A Very Special Anniversary

Five years ago today, a very special couple got married in the rose garden at the Santa Barbara Mission. Happy Anniversary Randy and Andrea Cramer! Today, my husband I celebrated 5 years since the day we met! That's right, we met at a wedding. Thinking back to how the events played out still makes me smile. A chance meeting of my then friend/landlord and the mother of the groom in an airport is what connected me to the couple to begin with. Two women chatting, one needing a photographer and one knowing one, is how it all started.
Soon after that was the big day, roses in full bloom, with the Mission in all it's glory as the backdrop. A gorgeous bride, the couple over the top in love, just a perfect scene. I couldn't help but notice the older handsome brother of the groom. But it was down to business, there was a beautiful wedding to photograph! Everyone was so much fun, and soon the ceremony and formal portraits were over and the guests went to take a trolley ride while I did photos with the couple. We had a lot of fun, and they invited me to be their guest at their reception. I accepted and continued on to Stella Mare's for a wonderful dinner and conversation with their family and friends.
It was time to throw the garter and the groom tossed it in the direction of his brothers, strangely there was not a pile of guys fighting to catch it as I'd seen at so many weddings before, and it actually sailed right to Randy's brother Rick. Next was the bouquet toss and Andrea told me to join the girls on the floor. I still didn't find this odd...one toss landed up in the curtain rod, after it was retrieved, the bride turned around and with the speed and precision of an NFL quarterback threw the bouquet at me. Now I understood the set up! Rick's face turned a few shades of red, and he was still too shy to come talk to me.
Somewhere over the next hour we chatted, the party moved downtown and the night turned into morning...hours of fun conversation later we were on our way to our first date the next evening. Three and a half years later Randy and Andrea stood by our side with our wedding party, just up the street where they got married, while we said our wedding vows. Their wedding day, being part of this big family, November 6th and our story will always be so special to me!