Julie + Dan

By :

ANDREA BEAULIEU

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X THE MEETING STORY
WE ORIGINALLY MET AT A FRIENDSGIVING IN NEWPORT BEACH. A PAST EX OF MINE THREW A HOLIDAY POTLUCK, AND THE FUTURE HUBS WAS HIS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR. HE WAS DATING SOMEONE AT THE TIME, BUT WHEN THEY SPLIT A YEAR LATER, HE MOVED OUT TO LONG BEACH. HERE’S THE FATEFUL PART- I HAD MOVED TO LONG BEACH ON THE SAME DAY! AUGUST 1ST, 2011 ACTUALLY – TOMORROW IS FIVE YEARS TO THE DAY! WE MET AT A BAR ABOUT A WEEK LATER AND I GAVE HIM MY DIGITS INSTANTLY. WASN’T GOING TO LET THAT ONE PASS UP AGAIN, HAHA.

X THE PROPOSAL
OH, MAN. HE’D PROBABLY BE THE BETTER ONE TO ASK, I PRETTY MUCH BLACKED OUT DURING THE PROPOSAL, HAHA. WE WERE IN BALI WITH SOME FRIENDS FOR A FEW WEEKS, AND WE WANTED TO DO A DATE NIGHT AWAY FROM EVERYONE WHILE WE WERE IN PARADISE. HE SET UP A SUPER ROMANTIC DINNER FOR US ON THE BEACH AT SUNSET, BUT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT COULD HAVE WENT WRONG DID. THE FOOD WAS NO GOOD, THE WINE WAS TERRIBLE, EVERYTHING WAS CRAZILY OVER PRICED, AND THE AMBIANCE WAS RUINED BY LIKE THREE BANDS PLAYING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MUSIC OVER ONE ANOTHER, AND HE WAS GETTING SO STRESSED ABOUT TRYING TO PROPOSE THAT HE WAS BEING A HUGE GRUMP. WE STARTED FIGHTING AND THE NIGHT WAS A WRECK. SUPER PISSED OFF, WE TOOK THE CAB BACK TO OUR VILLA AND HE WENT TO GO TO BED. I WAS SO BUMMED THAT OUR ONE NIGHT TOGETHER ON THE MOST INCREDIBLE VACATION WAS RUINED, SO I CONVINCED HIM TO TRY AND SALVAGE THE NIGHT WITH SOME BEERS AND A WALK ON THE BEACH. THAT’S PRETTY MUCH WHERE MY MEMORIES STOP BECAUSE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WALK HE GOT DOWN ON ONE KNEE AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW IS I’M SOBBING WITH A RING ON MY HAND.

X THE VENUE
WE RENTED A HOUSE IN THE MALIBU CANYON OFF MULHOLLAND JUST UP FROM PCH AND WE HAD ALL OF OUR GUESTS CAMP ALL WEEKEND DOWN BELOW AT LEO CARRILLO STATE BEACH. HIS FAMILY HAS CAMPED THERE FOR YEARS, AND HE TOOK ME THERE REALLY EARLY ON IN OUR RELATIONSHIP AND WE BOTH KIND OF CREDITED THAT LEO CARRILLO BEACH DAY TO ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES WE “KNEW”.

X THE AESTHETIC
THE VENUE REALLY SET THE TONE AND INSPIRED THE FEEL OF EVERYTHING, WE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO MUCH. WITH EVERYONE CAMPING, THE GIANT OAK TREES, AND THE OUTDOOR SETTING, WE HAD MORE OF JUST A BIG CAMP PARTY THAN A WEDDING. EVERYTHING WAS CASUAL, COMFORTABLE, AND EASY.

X THE DRESS
IT WAS MY PERFECT DRESS. WITH EVERYTHING BEING SO CASUAL, MY TWO PIECE DRESS WAS PERFECTLY SUITED FOR OUR WEDDING. I HADN’T SEEN A TWO PIECE EVER BEFORE THEN – SO BEING A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAS SUPER APPEALING TO ME, TOO. IT WAS JUST PERFECTLY FLATTERING FOR MY BODY. I FELT TOTALLY SEXY SHOWING MY WAIST WITH THE SLIM SKIRT, AS WELL AS WITH THE V NECK AND BACK, BUT THE BEAUTIFUL BIG LACE KEPT IT FEELING TRADITIONAL. I ONLY WENT TO TWO GOWN SHOPS – BRIDE BOUTIQUE WAS MY SECOND STOP AND AS SOON AS I SAW THAT DRESS ON, I WAS DONE!

X THE RING
HE COULDN’T HAVE DONE BETTER. WE HAVE A FRIEND THAT’S A JEWELRY DESIGNER/MAKER SO THE TWO OF THEM GOT TOGETHER AND MADE ME A CUSTOM RING. IT’S PERFECT.

X THE MUSIC
WE FEATURED A LOT OF SONGS THAT PLAYED A PART EARLY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP. I FOUND A REASON – VELVET UNDERGROUND, WITH A GIRL LIKE YOU – THE TROGGS, AND MOONAGE DAYDREAM – BOWIE. ALSO – IN LIEU OF SPEECHES, MY HUSBANDS MOM, SISTER, AND NIECE SURPRISED US WITH A SONG TOGETHER! SO BEAUTIFUL.

X DIY PROJECTS
WE DEFINITELY HAD A TON OF HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BUT WE MADE A LOT OF THE DECOR WITH STUFF FROM THE FLEA MARKET OR FROM DEALS WE FOUND ONLINE. BUYING VERSATILE THINGS IN BULK LIKE FABRIC, SUCCULENTS, WOODEN BOXES, AND MEXICAN BLANKETS WENT A LONG WAY. AND WE STILL HAVE AND USE A LOT OF THE THINGS WE MADE!

X ADVICE
HIRE A DAY-OF WEDDING COORDINATOR. IT WAS SO GREAT TO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY OF THE LOGISTICS OR DECORATIONS ON THE ACTUAL DAY.

X MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT
NOT JUST SAYING THIS BECAUSE IT’S THE DOS QUESTIONNAIRE – BUT I THINK IT WAS OUR FIRST LOOK WHEN HE GOT TO SEE ME IN MY DRESS FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WAS SO EXCITED TO FINALLY SHOW HIM, AND ALSO IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL CALM MOMENT BEFORE THE CRAZINESS OF THE DAY STARTED.