There are some wedding videos that are just so emotional, so over-the-top or so absolutely stunning, we feel they deserve a bigger accolade on our site, like the title of Love Story of the Week! We love Calvin and David’s modern museum celebration, but it was their stories that really touched us. You’ll find yourself reaching for the tissues when listening to these two talk about their journey to each other.
Watch the video by Amora Cinema and then scroll on for an inside look at Calvin and David’s planning process, tips and vendors!
1. How did you two meet?
We started chatting online and decided to move the conversation offline to a speakeasy-style bar in Seattle. Calvin arrived first and asked the bartender for a charging cord for his phone. He turned around at exactly the moment I walked in. We looked at each other and knew. This was it.
2. How did the proposal happen?
Because our birthdays are only a day apart we usually celebrate them together. For this birthday party, we decided to have a casual dinner with close friends. It was taking forever for our food and drinks to come out. Calvin kept getting up to check with the staff. Little did I know there was more in store for the night. I was shocked to see Calvin's son arrive with a cake shaped like a ring box made by one of our friends. Calvin got down on one knee and proposed. I was speechless. No doubt, I couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift.
3. What are each of your favorite things about your relationship?
We both complement each other and balance each other out. For example, Calvin shows affection through his words and giving kisses, whereas I (David) would show my love more through acts of service. I love that we both are always giving thanks for each other and not taking each other for granted.
4. What was the first thing you did as an engaged couple?
We were so excited to tell so many of our friends and family, so we texted and called as many of them as we could the night of the engagement!
5. What was your budget and how did you decide on it?
Our wedding budget was so much more than what we had initially anticipated. It was a milestone life event, so we didn't want to have any regrets on what we should have spent on or done. Even with that mentality, we had to look for ways to adjust the budget for elements of the wedding we thought were important to us.
6. What were your top three priorities when planning your wedding?
We wanted the ceremony to be meaningful. I (David) grew up in the church so it was important to have the ceremony in the church we attend. For the reception, we wanted it to showcase fall in the Pacific Northwest while creating a little bit of formal flair. We also wanted to make sure that the reception would be a super fun time for all of our friends and family who made the time to celebrate with us.
7. What did you each think the first time you saw each other on your wedding day?
Since we already lived with each other, we didn't have a first look or there was no big reveal. However, we both knew that the day carried a lot of weight given that we would be making a lifetime commitment to each other in front of the most important people in our lives.
8. Did you write your own vows? If so, what personalized details did you add? If not, how come?
We both wrote our own vows and we didn't share them with each other until the ceremony. (David) I've always admired really well-written and heartfelt vows. I admit, I have watched a lot of RomComs and I wanted to write vows that told a story. I also wanted my vows to have a kind of poetic rhythm to them. I read a bunch of articles online about how to write vows and listened to a lot of examples on YouTube. When drafting my vow I tried to think of things that defined our relationship. I'm not really too emotive in person so it was rare for me to share so many personal things in front of so many people, but I figured if there's any time to let it all out, it would be at my wedding.
9. Tell us about your suit designers and your suit shopping experience.
For a minute, we were thinking of renting our tuxes just to keep it simple, but tailoring is really limited when renting. We bought our tuxes from Men's Wearhouse and had them tailored. We had to have them adjusted several times just to get them the way we wanted them.
10. It looks like you two got ready together, correct? If so, why did you decide to do this?
We live together so there wasn't really going to be a true \"first look\" since we see each other every day.
11. Did you include anything in your wedding ceremony that was a nod to y'all's status as a gay couple?
One of our readings was actually a mix of Justice Anthony Kennedy's statement in the US Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage and the decision on same-sex marriage from the Massachusetts Supreme Court. There were so many other people and couples that paved the way for us to finally have this right. It meant a lot to have that be part of our ceremony to remind us how far we have come as a country with acceptance.
12. Who was in your wedding party and why?
Each person in our wedding party was someone truly special to us. Calvin's best man was his son, and mine was a friend who is like my Cristina Yang if I were Meredith Grey. We have so much love for everyone in our wedding party and they were people who were there for us in so many important times of our lives.
13. Y'all wedding reception looks like a PARTY—what were some songs on your \"must play\" list?
We really wanted songs that were upbeat and make people happy. Since both of us grew up in the 80s, we wanted a mix of fun danceable songs from the 80s to today. The last song of the night was \"Born this Way\" by Lady Gaga—a must for a gay wedding. :)
14. Why would you suggest hiring a videographer?
I've spoken to friends who've told me that if they could change one thing about their wedding is that they would have hired a videographer. For some, it might be a splurge item but these days it's almost like it's an essential vendor. My recommendation is to do your research. Check out the videos of various videographers and see which style fits yours the best. We wanted a highlight reel and a documentary style video so we could see a little bit of the whole day. Getting the documentary-style video is also important because the day goes by so fast you want to see what actually happened, so having the video is something where you can do that. The highlight video really tells your story. You also really have to trust the videographer. We were very lucky. When Rafa and Shy from Amora showed us the completed film, it's like they knew exactly the story we envisioned.
15. What is your favorite memory from your wedding day?
I think actually saying “I will” out loud and confirming my lifetime commitment to my husband is something I'll never forget. I also will never forget looking out from my seat during the reception and seeing so many people who came from so many parts and times of my life all in one place to celebrate us.
16. What's your top tip to all soonlyweds out there planning their weddings?
Plan as much as possible but know that something on your day will go wrong. It's what a lot of people say but it is so true. Some things might not be perfect but just roll with it. Don't let it put a damper on your big day.
17. Who were your favorite wedding vendors and why?
We loved all of them. Again, I think it's really important to do your homework on your vendors. Read the reviews, meet with them in person, if possible. We started meeting with ours about a year and a half before the wedding date. They all understood our vision and were patient with us as we are both very detail-oriented.
A few call-outs: Seattle Art Museum was a show-stopping reception venue and could not have been more beautiful without the floral design from Designs by Courtney. Our day of coordinator, Happy Together Events, was on top of every detail that day from the stagecraft for the wedding ceremony, to details galore at the reception site. DJ Rob Gregerson of Legato Productions made sure everyone danced the night away, along with Lightsmiths who created the perfect dynamic lighting throughout the night to add to the ambiance. We also loved the photos from Logan Smith Photography who captured the day perfectly, and, of course, Amora Cinema who created such a stunning and heartfelt wedding film for us.
See all the vendors here
18. Anything else you'd like to share about your wedding or some details I didn't ask about?
Planning a wedding is stressful but we are glad we had each other throughout the process to keep each other grounded and sane. We wish we could relive it all over again!
To watch more wedding videos by Amora Cinema, click below.