My wedding day was quite easily one of the happiest days of my life. Since this is where I share my life's joys, I thought it only made sense to have a page dedicated to the occasion. This was a homespun wedding that wouldn't have been so wonderful if it hadn't have been for our amazing friends and family who went above and beyond.
We were blessed with a perfect wedding location, one that was beautiful, sentimental, and free: my Grandparent's Ranch. And since my grandfather, with whom I was very close, was no longer with us in body, it felt like he was there in spirit.
All photos are by Julio Duffoo.
The decorations were simple: tissue paper flowers, a painting by my favorite artist, twinkly lights, and the place itself.
The guests were greeted with a cocktail and live flamenco guitarists.
The aisle was marked by two urns (that I painted and planted myself) and scattered with rose petals. The altar was at "Carla's Corner": an old graceful oak, with the vineyards beyond (a very lucky "borrowed" view).
The ceremony was short, but oh so sweet. I had no idea what a profound feeling sharing and declaring your love could be.
We wrote our own vows, and while it was very challenging, I am so glad that we did. The plan was that we would each say a six line section declaring our love (this was a surprise at the ceremony), followed by six lines of our promise to each other, which we wrote together. Here's how it came out:
Jason said:
You are my sun, the light and life of my day
You are my moon and stars, bringing me wisdom and hope in the darkest of nights
You are my ocean, bringing me endless discovery and wonder
You are the fire that drives me to make everyday better than the last
You are the skies I see, and the air I breathe, every breath reminding me of your boundless beauty
I love you, for you are my world, my heaven, my joy forever.
Carla said:
You are my heart's passion and my soul's inspiration
You are my safe haven, my partner in all things
You free me to be my truest self
You are my sweetest gift
In your arms I have found my home
And in your smile I have found my joy
Each of our parts were followed by this pledge:
I vow to always cherish the gift of your love
I will encourage your dreams and share their reality
I vow to live each day with patience and humor
I will speak with honesty and listen with understanding
Through blessings and burdens I will be by your side
Your have my heart, my everlasting love.
We kissed ...
I'm pretty sure we gave Westley and Buttercup a run for their money.
Our wedding party was made up of siblings and close friends. The gals wore black dresses of their own choosing, and the guys wore black suits with red ties. I really wanted the day to be fun and relaxed, and it was!
Dinner was easily one of the best meals of my life: Paella.
Wine, beer, and sangria flowed freely.
And as the sun went down, the lights came on, and after the best speeches in the history of weddings ... we hit the dance floor (made by my father).
Our cake was baked and decorated by yours truly.
Our last dance was a tango we had practiced for weeks. We left through a tunnel of sparklers ... the perfect start to a journey that has been sweeter than I ever imagined.
Again, all photos are by the wonderful Julio Duffoo.
