Jennifer and Catalina were married at the courthouse in Santa Barbara, California!
From Jennifer:
Catalina and I met the first night she arrived in the small college town where I had been living for several years. It was nothing less than fate that a small Mississippi town was where she had chosen to attend for her master degrees since she was originally from Colombia. We immediately started talking and shooting a flirty game of pool. We will both claim that we won, but the truth is neither of us have a clue because that was far from our main focus. After that very first evening we were intensely drawn to one another. In the beginning we both agreed we were not ready for anything serious, but after a few months we could not deny our strong feelings any longer. It was as if an unseen force was pulling us together.
I knew after a few months that Catalina was the person I was suppose to spend the rest of my life with. Of course, I did not tell her this right away. I didn’t want to scare her to death. After two and a half years of dating I asked Catalina to marry me. I swept us both away to one of our favorite places, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to pop the question. The night that I was preparing myself and my nerves to ask the most important question of my life, Catalina started to say things that would lead me to believe nothing more than that she knew what was going on or that she had plans of her own. That evening at dinner under gentle lights, the stars, a bottle of wine, and acoustic guitar, she started to say that I was her soul mate, and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with me. What else was I to think other than she knew … or she was about to ask me to marry her and steal my thunder. Turns out it was all a big coincidence that made for a perfect night.
The wedding planning went perfectly. There was nothing else that could have been done to make things more perfect or to have ran more smoothly. Everything was perfection from the flowers, to the photography, the videography, the musician and music, to the location, and the weather. It was as if all the stars aligned for us that day. It still is imprinted in our minds perfectly. There was not a cloud in the sky while we looked into each other’s teary eyes and promised a lifetime, hoping for an eternity.
Catalina’s sister flew in as a surprise for Catalina, and she was her maid of honor. My mom was mine, and my dad wed us. The ceremony was intimate and very personal, exactly what we wanted. My dad incorporated Spanish and a Native American ritual to honor both of our heritages. Our nerves and emotions ran high before we walked each other down the isle. There is no one more that I would have wanted by my side than Catalina. We had to stop at the beginning of our trek down to the altar to collect ourselves from crying tears of pure joy. Those tears were not held back for long though. It was a very teary ceremony. We were not sure if we would make it through our vows, but we did with a few choke ups of joyous emotion joined by others. A mixture of three of our favorite songs played throughout the ceremony, and several more following the ceremony. We rounded out the afternoon with a sunset walk and pictures on the sandy beaches of Santa Barbara. That evening we celebrated at our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara with everyone that attended the wedding. There was just this magic in the air that entire day and evening.
Vendors:
Photographer: Karen D Photography
Hair: Nona with Silver Scissors
Makeup: Salon Del Mar at the Fess Parker Doubletree Hotel
Nails: Mi Salon
Florist: S.R. Hogue
Limo: Tony with SB Chauffeuring and Tours
Guitarist: Chris Wooley
Videographer: Greg with Loki Productions
Dessert: Crushcakes
Catering and reception venue: Zaytoon
