You guys… I’m a married woman! It’s wild to think that three weeks ago we had nothing planned, and now here we are—married in the middle of a global pandemic. To rewind: Bridger proposed in Cabo, Mexico on our ninth anniversary in October. It was an unforgettable weekend, and we still daydream about it often.
Cabo holds a special place for both of us since it was our first trip together when we were 19–20. After getting engaged, we planned an intimate destination wedding in Mexico. We picked a date, secured our dream venue and planner, and I found my dress—everything was falling into place. In February we even flew back to Cabo to scout rehearsal and ceremony spots, meet our planner, and do tastings. I shared more about that in a previous planning update.
But then, in early March, COVID-19 escalated and events began to shut down. At first we hoped our April 26th wedding in Cabo could still happen, but after Mexico closed its borders and quarantine began, we were forced to face reality. It was emotional—planning your wedding is supposed to be one of the happiest times, and suddenly a pandemic made you cancel. We know many brides have gone through or are still navigating this, and I feel for you. I’ll be sharing tips I learned in a future post.
Instead of postponing indefinitely, we turned the situation into a positive. With limited venue availability later in the year and uncertainty about how long restrictions would last, we decided to keep our date and get married in Seattle on April 26th. Then in April 2021 we’ll celebrate our one-year anniversary with our original plans—family, friends and a full celebration with a wedding dress.
Keeping our date felt meaningful. That specific day had been chosen with intention, marked on invites, and we’d been counting down to it. It was bittersweet but also felt right—after nearly nine and a half years together, why wait any longer?
For those curious about the legal side in Seattle: I printed our county marriage application, had it notarized (thankful to family friends), mailed it with a check to the recorder’s office, and they FedExed our marriage packet back within four business days. The process itself wasn’t difficult—figuring out requirements during quarantine was the trickier part.
THE WEDDING
The morning of the wedding was delightfully casual—our backyard ceremony felt relaxed and joyful. The day before I made 24 flautas, fresh pico de gallo, and a Simple Mills vanilla cake to bring to my family’s house (my mother-in-law had ordered a gluten-free, dairy-free cake for us too). We kept the Mexican vibe alive even without our destination plans. Bridger, Ellie, and I drove to his parents’ house where both sets of parents, his grandfather, and our photographer—who graciously agreed to capture our intimate day—were present.
We had quarantined for four weeks leading up to the ceremony so visiting family felt safe.
In typical fashion, both of us wrote our vows the day before. Bridger’s vows were heartfelt and perfect—ten years summarized beautifully. I’ve asked if we could read them to each other again so the words sink in, but he’s avoided getting emotional—maybe I’ll convince him later.
We set up a Zoom so both of our siblings could watch on my laptop beside the ceremony spot. Our expected guest list of 40 became about four people in the backyard audience, which felt surreal but also exactly right. There’s something intimate and meaningful about marrying surrounded only by immediate family.
I wore jeans for the ceremony and it felt like the perfect vibe—relaxed and authentic. I’m excited to have two celebrations: this intimate, casual ceremony and a larger, more traditional wedding next year with a full dress and bridesmaids. Best of both worlds.
My jeans are Good American and my top is from Petal and Pup, one of my favorite Australian brands.
No Cabo-themed celebration is complete without tequila—Casamigos, naturally. We spent the afternoon eating chips and guac, sharing high school stories, enjoying the flautas, cutting cake, and taking Polaroids. It felt simple and perfect.
A highlight: Ellie was at our wedding. That alone felt like a huge win and made the day even more meaningful.
We couldn’t have asked for a better day. I married my best friend on April 26, 2020, and it was one of the best days of my life. It’s been a couple of weeks since the wedding and life hasn’t dramatically changed, but we’re excited to begin this new chapter together as husband and wife.
Thank you so much for all your support—we love you all!
All photos are by my friend Marci, who is incredible. Custom bouquet by Petals By Piper.
xx Rachael and Bridger