Neil and McKenna
Big Bear Wedding | Private Estate
When McKenna told us that her wedding was going to be at her Aunt’s private home, which had been a dream of hers since she was a young girl I could clearly see why once we arrived. This Big Bear wedding was stunning! Lush trees, mountain views, family and friends surrounded Neil and McKenna as they exchanged their wedding vows on a beautiful fall day.
Their wedding was filled with so many unique elements. From heirloom pearls, great grandmother’s wedding dress hanger, to the heart ring McKenna’s father had given to her many years ago…the Bride and Groom reading sweet letters from each other and one of my very favorite moments… a gift from McKenna’s Grandmother. A beautiful tradition in their family, which is gifting her Granddaughters with their own gorgeous pearl necklace. (yes, you can “awe,” because I sure did!)
Together we planned so many special little moments to capture before the ceremony even began, it was absolutely lovely! Of course, the bridesmaids reveal along with the father-daughter reveal were a few other heartfelt moments we all cherished.
Sometimes, you just know when the other person is “the one”, and seeing the love between Neil and McKenna was like a fairytale, we couldn’t have written their story any better.
From the Bride:
I asked McKenna to give us a little insight about the two of them and share with us their favorite wedding day moments; here is what she said,
“Neil and I met when I was 15, he moved to my hometown and transferred to school when I was a sophomore. We were in the same friend group all throughout high school but didn’t start talking until he graduated and moved to California with my brother, lol. We started dating “officially” July 20th, 2013! Our first date was to The Great Gatsby in theaters. That’s why our first dance was “Young and Beautiful” we both still watch that movie over and over!
My favorite part about the wedding was watching everyone from my Aunts room, our families worked so hard to make everything perfect for us. And it was!
Also the flowers were AMAZING! Our florist worked so hard on the arch piece for me to make it exactly how I wanted and I didn’t even notice it when I was walking down the aisle, only until after during pictures did I notice how beautiful it really was.
One of my favorite moments was my dad’s first look when he saw me. He had to make jokes the entire time during our father/daughter dance because he had to occupy himself or he was going to cry.”
Neil’s favorite wedding moment…their first dance!
Take a look at their amazing Big Bear Wedding day friends, so much love all around!
Delicate wedding details…Bride’s Dress and adorable flower girl dress.

Wedding day details, you can never go wrong with a Miss Dior and Diamond Rings!
The Sapphire Bracelet given to the Bride by her Father during the Father-Daughter Reveal
When you’re wedding sash is named “Kenna” and your name is McKenna…it’s a sure sign you have to have it!
Bride’s Wedding Shoes
Letter written to the Groom from the Bride
Grandmother’s gift… Pearl Necklace!
All the fun with these Bridesmaids!
Neil reading his letter from McKenna before the wedding
These first dance images with the Bride and Groom couldn’t be any more perfect! So in love!
Wedding Cake!
Congratulations Neil and McKenna! May your marriage be blessed with love, joy and happiness for years to come! Thank you for allowing us to be a part of such a beautiful day!
Creative Wedding Vendors:
Erica Mendenhall Photography | Apple Valley Florist | Musical Phunktions DJs | Buttercup Catering |MUA: Tiana Rae Artistry | Hair: Jaimee Romney Smith| Wedding Dress: Anna be Bridal | Bridesmaids Dresses: Nordstrom | Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse