Heather & Ryan in Los Gatos, CA

Heather Harris and Ryan Knoles met in microbiology class at UC Santa Barbara -- Ryan was a teaching assistant, and Heather was a student. The two stayed platonic during the semester (“Ryan didn’t want to get ‘caught,’” Heather jokes), but after grades were posted the two started dating. Four years later, the couple spent a romantic anniversary weekend in San Francisco, and Ryan proposed over dinner in their hotel room overlooking the city. The Bride Heather Harris, 28, attorney The Groom Ryan Knoles, 29, veterinary student The Date August 21 Heather and Ryan had a tight window for when they could get married—they decided to wed after Heather took the bar exam but before Ryan started veterinary school. This left them with a target month of August, and the couple began planning, with a lot of help from Heather’s dedicated bridesmaids. “I relied on my best friend and maid of honor to keep me on schedule,” Heather says. Using a color palette of purple and sage and working with a florist who specializes in Japanese floristry, Heather and Ryan set out to create a pale-hued celebration of togetherness.