Real Couples // An Intimate, Eclectic Austin Wedding: Jennifer + Juan

/ Casa Rio de Colores/
Real Couples // An Intimate, Eclectic Austin Wedding: Jennifer + Juan

Before we were even engaged, a friend of mine told me he KNEW where we were getting married. After we were engaged, we booked a tour of the venue he suggested, on my birthday. He was absolutely right. It was the best birthday gift to book our wedding venue, Casa Rio de Colores! We fell in love with the eclectic and ornate decor, and the laid back vibe of the property. Our reception (and our ceremony due to rain) was held under one of the stilted river homes in an area that looked like a cantina on steroids. It was perfect!

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Real Couples // An Engagement Session in the Forest: Casper + Ulises

/ Circle Oak Ranch/
Real Couples // An Engagement Session in the Forest: Casper + Ulises

Casper was the one to propose to me. I had just started my Master's program at SDSU and he was adamant that we take a trip up to Seattle. I was excited, but nervous because of my program. I had a lot of homework that I needed to complete and wasn't too thrilled to be going up North because of my school, but I went up anyway. We strolled around the city for a day. Then he took me on a one-day trip to Bainbridge Island. I was very excited because I had never taken a ferry to the island. We were at a beautiful park sitting on a bench with an amazing view of Seattle when Casper popped the question.

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Our 10 Favorite Weddings and Elopements from 2017

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Our 10 Favorite Weddings and Elopements from 2017

We have published more real weddings and engagement this year than ever before and we have been absolutely blown away by the love stories of all of the couples we've featured, but these 10 couples and the ceremonies to share their love and commitment to each other have helped us get through this dumpster fire of a year. Thanks for helping us to keep believing in love, beauty, and happiness!

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Real Couples // A Fun Private Estate Wedding in Boone, NC: German + Laura

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Real Couples // A Fun Private Estate Wedding in Boone, NC: German + Laura

We met back in 2011. He was definitely the last person in mind to fall in love with! We both were dating other people, but we developed a great friendship and respect for each other. As time passed and our other relationships ended, we looked at each other in a “this can actually be a thing” kind of way.

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Real Couples // A Pizza and Ping-Pong Wedding in Downtown Seattle: Arin + Katie

/ Sodo Park/
Real Couples // A Pizza and Ping-Pong Wedding in Downtown Seattle: Arin + Katie

Arin is from Sequim, WA. She's the youngest of four brothers and very close with her family who fortunately live nearby. She works as an Occupational Therapist in an outpatient neurology clinic. She enjoys all outdoor activities like rock climbing, paddle boarding, hiking, and kayaking. Most recently, she's been doing some amazing yard work on our new house! Katie is from the Bay Area, California. She's the middle of three children, is also very close with her family and loves being an aunt to her nieces and nephews. She works as a Nurse Practitioner in community health at a family practice clinic and a homeless youth clinic. She loves animals and dreams of living on a small farm someday. She enjoys running and recently has discovered gardening.

We met online and fell in love quickly. Our first date lasted an entire day! We went out to brunch and ended up spending the entire day together, and saw each other every day after that.

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Real Couples // An Indian Wedding with Nods to Filipino Culture: Ronjay + Sonia

/ Nanaskar Gurdwara/
Real Couples // An Indian Wedding with Nods to Filipino Culture: Ronjay + Sonia

We had a traditional Indian wedding. Growing up I always dreamed to have an Indian wedding, wearing the beautiful dresses and having beautiful ceremonies. I didn't realize what extent these traditions went to, which got frustrating at one point, but it was all worth it at the end! As the bride, my wedding time frame with all the ceremonies (Jagoo, Miyan and Henna night) consisted of four days in total, where some brides celebrate anywhere from four to seven days! I was happy with just four days.

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Real Couples // Glam Baltimore Ballroom Wedding: Eric + Laura

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Real Couples // Glam Baltimore Ballroom Wedding: Eric + Laura

We were business associates for many months before we officially started dating. I tried to keep it professional, so I rejected his advances. But what can I say? The guy was persistent! After about six months of using him on a consulting basis, I was completely intrigued by his strong work ethic, his integrity, and his determination. As a first time property owner and landlord, I was full of questions on how to best handle obstacles, and he was my go-to-guy. He's been my go-to-guy, my travel partner, my ace, and my friend ever since.

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Real Couples // A Wedding at the San Diego Museum of Art: Kevin + Stefan

/ San Diego Museum of Art/
Real Couples // A Wedding at the San Diego Museum of Art: Kevin + Stefan

With much trepidation and nervousness, we met up at a local bar in San Diego. After the initial chit-chat (and a tiny bit of liquid courage), we felt a sense of comfort and compatibility that neither of us had expected. We talked for hours, sharing our pasts, and discovering we had quite a bit in common. Before we knew it, the bar was making last call and neither of us wanted the night to end.
 

