Real Wedding: Haeli & Briar – Photography by India Earl

We started dating in our first year in college. Our decade-long courtship solidified our commitment to each other. Over those years, we nurtured one another, shaping each other into the people we are today.

Not everyone can say they’ve had several chapters and phases to their relationship before marriage, but maintaining our relationship through our 20s enabled the peace and intimacy we feel today. We are both hard-working, love being in nature, throwing dinner parties, skiing and yoga. We share a healthy love for debate and never pass up the opportunity for a lengthy philosophical or political argument. We are also beyond goofy and liable to spontaneously break out in song and dance at the drop of a hat. Our proposal happened in our home, just after dinner. It was cozy, sweet and simple. Both of our wedding outfits were ready only days before the event as we’d pushed fittings back for summer travel. This is not something I recommend! We will always remember laughing and tearing up while exchanging vows between two giant pine trees, surrounded by friends and family. The ceremony site was pretty deep in the woods, set away from the lodge, so there was a still, serene atmosphere as the music floated through the trees. Having family and friends sing and play music really brought a spirit of inclusivity and community to our wedding that was important to us. There was no theme, but looking at the pictures, I suppose it was a woodsy, down to earth aesthetic with a bohemian touch. We used tree trunk slabs as dessert trays and all the floral arrangements were simple grasses and ferns. We were in such a beautiful natural setting, just outside the Yosemite Valley, that I didn’t want to detract with too much decor. Never forget to focus on each moment. It’s all you have, so it’s all you can truly share with someone else. Being married means having your best friend at your side through life’s ups and downs, trivial happenings and most profound revelations. It means unconditional love. Now that we’re married, we find we don’t just look forward to big trips or adventures together, but to an average Tuesday night fixing up our home, cooking and being silly, or reading side by side.