When/Where did the bride & groom meet?

We initially met on a Facebook group for the incoming class of 2011 at UC Irvine. We met again through greek social events and became good friends!

Tell us about the engagement day/proposal!

We were vacationing in Croatia and Brian arranged a private wine tasting tour for the first leg of the trip.  He proposed at the last winery (Ivančić Griffin Winery), overlooking Slovenia, Hungary and Bosnia.  Helen had no idea that was going to happen and couldn’t believe it!

What was the deciding factor to have your wedding at Coyote Hills?

The ceremony site!  

What are some the challenges that you faced planning your wedding?

We started planning well over a year before the wedding so most of the planning went along without a hitch.  We were concerned about the weather (rain) since we were planning to have both the ceremony and reception outside, but we ended up having a perfect, partly cloudy day!

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We loved that our ceremony was short and personal.  We wrote our own vows and our officiant did a great job narrating our love story.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The food was great, the drinks were flowing, and our DJ played music that kept people on the dance floor.  It was the best party we ever threw!

Vendor Love:

Photography: Kirstin Burrows Photography

D.J.: Extreme DJ Service (Keith Campbell)

Venue: Coyote Hills Golf Course

Dress: Justin Alexander (Designer) / Bridal Elegance Studio (Boutique)

Shoes: Nine West and Keds

Flowers: Cielo Rose Flowers

Hair: Flawless Faces

Make-up: Flawless Faces

Groom’s suit: Generation Tux

Groom’s shoes: Generation Tux

Cake: Patty’s Cake