Amy and Marcy are both in their 50’s – it took them each a little while to find their person. They celebrate marriage in a totally unique and laid-back ceremony in the forests of Oregon.
Tell us more about Amy & Marcy.
We live in San Francisco, and both work in healthcare. Amy is a hospice RN after twenty-five years of Labor and Delivery, and Marcy is Director of Radiation Oncology for Kaiser Permanente in the Bay Area. For fun, we love to travel. Our favorites are Costa Rica, Thailand, Cambodia, and Bali. Weekends are spent at our getaway in Sonoma County, where we enjoy wine tasting, gardening, and hanging out with friends. We regularly cycle, kayak, camp, hike, and walk on the beach with our dog Riggins. Being outdoors in nature feeds our souls.
We are looking forward to retirement in a few years to travel the world and have many new adventures.
We have been together for just under three years having met online. Amy lived in Bend, Oregon, and I lived in San Francisco. Amy’s profile stated must live within 500 miles. When I checked out the distance, it was 498 miles away! She moved to San Francisco so she could easily commute to LA for holistic nursing training. The time we spent living and traveling together cemented our relationship. The rest is history.
Tell us about the proposal.
Amy proposed on our second anniversary at one of our favorite spots in Bend, Oregon. On a warm summer evening, we hiked to a beautiful creek and had a picnic with our dog Riggins. She wrote me a heartfelt card and shared some poetry. Then she gave me a ring made out of sterling silver as a placeholder until we could pick out rings together. I was caught totally off guard and hadn’t expected this at all. It was perfect.
What lead you to the destination?
We didn’t know where we were going to get married until the day before the wedding. Given the time of year (January), our location was going to be weather-dependent. We knew we wanted to be in Central Oregon as this is Amy’s “home” and a place we intend to live at some point. It also holds many beautiful memories for the two of us.
We arrived the week before and visited a few potential locations. We knew we wanted to get married in the mountains. Being outside was a necessity due to COVID-19. Also, since adventure is such a significant part of who we are, we knew this had to be incorporated into this special day.
A short hike allowed our four-year-old flower girl to join us, and the clifftop platform brought an element of excitement. The views were incredible! There was a firepit at the parking lot that allowed us to warm up afterward and roast marshmallows for smores to top it all off. It was absolutely perfect.
What was the inspiration behind the theme of your elopement?
The theme of our elopement was, “Adventure On!” This illustrates the way we live our lives- loving to have amazing experiences and adventures. We are very laid-back and casual people. Hence, no fancy white lace dresses. Instead, new puffy jackets were the perfect feel for the day- as well as keeping us warm! And, we get to wear them more than once!
Tell us about the DIY projects that family helped with.
We delegated the DIY projects to Amy’s mom, who could not be there due to the small COVID wedding party. It was important to try to incorporate family in some way since they could not be there. Her mom made the Just Married signs as well as getting the flowers. We did get some personalized Yeti mugs with everyone’s name, the ceremony’s date, and our theme: “Adventure On!” Amy’s sister-in-law was tasked with organizing the Zoom call and helping with technical issues.
You wore rather non-traditional wedding attire, tell us about that decision.
We drove to and from Aviator Nation in Haight/Ashbury on our scooter about four-five times to find the right size and right style of puffer jacket. We didn’t have pants until the last minute, so Amy ordered about ten different pairs of pants (multiple sizes) to find the right fit for the occasion. The boots had a fun pop of color to match the jackets. Hats ended up being a last-minute purchase as well. We wanted something in case it snowed or rained. We were glad to have worn them as they were super fun in the pictures. The veil was the closest thing to tradition that we had. It was our way to have the “bride” feel without the fancy dress!
Talk to us about the big day!
We laughed a lot! We decided to have a small “elopement” with our close friends and family due to COVID reasons. In 2021 we intend to have many small celebrations with others allowing us to have quality time with people instead of a large reception and only getting a few moments with guests.
For our ceremony, my best friend wanted to be the officiant. This felt very special since I officiated her wedding years ago. At the last minute, we decided on an early morning ceremony to avoid any bad weather. So we met for coffee and all caravaned to the trailhead together. Our hike was about 1.5 miles to the top of the ridge. Once we reached the top, the view of the mountains was incredible! Ely, our fantastic photographer, was skilled and organized and set up our perfect arrangement so everyone could be socially distanced and also hear the ceremony.
After the vows, we had a toast with champagne then went for a little hike while taking pictures along the way. There was a lot of dancing and playing. The weather ended up being clear and a little chilly. We warmed up by the fire while drinking hot chocolate and schnapps and, of course, making smores! Once everyone left, we stayed around the fire, enjoying some much appreciated time alone.
What are your favorite moments?
There were so many moments! One of our favorite moments was standing on the cliff looking into my soon-to-be wife’s eyes, telling her how much I love her, surrounded by those who lovingly support us. Then, symbolically looking to the horizon hand in hand. Also, hanging out around the fire roasting marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate with schnapps was so much fun!
Lastly, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
This is the first marriage for both of us. After 50+ years, we both found the person we wanted to spend a lifetime with. It just took us a while to find each other.
Photography by Ely Roberts
Engagement Rings Rebecca Overmann Jewelry, John Paul Designs
Jacket Aviator Nation
Location Sisters Oregon
Officiant Megan Gannaway
Pants Prana
Shoes Santana Canada Boots
