Kelcie and Nessia’s Redwood Wedding

Kelcie and Nessia may be the most relaxed two brides I have ever met. They didn’t want a lot of the usually fuss around their wedding. Simply a gathering of all the people (and dogs) that mattered most to them to witness and celebrate their commitment to each other. When I arrived to their ceremony site, under the redwoods of Roberts Regional Park, their rehearsal was wrapping up and set up was in full swing. Guests and relatives hung strings of cloth triangles through the trees. Brown paper was draped across top the picnic tables with baskets of crayons for doodling during dinner. Flower arrangements were added to the canopy for their ceremony.

Amid the flurry of activity, guests began arriving and Kelcie, Nessia and I snuck away to take a few portraits. When we returned, the chairs had arrived for the ceremony. All of the guests had lined up to form a pass line to get them up to the ceremony site. What a community these two have supporting them! In no time at all, the chairs were lined up and ready for the ceremony to begin.

Instead of one officiant, they chose to have people from their life who have had the biggest impact on their relationship lead different parts of the ceremony. So many inspiring readings, pieces of advice, and a bit of joking around. It was touching to listen to all of the personal stories. At the end, before any of the guests had a chance to get out of their seats, a Chinese lion began walking down the aisle. Kelcie and Nessia had decided to surprise their guests with a traditional Chinese Lion Dance. It was a huge hit! Then, just to add a little extra awesome to the day, all of the guests surprised the brides with a flash mob dance. They never saw it coming. It was so much fun watching their reactions and seeing the entire crowd of guests get wrapped up in the music.

The rest of the day was a relaxed gathering with tacos, lawn games and socializing on a perfect September day. It may not have been fancy, but this wedding was everything that’s important: family, friends, and a whole lot of love and laughter.