Passionate outdoor enthusiasts, devoted environmental stewards, health and wellness devotees, warm-hearted individuals committed to positively impacting society: San Francisco Bay Area newlyweds Jillian and John, both Stanford MBA grads, are motivated by intelligent compassion and genuine conviction. And their chosen professional paths also reflect their core values. Jillian is the co-founder of giddy, an all-natural snack company that offers parents wholesome options for their children. John is a marketing director with Acclarent, a company that develops innovative medical treatment solutions for ear, nose, and throat specialists.
They first met during their tenure at university, through the introduction of mutual friends. Fast-forward through the sparks, infatuation, and falling in love to become a steady, long-term pair. Fast-forward a bit more to a secluded spot in the gorgeous wilderness of Marin County. On a hike with one another, one of their favorite pastimes as a couple, John surprised Jillian by proposing they spend their lives with together as husband and wife. He then whisked her off to spend a celebratory weekend nesting in California’s lush, enchanting wine country.
Their refreshingly laid-back, and yet still highly refined, Lake Tahoe wedding celebration took place at the tasteful Baker Estate, which is situated along a babbling brook deep in heavily wooded area of the region. The bride explains that she and John had to plan their wedding on somewhat short notice, and that this actually shaped its success. In collaboration with the inimitable coordinator Heather Spears of Summit Soiree, “I was forced to really focus on those things that were most important to me,” Jillian says. “It ultimately saved a lot of unnecessary stress over other details, so that the wedding truly felt like us.”
With a color scheme of bright, saturated violet hues offset with clean, sophisticated grays and whites, the affair was truly beautiful—and without an iota of frilliness or stuffiness. Everything–from the ceremony to the party afterward–occurred outdoors. Against a stunning natural backdrop of rich browns and greens, sweet accents filled-out the forest with charming strokes of elegance–like a full chandelier strung over the bar area, Mason jars bursting with bright bouquets dressing the dining tables, the lighting of a cheerful fire come nightfall, and gorgeous paper lanterns criss-crossing the reception area. Along with Jillian’s maid-of-honor (her sister Karen) and John’s best man (his brother Duncan), the couple’s 170 guests were treated a special lemonade-vodka cocktail and, in a novel spin on the conventional wedding cake, an invitation to instead visit a brownie-sundae bar complete with all the fixin’s.
Some of Jillian’s most-cherished memories from the celebration include stealing away from their guests for a special ten minutes alone with one another immediately following their ceremony. “It was really nice to have a few minutes together, because the rest of the day was a whirlwind!” She also vividly recalls her father’s toast and her father-daughter dance with him, as well as spending the whole night lost in revelry with friends and family on the dance floor.
The overall warmth, kindness, and genuineness of the celebration and this extraordinarily special couple can perhaps best be summarized by the inscription on the candle they lit during their ceremony, as a testament to their commitment to one another:
This day I will marry my friend. The one I laugh with, live for, dream of, love.
Vendor Information:
Wedding Coordinator: Heather Spear of Summit Soiree | Floral Designer: Stems by Diana | Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier | Caterer: D’Lish | Makeup: Bettina from Bella Vita | Music: DJ Sean Evans | Lighting: Crux Events | Hair: Catherine from Krush Salon in Los Gatos
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