LOVE STRUCK // Andrew + Sequoia

Meet Andrew and Sequoia, two of my most beloved clients who recently tied the knot in Oakland.  The duo is aspiring to become restaurateurs, currently satiating their appetite with a beautiful blog CASA PEPE, overflowing with gorgeous photos and recipes that any food lover will drool over.  Keep your eyes on these two, the restaurant they are dreaming up is bound to be exceptional.

I remember when Andrew stopped by the shop back when it was still in the alley, he was so sweet and nervous-- not about the decision to ask Sequoia to be his wife {which he was so certain about}, but about getting the ring part right, and getting up the nerve to actually ask her.  He popped by a few times before deciding exactly what he wanted to get for her, and together we designed a Classic Engagement ring for her.  Later they came back in and got their wedding bands, he picked the Classic Wedding Band and she paired her diamond with a simple mitsuro style Feather Band.  They were so fun and easy to work with-- I knew their wedding day would be a relaxed and joyful day because that is what they embody together.  

Here is their love story in their own words, enjoy.

1// How did you meet, what was your initial impression?

SEQUOIA: We met at a dive bar- The Graduate to be exact. My friend literally dragged me out of the house right after I had returned from a most fucked up trip to Argentina. A cute boy, Andrew, walked up to me and offered to light my cigarette. For the rest of the night we spoke only Spanish to each other, in fact he introduced himself as Andrés. He called me for dinner an appropriate 3 days later and the rest is history. 

ANDREW:  We met at a dive called the Graduate.  I though she was super cute and offered to buy her and her friend a Fernet.  She didn't really seem interested in me, and I was acting pretty sassy, she'll probably say she thought I was gay and latino.  We talked about our favorite public television chef José Andrés.  She invited me over to her place to watch a documentary on Frida.  PS. that's all that went down.  Neither one of us was looking for love but we sure found it.  

2 // A memorable moment from dating prior to getting engaged?

SEQUOIA:  We've had some really great trips- Spain, New York and Portland to name a few… But the best times to me are the times that we had, sitting around the house drinking coffee, listening to NPR and cooking. There's nothing sexier than a man in an apron.

ANDREW:  We had a really long and crazy date about a month in.  We'd gone to the Jeremiah O'Brian, that docked old merchant marine ship in SF, for some kind of an all day beer drinking event.  It was kind of a shit show, she got pretty upset that someone tried to give her watermelon flavored beer.  Then I took her to a bunch of old man bars in North Beach and Chinatown.   We might have broken up and gotten back together that day.  I think that date really tested our compatibility. 

3 // How did you become engaged?

SEQUOIA:  Andrew proposed on our 3 year anniversary in the middle of the street, in from of the same liquor store that he had told me he loved me for the first time- a week after we met.

ANDREW:  It was her birthday three years after we had met.  I took her to the Claremont for a "staycation".  We went down to College to get some dinner and I was trying to work up the courage to pop the question.  There's a parking lot there that's in front of a liquor store, I know it's not glamorous but it was the first place I told her that I loved her, so it has a special significance to us.  She started crying when she saw the ring and then she said, "Yes."

4// Favorite moments from your wedding.  Did you have any special ritual or tradition?

SEQUOIA: We spent the night away from each other, which was very unusual for us. When I arrived and saw him standing at the end of the aisle- it felt like such a homecoming. He looked unbelievably handsome. We held each others hands so tight. Feeling the love and support of our friends and family around us, as we said our vows with the sun shining through the tree branches, was a dream.

Also, our wedding party gave some of the most heartfelt, beautiful and hilarious speeches, ever. Hearing the blessings and memories from some of our dearest friends was super cool.  And I really do need to mention the food. We are so food oriented that it would be wrong not to salute our fantastic kitchen crew that made one of the best meals of my life.

We didn't really have any rituals but we did dance our asses off. Dancing with my mom, twirling and sobbing, will always be one of my greatest memories. 

ANDREW:  Our wedding was magic.  It was a DIY Oakland style affair.  We had the ceremony in Joaquin Miller and the reception a the Starline Social Club.  Having so many family and friends in one place is almost overwhelming.  The actual event went by so fast its like one great moment in time.  It makes me feel lucky to have so many people willing to give us love and support.  We had lost some important people in our lives in the previous couple of years so it was important to keep them in our thoughts.  

photo by Dustin Cantrell

photo by Dustin Cantrell

photo by Dustin Cantrell

5// The magic ingredient is: 

SEQUOIA:  FIRE! I'm Spanish and he's Italian so there's never a dull moment. But we follow the golden rule of never going to sleep mad at each other. OH and SALT! Andrew always says- when you think you've added enough salt- add twice as much!

