Nicole + Michael

Nicole and Michael met while Nicole was still in college, but they ended up going their separate ways. Nicole said during her vows “but the brief time that we spent together, left such a big mark on our hearts”. Three years later, Michael got in touch with Nicole and they reconnected, falling in love. Sienna was two years old when Nicole became part of her life, and Nicole’s moving vows to Sienna during the ceremony had everyone in tears. Weddings are always about more than just two people joining their lives, as those lives are already so full of connections to others. Seeing the bond cemented between Nicole, Michael and Sienna and all their family made this wedding so special.

Nicole, Michael and Sienna live on a horse farm in New York where they take care of numerous horses, cats, dogs and even an Alpaca named Beans! Nicole and Michael chose Idyllwild, California for their intimate wedding as they fell in love with the “comfy cozy” vibe and found the perfect cabin in the woods, big enough to host their closest family.

The day after the wedding, we went with Nicole and Michael to meet Salty and Mike at Manzanita Ranch in Anza, a non-profit organization serving veterans. Michael specializes in (in his own words) “curative natural therapy for intricate equine behavior”. Basically, he’s a real-life horse whisperer. We watched him in action working with a horse at the ranch that didn’t always respond in the expected ways. Nicole and Michael then hit the trail on two of the horses from the ranch, going up through the foothills of the San Jacinto mountains.

Nicole and Michael told us ahead of time that there would be a special announcement at dinner. It felt like the day couldn’t be any more magical, but sure enough, the evening ended with even more tears of joy, hugs and celebrations.