Andie & Jose
Venue: Elks Lodge San Pedro
Wedding Planner: Exceptionally Yours
Chapter 1: The First Look
I met the couple at a park that held deep emotional significance – it was where the groom's parents had taken their wedding portraits. I arranged for Jose to have a private moment, where he opened and read a letter Andie had written for him. Seeing the emotions play out on his face was incredibly heartwarming.
When Andie arrived, I set up a similar private moment for her to read her letter. Her reaction, however, was filled with laughter! After giving her a moment to take it all in, we arranged a father-daughter first look. As anticipated, it was both heartwarming and wonderfully silly. It was beautiful to see father and daughter acting goofy together, setting a joyful tone for the beginning of the day.
After these series of beautiful moments, it was time for the first look. We positioned Andie and Jose on the very bridge where Jose's parents had taken their wedding portraits. I literally had butterflies in my stomach as this moment began to unfold. As expected, they shared a very heartfelt moment, which quickly turned into them being delightfully silly with each other. Sharing a moment of laughter together.
Chapter 2: The Ceremony
There were so many emotions in the air that day, it was hard not to get completely lost in them. Before the ceremony, we set up a beautiful moment where Jose’s grandmother gave him her blessing. I'm not sure if it’s just a Latino tradition, but it truly touched my heart because my own grandmother would always make sure to give me her blessing too.
Then it was time for the ceremony! And if you're wondering why I took so many photos of the moose, it was a special request from the bride because she affectionately calls Jose "Goose Moose." It's incredibly hard to describe what this moment felt like with just pictures and words, but I could feel the entire room tear up as they said their "I Do's" to each other. Both sides of the family filled the room with so much love.
Chapter 3: The Reception
If you're wondering what the bride was wearing for their grand entrance, yes, she's in a Sith robe! Just adding to the many reasons why I love these two so much.
The rest of the night continued to carry the joy and laughter that had been shared all day. From watching their first dance to seeing Andie's grandfather dance with Jose's grandmother, and let me just say, the grandfather could sing! The entire night had so many incredible moments that I'd need to write a full article just to fit everything in. I'm extremely privileged to have been invited into this moment in their lives and to have been welcomed so warmly and lovingly. Cheers to Andie & Jose!
