of course answered “YES!!!”  Next thing you know, she noticed all of their friends and family coming out of the clothes racks to join them.

They chose Eagle Glen Golf Club in Corona as their wedding venue, which they instantly fell in love with at first sight.  They benefited not only from the Cleveland National Forest as their ceremony backdrop but also by Eagle Glen Golf Club being one of the few golf course venues that allow couples to take their wedding pictures on the actual golf course (not just the putting green!).  Christie tells of how the girls in Event Sales, Gina & Tiffany, were extremely helpful and excited to work with them. Plus, Jared in charge of Eagle Glen Catering Operations, went above and beyond down to the smallest detail (of course that burger he personally made for Jon wasn’t so small!).  Also, Fred, owner of Sound Garden Productions, rocked the house all night—-doing his usual great job too!

To personalize their wedding ceremony, Christie & Jon chose a unity cross instead of a candle or sand to symbolize their union.  At their reception, they had their guests sign a Green Bay Packers football, a New York Yankees baseball bat and a couple authentic major league baseballs.  They even made their own spice rub for each guest to take home!  Christie surprised Jon with cheese head cuff links and a cheese head cake too (one of her favorite images is the one them standing next to the cheese head cake showing off his matching cuff links).  Every detail was personable, representing them perfectly!

The most memorable part of their entire day was the moment when Christie walked down the aisle, having that wonderful feeling knowing that God had it planned all along.  Of course, their first kiss as Mr. & Mrs. Enkhorn was pretty memorable for them too!

Christie’s advice for future brides –

“Don’t stress!!! I know that it’s easier said than done, but everything will work out like it is suppose to.  If the cake isn’t perfect or your flowers aren’t exactly what you planned, it’s not the end of the world.  When all is ready, you are still going to walk down the isle and marry your best friend.  The day definitely goes by quickly, but I pray for every bride and groom that they enjoy the moments of their day.  Ours was absolutely amazing!  We couldn’t have asked for a better day.”

Venue –
Eagle Glen Golf Club
www.eagleglengc.com
DJ –
Fred Davis, Owner, Sound Garden Productions
www.soundgardenproductions.com

Photography –
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO
www.imageryconcepts.com

All Images and Content are the property of Imagery Concepts Photography

It’s always cool to learn how our couples first met, and how much more awesome to say they met while both working at In-N-Out; of all places!  Emily was swept off her feet by Dustin’s amazing personality and his ability to compliment her, always making her smile.  Dustin was initially drawn to her by her beauty, sense of wit and sarcasm, along with her warm giving demeanor and tender heart.

After 4 years of dating, Dustin was ready to ask Emily to become his wife.  He planned to propose to Emily while at a fancy restaurant.  However, thanks to work, she couldn’t make their date.  The following day, she met Dustin at his apartment and was greeted with a dozen red roses.  They were actually running late to a BBQ and Padres baseball game.  Emily headed for the door so they could leave, but Dustin insisted they sit on the couch and talk first.  After a while, Emily got up again and headed toward the door, but Dustin said he wanted to sit and talk some more.   So she did, wondering, “Why is he doing this?”  He told her how much she meant to him and that he loved her with all his heart.  He said that he finally got to a point in his life that he realized that he couldn’t live without her.  He pulled out the ring and asked her to marry him (which of course she accepted!).  Emily didn’t know this until later that Dustin kept having her go back to the couch because he hid the ring in the couch!

They chose to have their wedding and reception at The Golf Club of California in Fallbrook.  They fell in love with the greenery, pond, fountain, and beautiful building. They received an enormous amount of help from their families, staying up many late nights working on the finer details.  Dustin’s mom and aunts all helped decorate their reception.  They are very grateful to everyone for making their wedding so wonderful and beautiful…much more than words can describe!

Emily absolutely loved every moment of planning, knowing it was all for Dustin to become her future husband and setting the tone for the rest of their lives together.  One of Emily’s most memorable experiences was saying their vows and hearing Dustin say his to her.

