Naomi and Andrew met on Match.com. Andrew put his parameters out an hour from his home and Naomi decided to go a little further from her home at an hour and 20 minutes. This gave Naomi the “first look” advantage as she could see him and he could not see her. She really liked his profile and everything about him.
Naomi contacted him and they corresponded for a few weeks and found out they had everything in common. They decided to MEET! Because Andrew was from an hour and 20 minutes away and they already knew there was a real connection, he decided to get a hotel room in her home town so they could have two dates and not have to drive back and forth, one at night and one the next day which included church.
They went out for pizza and Naomi delighted Andrew with her sense of humor when she pulled the cheese from the cheesy crust and made a “cheesy smile”! They laughed and talked and found out that they really did have a lot in common. The things that were not in common, complimented each other. For example, at Olive Garden, Naomi likes to squeeze the juice from the peppers in the salad to just get the taste. Andrew doesn’t like the juice as they squirt all over, but likes the pepper. Yep, she squeezes the juice out and he eats the pepper!!!! That is a salad made in Heaven!!
The night of their first date, they both love Astronomy, so they snuck out on the roof of the hotel to look at the stars! They saw stars in each other’s eyes and knew they were meant to be together forever. It was a whirlwind romance and they decided to get married!
Naomi and Andrew chose Pine Peaks Event Center for their wedding celebration because they loved the space of the 80-acre private estate and that it was all theirs for a whole weekend. Many of their friends had been to a number of weddings recently and the couple wanted to be different and have a themed event! Andrew suggested a Renaissance style wedding and together they planned a wedding no one would soon forget!
Naomi, family and friends worked for hours making outfits for the bride and groom as well as the bridal party, ushers and many of the guests. They all dressed up in velvet, silk and brocade. To the delight of the couple, many of the wedding guests also came in Renaissance attire. It was a very colorful affair of maroon and gold with many handmade decorations to adorn the Event Center.
On Saturday evening the wedding ceremony was held in the candle lit pavilion in true Renaissance style. The entire bridal party was all in character with their attire and carried candle lit lanterns down the aisle. Naomi was escorted by her brother Gregorio who was also the official wedding photographer. The couple had two ministers officiate the ceremony as they each had a favorite from their past.
A dramatic old tradition of feet washing was shared by the couple prior to exchanging the vows. The Feet Washing Ceremony is a sign of being humble, thoughtful, and willing to serve. A passage from John 13: 1-17 was read during this emotional part of the ceremony.
To set the Renaissance theme, Doug Taylor of Action Entertainment brought his gallant pair of Percheron horses pulling a vintage carriage and gave rides around the farm to the newlyweds as well as many of the guests! (Lacy and Tori are Julie’s favorites and a welcome addition to any wedding celebration!)
The reception was held in the Event Center and the décor was “regal” with maroon and gold satin and the tables were set with centerpieces with lanterns, candles, and real fruit for the guests to enjoy. Kate of Maucieri’s Catering served an abundance of appetizers for the crowd with meat and cheese trays, fresh veggies and dip and Renaissance meatballs! Kate also baked her specialty fresh pizzas in Pine Peaks’ own Mugnaini Wood Fired Oven! Eat, Drink and Be Merry, was the theme for the night!
We, at Pine Peaks, were so honored to share this themed wedding celebration between Naomi and Andrew who are a perfect pair. May your differences be few and always complement each other! May you continue to make each other’s dreams come true! Eat, drink and be merry in your lives as husband and wife!
– Dave and Julie Peterson
See the rest of their Facebook photo album, taken by Julie, here.