1. Real Weddings

Rachel & JP: An Outdoor Wedding in Granite Bay, CA

Rachel Michael didn't celebrate her marriage to JP Kirkley in her own backyard, but she did come as close as it gets. The two set their festivities at

Rachel Michael didn't celebrate her marriage to JP Kirkley in her own backyard, but she did come as close as it gets. The two set their festivities at the Granite Bay Golf Club, which is just across the street from Rachel's parents' home. THE BRIDE Rachel Michael THE GROOM James 'JP' Kirkley THE DATE June 1 The story of this almost home wedding began years earlier when the two found themselves on the same volleyball team at a Deloitte & Touche outing. More than two years later, James (who friends call JP) surprised Rachel with what she thought was a Valentine's Day dinner at Encounter, LAX's revolving restaurant. But when they pulled into the parking lot and JP started removing luggage from the trunk, Rachel knew something was up. After a short flight, the two ended up in a romantic suite in San Francisco's Sir Francis Drake Hotel, where JP asked Rachel to marry him.

Rachel wore a strapless antique-white silk gown embroidered with leaf and flower patterns with silver beading and crystals by Lazaro. She accessorized with a chapel-length train with a French bustle.
The newlyweds left the church in an Austin Healey limousine, bound for the Granite Bay Golf Club with the rest of the wedding party following. We literally honked all the way to the reception, says Rachel.
The Couple
The Hair
Singer/songwriter George Rowe played his own version of John Denver's Annie's Song for Rachel and JP's first dance. Says Rachel, Our wedding present to each other was to have George go to the studio to record our first dance song for us, so that we would have it forever to dance to on our wedding anniversary each year.