Real Weddings Magazine - Issue #27-F20-DIGITAL - The Best Wedding Vendors in Sacramento, Tahoe and throughout Northern California are all here

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STEPHANIE
&
BRANDON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
SWEET MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY
When Brandon was stationed at a new U.S. Air Force
Base in an area he knew little about, he relocated with
a bit of nervousness. Yet, fate had plans for Brandon’s
future that he never could have imagined. “Looking
back, it really seems so crazy, as Travis Air Force Base
was last on my dream sheet of places to be stationed,”
says Brandon.
A few short weeks after getting to the area, he was
invited to a backyard barbecue that was joined with a
neighboring event, resulting in a fun mix of new and
interesting people. There he met Stephanie, who came
from the gathering next door, and their connection
was undeniable.
When the time came, Brandon brought Stephanie
back to the spot where they had gone on their first
date, and in that same place, with their parents nearby,
Brandon kneeled in front of Stephanie asking for her
hand in marriage. They spent the next year planning
their special day, focused on teamwork and communication
to make sure their wedding represented them
and their love in the most authentic way possible.
“Our goal was a moody, vintage and romantic
wedding with subtle hints of our favorite time of year:
Halloween,” Stephanie says. “We tried to keep in the
wedding traditions but put our own unique twists into
it. It was important to us to still make it feel like a wedding
but our wedding.” They also incorporated their
golden retriever, Forrest, into the ceremony by having
him join them for a walk down the aisle.
Stephanie says that whether or not the elements
of the wedding were traditional, they still reflected her
and Brandon’s personal style. It was not a decision they
took lightly, but it was one that was important to them.
“I wanted to look back at our wedding and be happy
that we took the risks to make this wedding our own...
this theme was very much us, from the ‘American Horror
Story’ themed welcome sign to our all black cake,
we were really happy we stuck to our personal style.”
She says she thinks their guests will remember
how unique their wedding was, but for them, the most
memorable moment was standing atop Taber Ranch,
overlooking their reception while the sun set behind
them. “We could see all of our beautiful friends and
family, we could see the wedding we worked so hard
on for months and we were officially married. It was the
most surreal, special feeling in the world.” OO
—Abigail Blank
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