What are the two things we love the most? Gorgeous anniversary shoots and chic home design – so get ready, because this couple did both! As an event planner herself, Kristina knew she wanted to plan a special way to celebrate her marriage to David, even after their wedding was over. Every other year, this couple recreates the magic of their wedding day with a beautiful shoot together, and this year was special – they combined the shoot with their recent tiny living remodel of their RV. Think: gorgeous wedding gown, lush bouquet, a modern tiny living home design, a chic neutral color palette. This shoot has all of our favorite things and more!
From the bride, and event planner Kristina Elyse…
The inspiration for this shoot came from an idea I had shortly after David and I got married in Napa in June of 2016. As I’m sure every bride knows, the wedding day goes by so fast. I wanted to relive each moment of our wedding over and over again. Of course, I know that’s an impractical expectation, but I came up with a fun compromise. I decided that on every odd anniversary year (1, 3, 5, etc.) we would put together a fun styled shoot to celebrate. The idea is to capture us as a couple through the years. Celebrate all of the changes/accomplishments we make individually and together. I also decided that each time we did one of our shoots I would alter my wedding gown giving it a new look.
I know some might think that altering your wedding gown is a little crazy, but I love the meaning behind it. To me it symbolizes how much circumstances around us change, nothing in life is guaranteed, but our love for one another will always remain the same. This particular shoot is us celebrating 3 years of marriage and 10 years of dating. So much as changed in the short 3 years of being married so we decided to do it up big!
My husband, a renowned vocal coach, singer/songwriter, composer, musician and lead vocalist for the band Fate Under Fire, recently did a complete makeover to the inside of our 34’ RV. We love camping, it plays a big role in our relationship. Lake Tahoe is one of our favorite places to “glamp” and it’s where he proposed! The renovation took about 3 months since he was working on it alone and used what little time he had during the week while working full time. For those interested in RV renovation here’s what he did:
He ripped out the old Formica countertop and replaced it with a thick butcher board styled oak wood slab that he then cut and stained. He replaced the boxy pull out couch with a sleek futon giving us more space in the living room. He sanded down and repainted all the cabinets and updated the hardware. He replaced all the noisy blinds with lighter and more efficient roll up shades making it bright and airy while still providing privacy. He removed the outdated wallpaper from the kitchen and bathroom areas, replacing it with a beautiful white tile backsplash. He ripped out the shallow stainless steel kitchen sink with a bigger, deeper farmhouse sink, making it so much easier to wash dishes in. He deconstructed the “dog house” in between the driver and passenger seats and made a custom flat-top wooden box making it more quiet and cool for us while we drive. Lastly, he removed the outdated carpet/linoleum flooring and replaced it with a gray faux wood completing the modern look, not to mention making cleaning a breeze.
I was so proud, I wanted to show the world. Tiny living is all the rage right now, and I’m not going to lie, after the cosmetic makeover, we did consider selling everything, packing up the 3 fur babies and traveling the US. Reality quickly set back in, and we realized that’s not our journey right now, but maybe someday! When the RV was completed and cleaned I realized it was lacking in decor. I turned to my friend Danielle, owner of Danielle’s Farmhouse, that specializes in modern farmhouse-inspired decor. Her home-based shop was the perfect place to find all the items I needed to warm the space up.
Once the RV was outfitted and camera ready, I took some time to think about the details. Since this was an anniversary shoot I wanted to include details that were special and specific to us. As an event coordinator, I’ve made friends with some pretty talented individuals. First, I thought about food, because why not?? I ordered carrot cake cupcakes from a close friend, Nikki, owner of Baker and a Black Cat. David and I had a small two-tiered sweetheart carrot cake the night of the wedding, and it’s his favorite.
Next, I thought about attire. I purchased my wedding gown from La Soie Bridal and had the same seamstress that altered my dress the first time make the changes for year 3. I had her remove the straps and add an illusion top lined with lace with buttons all down the back. Needless to say, I was very happy with the result. I had another close friend, Macy, owner of The Posh Posey, design a wedding bouquet for me that matched my original color palette from the wedding. Flowers are my favorite part of any event and this bouquet gave me so much joy!
Since I was going to be in my wedding dress it made sense to invite my other very talented friend, Jessica, owner of Wild Beauty Aesthetics, to glam me up! Jessica and her husband packed up their trailer and followed us all the way to Olema Campground. I felt so honored that they came all that way just for us! Jessica had a wedding in Lake Tahoe later that same day, I couldn’t believe it! I also included other small personal items such as our engraved champagne glasses, cake cutting utensils and personalized trivets that were gifted to us by David’s parents and my mother. Lastly, I brought and wore the same wedding jewelry that was gifted to me by my grandmother to complete the look.
Finally, the photographer. Who better than Charrisa Magno?? She and her husband Pat shot both of our engagement sessions, our wedding and our one year anniversary so there was no one else I would rather have on this project. We feel so comfortable when she’s shooting us that it feels like we’re hanging out more than anything else. Her business has grown so much since we got married, and I’m always in awe of what she puts out there. As a female entrepreneur, she is an inspiration to me! I’m so incredibly proud of this collaboration and hope it inspires others to celebrate their anniversaries in their own special way!
Whether this sweet couple has inspired you to celebrate your next anniversary with a sweet shoot together, or to amp up your decor game with a chic modern design, we’ve got your next set of inspiration right here!