Alex and Yvette's Wedding - Tara Lauren Real Love Tara Lauren

High School Sweethearts, Yvette and Alex tied the knot in December 2019 in a beautiful Californian Wedding.

Purchasing her Montgomery gown from Ivory Bridal Boutique.

‘My favorite part about the dress was the unique lace detail, it was as if some of the material had a 3D effect. I felt like a QUEEN, and Beyonce is probably nodding in approval, somewhere’.

Names: Alex and Yvette

Wedding Date: December 14, 2019

Guest Numbers: 200

Wedding Location: Fresno, California

Photographer: Megan Miller of Millerimagery

Tell Us Your Love Story

How did you meet? We are actually high school sweethearts, Buchanan class of 2010! We met our junior year through the same group of friends and began to form an honest friendship. By the time we were in our senior year, we started to truly generate more significant feelings for each other. He was more shy than I was, so I definitely initiated more of our dates. Surprisingly enough, he asked me to the Winter Formal and we made our new relationship official in the following days. It feels overwhelmingly special to have enjoyed monumental moments together, like prom and graduating high school, hand in hand. We have continued our relationship ever since.

How did he put a ring on it? We had planned an early Christmas celebration in Disneyland and decided to go the day after seeing the Star Wars The Last Jedi (yes, we are huge nerds). Alex had caught a pretty unpleasant cold, and for reasons I could not understand, he refused to reschedule our trip. We made it inside the park before opening hours and waited impatiently, behind the rope. He knew how much our traditional “pictures in front of the castle” meant to me, so he suggested we do that first. The announcer opened the park, and the ropes came down. I rushed Alex toward the castle, in order to get the perfect spot. Little did I know, he was planning something with the photographer all along. Alex came to my side and after a couple photos, he got down on one knee and pulled out a small box with a rose gold ring inside. I was so overwhelmed with excitement. This moment caught me completely off guard, and it was truly a dream come true.

Where did you draw inspiration from? As you can probably tell, there is something of a pattern in our journey. We have always cherished the month of December and all the magic that it brings. Our first date was at Christmas Tree Lane, where we walked for miles under twinkling lights. This was also the night we shared our first kiss. It was a simple process to plan our wedding, because we had our most special moments during Christmas time. We decided to pay homage to our first date, the proposal, and our favorite time of year.

What made the wedding personal to you? We have all been warned of it many times; how quickly the wedding day goes by. I wanted nothing more than for this day to last forever. But since that was truly not possible, the next best thing was to make an opportunity for moments and to take in each one. There was an abundance of unforgettable moments that occurred throughout the big day and I shared it with people who I have loved, admired, and cherished, throughout my life. From getting ready, to our photoshoots. From the money dances, to hearing speeches. From our last dance with everyone, to our sparkler send off… it all meant so much to me. But the most memorable moments of them all were the ones I shared with my handsome and wonderful husband. At the end of the aisle, we joined hands beneath familiar twinkling lights. With open hearts, we expressed how meaningful the journey has been. The moment we placed our rings on one another and said “I Do”, this was the most personal of them all.This was the moment that would always stay alive in my heart, and it marked the beginning of a new chapter for us.

What were you most nervous or excited about? I was excited to marry my high school sweetheart, after 10 years of loving him. Of course, I was filled with nerves the moments leading up to the walk down the aisle. But I could not wait to kick this thing off and make it official. I ended up tripping over my own two feet, and I heard giggles from the guests who got a great view of that. It’s funny, because I think that was my own way of telling myself to slow down, and take it all in.

Now, the most important part – the Dress!

Tell us about your dress? My stunning, gorgeous, perfect dress… it is breathtaking! It has lace detail throughout its entirety and it hugs in all the right places. I always imagined myself in a dress with a low back and a deep V in the front. The top half of the dress was sheer, so it showed the perfect amount of skin through the lace. The bottom half was elegant and easy to dance in, all night! My favorite part about the dress was the unique lace detail, it was as if some of the material had a 3D effect. I felt like a QUEEN, and Beyonce is probably nodding in approval, somewhere.

What stockist did you get it from? Ivory Bridal Boutique in Fresno, California. Kacy is amazing and I don’t think I would have found the perfect dress if it wasn’t for her support.

What was your most memorable moment from your day? I expressed those moments with my husband in a previous section, so I will identify another incredibly memorable moment. The Dj called out for the final dance and Alicia Key’s “If I Ain’t Got You” started to play. I simply thought, what a classic choice for my husband and I. However, once we got to the middle of the song, I realized our dearest friends had made their way closer to us. These are the same friends that were in our wedding party, who we have had relationships with since high school. Before we knew it, everyone began to embrace us with a group hug. We all continued to hold eachother, while swaying and singing our hearts out (because everyone knows all the words to this song). I will never forget the amount of love I felt, in that moment.