When planning a wedding, couples often look for ways to leave a personal mark on their big day. For Sophie and Ethan, that meant carrying a piece of family history across California to the tranquil, crystalline shores of Lake Tahoe.

Ethan’s parents were originally married at the iconic Wayfarer Chapel in Palos Verdes, California. Tragically, due to severe coastal landslides, the historic glass chapel had to be decommissioned and torn down. Wanting to honor his parents’ union while staying true to their lakeside ceremony vision, Sophie and Ethan commissioned a custom wedding arch to mirror the chapel’s glass-and-ironwork facade.

How They Met: An “L.A. Green Flag” Meet-Cute

The couple’s journey began in late July 2021 on the dating app Bumble, under quintessential Los Angeles circumstances: Sophie was aisle-browsing at Whole Foods while Ethan was stuck in a standstill traffic jam on the 91 freeway.

Their first date was set for an 8:00 a.m. Sunday coffee meet-up in Pasadena, a strategic halfway point between Sophie’s home in Downtown L.A. and Ethan’s home in Eastvale. Sophie loaded two hours onto her parking meter to ensure a quick exit strategy if needed. However, she quickly discovered just how much effort Ethan had put into this first meeting.

“A man willing to meet a girl for the first time 50 miles away at 8 am on a Sunday morning to drink caffeinated tea can only be perceived as a green flag,” Sophie says.

What began as a brief meet-up turned into hours of effortless conversation, forcing Sophie to dash out mid-date to refill her meter. The morning sparked a connection that quickly blossomed.

Selecting the Destination & Venue

When deciding where to say “I do,” Ethan thought an L.A. venue would feel too much like his own backyard, while Sophie knew most of her guests would be traveling from out of town anyway.

“Growing up in LA, I’ve always loved the water and the natural beauty that California has to offer,” Ethan explains. “However, the beach comes with a lot of logistical hurdles, unpredictability, and so much sand, so we landed on lakes.”

After exploring options around Los Angeles, the couple set their sights hours beyond on the incomparable Lake Tahoe. Guided by a recommendation from Sophie’s mother, a travel advisor with Blue Fountain Travel, they selected Edgewood Tahoe Resort. Its North Room had the intimate reception space the couple had hoped to find, while the North Lawn offered panoramic shoreline views of Tahoe’s impossibly blue waters.

Personal Touches & The Wedding Day

The couple curated a palette of gold accents, soft pinks, deep reds, and lush greenery to mirror Tahoe’s wooded scenery. Their ceremony was a heartfelt service where Sophie, admittedly an introvert, sweetly shared personalized vows as a brave and public declaration of her love.

To highlight their shared love for wine, which played a central role throughout their relationship and culminated in their Monterey engagement, they included a unique wine box time capsule.

“We ordered a bottle of wine from one of the wineries we visited on our engagement weekend and stored it in a box along with letters we wrote to our future selves,” Sophie says, “only to be opened on our fifth anniversary.”

Planning Wisdom & Words of Advice

Planning from L.A. meant managing long-distance logistics, transporting decor, and making a good five on-site visits over a year and a half. They relied heavily on their wedding planner, Amanda Wurzer at Reno Tahoe Enchanted Events, to execute their vision on the ground.

Reflecting on the experience, the couple offered advice for future destination brides and grooms:

“It’s easy to come up with a ‘perfect vision’ and then get upset when you have to pivot, but life is full of surprises. The ability to work together to come up with perhaps an even better idea than the one you originally envisioned will only make you stronger as a couple.”

Vendors: Wedding Planner: Reno Tahoe Enchanted Events; Venue: Edgewood Tahoe Resort; Photographer: Vild Photography; Videographer: Davey Hibler; Florist: Create With T; Cake: Flour Girl Wedding Cakes; Hair & Makeup: La Di Da Beauty; Groom’s Attire: Kenjo Suits; Bride’s Dress: Olivia Grace Bridal; Bridesmaids’ Attire: Azazie; Stationery: Minted; DJ: Lake Tahoe DJ; Rentals: Mountain Vibes Specialty Rentals; Linens: Creative Coverings; Lighting: Sierra Lighting; Transportation: Grand Tahoe Charters (Wild Goose II)