In our book, you might find lots of beautiful wedding elements. However, we have gushes for the love itself. For this ranch wedding, we cannot get over the 'first look' moment; the moment Brett, the groom, first locked eyes on his gorgeous bride, on the day they agreed to spend the rest of their lives with each other. With Marianne Wilson Photography behind the camera, she captured this moment when Brett realized that he was about to become the luckiest man in the world.
See also: California Cliffside Wedding at La Venta Inn
Here's what Teresa, the bride, shared about the day:
Having grown up in California, there was no question that I wanted to get married in the Golden State, and Monterey was particularly special. It was my family's regular vacation spot, and Brett and I went there on our first getaway when we were dating. We fell in love with Carmel Valley Ranch for its beautiful scenery - from the rolling hills to the lush vineyards and vibrant lavender fields, it was the perfect setting. I went the DIY route with most of the decorations, and kept them simple since the scenery really spoke for itself. My favorite piece was the wine cork ampersand, a nod to my hometown in Sonoma County and our love of wine. We placed it on a table with our parents' and grandparents' wedding photos. I wanted to show how special it was for our families to be joining, and also honor those who could not be with us that day.
Brett and I bonded over binge-listening to '90s songs in college, so music is a big part of our love story. We wanted things to flow like a soundtrack to a movie, where the background music conveys all the emotions of that moment. The ceremony started with classical music to set a formal tone. I walked in to a Disney song, symbolizing my fairy-tale day, and we processed out to "You Make My Dreams Come True" by Hall and Oates because we felt as elated as Joseph Gordon-Levitt in that dance scene from the movie 500 Days of Summer.
There were so many amazing moments in a day that flew by in a flash, but my favorite was our first look. When Brett turned around, it was like the world melted away and it was just him, me, and all the joy that two people in love could possibly experience. I also loved our sparkler send-off. Walking through our friends and family glowing with the warm light, cheering for us and sharing our happiness was such a beautiful closing to the evening.