Emily’s advise to future brides –

“Don’t wait till the last minute to plan the little things.  I waited and it only caused my stress level to go up, whereas I should have been enjoying the week before my wedding.  Enjoy this time of planning; it only happens once.  Take the entire day in, enjoy and look back on it often!  It makes it all worth while again!”

Photography –
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO
www.imageryconcepts.com

Venue –
The Golf Club of California
www.wedgewoodbanquet.com

All Images and Content are the property of Imagery Concepts Photography

Tony & Laura -

We LOVE these guys and so do our brides on Facebook!  Laura always takes the time to compliment our brides on their pictures, give advice, uplift, encourage, and even offers tips on how to stay calm and get rest before their wedding.  She is super sweet and caring….no wonder that Tony instantly fell in love with Laura!

Their relationship didn’t start on Facebook, however, it actually started on MySpace, Valentine’s Day 2008.  After several conversations, they agreed to meet in person on February 24th at the San Bernardino County Museum.   While talking with each other for 5 hours, Laura kept noticing people stopping by the orange tree across the road to pick oranges.  Then Tony decided to go and pick an orange too.  While walking back to Laura, he engraved their initials and the date on the orange and gave it to her.  At the end of their evening together, they both experienced amazing feelings toward each other.  As the days went by, Laura and Tony were inseparable on the telephone.  Their long days of hard work did not stop them from picking up the telephone when they got home, oftentimes even falling asleep while talking on the phone.  Needless to say, lots of trips back and forth from Fontana (his place) & Palm Springs (her place) immediately ensued.  Just four short months after meeting each other, Laura moved to Fontana to be with Tony.

Laura was immediately attracted to the way Tony carried himself and the way he treated her.  He completely swept Laura off her feet!  The saying “The way a man treats his mother, is the way he will treat you” is absolutely is right on the money for Laura!

9 Months after their first meeting, Laura came home after a long 9 hour shift from her work and walked into their bedroom and found Tony on one knee.  The wedding planning began!

Laura and Tony soon discovered beautiful Kimberly Crest House and Gardens in Redlands.   They visited the property in the month of January.  Winter is not the season for flowers and green leaves, but they could still clearly see and appreciate the true beauty of Kimberly Crest and immediately knew it was the spot!

Imagery Concepts enjoyed every step of the wedding planning process with Laura and Elizabeth, the coordinator at Kimberly Crest.  Laura and Tony chose to have their wedding on June 14, 2011 (our very first Tuesday wedding!).   Their wedding was incredibly intimate and romantic.  Becoming husband and wife in the presence of approx. 30 close family and friends was the most important to them.  Their day concluded with an appetizer and dessert reception, and MC’ed by our great friend and DJ, Fred Davis, owner of Sound Garden Productions.

By the way, still to this day, Tony goes to the same orange tree every year on February 24^th to pick an orange to engrave their initials and the year!

Laura’s Advise for Brides –  

“Enjoy every moment no matter how stressful things may get.  Your special day comes and goes so quickly to not enjoy every single second.”

Venue –
Kimberly Crest House & Gardens
www.kimberlycrest.org

DJ –
Fred Davis, Owner, Sound Garden Productions
www.soundgardenproductions.com

Florist –
Sharon Golden, Owner
Details in Bloom
(951) 992-2929

Cake –
Michelle’s Bakery
(909) 792-5436

Photography –
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO
www.imageryconcepts.com 

All Images and Content are the property of Imagery Concepts Photography

Anthony & Bristin -

Our very first couple to find us on Facebook!  

Anthony & Bristin have known each other since high school years.  They met when Bristin was 16 at a mutual friends house to celebrate a birthday.  They were all going to a restaurant and Bristin volunteered to drive.  Anthony rode along in her car and couldn’t resist harassing Bristin about the roof of her ’87 Nova being stapled together!   He sat next to Bristin at dinner, rode in her car for the drive home, and managed to get her phone number by the end of the evening!

