Emilie and Troy's Brio Restaurant Wedding

This charming couple and I have a few very special things in common. Our home town, and our service to this country. 

I met Emilie and Troy via wedding coordinator Catherine, of CBS Lifestylist. It was an immediate connection. We enjoyed the view in downtown Oceanside as we sat to talk about their experiences, their lives and of course, the vision they had for their wedding. Thought it was still early in the process, I learned that Emilie wanted to be certain we took special care of her Italian-American family that stemmed from my very own home state - New York. 

Now, Italians are deeply rooted in New York culture and tradition. Emilie knew it was important for her to make sure that we honored that here in San Diego. With careful planning from Catherine and myself, and ‘New York, New York’ by Frank Sinatra tucked in my back pocket, we honored our Italian-American friends and family with a timeless song to end the night. 

There was so much to laugh, and cry about, at this wedding. From moving speeches to the energy of my Dance-Off, the emotions ran high. 

I wanted to thank Emilie and Troy (an active duty marine) not only for trusting me on their wedding day, but for their sacrifices. As a Marine who served from 2004-2011, I understand how strong the bond must be to keep a functioning family with long hours, occasional weekend work, and inevitable deployments. 

Semper Fi - Always Faithful - is deeper than just the connection between Marine brethren and sistren, command,  or even country. It is beyond that of a slogan, and more of a vow. It is the assurance to God, family, and to the corps - in that order - that one will always be there to support, to protect, and to cherish. I see a lot of that in Troy when I see the way he looks at you, Emilie. 

A big shout-out to my team for the day: The ever-elegant wedding coordinator Catherine from CBS Lifestylist, Maya from Maya Lora Photo, and Grant Cary on the videography.