gracehavlak

Alexis and Manny’s wedding was one of those days that just makes life worth living.  From the joy and excitement so thick in the air you could almost taste it, to the stunning location on the wild northern  Mendocino coast, it was impossible not to be swept up in the moment.   Late in the afternoon as the sun sunk close to the horizon, filling the air with a soft golden light that set the tall grasses aglow, we walked through the fields taking a few photos of Alexis and Manny together.  As we walked, the smell of fresh mint being crushed underneath our feet filled the air, and I had to stop to remind myself that yes, this was real, and yes, this was what I do for a living, and that even with long months of editing for 16 hours a day and all the anxiety dreams about opening my camera bag at a wedding to find nothing but a Canon Rebel and a wide angle lens, I really am just impossibly lucky to be able to do what I do.

With perfectly matched sharp, witty, and often sarcastic senses of humor, it’s easy to see why they fell in love.  There’s something wonderful about the way they each carry themselves with a certain independence, but are just so happy and excited to be around each other.  No one who has ever spent more than about five minutes in a room with either of them would accuse them of being sappy, and so seeing both of them wiping away tears at their wedding made me fight the urge to tear up a little myself. You can tell that their life together will be not just happy but interesting – and full of adventure.

They got married on a bright, if chilly, October day at the Sea Ranch Lodge (where Manny proposed) on the northern California coast.  If you follow historic Highway 1 for an hour or so north past Bodega Bay, around harrowing hairpin turns and stunning ocean views, you stumble upon it just before reaching Gualala.   Perched on a dramatic cliff overlooking the ocean, with weathered old barns and fields of wildflowers and tall grass, Alexis chose it in part because she wanted a venue where the natural beauty spoke for itself and didn’t need a lot of decoration.  Her dress that was the opposite of everything she had originally thought she wanted – and she had initially tried it on as a joke – but, with its textured lace and tiers of gauzy ruffles, it was perfect for the setting.  Her mother made her wreath of tea roses and lace, which, combined with her long curling hair had the perfect bohemian feel.  Manny wore an impeccably custom tailored grey three piece suit, and their adorable puppy who acted as ring-bearer even had a matching bow-tie.  Manny’s great uncle Hank, in an equally well-tailored tuxedo print t-shirt and blazer kept everyone in stitches (and all the ladies on their toes) all night.  It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Congratulations, you two!  I can wait to hear what life brings you next.