ANDREW: We are partners in life.  We stick together with unconditional love and affection.   But we don't kill each other because we know how to fight and compromise.  


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LOVESTRUCK // Josh + Lindsey

Josh came into Crown Nine last year to buy an engagement ring for his then girlfriend Lindsey, {he picked out The Constellation Rings}, and recently the pair came into the new shop to say hi and snap a few pics with me.  The couple is now living in New York-- onto the next phase of their adventure together.  Before they left,  I picked their brains on how they met, fell in love, and what makes their relationship tick.

1// How did you meet, what was your initial impression?

J:  The first time Lindsey and I met was in New Orleans in 2003, when we were both attending Tulane.  She was dating my suite mate at the time, so we had a few interactions.  Other than that, we didn't interact much, if at all, until we ran into each other in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture in 2009.  I was waiting for a friend driving (maybe motorcycling, I don't remember) from California (I think).  She was waiting for her aunt and uncle.  She stood out because she had, continues to have, short hair, which I love.  We realized we knew each other from somewhere and started talking.

We spent most of the rest of the night, and after our companions arrived, drinking - the Sculpture Garden served decent sangria - and arguing with each other.  I know I thought she was cute and I enjoyed sparring with her, so we became friends.  A few months later we started dating.

L:  Josh and I first really met at Tulane University. Josh was the suite-mate of my then-boyfriend during our freshman year. I only saw him briefly during awkward bathroom moments so I don’t really consider that how we met. What I consider our actual meeting happened in Washington, DC, almost five years later when both of us were going to graduate school there (different schools). We were both at a Friday night jazz event at the Sculpture Garden on the mall. We were both waiting around for other friends/relatives to join us. Josh walked past me while I was sitting around and we immediately recognized each other but we didn't know from where. We ended up chatting and when both of our respective parties joined us we ended up going out to dinner as one big group and hanging out afterwards (everyone got a little blitzed). My initial impression of Josh was that he was incredibly opinionated and we debated about one thing or another the entire night. Which we still do on a very regular basis.

2 // What is a memorable moment from your courtship prior to getting engaged?

J: It's not real a singular moment that sticks out, but something she did for me.  Last fall I decided to run a marathon for relieve a nonspecific ennui and to check an item off my bucket list. The training lasted three months and got up to 20 miles in a day.  Lindsey joined me, even though it was way over what was needed for her half marathon.  I have no doubt that I would have failed without her.  It meant a lot to me.

L:  There are many memorable moments from Josh and I’s years together but I think one that I think of very fondly, especially during the winter months, is when we were snow-bound at a house I was dog sitting at when ’snowpocalypse’ hit Washington, DC in 2010. We ended up being stuck in this house together for almost five days, which can be a little daunting to think about when you’ve only been dating someone for a few months. We shoveled a lot of snow, drank a lot of booze, cheered on the Saints as they won the Superbowl and snuggled up. I think I also spoke to his parents for the first time over the phone while intoxicated. That was interesting. Overall it was a blast and I think it brought us a lot closer together.

3 // How did you become engaged?

J:  I proposed to Lindsey at McArthur-Burney Falls in May, close to the California/Oregon border.  We stayed in a cabin that didn't have much beside a few mats for sleeping.  We made a fire and ate and drank and I asked her then.  Lindsey told me she needed to think it over, so the weekend was a little tense.  She said yes a few days later, in our kitchen in San Francisco.

L:  We had planned a camping trip in Northern California at the Burney-McArthur Falls State Park over Memorial Day. On our first night there, we were sitting around the campfire after eating, drinking some wine and when there was a lull in the conversation Josh popped the big question. Although we had talked about marriage before, the question certainly took me by surprise and I actually told Josh I had to think about it. (I know! How terrible of me!) After mulling it over for a few days, which I know was very difficult for Josh, and talking it over with my Mom and others, I made my decision later in the week as we were eating dinner at our kitchen table. We’re a very romantic couple, clearly.

4 // The magic ingredient is: 

J:  Lindsey and I think very logically, so our (real) arguments rarely last that long and we usually reach some sort of resolution.  If you think of a relationship as the aggregate of rules you've jointly decided to live by, then how you arrive at these rules matters.

L:  Open and honest communication about expectations, limits, needs and desires. And of course sex; plenty and often.

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LOVE STRUCK // Vanessa + Lempe

I was lucky enough to work with these two when I was working as a waitress at Fonda in Albany, back I when I was first starting Kate Ellen Metals.  Vanessa was the always brightly smiling bartender, and Lempe and I worked the floor together, climbing up and down the stairs all night, cracking jokes, and keeping clients entertained late into the night.  

