A Heartwarming Rustic Chic Outdoor Wedding

Wedding photo of two happy brides on their special day

Do you know what we love about weddings?! The story. How these two people met and what it was that sparked a certain need to stick close to this person. We love hearing how the big question was popped and we love to hear what made the big day so memorable. Well, Stephanie and Priscilla have all of these things rolled up into this sweet little post!

So keep scrolling to hear how Priscilla proposed, and to see one of the cutest wedding ceremony surprises ever. Oh and the rest of the wedding day was just as cute, you are definitely going to want to check out the full gallery and all its photos from Kelly Marie Photography.

Elegant wedding invitation with rings and floral accents

Elegant bride in a white wedding dress with a long veil outside Bride in a beautiful wedding dress and veil smiles for the camera

Wedding party posing together under the tree, happy smiles abound

A Sweet Memory:

Stephanie's MOH, Kate, lives in England and brought back a gift for Priscilla. As I took photos of Priscilla before the ceremony, watching the nerves set in, Kate walked up with her gift. A die-hard Harry Potter fan, Priscilla could not control her excitement when Kate presented her with her very own wand. Her first spell? "Accio rings!"

Stylish person smiling in a blue suit with floral tie

Wedding party smiling together in a beautiful outdoor setting with bouquets

Joyful wedding moment with the couple and excited guests Two women excitedly opening a gift at an outdoor event

Stephanie and Priscilla, A Love Story

The story of how Priscilla proposed to Stephanie is one of the sweetest and most thoughtful I have heard. They were kind enough to share in their words.

Stephanie and Priscilla had taken four days off to celebrate Stephanie’s birthday. They stayed at an Airbnb in Aptos, nestled in the redwoods. After waking up the first morning, surrounded by a canopy of trees, Priscilla excitedly told Stephanie that she would make her a cup of coffee to drink in bed. Stephanie thought this would be a lovely start to the morning, as mornings are for coffee and contemplation. Priscilla casually mentioned that Stephanie should look up the song “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles. Somewhat skeptically, Stephanie found the video on YouTube and pressed play. While the song played, Priscilla grabbed her messenger bag and said, "I have something for you. It’s not for your birthday, because I know you don’t like early birthday gifts.” She sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled out a simply wrapped package tied with twine. Stephanie was utterly confused...

Wedding sign encouraging unplugged ceremony, green grass and chairs

Wedding ceremony chairs decorated with greenery on a sunny day Two women walking, carrying baskets, in a garden setting

Two ladies with flower baskets at an outdoor wedding

Groom walking down the aisle with parents at wedding ceremony

Bride walks down the aisle at an outdoor wedding ceremony

Groom wipes tears of joy during wedding ceremony, smiling, emotional Smiling person in a blue suit at an outdoor wedding Groom helping bride with her tears during their wedding ceremony

Smiling bride exchanging vows at a beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony

Two young ring bearers pose with suspenders at a wedding ceremony

Wedding ceremony under a tree with the happy couple holding hands

Happy couple share a kiss on their wedding day outdoors

Love Story Continued

...The Sara Bareilles video continued to play in the background. Stephanie took the package, unwrapped it, and revealed a plain brown binder. Confused, she looked up at Priscilla. “Open it!” Priscilla said encouragingly. Stephanie opened the cover and instantly burst into tears. It was a letter from Stephanie’s parents congratulating her on their engagement. Stephanie looked up at Priscilla and she yelled, “Priscilla, what are you doing?!” Priscilla now had a ring box in her hands. She opened it, and Stephanie saw the most beautiful ring in the world inside.

At this point, details become a bit hazy, as both Stephanie and Priscilla were so caught up in the moment. Neither can quite remember what Priscilla said, but they both remember that Priscilla said, “Will you marry me?” Stephanie nodded. Priscilla said, “You have to say it!” Stephanie said, “Yes!” Priscilla took the ring out and placed it on Stephanie’s finger. Stephanie then looked down at the book and realized that it contained many more letters: a letter from Priscilla’s parents, a letter from Stephanie’s best friend Kate, a letter from Priscilla’s best friend Katie, a letter from Stephanie’s brother and his fiancee, a letter from Priscilla’s brother and his wife, and a letter from Priscilla’s sister. Lastly, there was a letter directly from Priscilla to Stephanie. All letters were lovingly packaged in the book for Stephanie to keep forever. Stephanie and Priscilla then celebrated their engagement over a beautiful meal at an Italian restaurant in Pacific Grove. It was the perfect day.

Wedding party walking down the path with palm trees