Natalie and Jeff first met at local bar in Morgan Hill called The Tavern. Natalie’s roommate at the time worked with Jeff at CordeValle. The two hit it off and started dating. One day, Jeff suggested that they hike up Mount Toro in Morgan Hill. “We’d done it before,” shares Natalie, “but it’s a really steep hike.” Reaching the summit, she got more than a high-five from her hiking partner…she got a marriage proposal.
The couple admits that they were both really laid-back when it came to picking what they wanted for their wedding. “We were really open to a lot of different things, [but] we knew what we liked when we saw it,” Natalie says.
With only a six-month engagement, the pair did have to make decisions fairly quickly. “We couldn’t sit around and think too much about anything in particular,” she says. “We both knew that there were so many things we could add into the day, but that the most important part was we were getting married, so everything else was just a bonus.”
The couple married near grassy hills and plenty of open, natural space. “It had rained the day before and everything was so green,” the bride remembers. “It was a little overcast during the ceremony, but the clouds moved a bit and the sun shined right through.”
Officiant Pastor Ted kept the ceremony lighthearted so both would laugh throughout. “This is really a reflection of our relationship,” she adds. “We had so many compliments about what a wonderful job he did.”
Guests moved on to the reception inside Kirgin Cellar’s event center. “We had a flash mob come at the end of our first dance and do a whole dance routine to a bunch of different songs,” shares the bride. “This was a surprise to the whole group and kind of got people feeling like it was OK to get up and dance.”
Reflecting back, Natalie says, “My favorite part of the day was saying ‘I do’ to my best friend. So cheesy, but so true.”
—Darren Elms
