. ~ . Soul Mates . ~ .
Larry and I truly compliment each other in every way. We are very similar creatures, we love the same things. Yet there are striking differences, one him being awake at the crack of dawn, and me more likely to be up until dawn! But we both have a rhythm, that is eccentric and just off the beaten path. We travel the same road, are of the same fabric, share the same spirit.

. ~ . Destiny . ~ .
We met about 1992 on a photo shoot. I was shooting a hair ad for my friend Nancy, and Di drove us in Dr. Jeep to help with the session. The model I was shooting had a friend tag along, and that friend was Larry. Love was destiny, but it would be a time coming. We were both single the day we met. We even saw each other on many occasions at our mutual friend Di's house. I thought he was adorable, and flirted with him a little, but got what I thought was a cool response. Turns out, he just thought I was being nice, and was very shy! ;-) Before long we were seeing other people. But fate had something else in mind for us. We both ended our other relationships in November of 1995. In the spring of 1996 we were both back at Di's house. It was not a happy time, as Di was moving out of state. We were both emotional. I invited him to a party at my house that weekend and told him not to be a stranger. He went to that party. And that was it... from that moment on we have been together. Something clicked, and we both knew. We were both cautious. We took it slow, a step at a time. We dated, but I lived in Hollywood, and he lived in Riverside. So we saw each other mostly on weekends. So, we moved in together in April of 1997 in Hollywood. We had many adventures, and even went to Hawaii! We spent a lot of time volunteering at wildlife sanctuaries and bonding over our love and understanding of animals. We got engaged in November 1997, and we finally set the date in November of 1998. We bought a house and moved to Riverside August 1, 1999, just before the wedding...

. ~ . Dreams & Fantasy . ~ .
Why a Victorian wedding? Larry and I love role playing and costuming! I am a photographer and have had many dress-up and period photo shoots. We have played pirates and gypsies at festivals and events. We've been gothic vampires, warriors, and Renaissance. We're into martial arts, other cultures, history, nature and fun! We have always wanted to experience the Victorian era, and this was the way. We had done so many other things, what else could be so special and different for this day... that we had always wanted to do, but never done.

. ~ . Costume Attire . ~ .
Our first few meetings with costumers were out right nightmares. Just when we were getting discouraged, my friend Roxanne found a designer to die for, JK2 Costumers! I have been unable to track them down for this article, but as soon as I do I will forward the information. Unbelievable, I said what I wanted and showed a few photographs, and she sketched my dress right on the spot! She took measurements, and after only two fittings, Larry and I had complete ensembles including my cloak, his overcoat and even my parasol!

Photo By: Photique

. ~ . Location & Details . ~ . Where do you find a Victorian mansion in a Victorian town? We knew it would be a VERY small wedding, and we only had 24 guests. It was in Northern California I found the Gingerbread Mansion online. Located in Ferndale, California. The entire main street has been restored to its Victorian splendor! And there are numerous restored Victorian bed and breakfasts in this tiny town nestled near the sea. And as a bonus, we spent as much for the mansion for an entire weekend with 22 guests as many people do for part of one day. We gave our closest friends and family a weekend getaway in fantasy land to remember always. The catch? They had to rent Victorian costumes for the ceremony of course!

I used silk flowers in porcelain tussy mussies for the bouquets. Since we traveled from Southern California it was easy to transport them and was far better on the budget. I wanted them to be keepsakes, and they were wrapped in hand made Victorian Doilies. We also had baskets covering in the same silk flowers, and my friend Amber made my ring pillow, garters, bridesmaids bouquets and all the boutonnieres from silk, lace and velvet. I made my bouquet and decorated our broom. We didn't need other decorations, as the entire mansion was like being in a dream world! We had a local bakery do a simple cake with strawberries and light creamy icing. I sent them charms to place inside in advance. They used real flowers on the cake and sent over extra to add to the cake table and our room.

. ~ . Our Wedding Weekend . ~ .
We got the mansion all to ourselves Friday after 4pm, complete with afternoon tea. We spent a wonderful evening greeting arrivals and exploring the 11?? exotic suites, 4 parlors, English Gardens, and surrounding cafes, shops, and historical attractions. Each room in the mansion bears a different name and theme (The Lilac Room, The Garden Room, The Fountain Room, The Venito Room), and the honeymoon Empire Suite is one of the most opulent rooms in California.

Saturday the mansion made a beautiful breakfast, and preparations for the ceremony began! It was a gorgeous, clear and sunny perfect day. My Aunt Rosie did my hair, as well as several others. All the girls hung out and helped each other into costumes. The boys gambled out on the porches and balconies. One of my closest friends, who is like a brother, Eric Zerkel, walked me down the mansion staircase and into the parlor for the ceremony. It was short but sweet, Larry and I exchanged rings and simple vows.

Photo By: Photique

Then the photo shoot began! It is Victorian tradition the bridesmaids pull charms on ribbons from the cake to get a fortune. Larry and I pretended we were going to throw the garter and bouquet, and then handed them to Eric Zerkel and Wendy Woo. They were Married October 2000 by the way ;-) Then Larry and I took a horse drawn carriage on a tour of Ferndale while the rest of the wedding party walked two or three blocks down main street to the restaurant. We caused quite a commotion! The driver stopped on main street and tourists and shopkeepers shouted for us to stand up so they could see our attire and all applauded. The wedding party was stopped for photos on the way over and back. After dinner, we all returned to The Gingerbread Mansion for more casual photos and visiting with the family and friends who all traveled to see us.

On Sunday morning we were treated to another fabulous breakfast by the mansion before everyone scattered to the four winds.