In the heart of April, Sarah and Garry returned to the Bay Area, a place where they had resided together for a large portion of their relationship. They chose to marry at Walnut Creek’s Ruth Bancroft Gardens, an immaculately landscaped property planted with numerous species of cacti, succulents, and drought-tolerant plants from all around the world.
On the day of their wedding, the gravel garden path leading towards Ruth’s Folly was lined with wooden bentwood chairs, arranged meticulously to follow the evolving curves of the adjacent garden beds. Guests meandered through the gardens many trails, taking notice of the various native Californian plants, and finally emerged at the outdoor ceremony space. They selected their seats in the asymmetrical rows and eagerly awaited the ceremony’s beginning. Garry, handsomely donned in a cedar brown suit, escorted his father down the sunny ceremony aisle, and awaited his bride beside natural terracotta pots filled with colorful flowers, positioned in front of the koi pond. As Sarah appeared under the archway of the ornate sage green folly, radiant in her ivory gown adorned with textured foliage detailing, her eyes met Garry's, and she proudly began her emotion-filled processional towards him. After embracing her parents and Garry one last time before the proceedings, the couple’s loving dog, Donny, trotted down the aisle, greeting guests with hand licks along the way. They reflected on their relationship and promised one another a lifetime of love and companionship, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the support of their cherished friends and family.
Following the ceremony, the celebration continued in the sun-dappled shade of Ruth Bancroft Gardens’ Eucalyptus Grove. Round reception tables were surrounded with natural wooden chairs, and the tabletops were covered with colorful floral bud vase groupings, lovingly crafted by Sarah and her bridesmaids. Guests were presented with a delectable, organic, farm-to-table, family-style dinner during the al fresco dinner reception. And while the group dined, Donny the dog curled up besides Sarah and Garry’s sweetheart table and napped contently. Friends and family clinked glasses, toasting to the newlyweds' happiness and the adventures yet to come.
As the night deepened and the festivities drew to a close, Sarah and Garry hugged their loved ones before they made their way towards the classic white Ford Bronco waiting at the garden's edge. The newlyweds climbed into the vintage Bronco, and as they drove away with the gravel crunching beneath the tires, they turned to wave goodbye and witnessed their wedding venue and guests slowly fade into the distance.
