Being new to the online dating app, Ryan didn’t realize setting up his account while house sitting would put his location in the area he was staying and not where he lived. Without that “mistake” he and Alexa would never have met and found their person in each other!

When Ryan didn’t propose in Paris, Alexa had no expectations for a ring during the rest of their European travels. Least of all in a boat on a lake in the Austrian Alps! While visiting his sister, they had rented a boat to enjoy the lake, when suddenly his sister jumped out and swam to shore! Being his best friend, she knew Ryan had been carrying a ring throughout their trip and was ready to propose to Alexa!

Alexa and Ryan wanted all their family and friends to be able to gather together under the trees in the mountains. Tahoe has been a special place for the two of them so a Harmony Ridge Lodge wedding in the forest was perfect to begin and celebrate their marriage!

Venue | Harmony Ridge Lodge

Coordinator | Wild & Lovely Events

Photography | Lydia Photography

Makeup & Hair | Aimee K Makeup

Caterer | Luke & Lucy Catering

DJ | Someone Said Yes

Rentals | SRC Event Rentals

View another Harmony Ridge Lodge wedding!

While they met the modern way, online, and she came to find out he had a giant beard, and “she did not have the giant beard,” it wasn’t long before they both realized they wanted to spend all their time together! Convenient when the world was shutting down and everything narrowed down to time with just a select few! From the first date in February 2020 to a surprise proposal in February of last year, then their intimate elopement style wedding with just family in 2025, much “proost” and many more Februarys together!!

Venue | Private Ranch Estate

Photography | Lydia Photography

Makeup & Hair | Lydia Beauty

Florals | Grass Valley Florist

Caterer | At Your Service

Cake | Emily’s Catering & Cakes

View another intimate garden wedding!

Yes, we did get the usual full on smiling pictures, but the more serious ones show off Paige’s sweet, thoughtful side and her beautiful eyes! Loved being able to get together for makeup styling before her senior portraits. Wanting to be in nature, the rain storms we scheduled around made for a the perfect, vibrant green backdrop!

So fun styling these sisters with hair and makeup, going for that editorial glow, before their shoot! It had been overcast and dark then started to sprinkle rain as we arrived at our location. But you’d never know it with their smiles and model looks!

You might not even be able to tell, but the rain really started coming down so these model looks are through the rain drops!

Almost as if time had stood still, two years later we all gathered together again at River Highlands Ranch for their wedding open house! Their 2020 wedding vendor event had been the last big event before the shutdown and in some ways it’s a whole new world. But we still came together for the same reason — to celebrate love and marriage!