Cate & Vanessa in Malibu, CA

Cate first noticed Vanessa walking the grand atrium in the Ronald Reagan Federal Building where they both worked. The two -- who had both recently moved to the area -- started hanging out, and friendship soon blossomed into romance. The Bride Catherine (Cate) Whiting, 46, securities lawyer The Bride Vanessa Eisemann, 32, gay rights lawyer the Date April 16 Four years after their first date, the two decided to register as domestic partners and exchange rings. “At that point, we had no immediate plans to have a wedding,” explains Cate. “It was something we thought we might do at some point in the future.” But two months after exchanging rings, the two attended a friend’s wedding. “That weekend, we started imagining how we would do things,” says Cate. On a whim, the two decided to check out a few wedding locations. From that moment on, they were in full planning mode. -- Anja Winikka