It’s hard to surprise your best friend, who you know inside and out and with whom you share everything.
But somehow Jeff managed it. He and Keri were on vacation in Maui, driving to the beach on a stormy day. They walked out onto the rocks, and then walked back. It was on the walk back that Jeff presented her with a ring she had no idea he had bought. They never shopped for rings, and she assumed they would live together first. He told her that at first he thought he wanted to feel more settled before getting engaged. But then he realized he wanted to do the settling with her, not before her.
So they married at the Vine Hill House in Sebastopol, near where Keri grew up. And it was the relaxed, nontraditional, informal, all-out fun wedding she hoped to have. There was no cake or bouquet toss, but there was one heck of a dance floor scene, especially after Keri changed into her Chuck Taylors.
We have loved getting to know these two this year, and it’s been so wonderful seeing their smiles and their connection come to life through these photos. As Keri’s mother, Becky, told me a few weeks before the wedding: “They light up when they see each other.” We’ve now seen that ourselves, and we wish Keri and Jeff a lifetime of that unique feeling reserved for people who are meant for one another.