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Real Couples // Multicultural Ballroom Wedding in North Carolina: Liz + Pedro

/ Noah's Event Venue/
Real Couples // Multicultural Ballroom Wedding in North Carolina: Liz + Pedro

We both work at Best Buy. I was fairly new to the store, and he had just transferred from Ohio. We instantly became friends and grew that friendship for almost two years before we decided to start dating. We got engaged when I surprised him with a birthday weekend with all his best friends from Ohio. He made a proposal video, and played it at his birthday party, and we celebrated the next two days with all of our closet friends.

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Real Couples // A Tattooed Garden Wedding in San Antonio: Mykel + Orlando

/ The Gardens at West Green/
Real Couples // A Tattooed Garden Wedding in San Antonio: Mykel + Orlando

My boss had told me about this girl I needed to meet. She was new at work, but I had no idea that I had already met her. The first thing that caught my attention about her with those beautiful eyes and her smile. She thought I didn't notice her, but how could I not? She invited me out for coffee and after staring into each other's eyes we shared our first kiss, and after that I knew that she was the one.

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Real Couples // UC Botanical Garden Wedding in Berkeley: Laura + Lark

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Real Couples // UC Botanical Garden Wedding in Berkeley: Laura + Lark

We didn’t have engagement rings - instead we exchanged engagement kittens! A few months after our engagement, we adopted our kittens Comet and Nova from the SF SPCA. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our commitment than by expanding our family with two furry beasts.
 

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Real Couples // Mountain Backdrop Elopement at Sapphire Point, CO: Amber + Katie

/ sapphire point/
Real Couples // Mountain Backdrop Elopement at Sapphire Point, CO: Amber + Katie

About three years later, still not married and a two-year-old son later, I decided it was about time we finally did it. Laying in bed one night I told her "We're getting married this year in Colorado."

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Real Couples // After Nine Years and Three Kids, A Wedding: Dre + Shanai

/ Doko Manor/
Real Couples // After Nine Years and Three Kids, A Wedding: Dre + Shanai

I was sort of a loner, so for someone to really peak my interest AND make laugh was a win-win. We ended up dating and going to prom together, and the rest is history. Sort of your typical high school sweetheart love story, with a bad girl twist!

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Styled Shoot // Farm-Inspired Sunset Groom Wedding: Kevin + Cam

/ Windy Hill Farm/
Styled Shoot // Farm-Inspired Sunset Groom Wedding: Kevin + Cam

Cameron and I met through our cousins. Our cousins were friends prior to us meeting and thought we would be good for each other. Boy, were they right!  Ever since the first day I met Cameron, I saw my future in his eyes and his heart in my life. We have been inseparable ever since. Considering all the struggles of growing up as gay males, I would do it all over again if I knew he was awaiting me for our forever. We were all dressed up one New Year's Eve, and he asked me to marry him. It was very simple and nothing over the top, just like us. It was just one soul reaching out to another to confirm the connection we already have. What a happy New Years that was!

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Real Couples // A Vibrant, Urban Anniversary Photoshoot in Orlando: Duong + Vi

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Real Couples // A Vibrant, Urban Anniversary Photoshoot in Orlando: Duong + Vi

We are both from Vietnam and both have similar challenges adapting to life here in the States. You would have thought that would make us get along so well that we would have no conflict at all. However, reality struck us hard. Like any other couple we fight, we don’t communicate well with each other, we made mistakes, we separated, we survived a four-month long-distance relationship, we got married, we fought again and again, we lost hope, we tried to mend things, we learned from our mistakes, and we have been loving each other more than ever since.

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Real Couples // Backyard Wedding: Janean + Andrew

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Real Couples // Backyard Wedding: Janean + Andrew

When Janean first inquired with me about shooting her wedding, she described the wedding as "invoking old fashioned elegance, but not fussy by any means." Janean and Andrew got ready in the home they’ve been renovating over the last year, along with their cat, Pam. Then came a pop-up wedding in Glen Echo Ravine, and it was a very short and sweet ceremony. Led by a flautist, the guests played follow-the-leader to the bride and groom’s Clintonville home for a cocktail hour (catered by Al-Tubasee Street) and a serve-yourself-bar of mini champagne bottles. After toasting the bride and groom, the group moved to the sister of the bride’s house, which was only a few blocks away. The DJ spun records, and the tacos from Taqueria El Fogoncito were plentiful on a beautiful October evening. Janean made the invitations and all of the signage. Hannah Hoffman Jewelry made their custom rings and jewelry.

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