Soon after they started hanging out together, Anthony broke the news to Bristin that he was going to move to San Diego with his parents after high school.  Bristin had no desire to have a long distance relationship (yes, a couple of hours way was long distance to Bristin!).  So after 4 months of not talking to each other, Anthony called Bristin and asked her to go to prom with him at his school.  She said yes, and bought a dress and gave him her sash so he could match it.  Just three days before prom, she received a voice message from Anthony; he disinvited her to prom because he got another girlfriend!  After that, she told him she never wanted to speak with him again!

But if that were the case, we wouldn’t’ have their story to share with you!  Anthony moved away to San Diego for about a year, but he couldn’t get Bristin off his mind.  He moved back into town and got the nerve to send her a text.  She was having a party at the time and she invited him to come by; they’ve been together ever since!   They officially became girlfriend/boyfriend on Father’s Day 2005.  It was a good thing that Bristin’s dad forgave Anthony for breaking his daughter’s heart earlier!

On their 4-year dating anniversary, after receiving her parent’s blessing, Anthony proposed to Bristin.  He covered their hotel room with rose petals and candles, and surprised Bristin with her ring (disguising it in a cell phone box as her gift). They concluded in enjoying a very simple and elegant evening together.

When searching for a wedding venue, they instantly fell in love with the Ayres Hotel in Hathorne, a European-inspired boutique hotel with a giant staircase featured in the lobby.  Their favorite color is black, and since they are huge Angel’s fans, they decided to add red and white too. They incorporated the damask theme throughout their entire wedding (invitations, rose petal holders, seating chart, etc.).   They created holders filled with petals for each of their guests to toss as they walked up the isle  (resulting in one of our favorite images!).  As a last minute idea, they added red lighting to the reception walls resulting in the perfect finishing touch!

Anthony’s advise to all couples:  “Never take breaks away from each other.  Work on problems together, talk it out, communicate; that’s the only way you’re going to get through everything.”  Bristin’s advise for wedding planning:  “ Take a deep breath and take it one day at a time.  It does get stressful.  The little things add up so I would start incorporating those during the process.  Plan early and consider the weather; pick your date wisely!”

Venue -
Ayres Hotel
http://www.ayreshotels.com

Photography - 
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO

All Photography by:

Now here’s a couple that were destined to be together since the very beginning of their lives…too bad they just didn’t know it at the time!  They first met in pre-school, but soon after, Hilary moved away.  Then when Hilary was 7 yrs., her mom purchased a home just two doors down from where Evan lived– complete random chance!

Evan is a brilliant guy (he’s a physics engineer), but a bit shy when growing up and never talked to Hilary.  High school and college years go by, and even then, still no communication.

On Mother’s Day in 2008 (when they were in their early 20’s), Hilary went to visit her mom and noticed Evan outside his mom’s house.  She went over to say “hi” and soon discovered through their conversation that they were both living in Huntington Beach; literally 5 minutes away from each other! They exchanged phone numbers and thought about hanging out sometime (as “friends” of course!).   After Evan tried twice to text Hilary, each without an answer, he just gave up.  Then one night while Hilary was hanging out with a girlfriend at a bar, she sent Evan a text to see if he wanted to come over.   Literally within 15 minutes, Evan shows up with 5 of his friends!  After that night, they got together “as friends” quite a bit.  One night, Evan went along with Hilary’s whole family to the Spaghetti Factory for dinner and surprised everyone by paying the entire bill.  That’s when the “light-bulb” turned on for Hilary that she should give this guy some serious thought!

Hilary is definitely a “take charge” kind of girl and doesn’t mess around.   They were getting very serious and Evan was getting ready to make some career decisions.  As Hilary put it, “I didn’t want to be the girl who follows her boyfriend from state to state, then eventually gets dumped and has to find a way back home.”  So she basically said that they needed to get married.  To her great surprise, Evan agreed without over-analyzing it like he does with everything!   Before you know it, Hilary had a ring made and a 7-day cruise booked (yes, she was planning her proposal too!).  All Evan had to do was propose anytime he wanted during their cruise.  Days went by and still no proposal; Evan took his own sweet time!  Finally, on the 6^th day of the cruise, Evan “secretly” attended a “Build-A-Bear” class on the ship.  When he returned to their room, he made Hilary leave.   He tidied up the room, changed into nice clothes, told her to come in and then pushed the button on the Build-A-Bear and she heard his recorded voice ask her to marry him.  So, although she didn’t get to watch him say the words “Will you marry me?” she can hear him ask the big question over and over to her heart’s content with a simple push of a button!

