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Since I first met Steve and Wendy, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing their engagement photos, their wedding, and some super cute 4th of July themed family photos that have yet to appear on the blog. Now that I’ve gotten to know their family so well, I can tell you first hand that they were meant for each other. I know that their wedding day was the beginning of a lifetime of sweet moments, waiting to unfold.  I hope you enjoy the story of how they both met, along with their wedding photos from their special Disneyland Hotel Wedding. 🙂

Steve and I met while running. I know you always read about people meeting while exercising, or grabbing coffee but I never thought it would happen. I always seemed to only run into creeps or crazy people. Well, we kept passing each other (he would be running, I would be attempting to run but mainly sucking wind) and eventually it led to to the initial awkward hello, then coffee. The rest is history. I knew Steve was the one from the beginning. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s true. I was walking in the parking lot to meet him for our first cup of coffee and I was convinced I made a mistake. I was basically meeting a total stranger. Everything you hear says don’t talk to strangers! He came into view and it was like slow motion. He was so handsome and his smile was amazing. After that latte, cappuccino and lots of laughs the deal was sealed. He was the one.

Steve and I grew up with the love of Disney. He was in Southern California and I was in Northern California. Eventually Steve became a climber on the Matterhorn at Disneyland and up north I worked at the Disney Store. Disney was imprinted in us before we met, so it only seemed natural to have our wedding there. I had been “planning” our wedding before we were even engaged. So many women are guilty of that I am sure! On many of the trips home from Disneyland, I would look at wedding photos in the car while Steve drove. I’d say “someday if we get married, we should have a peacock theme” or “if we ever got married, I’d love a dress like this”. Fortunately, when we really did get engaged, Steve was open to my thoughts and I was open to his. So it ended up being a peacock colored wedding with Star Wars and Disney accents.

We were becoming a blended family and we wanted the boys to feel like it wasn’t just about the bride and groom, so making the wedding special for our boys was very important for us. This was a huge step for all of us. We took the kids out of school, got hair cuts at a classic barber shop, got them Storm Trooper cuff links and dapper tuxedos. We also had a family table so all five of us were in the front of the reception room. Adding a candle lighting ceremony with Pastor Norman also showed the boys and the guests that this marriage was bigger than just Steve and me. Even though they don’t share the same mother and father, it was important that they all felt loved and included and equal in this family. To top it all off, the boys got their own hotel room at the Disneyland Hotel! That was awesome!

For other Disney Brides, I would say to make sure you have a good dose of faith, trust and pixie dust! Have faith in your planners and vendors. This may be your first rodeo but its not theirs. When you feel lost, shoot them an email (or 1200 like I did) or a phone call and they will guide you back onto your path. We had many moments of worrying about things. Since we were in Northern California we didn’t have the ability to micromanage in person. Therefore we had to really trust that the Disney Fairytale Wedding team would have it all under control. Well, not only did they execute the wedding perfectly, they exceeded our expectations! Michelle and Julie were wonderful! Enjoy your planning! Disney is there to take care of the hard stuff.

We work well together. Steve and I have somehow perfected the art of reading each others minds. Whether it pertains to us or situations outside of us, we are always on the same page even without discussing it prior. I believe that is a desired strength in a relationship. When you don’t travel in the same line, you eventually end up apart from each other. Fortunately, we usually think the same and communicate well and that keeps us strong as a couple.

For more of Steve and Wendy’s Wedding photos, check out their post wedding day slideshow:

Vendor Love:

Photography: White Rabbit Photo Boutique

Photo Booth: White Rabbit Photo Boutique

Venue: Disneyland Hotel Rose Court Garden and Sleeping Beauty’s Pavilion

Coordinator: Michelle Evinger of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings

Officiant: Pastor Norman

DJ: Martin of Waveform Events

Cake: Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings

Floral: Disney Floral and Decor

Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Hair: Jenna Murray