The pair met and married in Senegal, and when we all worked together they were planning their American vows in Sonoma County and wanted to do something special to their silver bands that Lempe had purchased and engraved in Senegal.  I was so happy and thrilled to be a part of this-- we ended up stacking up gold bands on their silver.  Simple, clean, and honoring the original rings and wedding vows exchanged overseas.

1// How did you meet?  What was your initial impression?

V: We met in Senegal in 2003 at my host family's house.  I was studying abroad there.  Lempé is a friend of the Gbaya family and he was also living there at the time.  My first impression: who's that mysterious guy with the sweet face? And how do I pronounce his name again?

L: We met in Dakar, Senegal in 2003 when she was studying abroad, and her host family was my best friend's house, it happened at that time I was living with my best friend.  My initial impression was the LIGHT I was seeing on her face.

2// What is a memorable moment from your courtship prior to getting engaged?

V: We used to walk around the Olympic swimming pool in Dakar, the capital city. We would talk for hours.  That's where we laid the foundation of our relationship and figured out that, if we're going to be together, there will be a lot of compromise and sacrifice.

L: The memorable moment prior to getting engaged was in 2008 when she came back for work, and both realized we can do it anymore with the long distance, and we didn't want to let it go, we just said let's get married. 

3 // How did you become engaged?

V:  Lempé and I were working on a solar oven project in Senegal in 2008 and I got Typhoid Fever. Lempé took such good care of me. Before I was properly diagnosed, he gathered a variety of traditional remedies for my symptoms - remedies his grandmother had taught him when he was a boy. I asked him to marry me one night.  He smiled and told me "you're sick and have a fever, let's talk about it later." But I was dead serious.

L:  In 2008 when we were working together in Senegal, she got sick, and I took care of her as much I can, and then one day she asks me if I want to marry her.

4 // What was one of the highlights from your wedding?  Did you include any special tradition or ritual?

V:  We've had two weddings: our Senegalese wedding in 2008 and our American wedding in 2011. In Senegal, after being married at the mosque, we returned to Lempé's father's house for the reception.  The highlight was meeting close family members I had never seen before.  It was now official in everyone's eyes: I was part of the family. In the States, we celebrated at my family's house in Northern California.  The highlight was most definitely the photo booth with silly hats and props.  All ages of people were crowding into the booth in whimsical attire and then laughing at themselves when they saw their pictures.

L:  Wedding in Senegal: All my family member was able to know her a little bit better, and everybody was in LOVE with her.  We had a ceremony at the mosque, and she wore a traditional clothes for the occasion. The Wedding in U.S: My father and my friends were able to make it to California, and that was HUGE for me.

5 // The magic ingredient is: 

V:  The desire to evolve with your partner. 

L:  LOVE + FAITH

Photo by Elizabeth Lloyd Photography

Photo by Elizabeth Lloyd Photography

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LOVE STRUCK // Jon + Lindsay

  



Meet Lindsay and Jon, a cute pair of creatives who just got married this summer.  I was lucky enough to help them design their wedding rings to accompany the ring Jon proposed with, an heirloom that he inherited.  I love working with jewelry that has a history in the family-- it makes everything so special.  Lindsay wanted a white gold band, slightly irregular, with rosecut pinkish/greyish diamonds circling around.  Jon opted for a sturdy squared edged band with a weathered finish.  I love their story, enjoy.

1// How did you meet?  What was your initial impression?

Lindsay: We met while I was in beauty school and Jon was in film school.  One of my friends wanted to set us up - she was dating a friend of Jon's at the time.  She was much younger than I was and assumed Jon was her age as well (I was 24 and Sarah had just turned 20 I think).  I had assumed we wouldn't have much in common but I thought it would be at least fun to meet someone new. 

My first impression was that he needed a haircut!  And that he was cute and shy.  We didn't get together right away but I went back to the bar a few weeks later and invited Jon to a party I was going to later that night with my best friend.  Little did I know my friend was pissed at me for inviting a third wheel out to our night, but she forgave me when she realized what a big deal he would turn out to be in my life.  He and I talked in the corner all night, forgetting that anyone else existed.  Turned out he was actually a couple years older than I was and we had a ton in common (both bay area transplants, both close with our families, etc.) He called me the next day (!) and we've been together ever since.

Jon: My film school buddy was dating one of Lindsay’s friends Sarah, and she brought Lindsay into the bar I was working in at the time. Once Sarah asked both of us if we were interested, she decided to bring Lindsay in one night after I got off and Linds asked me if I wanted to go to a party with her.

My initial reaction was one of somewhat skepticism after Lindsay told me that the party was in the Marina (this is not a neighborhood I frequent often). Once we got to the party, Lindsay and I just sat in the corner all night chatting. I feel like I got to know her pretty well fairly quickly and decided she was a super rad chick. I called her a day later and asked her out. I’m pretty sure we moved in together like 3 months after this.



