"We met at work,” says Stephanie of her first interaction with Brandon. “We were filling up our work vehicles and started talking with one another.” After a few more work encounters, Brandon eventually asked for her number, and the two began dating.

When Brandon was ready to pop the question, he chose to bring a good friend of Stephanie’s up from San Diego to help him pick out her ring. With the purchase in tow, he brought Stephanie up to Mt. Diablo State Park for a day of hiking. “When we finally got to top of this huge rock he asked me to marry him,” she says.

The newly engaged couple agreed that an outdoor wedding would best fit their needs and personal preferences. “We both love how beautiful and relaxed Lake Tahoe is so we decided to have the ceremony on the beach,” she shares. “We did not want a large over-the-top wedding. We wanted to keep it low-key and casual as much as possible.”

With smooth planning ahead, they set out to Lake Tahoe to pick their spot and reserve a reception space, deciding on the lovely Blue Angel Café. They also took that opportunity to pick the actual date.

As planned, the ceremony was set up to be very relaxed with all guests sitting on the beach in front of the water. Both Stephanie and Brandon chose to talk and interact with their friends and family before things got under way. One interaction Stephanie wasn’t prepared for involved a “very tan older man in a Speedo.” “He caught me off guard because I wasn’t expecting anyone to be that close to the ceremony site,” she smiles. “It made me laugh as my guests definitely got a kick out of him.”

During the ceremony, Stephanie says both she and Brandon whispered back and forth while the minister talked to help calm nerves and hold back tears. “The minister told us after the ceremony that our whispering made him forget some of his lines!” she says.

On to the reception, the vibe stayed fun and laid-back just as they had planned. But the evening was not without its exciting moment. “The most memorable was the cake cutting, when Brandon decided to be nice and I, of course, shoved the cake in his face,” she says.

When asked if she had any advice to give new brides planning their own wedding, Stephanie says, “Try and relax and take your time planning your wedding because suddenly the day has already arrived and is over before you know it.” Both she and Brandon took that to heart with theirs, taking the time to interact with friends and each other for a truly special experience.

Ceremony Site: Tahoe Beach and Ski Club
Officiant: Family Friend
Photographer: Jacqueline Photography   Phone: 916-390-2228
Reception Site: Blue Angel Cafe
Hair: Tahoe Weddings A Go Go
Bridal Attire: David's Bridal
Bridesmaid Attire: David's Bridal
Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse
Groomsmen Attire: Men's Wearhouse
Bride's Jeweler: Shane Co.
Groom's Jeweler: Shane Co.
Invitations: Target
Flowers: Thran's Flowers
Caterer: Blue Angel Cafe
Cake: Flour Girl Wedding Cakes
Honeymoon Location: Maui, Hawaii
First Dance Song: Then by Brad Paisley
Father/Daughter Dance Song: I Hope You Dance by Leann Womack
Cake Cutting Song: How Sweet It Is by Al Green

Any tips you'd give to brides and grooms planning their wedding:
Try and relax and take your time planning your wedding because as soon as you know it, the day has already arrived and is over before you know it.

Anything else about your wedding?
I would say the most unique moment I have is when I got to the beach and was starting to walk down the aisle, and there was a very very tan older man walking toward me wearing nothing but a Speedo. It caught me off guard because I was not expecting anyone to be that close to the ceremony site. It made me laugh and my guests definitely got a kick out of him. In fact, prior to the ceremony, my photographer had to ask him to move to another area because he was showing up in the background!

What would you have done differently if you had the chance?
Nothing!