Brownstone Gardens Wedding

Zaneta and Marc’s gorgeous Brownstone Gardens wedding in Oakley, California was my actual dream come true. These two had the most vibrant, colorful, wonderful wedding, and I couldn’t have been happier to be a part of this day. Zaneta and her family are from Liberia and they brought some excellent traditions with them to this wedding: a colorful Liberian style congo line at the beginning of their dinner reception, the most fun money dance I’ve ever seen (flying moneyy! haha), and Marc’s family’s “capture the bride” tradition at the end of the night where guests had to keep her away from him and him away from her, until he eventually broke through the barriers to his wife. Everybody laughed a lot at that one. So good.

One of my favorite moments during this day was when Zaneta first put her wedding dress on. An immigrant herself, she looked in the mirror, took a deep breath, and said to her bridesmaids and best friends: “Well! If there ever was a ‘coming to America moment,’ this has got to be it!” I was about ready to cry. What a wonderful human you are, Zaneta. America is damn lucky to have you! <3

Another favorite moment? Zaneta and her dad walking down the aisle together towards Marc during their Brownstone Gardens wedding. Her dad and her took it nice and easy, walking a slow, happy, joyful walk. They took it all in: Marc, each other, their guests and family and friends together all in one place from all over the world. I remember them laughing, smiling, and tearing up together; such a wonderful moment.

And last but not least, their Congo line entrance to their Brownstone Gardens wedding! Apparently it’s tradition for everybody to lay down a piece of fabric from their clothes to make sure that the couple’s feet don’t touch the dirt on their way from their wedding to their reception. Zaneta and Marc’s relatives danced and celebrated as the couple entered their reception, laying down vibrant pieces of clothing and bits of cloth to make sure they made it happily (and cleanly? haha) into their new life as married people. <3