Dede & Adam: An Outdoor Wedding in Oakland, CA

A love of biology brought Dede and Adam together. The pair first met eyes when they began the molecular and cell biology PhD program at the University of California Berkeley. After inadvertently turning down two invitations from Adam, Dede got up the courage to invite him out to dinner. A food lover, Adam suggested they go to a Thai restaurant and was impressed that she said yes to trying new things. The next few hours were filled with great conversation, and she left the date liking him more than ever. “We’ve been savoring great food together ever since,” says Dede. The Bride Deirdre (Dede) Lyons, 27, graduate student The Groom Adam Schindler, 35, graduate student The Date July 14 Three years later, Adam took Dede to a hill overlooking Berkeley and the Bay Area and proposed at sunset. They began planning a ’30s and ’40s-themed wedding and chose the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club (built in 1928) for its authentic display of the period. From the cigar lounge to the swinging big band reception entertainment, they took it all the way back for their big day.