Orange County Professional Photographer
Being an Orange County wedding photographer for such a long time, I meet so many wonderful couples, all with their own unique stories. Well, this is 2020, and unique has a whole new meaning now.
It’s often said that couples that share a spiritual walk together continue to grow closer to each other as the years go by. If you met in a Bible study, then I would say you have been equally yoked your entire relationship. And that’s exactly the case with Nicholas and Sarah. Although they did not start dating each other until their sophomore year, they did meet in a Bible study as freshmen while attending USC. And the rest is history.
After dating for exactly 1,000 days, Nicholas proposed to Sarah while having a picnic at one of her favorite locations, the Mission in San Juan Capistrano. Everything was going well and a plan for a beautiful wedding was set to place. But, as I said, this is 2020. There may have been some delays, but even the Covid-19 virus couldn’t keep these two from getting married. So, after planning and re-planning three different times, Nicholas and Sarah finally tied the knot at a small intimate affair at a private residence. The scene was absolutely beautiful.
Sarah looked stunning in her gorgeous Stella York dress from Deborah’s Bridal, while her hair and makeup were on point thanks to the talents from Dolled Up OC. Sarah’s maid of honor was dressed in a beautiful maroon dress. Waiting for his bride at the altar, Nicholas looked dashing in his black Calvin Klein tux from Men’s Wearhouse.
The ceremony and reception looked wonderful thanks to the floral arraignment from Floral Filosphy. Meanwhile, the food from Basil Pizza Bar and wedding cake by It’s All About the Cake, was incredibly delicious!
Despite all the reschedules, wedding coordinator Claire from Grit & Grace Events Co. did a phenomenal job in orchestrating the entire event.
All of the details of this private resident wedding were photographed and captured on video by the team at Three16 Photography.
We would really like to thank Sarah and Nicholas for allowing Three16 Photography to be part of your special day. We wish you many years of love and happiness.
And… Fight On!
Check out their love story. We hope you enjoy it, and their photos, as much as we do.
Sarah and Nicholas’ Love Story
What three things do you admire most about your soon-to-be spouse and why?
Nick is so intentional in the way he cares for people. He is thoughtful and kind and is constantly putting the needs of others before his own (which I know will contribute to him being a great doctor when he’s finished with school).
Sarah’s character has a strong mix of compassion and intelligence. She deeply cares for the lives of those she encounters, and her gift of discernment allows her to care practically for others by speaking insightful truth into any situation. When I was getting to know Sarah, I wanted nothing more than to listen to her thoughts for hours. I look forward to listening to her thoughts for a lifetime!
Describe each other in one word and tell us why you chose that word?
Nick is compassionate. He deeply cares for people and is always looking for ways to make people feel seen and heard.
One word?!? Sarah, in Hebrew, means “princess.” Think of any positive attributes associated with princesses or royalty, and my Sarah possesses them. Yeah, I’m pretty lucky!
Any advice for other newly engaged couples as they begin to plan their wedding?
The most important thing is to get organized early! Doing so allows you to see the big picture and avoid being blindsided by important deadlines and to-dos. Beyond that, take each step at a time; wedding planning can be a very daunting process overall, but each step is actually really enjoyable!
Hold your vision for the day with an open hand. We had to plan and re-plan our wedding three times because of COVID-19. With each iteration, the vision for the day had to evolve and change. We had to be flexible and creative to achieve our overall vision for the day despite the ever-changing circumstances.
Describe your wedding for us. Was there a particular theme? What flowers did you choose and why? And were there any special traditions or items you incorporated into the day?
Our wedding is very true to us. We wanted to keep things sweet and simple.
We chose a wide variety of burgundy and cream flowers with lots of texture and greenery.
Our ceremony included both communion and a unity candle, which were accompanied by a live musical performance from Nick’s brother and best man, Josh. We also included some special items: a handkerchief hand-crocheted by Sarah’s great-grandma and the wedding photos of our parents and grandparents.
Looking back on planning your wedding, is there anything you would have done differently?
HA! We would’ve skipped the part where the pandemic happened. In all seriousness, we were pretty far in the weeds on the details of our original wedding plan, but as we planned and re-planned three times we were able to refine our vision for the day and focus on what was most important.
What’s the plans for the honeymoon?
We’re having a little staycation in Newport Beach. We’re looking forward to spending dedicated time together after our long-distance engagement was extended by COVID-19.
