Tell us a little about yourselves!
We are both native Californians and met while in college. As a couple we tend to balance each other out: Jared – the more adventurous risk taker, think 150+ mile bike rides on the weekends or disregarding all safety protocols when hanging Christmas lights in the rain, and me - a more cautious, homebody who would be happy curled up on the couch all day. To sum it up Jared pushes me out of the house, and I bring him back home. We are both curious and creative people which we think is what connects us. The first night that we met, we sort of fell into each other and everyone assumed we were a couple. Shortly thereafter we made it official, and it has been almost 9 years of building our life together. We love tackling a project together, even building IKEA furniture has been a favorite pastime. We have a dog named Moose, who for better or worse, our whole world revolves around. I was the one pushing for a dog from the start of our relationship and when we finally agreed it was the right time, and Moose came into our lives, I quickly became third wheel to Jared and Moose’s relationship.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We had gone back and forth for a while on what we wanted to do and kept putting off planning because of timing or worrying about how much work it might be. Eventually we reminded ourselves that a wedding is about coming together in your partnership surrounded by the people you love, and the event is just the background fun. After that, it became really simple - take the fuss out of it. We both love our house and having people over, so a house party felt natural. We also loved the idea of getting to exist in the space after the wedding and who doesn’t love a good before and after? Every time we walk into the garage today, we can’t believe we pulled off a dinner in there. We had so much fun getting our house ready - piling all of our furniture into our bedroom, painting our steps, planting in the backyard. A wedding like this gave us the opportunity to put a lot of time and love into something we can continue to enjoy for years to come.
How many guests did you have?
46.
Tell us about your outfits.
We each wanted to feel like the best version of ourselves on the day of. Jared decided if there was ever a time to spend on a custom suit it was now and he was incredibly happy with the result. I knew I wanted something with no train and that would feel comfortable all night. I think for both of us good tailoring was the trick that made our outfits feel perfect. Obviously, Jared’s Tailor’s Keep suit was all custom measurements and when my Alexandra Grecco dress arrived, I took it an amazing seamstress who made it fit like a glove and removed the train so it would feel weightless.
I also wore a ring of Victorian mud opals with emerald in the middle, and jewels from the ring of Jared's maternal grandmother mounted on Jared’s great, great, grandmothers wedding band
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
Honestly keeping it light and fun. We have watched people get lost in the process of planning and it becomes heavy or incredibly stressful to make it to the day of. By doing a surprise wedding it eliminated a lot of the usual stress and formality that can come with a more traditional wedding. It allowed the process to be more intimate between the two of us and the event itself to be a pure expression of us as a couple. The whole night felt effortless and just flowed — we have the help of our incredible planner and vendors to thank for that. Planning the event kind of felt like perfectly placing puzzle pieces, everything aligned how it should and we wouldn’t change a thing. Another benefit to a surprise wedding and planning a wedding relatively quickly is that you don’t have time to dwell on all the options, this really cuts the stress out of the process because you are able to make a decision and keep moving.
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
It is hard to say if one element of the event was more important than the other to incorporate. We had the privilege to work with vendors who really understood the vision we had and wanted to work just as hard as us to execute it like we imagined. The food complimented the florals, the lighting highlighted the softness of the draping — everything was so cohesive, it is almost like one element wouldn’t have worked without the other. We do look back and treasure the DIY bits the most. My mom stayed over one night to help assemble invitations, we made the party crackers for the table setting together and stuffed them with fake moustaches, crowns and temporary tattoos and as a gift for our guests, I drew our house and got it printed on matchbooks to give out with candles (not to mention tied every ribbon on them). As far as the ceremony went, we knew we wanted to write our own vows and have it outside. We couldn’t believe the weather we ended up getting on the wedding weekend. San Francisco is known for its’ cold summers, and we ended up with the one weekend of sunshine and 75-degree weather. Overall, we wanted the evening to feel relaxed and celebratory. Both of us were so at ease throughout the event. As whoo-whoo as it is to say - there was just a love-vibe and glow that we felt from everyone the whole wedding, it was an incredible experience.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Our planner said this to us during our first meeting when we asked her if we were crazy for organizing a surprise wedding in 3 months and she was 100% right — what is meant to be will happen, things have a way of working out how they should. Also, do a first dance — I was not initially on board, but at the insistence of Jared and advice of our planner, Kaitlin of Pocketful of Plans, we did one. It was a very special moment, and it is true what they say about the rest of the room melting away.
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
We could write an essay on every one of them, but will spare you. We would just like to say all our vendors deserve the biggest shoutout. To Nick from Betty Zlatchin Catering who accommodated our (my) food allergies with ease and whose team handled our guests with so much care, Aubriana and her team from Marigold who created magic with every arrangement, Zach and Elle from Kindred who captured the day in such an authentic, genuine way, Jess from Hugo Film Co who brought so much positivity and excitement to the process, the team at Standard Rentals for transforming our garage into an unrecognizable event space and of course, Kaitlin, from Pocketful of Plans who took every crazy idea we had and made it a reality, handling all the curve balls we threw at her with ease — what would we have done without you?! Also, if you are gluten free, a special shoutout to Three Babes Bake Shop - they truly have the most delicious GF Key Lime Pie. Run, don’t walk.
Photographer : Kindred @kindredweddings | Videographer : Hugo Film Co.@hugofilmco | Ceremony + Reception Location : Couple's Home in San Francisco | Celebrant : Childhood friend of Groom Kai Mashima | Entertainment : Belmont Entertainment @belmontentertainment | Planner : Pocketful of Plans @pocketful.of.plans | Rentals : Standard Rentals @standardeventrentals (Draping of garage), Theoni Rentals @theonicollection (furniture, dishes, glassware) + BBJ LaTavola @bbjlatavola for linens | Flora : Marigold @marigold_sf | Makeup : by the Bride @cosmeticsbycaroline | Hair : April Foster Beauty @aprilfosterbridal | Catering + Beverages : Betty Zlatchin Catering and Events @bettyzlatchincatering | Cake : Three Babes Bake Shop @threebabes | Stationery : Zazzle for invites Heart Paper Soul @heartpapersoul for Signage and Menus | Photo Booth : Photomatica Photo Booth @photomatica | Blue Dress : Reformation | Wedding Dress : Alexandra Grecco 'Zoe' | Veil : Toni Federici Goddess Veil | Groom's Suit : Custom Tailor’s Keep | Engagement Rings : Custom Lauren O. Jewels + Soft Good Studio (Groom) | Wedding Rings : Lauren O. Jewels | Shoes : Jimmy Choo Avenue 50 Leather Mules | Earrings : Bride’s mother’s that she got as a present from Bride’s dad | Wedding Party Attire : Individually chosen by wedding party