A lot of friends on Facebook/Twitter, ya know the world of social networks, were asking the story of my recent, spontaneous engagement/elopement in Northern California. Below is the email announcement I sent out the day we returned to New York. Enjoy! It was perfectly romantic for us and I hope it brings a smile to your face.......
There's no faster way for me to tell all of our friends the news! Liam and I were married September 1, 2010 in Gualala, California at sunset on the beautiful beach of Gualala Regional Point State Park. I'm sure I will talk (or see) some of you shortly, but there's no better way to tell the story of our elopement to all of you at once. Please see the attached post nuptial photos taken at our ceremony location. Also, we'll be putting together a video of footage taken shortly, but I thought I'd tell the story of our adventure. I'm not known for brevity, but the story shares with all of you, whom we love, why it was perfect for us to do this and that while you couldn't be there, you were there in spirit. So for now, the story of us.....
This was not planned, but I don't think the two of us, with all the time and money in the world, could have recreated the perfection we experienced that evening. Prior to the big day, we took a vacation out west and enjoyed almost a week of visits with friends, family, Reno/Tahoe, San Francisco and finally settled the end of our trip on the majestic coast of Northern California. August 30 was our 3 year anniversary and Liam proposed to me at the overlook (picture included). It's a part of the same park we were married in, but the view not only includes the Pacific Ocean, but also the Gualala River (pronounced Walala, kinda just rolls off the tongue, right?) The moment was perfect and the sentimentality completed with the use of my mother's diamond.
The night we were engaged we began to discuss wedding plans and our immediate reaction was not of excitement but of stress and anxiety. Liam joked about his plans to not only propose but to elope. I said, "Why not? Let's do it." He seemed a little surprised at my compliance, but then we both started to get excited, and the next morning we did some internet research. Come to find out, California is the state to be in if you want to get married quick! We were in luck and spent the day driving two hours inland to the Mendocino county clerk's office in Ukiah. We got our marriage license ridiculously fast and began our plans of getting married the following day at sunset. On the drive back, we found a great shop where we found matching jade rings (place holders while we figure out what we want) and a beautiful long, white, thai silk skirt. Things were falling into place. The hotel we were staying at,
Seacliff on the Bluff, was unbelievably helpful. Kathy, the manager, made me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and Liam a boutineer, and they also provided us with a wedding cherry cheesecake. She also contacted
Candace Moore, our officiant, who was a perfect fit for us. Seacliff also provided us with a witness/photographer when Roger, another employee, volunteered his time and shutter finger to be a part of the ceremony. Everything seemed perfect, have I mentioned that already?
The morning of our wedding, we planned on going down to the beach where our ceremony was to be held to scope out the best spot. Not sure of specifics, but somehow I locked the keys in the car. We had a handful of things to do, including finding something to wear, but we stayed calm. As we waited for AAA, we met with Candace so she could speak with us and personalize our ceremony. We liked her immediately, and it was another confirmation we were making the right decision. Once we got our keys out, as per Candace's suggestion, we visited Violet's, a boutique down the street where I could find a top to match my skirt. The perfect shirt was hanging in the window, and I squealed in excitement as we parked. I ran up to the door, only to find it closed. Not yet defeated, I ventured into the real estate business next door and asked if they might know the owner and briefly explained I was getting married that evening. The woman was quick to help, called Violet, didn't even have to finish telling her the story, hung up and said, "She's on her way." Ah, the beauty of a small town. Violet pulled up minutes later and I found the perfect, comfortable, warm top to wear, as well as a few other things. We made it worth her while to open the shop :) We were ready, we had everything we needed and we weren't getting married for another 6 hours! So how did we kill the time? We had in-room massages beside our windows overlooking the Gualala River and Pacific Ocean with the windows cracked enough to hear the waves and the fireplace heating the room. You could say we were the most relaxed bride and groom ever!
It was finally time and we, along with Roger, met Candace at the park entrance. Before we walked down the trail to the beach, Candace suggested that we walk in silence to take in all the beauty around us. It was just how we were supposed to take that walk, soaking in the nature, as we ran into three deer heads popping just above the tall grass to say hello, no more than 20 feet from us. Liam joked that they were our ushers. Each turn revealed new vegetation and new views of the Gualala River and ultimately, the vastness of the Pacific. Looking back, I think it was serendipitous that I locked the keys in our car, making this our maiden voyage to the beach we had only viewed from afar. The trail and all its natural splendor was seen through fresh eyes, making the experience together all the more meaningful and special. Once we made it down to the beach, we literally did a once around and said, "how about here?" There is something liberating about that kind of spontaneity. We found the spot, just out of reach of the ocean's edge, the bluff behind us, and the sun setting beside us. The ceremony was spiritual, with words and Rumi poems Candace chose perfectly complimenting the setting and our personalities, while the waves became our personal symphony.
This was not how either of us planned our wedding day, but sometimes things just seem too perfect to let the moment pass. With the impermanence of the world, it was important to grab this moment that seemed like it was made just for us. It took us three years to make the decision, but only three days for it to come to fruition. Only one word kept popping into my mind...happiness.
We love you, our friends and family, with all our hearts. Thank you for being a part of our lives,
Liam & MacKenzie Hurley
