Our story begins in Capão da Canoa, Brazil, on a warm Christmas Eve in 2014. I was in town, escaping the California winter at our family’s beach house, and he was there, a small-town guy from Muçum, spending time at his family’s summer place. Neither of us expected that day to be anything out of the ordinary, but life has a way of surprising us.

We first crossed paths when I saw him out for a run along the beach. There was something about him that caught my eye—a quiet confidence and a genuine warmth. Our eyes met for just a moment, but it was enough to spark my curiosity. Later, I took a walk to the local market, hoping our paths might cross again. And they did. He spotted me, smiled, and came over to say hello. That simple moment turned into a conversation, and that conversation turned into something much more.

On Christmas night, we went on our first date. We spent hours talking, discovering that despite our different backgrounds, we shared a lot in common. What started as a chance meeting in a small town quickly grew into something real. It was unexpected, but it felt like we had known each other forever.

When my vacation ended, saying goodbye was hard, but we weren’t ready to let go. We navigated a long-distance relationship for a few months, but we both knew we wanted more. So, I made the decision to move to Brazil, to see where this connection could take us.

Living together in Brazil brought us even closer. We built a life together, blending his small-town roots with my city life. Then, a couple of years later, we found out we were expecting our little girl, Olivia. It was a moment that changed everything. We knew we wanted to start this new chapter as a family, so we decided to get married at the courthouse in Santa Ana. It wasn’t the grand wedding we had imagined, but it felt right. We wanted to become a family before our daughter arrived, and that’s exactly what we did.

Now, after eight years of marriage and all the experiences that life has brought us, we’re finally getting the chance to celebrate our love with the wedding we’ve always dreamed of. This day is more than just a ceremony; it’s a tribute to the journey we’ve traveled together, the love that has grown stronger with time, and the family we’ve created.

We are overjoyed to share this special moment with our family and friends, to reflect on the path that brought us here, and to celebrate the beautiful future that lies ahead.

Travel

WHERE TO STAY

Hilton Garden Inn Irvine East/Lake Forest