This bride is awesome. Awesome. And if you read her amazing + heartwarming + funny description below (I insist you do), you will LOVE her. Because, not only is she gorgeous inside and out, she loves her dapper groom with every ounce of her being… and it shows in each and every magical moment of her day captured by Alice Hu Photography. A day that is rich in color, the fab stylings of Mele Amore Events and, most importantly, l.o.v.e. (Oh, and Mary? Let’s be besties.) See it all in the full gallery.
From the Bride… Chris and I met in September 2008 at a party in San Diego that a mutual friend of ours, Jacob, was having at his house. Jacob, who was already well into “party mode” when I arrived, told me he had two guys for me, one he called “Sancho” and one he called “Wardo.” He told me “Wardo” was a professional surfer and sold the story pretty well! Later in the night while I was playing DJ, Chris, aka “Wardo,” came up to talk to me about the music I was playing. We apparently knew all of the same people, had been to all of the same parties in Long Beach, but had never crossed paths until we met in San Diego. As I was talking to Chris, Jacob dragged me out of the party to go see one of our other mutual friends. When I returned, Chris had left. I later learned that he thought I was completely uninterested in him and bailed.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Chris after that party. So I decided to do what all girls do when they really like a boy… stalk him on Facebook. I discovered that he was, in fact, a professional surfer… or so I thought. I ended up stalking the wrong guy because there was another Chris Ward who looked a lot like my Chris (not really), but I figured maybe I had drank just a little too much and I had a foggy memory of the night. After some further investigating I found the right Chris Ward, added him on Facebook, and followed his every move for a few weeks. I would drive from Newport Beach to San Diego to “see Jacob” every weekend just hoping that Chris would show up… and he did! I decided after a very short time that I was tired of driving back and forth and I wanted to spend as much time with Chris as I could, so I moved in with him and his roommates.
That was how our relationship began! We’ve lived many, many places since I first moved in with him in San Diego, and even though our living situations were always changing the thing that never changed was that Chris and I knew we wanted to be together, always. He proposed on my December 19, 2011, my birthday, and it was 2nd happiest day of my life.
I told my wedding planner, Michelle, that I wanted something “bright, clean, and colorful.” I trusted her implicitly to take care of everything. I just knew that she would be able to execute a perfect day for me, Chris, and all my closest friends and family. My amazing and gorgeous bridesmaids were there for me every step of the way. Helping to pick out music, dresses, and most importantly… cake! Our whole wedding party kept us calm and excited for the big day, and everything leading up to it. Chris and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. It was the happiest day of my life!
[dotted]
Photography: Alice Hu Photography | Planning + Design: Mele Amore Events | Invitations: To Be Invited | Floral Design: Floral Elements | DJ + Lighting + Draping: LSM Entertainment | Linens: La Tavola | Wedding Cake: Rossmoor Pastries | Chivari Chairs: Elegant Chivari Chairs | Dance Floor: Signature Party Rentals | Makeup + Hair: Tuyen Tran | Wedding Dress: Blush Bridal Couture