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Big Love, Tiny Ceremony

Jeff and Mai Cirillo

Married in 2020, Indian Wells, California

How did you meet?

Jeff and I met in our community. We both belonged to Overlake Golf and Country Club and the Bellevue Club. Jeff courted me through our shared love for golf, fitness and our mutual friendships. 

 

The Proposal:

Our relationship blossomed very organically; we are “a very good fit” as my husband would say. Our proposal happened after a long month of Jeff’s strenuous work schedule and my travels. We both arrived happily home and I prepared dinner for us per usual, exhausted from our trips and absolutely elated to finally be reunited. My future husband turned to me and asked with a spark in his eye “Do you want to get married?” After a moment of silence and a sip of wine, I asked “Did you just propose to me?” He smiled. And just like that we were on our way to becoming Husband and wife. It was a very intimate special moment for us both. 

What was your biggest challenge or most ingenious solution while planning an event during the pandemic?

We originally decided on a small wedding ceremony in Kona, Hawaii, however that would not work due to COVID. We definitely modified our original plans as the pandemic was filled with uncertainty. Travel restrictions kept changing and this affected our ability to plan. After multiple flight changes, hotel cancellations and travel restrictions, our thoughts moved to having our small wedding at Overlake Golf and Country Club. Then that would not work due gathering restrictions. The world seemed to be shutting down. Finally, Jeff suggested we get married in the desert, right at our very own home.

Do you have a favorite moment or two? 

Our favorite: Saying our wedding vows to each other with family and friends zooming in, and our immediate family in attendance was incredibly heart warming and special. That very significant momentous day reminded us both even more so, just how important it is having family, friends and loved ones close. 

Tell us about the details; food, fashion, photos!

Our families videotaped, snapped photos and screenshots. They captured very fun memories for us. We hired Katie, an amazing photographer and Chef and team leader Anthony of Il Corso in El Paseo, Palm Desert prepared our custom Italian dinner. Toscana Country Club helped create our intimate setting with flowers by Bryanna of Flower Patch.

 

 

 

 

Bryan and Ruth Ann Otis

Married in 2020, Woodinville, Washington

The Proposal:

I proposed to Ruth Ann on March 1st, 2020 at Dance Church, which is a mixture dance party and millennial Jazzercize class. The founder, Kate Wallich, carved out a special moment at the end of the class for me to propose. Thankfully, I had asked a friend to video tape the moment. That was the last class that was held, as the next week it was canceled due to the emerging pandemic. We watch the video all the time, and both laugh and reflect on what a year it’s been.

Did you modify your original plans or was this event tailored for this very weird year? 

Ha, yes very much. I often tell people that my wedding was my fourth. Not fourth marriage, mind you. No, the fourth wedding we planned in the space of six months. Right after our proposal, we celebrated at one of our favorite lunch spots, called Juicebox. We immediately got out the UW Football calendar, as we needed to plan around the home and away games. Pretty much every person in my family has had to plan their wedding around the UW Football schedule.

What was your biggest challenge or most ingenious solution?

The biggest challenge was the need to continuously communicate to family and friends about the changes in all our plans. So many things were changing in the news every day, it felt like we were redesigning our entire wedding every couple of weeks. Thankfully, both our family’s are very flexible, and my brother and his wife have a beautiful open air backyard in Woodinville, so we decided to shift our wedding plans to become a small, family dinner in their backyard. It was the perfect place. 

Do you have a favorite moment or two? 

The whole thing was my favorite moment. The entire process of planning a wedding, amidst a pandemic, illuminated to both of us little things we both cared about, and how to communicate those things to each other. 

Please share all the juicy details! Tell us about the food, fashion, decor!

We designed a farm-to-table dinner that was a mixture of both Pacific Northwest ingredients and traditional Korean dishes. The meal was magic, and helped anchor the family around a shared experience we could all look back on and recreate in the future. Chloe Csadenyi-Benson helped plan the wedding, Teressa Johnson did all the florals, Micah Mowery and JJ Proville did the food, Andrew Means spun vinyl records, and Kara Mercer photographed the entire thing. It was a dream team. 

What will you remember most?

My wife smiling, a lot. 

Caitlin and Max Baker

Married early 2021, Leavenworth, Washington

How did you meet?

We originally met, unromantically, 9 years ago. Max won his first round of funding for his company, Illumagear, at an Angel Investing event that was held at Caitlin’s business (at the time), Makers Coworking. Years later, we reconnected over coffee, this time romantically. 

Did you modify original plans or was this event tailored for this very weird year?

We got engaged in September 2020, so as we discussed plans for the wedding, we knew either we’d have to wait 1-2 years to have a big celebration, or we could do something soon that was small and intimate. We chose the latter, and tailored our ceremony to this very weird time in history. Although we missed having a big party, we loved the intimacy of our small wedding. 

Wedding location?

Sleeping Lady Chapel in Leavenworth, Washington

What was your biggest challenge or most ingenious solution?

Last minute, Caitlin’s parents encouraged us to incorporate Zoom so we could invite friends and family to “attend.”  With a lot of family and friends on the list, Zoom actually couldn’t accommodate our wedding as easily as expected, so the day before we switched to a live YouTube link.

Do you have a favorite moment or two?

Sleeping Lady Resort used to be a CYO camp for many years, and Caitlin’s parents worked there for many summers, and eventually eloped in the same chapel that is there today (45 years ago).  Caitlin also wore a vail that has been worn by 3 generations of Agnew women. Max felt very welcomed into the “clan” by all the traditions. We also loved having Nolan, Max’s 4 y/o son, be our ring bearer. 

Please share all the juicy details! Tell us about the food, fashion, decor: 

We decided to have a micro-wedding just after New Years 2021 and set our wedding date for 2/21/21. With just about a month to plan, we couldn’t spend much time on details. Sleeping Lady Resort was very accommodating with helping set up the chapel, and flowers. We brought a coconut cake from Deru, and toasted after the ceremony with Trevari Cellars sparkling wine. It was simple, sweet, and special.

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