Breanna + Daniel | True Photography
We asked these newlyweds a couple of questions to help us navi-gate this post.
They had so many beautiful details to share, we figured, “Why try to force it?“
So, we pass the mic to the love birds, Daniel and Breanna, as they reminisce about their wedding here at the Ranch!
(What could goron?)
How did you both choose your wedding day look?
Breanna: “Daniel knew he wanted a lighter colored tuxedo to stand out from the crowd while also fitting the outdoor, afternoon setting. He found a grey tuxedo he liked at Men’s Wearhouse and looked no further.”
Daniel: “Before she knew anything about what kind of dress she wanted, Breanna knew she wanted to wear white boots to the wedding. The dress was a surprise find from Anthropologie[…] Not expecting to find anything, she stumbled upon the perfect dress—comfortable, simple, elegant, and the last one was in her size!”
How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception? Was any part of the decor DIY?
Both: “We mostly left the decor in the hands of Adina (we used Simply Adina Floral Design for all our flowers) to decorate the space with flowers and other plants. She did an amazing job carrying out our visions for the day, and it was a beautiful surprise on the wedding day to see what she had done. We also bought a few decorative signs from Michael’s and Hobby Lobby and bought chalkboards to write rules for the board games on.”
What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
B: “Daniel’s most anticipated moment was seeing [Breanna] for the first time as [I] walked down the aisle. Of course, he hadn’t seen the dress before, only heard from everyone else that it was absolutely beautiful and perfect.”
D: “It probably seems silly, but I was nervous about having no participation in such an important part of the wedding. When I finally saw her coming down the aisle, with curled hair, light makeup, and an incredible dress with a floral pattern, she was beautiful far beyond my expectations. Obviously, I had nothing to be nervous about in the first place.”
Did you personalize the day in any way (food trucks, guest entertainment, etc.)? What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
D: “Probably our biggest personal touch was in the music. We’re huge nerds for the Legend of Zelda video games, so we selected beautiful orchestral arrangements of two pieces from the Zelda series for our biggest moments. Breanna walked down the aisle to a piece called ‘Zelda’s Lullaby,’ and the music for our first dance, ‘Gerudo Valley,’ is also from that series. We took a couple of private ballroom dancing lessons, and our instructor choreographed an exciting Paso Doble full of passion. The music perfectly fit the occasion and provided a fun Easter egg for the few who recognized it. Those moments—the ceremony and the first dance—were absolutely our favorite parts of the wedding.”
D: “The ceremony was personalized in a couple of ways as well. Since Breanna is really close to her brothers, they stood on her side as bridesmen.”
B: “Daniel’s brother was also the officiant for the ceremony.”
Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day?
B: “I’d say Leo Carrillo Ranch itself inspired several aspects of our wedding. While we didn’t adhere too closely to any specific theme or traditions, we embraced the outdoor, southwest desert setting and Spanish cultural influence of the ranch. For example, we felt dressy casual attire was best for an outdoor, summer afternoon wedding. Many of the flower arrangements were accented with succulents and blue thistles (our color palette was dusty blue and sage green, not too different from the ranch itself). Our first dance was a Paso Doble, and the accompanying music, ‘Gerudo Valley,’ has Spanish influences and was even written to represent a desert region.”
D: “Breanna’s most anticipated moment was the first dance. We’d worked hard on practicing it, and it was exciting and thrilling to be doing something so complex and elaborate. It felt like an encapsulation of who we were—it was the kind of fun adventure and new experience that we like to do with each other, and the music meant so much to us.”
How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
Together: “We met in our freshman year of high school at San Dieguito Academy. We shared many classes together throughout high school, and our friendship grew slowly but steadily. By the end of high school, we were best friends and finally started dating after graduation, with only a few months of summer remaining before we left for college, Breanna to UC Davis, and Daniel to the University of Chicago. We persevered through four years of long-distance and precious but infrequent visits, before moving to Boulder together for Daniel to begin graduate work in physics at the University of Colorado Boulder.”
“Having all but committed to each other long ago, Daniel proposed in June 2018. Breanna had gone home to visit her parents while Daniel stayed in Boulder, secretly preparing the engagement. He decorated the coffee table with tealight candles arranged in a heart and the dinner table with new napkins, a new tablecloth, apple pie from a local bakery, and a bouquet of flowers. Best of all, he adopted a fluffy orange and white cat; how could Breanna say no to that? The plan was to have a friend prepare a special Spiegel-family salmon recipe while Daniel picked Breanna up from the airport, but at the eleventh hour, the plan was ruined: Breanna’s flight had been canceled, and she would be coming back the next morning. With the new cat, Daniel knew he had no choice but to propose as soon as Breanna got home. As a ruse, he told her he had to work, and she would have to bus home. When Breanna got there, she was greeted to the aforementioned decorations and a trail of rose petals leading to the bedroom, where Daniel awaited with cat and ring. Of course, Breanna said yes and with perfect timing, for not a minute later did the tealight candles set off the fire alarm! Daniel made omelets for brunch and salmon for dinner. In the end, it was a proposal neither of us will ever forget.”
TL: DR
They met in high school and survived a long-distance relationship for four years through college, across the country from each other before finally reuniting in CO. Daniel’s first try at proposing, (like any true romantic, with all the flowers, candles, and a new cat for good measure) failed, because planes. Second attempt the next morning: success! But he set off the fire alarm.
Unforgettable.
Throughout this eventful day-wedding, vendors were executing moves behind the scenes in a symphony of flawless movements thanks to our fabulous Coordination Team.
True Photography was capturing priceless shots of perfect candid moments, while DJ Mike Hogan was a master MC and dance-floor wizard!
Personal Touch Dining served up amazing meals, and no guest left unsatisfied.
Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
D: “I think it’s important to plan the wedding in a way that feels special and right to the couple. Don’t be afraid to deviate from tradition when you have a better idea!”
One Last Tip!
B: “At the wedding, ask a few guests to take at least a couple of pictures! It was fantastic to have True Photography taking such amazing photos of our event, and I’m so glad that we didn’t have to worry about capturing the moments and could just enjoy the day. However, afterward, it was hard to wait so long for the photos to be edited and finalized, so we’re glad that a few friends took photos by themselves. Those casual photos from friends helped tide us over until we got the full set of professional photos from the day.”
When we initially asked this happy couple to answer some quick questions, we never expected this kind of response!
They said they felt “honored to be the subject of [our] blog,” but we are the ones genuinely privileged to be part of your big day.
We’re so glad this magical day was everything they dreamed it could be, and we wish these two all the best in their bright future together!
Thanks to all the incredible vendors who helped us, but especially Personal Touch Dining for the Catering, Coordination, and Venue Management of our beloved Ranch.
Details:
Invitation Designer – Minted.com
Men’s Attire – Daniel wore a grey Vera Wang Tuxedo with a blue tie and cufflinks, all from Men’s Wearhouse. The Groomsmen wore a very similar grey Joseph Abboud tuxedo. Groomsmen ties, tie clips, and cufflinks were groomsmen gifts from TealsPrairie on Etsy.
Dress Store – Anthropologie
Jewelry – Rings from Cronin Jewelers (in Boulder, CO) and Breanna wore earrings from her mother.
Bridesmaid Dresses – David’s Bridal and Nordstrom
Dress Designer – BHLDN
Vendors: