A Seaside Wedding At La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes, California

Courtney Wetkowski is the first to admit her love story with Michael Wann didn’t begin with the typical “love at first sight” scenario. “The first time we met was brief and – let’s just say – Mike wasn’t as suave as he thought he was,” she states.

“It wasn’t until over two years later when we met again in a tennis class. We both have very silly sides and are constantly making each other laugh. We quickly became inseparable after that point, and the rest is history!”

When Mike’s sister was visiting, he decided it was the perfect opportunity to plan a “going away party” with both his and Courtney’s families and closest friends. In truth, he had an engagement ring for several months and couldn’t wait to propose. “On the morning of the party, Mike suggested we go on a hike by the cliffs of Palos Verdes,” Courtney recalls. “He completely and utterly stunned me by proposing at our special lookout spot. We kept it a secret through half the party, then we both got up and announced our engagement. We were so fortunate to be surrounded by those who have loved and supported us for so many years.”

The wedding planning process turned out to be an exciting and enjoyable experience for the couple, giving them quality time to spend together and with their mothers. Even with so many details to go over and countless decisions to make, the pair always reminded each other that their wedding was just a fun celebration – nothing to stress over.

After a year of wedding planning, the bride and groom were ecstatic to finally see their vision come to life. “One of our favorite parts of the day was when my sister, the maid of honor, reminded us in her speech to take a moment to look around and truly appreciate how everything came together so seamlessly,” says the bride. “It was such a simple gesture, but it meant everything to us. We also got a chance to look around the room and see the faces of all the people who came in celebration of us, which was surreal.”

The evening concluded with a bubble exit for the newlyweds, which was the perfect ending to an incredible day. When they began walking and making their way through the bubbles, it started to drizzle slightly, creating the illusion of curtains closing on their wedding experience. “Everyone was so happy, blowing bubbles and waving goodbye to us as we made our way to the limo,” Courtney says. “Once we finally got in and it was just the two of us, we looked at each other in complete awe. We could not believe how perfect the day had gone, and we were overcome with emotion. It felt like the absolute perfect start to a lifetime of happiness.”