From the bride: Paul & I met and started dating a almost decade ago in our junior year at Bentley University- we had mutual friends who I ended up living with my junior year and Paul was a constant presence in our dorm room. I’ll spare you the details, but as the usual story goes, what started as a friendship grew into something much more. Over the last nine years, we graduated college, started our professional careers in Boston, then were given the opportunity to move to San Francisco to pursue a job opportunity. Upon arriving in San Francisco, the first weekend after we moved into our new apartment, Paul’s friend Pat asked him to join on a ski trip to Lake Tahoe (in APRIL!). Paul eagerly obliged and obviously fell in love with the area: the skiing, the sunshine, the lake views from the slopes- not much to dislike! Lake Tahoe quickly became a special place for us after we brought my parents there on their first trip to visit us out west. In the almost four years we lived in San Francisco, we made frequent trips to Lake Tahoe to escape the city life and get closer to nature and skiing (for Paul).

This past December, Paul suggested we go to Lake Tahoe for an early Christmas gift before we headed back east to see our families for the holidays- it was an unusually warm weekend and while we were driving to our hotel around the west side of the lake, Paul suggested we stopped for a hike in Emerald Bay. After we arrived lakeside, we paused to take in the view- it was then that Paul dropped down and asked me to marry him. I of course said yes! Somewhat in shock of what had happened, and somewhat distracted by the hot tub and sauna that was awaiting me at our hotel, I uncharacteristically turned down the bottle of champagne he had been carrying in his hiking backpack for the entire trip. It is a much easier hike down to the lake with a full bottle of champagne than a hike up from the lake. That bottle of champagne didn’t last too long after the celebrations began post-hike.

Only after the proposal did I fully appreciate that Paul’s love for Lake Tahoe was something that was passed down from prior generations- the Christmas prior to proposing, Paul’s mom had found an old book of postcards his grandparents had sent him as a child. Given his grandparents passed away while he was very young, the postcards are the greatest reminder of their lives. One of them caught Paul’s eye- a postcard from his Grandfather Williams written while he was visiting Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, recounting all of the beauty of the area. Paul proposed in the exact spot that is pictured in that postcard, almost a year later.

It was so special for us to bring all our friends and family from across the country to the place that means so much to us- and we were so thrilled so many of them attended to share in our special day in our favorite place. We hope the beauty of Lake Tahoe stays with all of them for years to come like it has with us.

Here’s the list of talented wedding professionals who took part in Chrissy & Paul’s wedding:
Event Coordinator – Christy McDougal
Venue – Tannenbaum – an Alpine Event Center
Officiant – Joe Calafiore
Hair & Makeup Artists – LaDiDa Beauty
Catering – Roundabout Catering
Organic Bakery – Rebel Pioneer
Florist – Helianthus Floral Design
Invitations – Paper Culture
Wedding Dress – Lace & Liberty
Bridesmaid Dresses – Fame & Partners
Transportation – Reno Tahoe Limo
Band – Ryan Hernandez Band
Groom’s Suit – Calvin Klein
Groom’s wedding band – Love & Luxe
Engagement ring – Waant
Bride’s wedding band – Sofia Zakia
Rentals – Tahoe Rustic Rentals
Bridesmaid Robes – Etsy
Lake Tahoe Wedding Photographers – Simply K Studios

See more of our weddings:
Saltwater Farm Vineyard Wedding Photographers
Dreams Riviera Cancun Mexico Wedding Photographers
The Lace Factory Wedding Photographers