It rained the entire day. Like, all day. Incessantly.
The outdoor ceremony overlooking the vineyard was moved to a covered area on the piazza. For portraits, they went out in the rain anyway, when it had slowed to just a light rain, to take advantage of this beautiful property they had so carefully chosen. And wouldn’t you know… Daria and Ryan look back on their rainy wedding day with nothing but positive, happy memories. They even ended up loving the alternate ceremony spot under the tent.
Both of them say their favorite part of the day was hiking up the hill in the rain for portraits with Mauricio and second photographer Ryan Zhang. “It was adventurous,” said Ryan, the groom, about climbing the hill with his new wife on his back. “The rain added to that adventure.”
“I was so scared,” Daria said. “The grass was really slippery, and it was a steep hill, and there was horse dung everywhere. I thought, if I fall this is going to be a disaster.” But when they got to the top they were rewarded for their risk. “It felt really unique being up there,” she said.
Before their wedding at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Daria and Ryan had a wedding in Korea. Ryan’s father, who loves karaoke (so much that he has memorized the program numbers of his favorite songs so he doesn’t have to look them up at karaoke bars in Korea), really wanted Daria to sing at the wedding. So when she got up to thank everyone, he asked her if she could sing something, even though there was no music. She did, despite feeling weird with no music, and he loved it.
So for their Sonoma wedding, she decided to sing again, as a surprise to everyone. She told only the band leader. She chose the song “Feels Like Home” by Chantal Kreviazuk, because the lyrics remind her of how she feels about her relationship with Ryan. She gave a thank-you speech, and then launched right into the song. “I was surprised, in a good way,” Ryan said. “My family was very impressed.” And now, of course, Ryan’s father asks them to go to karaoke all the time.
So in the end, you get a happy bride and groom, delighted parents, gorgeous portraits, and a great party, despite the curve ball of Mother Nature. It’s a great reminder that you don’t need the perfect conditions – you just need each other, and the people who love you.