An Earthy DIY Wedding at Mavericks Lodge in Half Moon Bay, California

Michelle Primeau (32 and a physician) and Nathan Szteinbaum (34 and works in sales) already knew when they met that they had at least one thing in common — fitness. The couple met at the gym and even though Michelle originally had her doubts about Nathan — "I figured he was the type of guy who was always hitting on all the girls," says Michelle — she finally warmed up to him and the two went out on their first date four months later. After that, they were inseparable. The couple had been dating for a little over a year when Nathan proposed. "I had just finished taking my board exams and I thought we were just going away for the weekend to celebrate. He surprised me with a super romantic candlelit dinner and a proposal next to the water. It was so sweet, and such a surprise!" says Michelle. For their wedding, the couple wanted the day to feel laid-back and informal, but reflective of them as a couple. Both Michelle and Nathan are Bay Area transplants, so it was important to them to have their wedding close by, in the area where they are making their life together. Mavericks Lodge in Half Moon Bay, CA was the perfect backdrop for the occasion. The site, close to where the couple had their first date, allowed Michelle and Nathan to host both the ceremony and reception at the same location, was close to the hotel where are all their family members and friends were staying and offered beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. All of the lush ivory flowers for the wedding were locally grown and Michelle and her sister collected a variety of jars in the months leading up to the event to use as vases, creating an eclectic arrangement of flowers for each reception table. The couple opted for an appetizer heavy evening, allowing guests to mix, mingle and enjoy the night instead of being chained down to a table. For an extra person touch, Michelle and Nathan wrote their entire ceremony themselves and had Michelle's brother officiate. They kept their wedding parties small, Michelle's sister as the only bridesmaid and Nathan's best friend as his best man.