Evan & Hilary enjoyed their beautiful wedding at Menifee Lakes Country Club.  Instead of a sit-down dinner, they chose to have variety of yummy appetizer stations so that their guests could mingle and interact.  Their cake was designed and created by Jodee’s Bakery and everyone danced the night away with music played by Tijuana Dogs (great band choice by her dad Sam!).

Hilary chose purple as her color– “cool” purple that is!   She was referred to Imagery Concepts by a nearby bridal boutique where she found “THE” dress (or so she thought!).  This is a whole story in itself, but to make a long story short, Hilary cut out a bunch of pictures of wedding dresses and asked Evan to pick his favorites.  She did this several times and of course he never picked her dress.  Needless to say, she learned he didn’t care for the dress she chose (he didn’t even have the slightest clue that she already bought it).  Needless to say, she now owns two wedding dresses!

Evan and Hilary are currently living in New Jersey.  Evan is doing fabulous in his career and Hilary is going back to school.  Her sister Jillian recently hired us for her upcoming wedding next May 18^th,  (which is our wedding anniversary too!)

 Hilary’s advise to future brides is simply this -

“Don’t micro-manage.  Hire the absolute best vendors you can possibly find and  let them do what they do best.  This way, you can relax and everything will turn   out far better than you could have managed anyway!”

Troy and I are so grateful to have met you guys and we look forward to seeing the entire family again at your sister’s wedding next May!
-Marjorie & Troy

Vendor Friends –

Venue -
Menifee Lakes Country Club
www.menifee-lakes.com

Bakery -
Jodee’s Bakery
www.jodeesbakery.com

Band -
Tijuanna Dogs
www.tijuanadogs.com

Photography -
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO 

All Photography by:

]]> http://abridesstory.com/2011/07/evan-hilary/feed/ 0 http://abridesstory.com/2011/06/ryan-amy/ http://abridesstory.com/2011/06/ryan-amy/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:07:52 +0000 admin http://abridesstory.com/?p=371 Ryan & Amy -

We’ll never forget the moment when we first met Amy & Ryan at Kimberly Crest’s Bridal Faire in November of 2009.  Amy came up to us with the biggest smile on her face and asked, ”Are you THE Imagery Concepts?”  I knew instantly that we were going to be a perfect match for each other!

Amy & Ryan first met in 11th grade.  Amy was first attracted to Ryan’s amazing fro, which became the topic of their first conversation.  After a little time, Ryan asked Amy on their first date…a driving range outing and a movie at his house (Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back!). On Sept. 22, 2002, Ryan asked Amy to be his girlfriend via text message (embracing technology gotta love it!).

After 6 years together, on Christmas morning, Ryan planned a scavenger hunt for Amy.  The clues took Amy all over the house, inside and out.  The final clue led Amy to the Christmas tree where she found a little box.  Turns out the box was empty and when she turned around, Ryan was on his knee, holding the ring…best Christmas ever!

They planned their wedding in Redlands, since it’s where they met and had been together for so long.  Without hesitation, they chose Kimberly Crest House & Gardens as their ceremony and the Mitten Building. for their reception.  They chose Alice in Wonderland as their wedding theme taking full advantage of the vibrant colors (notice their cake!) something completely whimsical and totally different.  Together with family and friends, they combined their crafty minds and talented hearts, hand-making almost everything…save-the-dates, invitations, decorations, flowers for the girls hair, party favors, table numbers, and more!

The most memorable experience for Amy was being able to call Ryan her husband.  He is the greatest man she’s ever known.  To be able to say that she married her high school sweetheart, her soul mate, her best friend…there is nothing greater.  He completes her.  Second most memorable experience was for Amy to have her mom walk her down the isle and to have a mother-daughter dance.  She wouldn’t have had it any other way!

