Do you all love when a Groom writes the love story as much as I do? Today’s real-life vow renewal from Simply Sarah, is paired with the sweetest damn writeup and a meet-cute that’ll have you aww-ing up a storm. Hitched JH helped to plan this celebration of love, while Magnolia Ranch tackled design and florals—making for a vows and views moment like no other. Pull up a seat and enjoy this mountainside jaw-dropper … after you finish oooh-ing a wee bit more over these killer Bella Belle shoes!
A Valentine’s Day reminder that “The real act of marriage takes place in the heart, not in the ballroom or church or synagogue. It’s a choice you make – not just on your wedding day, but over and over again…” (from barbara de angelis).
From the groom on how he and Victoria met and fell in love… Victoria and I met on a bus winding through the astounding beauty of the Swiss Alps. We connected immediately, sharing a profound respect and reverence for the spectacular peaks that passed by our windows. As we winded through the alpine valleys and through the mountainous tunnels, we discussed our lives and families. It didn’t take long to realize that we had more in common than our love for travel. Victoria’s family had recently purchased a vacation home in Jackson Hole. I am a Jackson native and this lovely woman sitting next to me had just shared that she vacationed in my hometown. If that wasn’t coincidental enough, her family’s house was on Snow King the exact same neighborhood where I grew up.
When we met I was working as a travel guide bringing people to destination resorts throughout greater Europe. My colleagues and I frequently talked about how lucky we were to get paid to travel the globe. My job, however, provided me with even more luck than money and experience; it placed me on a path that crossed Victoria’s. We talked for nearly eight straight hours as our bus brought us to the Jungfrau resort town of Interlaken. I remember thinking to myself that whatever paths my youthful, meandering life had brought me down, I sincerely hoped my life would end up on the same trail as Victoria’s. The conversation concluded, and I told her that the next time she was in Jackson hole, I would love to be her guide to the valley.
As life sometimes does, time and space separated Victoria and I. We kept in touch over the following years; she was in D.C. and I was living in Rome, Italy. Fate finally saw fit for our paths to cross again during a winter vacation in Jackson and the rest was history! We are so excited to call Jackson our home and to raise our family in this fairytale of a town. We are so happy to have shared our love for the mountains with all our friends and family!
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Our thanks to Sarah for sharing this beautiful love story! For more of her work, please visit her website, blog and Instagram channel!
Photography: Elizabeth Lanier Photography | Event Design: Magnolia Ranch Events | Event Planning: Hitched | Floral Design: Magnolia Ranch Events | Wedding Dress: ALEXIS | Cake: Buttercream Cake Design Co | Shoes: Bella Belle | Hair & Makeup: Hair By Kelly Rene | Wedding Venue: Spring Creek Ranch | Invitation Suite: Isidore Augustine | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Processing and Developement: PhotoVision Prints | Tabletop Curation: Magnolia Ranch Events