Josh and Kate BurkeSeptember 21, 2013

How did you meet: It was the start of spring semester at the University of Washington. Josh and his buddies decided to celebrate the end of the week by going to a party in the Greek system. Little did he know that he would meet his future wife that night. Kate was having a great time with her girlfriends, dancing, laughing, and relaxing from a long week of classes. Suddenly, she locked eyes with the most handsome man she had ever seen. Josh walked over to Kate, asked her if she wanted to dance, and ever since that moment, they have been inseparable.

What attracted her to him: Besides being extremely attractive physically, he was the kindest man I had ever met. He is friendly to everyone he meets and he always wants to have a good time. He is everything I always dreamed for.

What attracted him to her: Her beauty was the first thing that caught my eye, and apart from her being kindest person you will ever meet, we share a lot in common.

Your engagement story: Josh took Kate on a weekend trip to the Redwood National Forest. They stayed at a cute bed and breakfast

Covera b o u t t h e

S ac ram e nto B r id e and G room • Winte r / Sp r ing 2 0 1 4

overlooking the beach where Josh proposed to Kate. Their first night there, they bundled on the beach and watched the sunset. The next day, they put on their raincoats and hiked around the majestic redwood forest. That night, they had the most amazing dinner at a cute little restaurant on the coast. Their last day of their weekend getaway was spent wandering around the beach, climbing on boulders, and exploring the estuaries. As the sun was beginning to go down, the fog rolled in creating a blanket on the trees and beach shore. Josh took Kate’s hand as they strolled along the beach in their coats, turned around to face her, and got down on one knee in the cold, wet sand. After the big question and an immediate “YES!” from Kate, they held each other under the moonlight peeking through

the clouds with nothing but the company of sea lions to whiteness their engagement.

A date you’ll always remember: When we were camping in Yellowstone, we woke up before daylight and took a drive through the park. On our drive we saw a grizzly and her cubs playing in the sun kissed fields as the morning run-rise peaked through the hills. We also saw a herd of elk, a herd of buffalo and their babies, big horned sheep and their babies, a moose couple, black bears, many wild birds, and a wolf. Besides the incredible wild life, the bright colors of the hot springs were the most beautiful thing we had ever seen in nature. At night, the stars are so bright, the look like diamonds in they sky. You feel as if you can see every galaxy in space. As our favorite place we have visited so far,

we will definitely be back again!

Pre-wedding party plans: Josh and his buddies celebrated his bachelor party in Seattle, where they attended a Mariners game and had a night out on the town. Kate had her Bachelorette party in Las Vegas with a group of nine girls, going to shows, seeing the sights, and dancing the night away. Kate’s friends and family in Sacramento threw her a bridal shower with silly games and yummy food. Her Matron of Honor threw her a bridal shower in Seattle where family and friends that live in Washington could attend and celebrate with food, drinks, bridal games, and a “50’s housewife” themed photo booth.

Number of Guests: 120Your wedding gown: Kate’s wedding dress was an off-white

Pronovias gown, mermaid style, with feathers, lace, and subtle sequence purchased at Miosa Couture on J Street in downtown Sacramento.

Wedding decorating details/theme:Kate made all the décor signs for the wedding with black backgrounds and silver writing, such as the seating chart, “Sign our Guestbook,” “In Loving Memory for those Who are Forever in our Hearts,” and “Gifts and Cards.” A fall theme infused the wedding with mini orange and silver-glitter dusted mini white pumpkins on the dining tables. Guest tables were also decorated with white linens, silver décor plates, and floral centerpiece that matched the bridesmaid’s bouquets.

Wedding colors: The Dessy Group “Spice” (orange/red-ish) and black lace

Wedding flowers: The décor arrangements, table centerpieces, and bridesmaids’ bouquets were made of red spray roses, circus roses, hypericum berries, and cockscomb. The bridal bouquet was made of white roses, white dahlias, and white berries, crystal broaches to look like flowers, and long white ostrich feathers flowing down by the stem to match the flowers on the wedding dress.

Wedding menu: Hors d’oeuvres consisted of (1) warm foccacia bread with brie fig compote, caramelized onions, and prosciutto, (2) chicken satay with spicy peanut Thai sauce, and (3) phyllo wrapped baked brie with apricot preserves, fresh fruit, and assorted crackers. A classic caesar salad with creamy dressing, house made croutons and shredded parmesan cheese was distributed before the main meal. The main entrees consisted of (1) spice rubbed and grilled top

sirloin steak with whipped yukon gold potatoes, steamed blue lake green beans, topped with chipotle chili and lime aioli, and (2) jerked “thick cut” boneless pork loin chop with herbed cous-cous, roasted zucchini and squash, topped with house made southwestern apple chutney. Beverages included beer, wine, champaign, cocktails, tea, and coffee.

Wedding dessert: Our wedding cake was a three-tiered creation with the top and bottom layers of chocolate cake and raspberry filling (Kate’s favorite). The middle layer was marble cake with bavarian cream ( Josh’s favorite). The entire cake was decorated with an ivory frosting and black chandelier inspired dot patterns, a black crystal “B” as the cake topper (our last name), and a circus rose nestled between the top and middle layers.

Music for first dance: The Corrs & Bono: When the Stars Go Blue

The most romantic part of the day: During the ceremony, everyone in the room seemed to disappear. It felt as if it was just the two of us, looking into one another’s eyes with tears of joy, and we said our vows to one another. It felt so intimate, real, honest, deep, and sacred.

The most unexpected part of your wedding day: The rain! Living in Sacramento, it feels as if it never rains. The month before and after our wedding, the sky was completely clear and not one drop of rain fell. We had planned for an outdoor wedding. Luckily we chose a venue that had an indoor option as well. Thirty minutes before the wedding started it began to pour. It rained all through the wedding and through the night. However, it was a blessing in disguise.

The rain brought everyone together for an intimate wedding with amazing pictures that we will never forget. After all, they say if it rains on your wedding that it’s good luck!

Your favorite part of the wedding: Dancing. EVERYONE was dancing! We even got the little kids, our one-month old nephew, and the grandparents to shake a leg out on the dance floor. It was so much fun. Everyone was laughing, interacting with one another, and having a great time. Our DJ did an amazing job keeping the party going.

What, if anything, would you do differently: Since the bridal bouquet had feathers in it, we were thinking black feathers in the bridal bouquets would look cool to match the bridal bouquet as well as the colors of the bridesmaids dresses (spice and black). However, in retrospect, we would have left the feathers out of the bridesmaids’ bouquets. It almost looked too busy.

Your advice for other brides-to-be: There will always be people in your life that you love and that mean well who will try and tell you what to do, or may not be there for you as you would have expected them to be. No wedding is possible without a little bit of drama or someone not being happy. This is unavoidable. Our advice is to not let this get to you. Plan your wedding as a couple. Make it everything you want it to be. Others will get over any upset feelings they experience through the planning process. What matters is what you and your partner want for your special day. Have fun planning, budgeting, decorating, and finding your vendors together.

the WEDDING PROFESSIONALS:Wedding Consultant, Ceremony & Reception Site,

Catering & Cake, Decoration Rental: Monte Verde Inn

Photographer: Quinn Photography

Music/Entertainment: DJ Amber Llacuna with Vision Entertainment

Advice from the groom: Don’t sweat the little things and enjoy the moment because your wedding will be over before you know it.

Three Words to describe your wedding: Romantic, Lively, and Timeless

Honeymoon destination: Maui, Hawaii