Yes, it completely poured rain during her ceremony, the boys got wet, the girl’s shoe color melted off, guests couldn’t hear their vows and she cried….BUT that was their wedding day.  That is the story they get to share with everyone about their crazy unforgettable day.  They wouldn’t change it for a second! Neither would we because we had a blast capturing images in the rain, taking full advantage of the opportunities given to us that we’ve never before experienced at Kimberly Crest.

Amy’s advise to future brides:  “HAVE FUN!  Yes, it’s stressful and you might shed some tears, but remember what you are planning for!  Please don’t let others influence what you want for YOUR wedding!  Just know that there are things that are going to go wrong on your big day, things out of your control, let it go because no one will know the difference!  And MOST of all….LOVE LOVE LOVE each other!!!!”

Amy’s advise and comments regarding her vendors:

- ”We just want to tell you, if you need a wedding and event specialist, definitely contact Katherine Scott Blom at (909) 771-8274!!!  She is the GREATEST!  She makes you feel so at ease because she is a PRO at what she does!  Love her!”

- ”We LOVE Riverside Photo Booth!  They have great prices and it was seriously SO much fun!  I love that we will have goofy pictures of all our guests with props on their heads and wearing huge glasses…. forever!  )”

Contact Daniel @ http://www.riversidephotobooth.com/

- “I LOVED my wedding dress!!!  And it was hand made for ME!!!  Wendy Y. is a genius!  Contact Wendy @ www.ieieshop.com Check her out if you want a gorgeous dress and prices to die for!”

-”We would totally recommend Simply Cakes Bakery in Riverside!!  We wanted a very whimsical cake and they did a PERFECT job!  Everyone loved our cake!”

Bakery -
Contact Greg @ www.simplycakesbakery.com

Ceremony Venue -
Kimberly Crest
www.kimberlycrest.org

Reception Venue -
The Mitten Bldg.
http://mittenbuilding.com

Photography -
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO 

All Photography by:

Leave it to Katerina and Steve to do things a little different!  They actually met at a bar where she worked as a bartender.  Steve would hang out with his buddies all the time to watch Monday night football.  Katerina couldn’t help but notice his height and his good looks, but it was their matching personalities that made everything perfect.  They love to have fun and joke around all the time! J

After 5 years of dating, the big moment arrived…the proposal.  It was their 5-year dating anniversary and he acted like it was just another day.  They were home, and for some reason Steve wanted to sit in the living room by the Christmas tree.  They were just having a normal conversation.  When Katerina turned her head for a second, and then turned back, she saw Steve and Alyssa (his daughter) on their knees.  Steve asked if Katerina would marry him and Alyssa asked her if she would be her stepmom.  Needless to say, Katerina couldn’t stop crying so it took a minute to say yes! J

We started our relationship with them (all 3!) by capturing their engagement in the rain…again, something a little different!   Katerina was such a trooper, wearing super cute jeans and high heels.  She didn’t’t even let it faze her when her beautiful long hair got wet in the rain.   They just went for it and together we had a blast!

Katerina wanted to find a secluded venue where she could be a princess, and she certainly found it!  Enchanted Forest in Fallbrook, CA  is a rare find,  only allowing a handful of couples to get married on the grounds each year.  Their spacious grounds feature a huge lake with swans, a stone bridge, wrought iron gates, armored statues, and even a bridal suite and men’s dressing room resembling a castle.  Carol, their on-site wedding coordinator, did a fabulous job at organizing everything, making her wedding planning a breeze.  As Katerina said, “I didn’t worry about anything!”  They planned their entire wedding in only 4 months!

One of the most memorable parts of the day for Katerina was seeing how happy her dad was the entire day.   He danced the whole night away!  Their evening concluded with a sparkling grand exit filled with all their friends wishing them a wonderful new married life together.

The only thing Katerina would have changed was to not eat a full slice of cake.  That’s funny because most of our couples say just the opposite after their wedding!  Oftentimes, the cake is gone by the time the bride & groom get around to having a piece!

