We were head over heels for this stunning engagement session by MARIEL HANNAH the minute it landed in our inbox, which is why we had to feature it in Issue 13 of the MAGAZINE! I mean how cool – and gorgeous – are these two? And that landscape is to die for.
“The first time Dustin and I met the attraction was instant. I remember all the laughs we shared at our first meeting, thinking this guy is just too good for me to date. I wished at the very least that we would be friends. After a few months of being in the same circle of friends, our friendship grew into love and soon enough we began dating.
Fast forward to Christmas of 2014 – I somehow had a feeling that something special was to happen on this day. Something I have been dreaming about since I was a little girl. I took time to get ready and ensure I looked great for a special day. Sure enough, knowing Dustin, he waited until late in the evening when we were in our pajamas, hair in a mess and make-up in shambles. At that time, on Christmas Day at 10:00 p.m. my best friend asked me to be his wife. There was a lovely ornament swinging from the tree (looking as though it had just been placed there), I looked closely and on it read “Our first Christmas tree… And the year we got engaged” in his messy and adorable writing. After reading it, I turned around and there he was, on his knee with a beautiful rose gold vintage ring. Tears, happiness melting into one moment.
Over the course of planning our wedding and during our engagement, we were both so inspired to have a retro, Palm Springs wedding vibe. We love the ’60s and rock and roll, we just knew that we had to incorporate this into our planning. Growing up, whenever my family and I would go on road trips, it never failed that my parents would listen to Simon & Garfunkel and Queen. These were the memories that inspired me and I wanted to keep alive. Photographs of Elvis’s Little White Chapel, The Beverly Hills Hotel and Joshua Tree were the main source of inspiration to us.
My crazy vision was honed in and perfectly curated by my good friend, Emily with Poppy Design Co. She helped us with styling our engagement and above all planning our wedding day. I believe each other is what you should really focus on throughout planning a wedding. It’s about spending your life with your favorite human being, so try not to sweat it. Being engaged is a wonderful time so try and enjoy every second. On October 10th, 2015 I married my best friend, in the house I grew up in, in front of my family and friends. I tear up just thinking about how magical that day was and how filled with love.”
