We met at Baylor University through a mutual friend. Nicholas initially pursued me, but after the first few times hanging out, I had a hunch he was something special. In fact, I even wrote a note saying, “I’m calling it right now, I’m going to marry that kid Nicholas Sclafani,” timestamped March 24, 2018. It felt crazy even to me at the time. I swear I am usually not the type of person to make these sorts of ridiculous claims out of the blue, but something told me to do it anyway.
Every vendor we chose was simply exceptional. Our date was November 15, which was a rather risky time of year for a fully outdoor venue. But it never rains in California, right? Well, apparently it does because a week out, we saw it—light rain from Thursday through Saturday. We then watched as the severity was upgraded from light drizzle, to showers, to steady rain, all the way to “atmospheric river with life-threatening flooding.” Joy!
Honestly, the certainty of our situation reduced some of the stress, because now we could come up with a plan. Quail Ranch is entirely outdoors, and the rain plan involved tenting the patio. We elected to tent the ceremony area as well. This was a non-negotiable for us. The ceremony patio has a beautiful tree and brick stairs leading down the aisle, flanked by stunning white rose bushes. We weren’t getting married without walking down those stairs, so a clear tent was constructed to keep everyone comfortable and dry.
With a plan in place, the vendors were alerted. They truly put in their all to deliver the best experience possible. Everyone was so flexible and helped us reach our goal of having the best day ever, no matter what. The photographer/videographer shuffled the shot order around to take advantage of dry windows. The caterers ran food platters covered from the downpour while they themselves were drenched. Staff members stood outside with brooms, pushing water away from the tent entrance to prevent it from seeping inside, and they periodically towel-dried the dance floor. It was such a team effort, and we are so grateful for the attention and care we were given.
ADVICE FROM THE BRIDE
Start early and make a game plan.
Things would have gone a bit more smoothly if we had written out a list of what we needed to get done and when each item should be completed. Staying on top of communications can be difficult if both you and your partner have demanding jobs. Decide which aspects of your wedding are most important to you. Focus on getting those right and see if there are areas where you are open to being flexible.
For the brides that may end up experiencing the same thing: Your attitude determines the tone of the day, how people react, and you are a leader your guests will follow. We consider our wedding a smashing success because we did not let this bring us down. We took a moment to grieve the day we initially envisioned when we saw what was happening, then moved on to the new plan without looking back or ruminating on what could have been. This was absolutely crucial. When the day came, there was nothing but pure happiness radiating from the both of us, and our guests reflected that back to us as well.
It’s actually possible that the rain created a cozier environment and bonded everyone further as we all weathered the storm together that evening. They say a wet knot is harder to untie. Well, our thoroughly drenched knot sure is here to stay, and we wouldn’t change a thing.
VENDORS
VENUE
Quail Ranch
PHOTOGRAPHER
Ashley Burns
VIDEOGRAPHER
Matrimony Films
FLOWERS
Unique Floral Designs
CATERER
Command Performance Catering, Brianna
CAKE
Café Ficelle, Madison
HAIR/MAKEUP
Cheek to Cheek Artistry
DJ
Keith Erikson Entertainment
PLANNER
Wheat and Honey Events, Annette Kirkhuff
TRANSPORTATION
Rizz Rentals
HOTEL BLOCK
The Four Seasons Inn Westlake Village
INVITATIONS
Tatum at Sweetleaf Press
SPECIALTY
Strings: Enchanted Strings
Mr. Frosty Ice Cream Truck