2 // What is a memorable moment from your courtship prior to getting engaged?

Lindsay:  Oh man, there are so many!  Traveling to North Carolina to meet Jon's family for the first time was really great.  I met him after he had only been in California for about 6 months so all of his friends that I met were new friends.  He didn't even have Facebook!  I wasn't sure that this guy even existed before I met him, so it was nice to have confirmation that he did.  Like myself, he is very close to his family and they were so welcoming.  We went to Hilton Head together and had a great time.  It made me feel so much closer to him to know the people who loved him most.  

Jon: After only dating for 3 weeks, I went back to NC for the holidays and Lindsay went back to Cleveland. We decided that we missed each other so much that we couldn't stand it, and I rented a car and drove from NC to Cleveland (an 8 hour drive) Once I finally was up there, we both kinda got a little freaked out that I drove that far to hang out with a girl that I had only been dating for three weeks, and we couldn't decide if I was a total creeper or not. Luckily, we got married so instead of it being creepy, it was just really sweet.




3 // How did you become engaged?

Lindsay: Jon proposed on my 28th birthday with a ring his parents had given him more than a year before that used to be his great grandmother's.  We had been living together for 3 years and had talked about getting married a lot.  He knew that I had been waiting for him to propose for at least a year!  Since it was my birthday, we had plans to go to Sonoma for lunch and wine tasting.  I had a feeling the night before that he was going to propose - I could tell something was up with him.  But I didn't know how or when.  He got down on one knee in our bedroom before we left.  I was just getting out of the shower and was so focused on what I was going to wear, I almost didn't respond right away.  But then I caught on to what was happening.  He was very nervous and shaky and said some really sweet things.  He said he wanted to propose somewhere beautiful and the most beautiful place he could think of was the home we had built together.  I started laughing because the apartment was a mess.  Then he told me how much he loved me and asked me to marry him.  I said yes and he put the ring on the wrong hand.  I laughed again.  The first thing he said afterwards was "we have to call your mom right now - she's been holding this in for 24 hours."  We went up to Sonoma as planned, and had an amazing day filled with wine, food and phone calls.

Jon:  I proposed to Lindsay in our apartment on her bday, before going to Sonoma. I got on one knee in the bedroom while she was getting ready in the bathroom, and waited for her to come in. I actually waited for a decent amount of time. I think she was asking my opinion on some earrings.





4 // What was one of the highlights from your wedding?

Everything.  I think having friends and family involved in parts of the wedding made it really special.  We had a friend design the invitations, another friend sang as we walked down the aisle and another took the photographs.  Our ceremony also felt really intimate - we had collaborated with the minister to come up with something that felt really personal, and had a lot of family and friends involved.  Having so many groups of friends and family from all over the country come together was amazing.  The food was amazing.  We had a bacon caramel chocolate wedding cake - that was a definite highlight.  Really everything.  We were both pretty cynical about having a big wedding beforehand, but I think that there is no real way to describe what an incredible feeling it is without going through it.  It all came together perfectly to give us the most amazing day of our lives.  

5 // The magic ingredient is: 

Lindsay: Humor.  Letting your guard down and showing your partner your real, true, deep-down dorky self.  And unconditional support.

Jon:  Being able to let your guard down 100% percent around your partner and not being afraid to be as dorky as she is.



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Love Struck // Ann + Daniel

Aw, love. Ann emailed me out of the blue to help her work on her engagement ring to the man of her dreams, Daniel.  The two of them live in Ohio but used to Ann used to live in the Bay Area, so she hoped to have something that reflected her style and her values.  For Ann, it was essential that her ring be handmade by an artist, ethically sourced, and made of recycled materials.  I had such a blast designing this beauty with her, all over the phone and via email.  First step was finding the diamond, so I went to market and shopped around for something exceptional.  I helped her pick out a stunning round rosecut 2.85 carat pink hued stone that had incredible dimension and color.  Once the stone was selected we were able to start designing, and lucky for me Ann both knew what she wanted and liked (and so did Daniel) but was also open minded and allowed me to make suggestions to tie the whole thing together.  Usually there are a lot of ideas on the table with any design as the process gets started, and as I move through making it I usually start to pare things down.  It's easy to over design something, but I really encourage clients to err on the side of simplicity, do whatever is most simple and most straightforward, as it will stand up effortlessly against time.Together we made something really beautiful, something I am proud of and she and Daniel can enjoy for the rest of their lives together.  Thank you both for including me in such a sacred project, it was a total joy to work on and a true honor.  

The happy couple

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