When Andrea first reached out and sent in her deposit, I had to give her the bad news that I was, unfortunately, already booked for her date and time. I was so bummed. I knew before ever meeting her that I needed to be a part of her wedding day. The other couple that had booked that day had not been 100% set on the time, so I reached out to them to confirm the time of their ceremony to see if there was any way that I would be able to make both weddings. As it turned out, they’d decided to postpone their wedding until 2022 and just had not notified me yet! I rushed to get back to Andrea and let her know that I was in fact available, and set up a meeting within a day so we could get to know each other.
One of the best parts of every wedding is getting to know the couple and their love story –seeing them together, and how they complement and support each other.
Andrea and Yeisen are one of those couples that just go together. When you see them together, even if it is over a Google Video Chat (thanks Covid-19) you can feel the connection and love between them. As Yeisen put it, they “fit together like a leg, in a tube-sock”. I say they are definitely soul mates. After 3 years together, to the date, they joined in marriage on October 3, 2021
Overall, the ceremony was traditional. However, like many couples, they were nervous about the amount of talking they would need to do during the ceremony (no one is excited about crying while trying to read their vows in front of 50 people!) After making some adjustments, they had a ceremony that was perfect for the two of them.
Instead of reciting their own written vows they provided me with promises they wanted to make to each other, and those were included in the ceremony as repeat-after-me phrases where they committed themselves to each other’s constant friend and faithful partner in life.
Another element they wanted to incorporate was a few lines from one of their favorite movies, Tim Burtons - The Corpse Bride:
With this hand, I will lift your sorrows.
Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine.
With this candle, I will light your way in darkness.
With this ring, I ask you to be mine.
This is where it got really creative, combining the ring ceremony and a unity candle lighting.
A Few Of My Favorite Moments From Their Ceremony
The Best Part
“My favorite part of that day was the second I reached Yeisen waiting for me at the end of the aisle. All of the stress disappeared as the ceremony began. Starting our lives together surrounded by our closest friends and family all in one place was surreal and went by way too fast!” - Andrea
“I had no idea where to even begin with starting to plan a wedding, especially for the most important part of the day: the ceremony. You made the process and planning of the ceremony seamless. I knew the second that we met you that you were the perfect fit for us. Working with you was so great because we developed a relationship along the way and you took time to make sure everything was perfect for us. You made us and our families feel so comfortable and made our ceremony incredible. Your words had everyone laughing and crying. It was beautiful. You were so caring and personable and made the day so smooth with your attention to detail and careful planning. I am still in awe of how seamlessly you arranged and managed the entire ceremony. We are forever grateful” - Andrea & Yeisen Estrada
“Jenn is a fabulous officiant! I love that she works with the couple to make their ceremony unique to them. The candle lighting portion of the ceremony was a beautiful sentiment. When the wind came up and kept them from lighting the candles, she handled it very well. The message of union still came across in abundance. Thank you, too, for taking a step away during their kiss. It is kind of funny to have pictures of the couple kissing for the first time as husband and wife with a head sticking out from behind them. That is a wonderful move that sets a pro apart from an amateur officiant. I also appreciate that you ask the couple to take a picture with you to help document that part of their day. It is good to have as many aspects of the day in the photo as possible for memories sake, but usually, the officiant just stays out of their way.” - Convincing Image - Nate & Julie
Introducing Convincing Image Photography
Nate & Julie Argyle
Andrea shared, “We went with Nate and Julie Argyle of Convincing Image. I was familiar with their work from my best friend's wedding. They were absolutely incredible to work with. They are so friendly, professional, and really take time to get to know you. Their quality of photography and attention to detail is out of this world. Since they are both photographers, we got a lot of photos and from all angles and different perspectives. Doing our photos with them felt like a double date with friends. We couldn't have made a better choice!” About Convincing Image We love the time we spend with couples and families as they continue on their journey together. We often refer to engagement and formal sessions as a “double date." We consider our client's friends and look forward to getting to know you as we document and tell your story. Our draw to photography is, in large part, a fascination with light. The way light paints a scene models a bride's elegant face like a master sculptor or highlights the details of a stunning wedding dress. It's rewarding to take a photograph and see how off-camera flash combined with the beauty of the sun's rays, creates a timeless work of art. We delight in capturing those precious candid moments, such as a father's tears running down his cheeks as he dances with his daughter following her wedding." - from Convincing Image website "Watching Andrea & Yeisen together was what made this day truly special. They loved being together and being close and romantic for photos. I appreciated that they were willing to let us use our artistic vision in any way. It didn't matter what we asked, they were up for it! Having such a stunning backdrop made the photos incredible.” - Julie
Vendor Team
Venue: Cherry Peak Resort Catering: Culinary Concepts
HMU: Carrie Purser Rentals: Embellish the Moment