How did you meet?
Brian and Kelcie first met back in elementary school where they shared the same friends and a fifth-grade classroom. Although they were never good friends themselves, a very quiet, mischievous Brian was notorious for kicking the lunch pale of a sassy Kelcie.
Through the rest of their schooling and beyond, they grew up and experienced life in very different ways. A few years ago they came across each other’s Instagram feeds. After an accidental “like” on an old picture, followed by a few comments back and forth, Brian asked Kelcie to dinner and their date that night turned into their first adventure together.
Since then, Brian and Kelcie have adventured up and down California (San Francisco, L.A., Santa Cruz, Carmel, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Tahoe and Palm Springs), as well as traveled to New York City, Las Vegas, and Hawaii and even jumped out of a plane together. They hope to be able to continue to go on many adventures around the globe as they settle into married life!
What is your proposal story?
Brian, with the help of our amazing photographer, proposed on a beautiful beach in Carmel, CA. They captured the whole moment and it turned into an engagement photo session too.
Tell us about your wedding vision.
We knew from the beginning that we wanted a fun, yet elegant day. The bride’s, and the groom’s late father’s, favorite color is pink so the color palette was a no brainer. The groom’s entire family is Portuguese so we made sure to have Portuguese desserts as a part of our dessert bar as well as special Portuguese dances.
Tell us about your attire choices.
The bride had always wanted to feel like a princess on her wedding day so a sweetheart ball gown was always her goal. The groom wanted a timeless look so they went for a black tux, black bow tie, and suspenders. Because they wanted a bit of an edge to their very traditional fashion choices, they both picked out an upgraded pair of their favorite shoes – Brian in a leather version of his high top Vans and Kelcie in a pair of glitter Doc Martens.
What was most important to you two? Was there anything you chose to splurge on or skip?
We really wanted to splurge on the venue and food. This winery was very sentimental to us and we wanted to make sure our guests were treated incredibly well by the beauty and the staff there.
What were your favorite parts of the day?
The bride is very close with her aunt, who is a minister. It was very special to both the bride and groom to have her officiate the wedding. The bride and groom both love donuts so the donut wall was their touch. Portuguese music was another personalized aspect of the wedding and really brought everyone onto the dance floor. There was even an impromptu Chamarrita dance that had half the guests dancing in folk dance while the other half looked on in awe! It was a great moment at the wedding
Being surrounded by our family and friends and feeling so supported was probably the best part. The weather was perfect. The toasts blew us away and everyone partied on the dance floor all night long. We had the best time of our lives that day.
Tell us about your wedding flowers.
We wanted the florals to make the wedding pop. They were used during the ceremony at the altar, in the bouquets, and in the back seating area. There were also bursts of ivy along the fireplaces and dessert bar, bringing all of the decor together.
Tell us about your wedding cake.
We didn’t have a wedding cake. We had a DIY dessert bar where friends and family made or donated desserts.
What did you do for favors?
We did not do favors.
Please describe any DIY, handmade, or personal details.
We wanted to incorporate unique decor, but being on a tight budget most of these pieces were DIY. Our curtain altar was completely handmade, using piping and a friend sewing the curtains. The groom and bridesmaids created the mirror seating chart, the bride’s parents painted all of the frames, and the bride herself built the donut wall. It was a major team effort!
Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?
Communicate! Set out early in your planning, your expectations, and your vision. You will most likely have different ideas so compromising is a must. Wedding planning together is a big task, but if you look at it as practice for making decisions as a team, it will make you stronger together before you even get to the altar!