Katerina’s advice for future couples–  “Have fun!  Remember it’s your day!  Don’t try to please other people.  Do what makes you happy.  You are too BLESSED to be STRESSED!”

To read Steve & Katrina’s full story click here

Vendor Friends who helped make their day special:

Venue –
Enchanted Forest
Carol Carlson, On-Site Coordinator
www.enchantedforestweddings.com

Florist -
Cathie Schmidt
951.961.5129

Hair & Makeup –
www.sweetfuss.com

Photography -
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO 

All Photography by:

Where do we start with our relationship with Mike & Jillian? We just love these guys!   Jillian is probably our biggest fan on Facebook, taking the time to comment on everyone’s “teasers.”   So if you don’t know Jillian yet, you probably will!

Their relationship all started because of Jillian’s friend, Steph.   Steph invited them to her costume party and her husband introduced them to each other.  Not a great start though because the moment was very awkward.  Unfortunately, 4 months later, Steph passed away in an accident.  Jillian became close friends with Steph’s sister, who also kept insisting that Jillian meet Mike as well.  So, to make everyone happy, Jillian agreed.   To Jillian’s great surprise, she really, really liked him.  Funny thing is, Mike wasn’t looking to date anyone either, but he quickly discovered that he couldn’t live without Jillian!

On their first real date, Mike was a real gentleman, opening doors for her, offering his jacket when she was cold, dressing nice (even though they were actually his work clothes!).  To all the grooms reading this–the little things do matter!

After two years of dating, Mike decided he wanted to propose at Disneyland, Jillian’s favorite place.  He had it all planned out.  She was to show up with her friend at the castle and he was going to surprise her by standing there like her prince waiting to take her hand.  The trip to Disneyland didn’t happen, so Mike had to come up with a new plan. This time, he told Jillian that they had to take a drive to Vegas saying that his Grandma was helping his mom move and they needed help moving a sofa (Jillian complained the entire drive!).  Of course, Mike had bigger, better plans!  On one knee, he ended up proposing in front of the fountain at the Bellagio.  They had a wonderful time together, and stayed in a beautiful room overlooking  “their” fountain!  I bet the drive home was much more fun!

They chose to get married at Kimberly Crest House & Gardens in Redlands, CA.  Not only were the grounds amazing and perfect, but Katherine Blom, their wedding coordinator, was wonderful and made everything so easy.  They were married on the front steps of the mansion and their ceremony concluded with a butterfly release (our very first butterfly release in 19 years!).  One butterfly decided to hang out for a while and participated in a few romantic scenics!  Even their cake, created by Michelle’s bakery, featured a cascade of edible butterflies!

Everything about planning their wedding was so much fun for Jillian.  Her favorite part was trying on wedding dresses.   They used a classic car that belonged to her Great Auntie Lea, who passed away earlier in the year (she wore her jewelry at the wedding).  They chose a very unique song, Por Ti Volare by Andrea Bochelli, as their first dance song (it was playing at the Bellagio fountain when Mike proposed).  Jillian’s most memorable experience during the wedding was when she first reached the top of the stairs to walk down the aisle…she was so scared she froze.  It took her a minute to stop looking at all her guests and look at Mike.  Once she saw him, she completely relaxed and “married the most amazing man in the world.”

To top everything off, Jillian’s best friend and maid-of-honor, was able to attend the wedding and be by Jillian’s side (she was diagnosed with a terminal illness just months before the wedding).   We are very pleased to share that she continues to be with us today.   Prayer works!

Jillian’s words of advise to future brides - “Don’t stress about the little things….if you forget to do them, they weren’t important anyway!  The only important thing that matters, is getting down that aisle and to marry your man!”

To read Mike & Jillian click here.

Vendor Friends who helped make their day special:

Wedding Coordinator -
Katherine Blom
(909) 838-7905

Ceremony Venue –
Kimberly Crest
www.kimberlycrest.org

Reception Venue –
Tennessee Gardens
www.tngardens.com

Bakery –
Michelle’s Bakery
www.michelles-online.com

Photography -
Imagery Concepts Photography
800 IC PHOTO 

All Photography by: