A blinged-out corset and tiered tulle skirt for a national park elopement? Not something you see every day, and that’s exactly why we’re obsessed with real Martina Liana bride Taylor’s breathtaking bridal style! Read on to hear more about her super-sweet proposal and completely unique (and glamorous!) elopement!
From the bride: I would consider our wedding an event that surpasses all other life experiences. We hadn’t always planned to elope, but once we decided this was what fit us best, we knew there was no other place to have the best day of our lives other than in Yosemite.
Flashback to 10 months earlier, and I had everything figured out. My boyfriend thought he had it all planned and ready to go. He knew I wanted a surprise proposal, something that would catch me off guard and that would leave me speechless. However, I had figured out the details (without trying to, honestly!). I frantically called my BFF and went on and on about the details I knew and when the proposal would happen. She calmed me down and told me not to speak a word, but I couldn’t hold it any longer. I told my boyfriend that I had figured out his plan, and of course, he played it off very well saying that he hadn’t purchased my ring yet. Little did I know, he picked out a ring and now had to change his plans.
It was a normal day, really. Just like any other. There were no nerves, no suspicions, nothing. We had planned to go out to the family pond that evening after dinner to fish and watch the sunset. Afraid that we might miss the views of the skyline, we rushed out the door almost immediately after dinner. Evan took the long way to the pond, which I thought was strange. He never did that. I just went along for the ride until the truck came to a stop. He told me to get out and get dressed. I was confused. I was dressed. In a large t-shirt and gym shorts with sneakers. He persisted and told me to get out because he had clothes for me. I asked what was going on at least a hundred times!! Still, he didn’t budge. He had a mirror hanging on a tree branch with a new shirt that he had picked out for me. He grabbed his bag and pulled out a change of shorts and sandals that he had snuck out of my suitcase just moments before leaving the house. He even brought my makeup bag just in case I needed to touch up before heading to the pond. I gently declined since he persuaded me that I was beautiful just as I was.
We drove to the pond where the sun was just starting to set when I realized that it looked as if somebody else was out there. He told me that nobody was here, just me and him and the setup he had prepared. I suspected a proposal might be waiting because he had a tablecloth draped over a table with two chairs, flowers, his guitar, a letter, and a sign that was filled with our initials, daisies, and pictures of us throughout the years. There were photographers hiding out in the woods, and a video camera placed on the ground ready to film the moments that were to come. He told me that we weren’t there to fish. He had other plans. He grabbed his guitar and started playing and singing our song, “Better Together” by Jack Johnson. He didn’t miss a chord!! (Later, he told me that he had practiced it 7 times that morning and was convinced that it just wouldn’t be perfect. Of course, he nailed it!) Afterwards, he read a handwritten letter to me saying how much he had enjoyed our years together and that nothing short of a lifetime with me would do. Throughout the letter, I was fighting back tears and asking myself, “Is this really happening??” Next thing I knew, he stood up, reached across the table, grabbed a decoration with my ring inside, got down on one knee, and asked me to be his wife. It was such a beautiful sight. I had just said yes to a lifetime with my very best friend.
Planning our elopement was not difficult, nor very stressful. We were able to find our vendors with ease, and all were extremely helpful during the process of planning. We were states away (in Georgia at the time!) and were a bit nervous about how everything would come together on our day, but in all honesty, it couldn’t have been more perfect. If you are planning a wedding or elopement, just remember that this is a day that is set aside for you and your significant other. The opinions of others and the smallest details of the day can seem overwhelming at times, but all that matters is that the two of you are happy, married, and ready to begin a new adventure together!
Evan and I spent months dreaming of our elopement to Yosemite National Park, California. When we finally arrived at our destination and explored the coast of California, the mountainous views, and the massive redwoods, we fell in love. One of the best memories from our trip to California was marveling over the incredible, breath-taking views of such a beautiful creation. Our wedding day was filled with many emotions, all of which came like a flood in the moments of our first look. The excitement and the butterflies were inevitable in the moments leading up to my groom turning around to lay eyes on his bride for the first time that day. There is no denying that our first look was the most special memory of that day. It was a moment in which nothing else mattered but the two of us and the love we share.
Photography by We Do Photography