We met at temple. Nace was close with the Rabbi and Rachel was working at the temple, training to be a Cantor. Nace had been watching Rachel sing for months and really enjoyed it. When the Rabbi's wife turned 70, Nace and a few of his friends decided to hire Rachel to sing "Happy Birthday" to her as a present. Nace and Rachel went to coffee the day before the birthday party, and came up with an idea that it would be a great little gimmick if Rachel dressed up like Marilyn Monroe for the party. The next day, they began to search for a white dress (in the dead of December!) and a blonde wig, which took five hours and four Los Angeles shopping malls before they achieved success. This little search became their first date, which extended on into the birthday party, a cheese course, and four hours at a coffee shop.
Nace proposed on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman on the first night of a vacation. Rachel had absolutely no idea, and asked Nace while packing to put her laptop into his briefcase with his own, like she always does when they traveled. He told her that he had no room...so Rachel rolled her eyes, thinking that her boyfriend was taking too much work with him on their vacation, unbeknownst to the fact that what was taking up all the room was a ring box. On the coral at the end of the beach at sunset, Rachel was staring off into the horizon and Nace casually asked her "Can I ask you a question?" as if he was going to follow up with "What are you in the mood for dinner?" It didn't register that he had, in fact, followed up with "Will you marry me?" until she turned around to find him opening a ring box.
It was very important to Nace, as a surfer, that the wedding ceremony overlooked the ocean. The venue happens to be one of Nace's favorite venues, and it was right across the (long, windy) hill from Rachel's childhood summer camp. She was sold on the venue before they even finished driving up to it.
Photographer: Callaway Gable / Coordinator: Paula Gild of Gilded Events / Rentals: Town and Country / Caterer: Nathaniel Neubraber of Contemporary Catering / Venue: Rancho Sold del Pacifico / Dress: Casablanca Bridal, from Marylinn's Couture Bridal / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Floral: Butterfly Floral & Event Design / Linens: La Tavola Linen / Band: No Vacancy