A Sedona Wedding at Enchantment Resort Filled with Love and Nature
Monica and Jake Macer are a Hinge dating app success story, initially matching because they both went to the University of Georgia. While they never met on campus, it didn’t take long for the pair to realize they had several mutual friends. It was one of those close mutual friends who encouraged Jake to ask Monica on a date, months after they were matched on Hinge.
“We went on our first date at Bodega Wine Bar in Santa Monica on a Thursday night,” Monica shares. “I was so nervous, I barely even made it – and certainly not on time – but as soon as I met him I remember feeling so comfortable, so at ease. Like I had known him for years and years, lifetimes even. Our first date flew by, and on my Uber home I remember feeling excited about seeing him again; so hopeful about what could have just been the beginning of something amazing. We continued going on a date every Thursday for the next several weeks. It quickly became my favorite day of the week.”
“Everything I had ever prayed for had fallen into my lap. She was perfect.”
“Well, she was 20 minutes late,” Jake adds, “so that was my first impression. But then in walks this beautiful girl with her jacket draped over her shoulders with a glowing smile, apologizing for her tardiness. I remember not being nervous at all on the first date. It was so easy, we talked for hours of glasses of wine. I learned about her friends, family, how she grew up, and her time at UGA. Walking home, I knew she was a keeper. Everything I had ever prayed for had fallen into my lap. She was perfect. When date #2 came the following week, I was terrified. I didn't think I was ready for a keeper, and she was definitely a keeper, but I quickly realized that I was.”
Engaged at Lake Arrowhead
Jake proposed at their favorite viewpoint in Lake Arrowhead. During Covid, the couple stayed at their family’s lake house. During those stressful times, they’d take long walks to that lookout and talk about the uncertainties of the world, along with their future together. That was where they decided to move in together, and Jake knew it would be where he would eventually propose.
“We had planned a week up there alone to unwind,” he describes. “On Friday after work, I asked Monica to take a walk with me. I had arranged a photographer to be hiding at our viewpoint, and when we got there I dropped to a knee and ask her to marry me. She was so shocked; she didn’t have any idea it was happening. She didn’t even know I had a ring yet. When we walked back to the house, she was in for another surprise – a house filled with my entire family and hers. Her family had flown out from Georgia and my family had traveled up from LA. We celebrated with family that night; and then the next morning, one by one, all our friends started showing up. Saturday, we had a big party with all our friends and family.”
A Sedona Wedding at Enchantment Resort
On April 1, 2023, Monica and Jake celebrated their nuptials with a Sedona wedding at Enchantment Resort.
“The most important thing to us was creating an amazing experience for our guests (and us), filled with love and grounding nature,” says the bride. “We wanted the day to feel airy and elevated but earthy and grounded at the same time. Enchantment Resort was the perfect venue to do just that, along with the detailed touches and decor from our amazing wedding planning team and vendors.
We also wanted to include personal touches throughout the wedding, and used our paper vendor to accomplish that. We had fun-fact napkins during cocktail hour and used our escort/place setting cards as an opportunity to give our guests gifts. Dice from the groom as a reminder to be playful, and palos santo from the bride as a reminder to stay grounded. And finally, instead of having table numbers, we named our tables after some of our favorite destinations that we've camped together (e.g. Yosemite, Zion, Sequoia).”
The couple’s Sedona wedding ceremony was held outdoors at the Enchantment Circle, surrounded by the most breathtaking views of the Boynton Canyon red rocks. After, guests enjoyed a candlelit dinner under the stars, and the newlyweds ended the night dancing with their loved ones in the Agave Ballroom.
Just as she envisioned a grounding wedding experience filled with love and nature, the bride also felt calm and grounded during the big day.
“Everything was exactly as it should be because I was marrying my person in the most magical place with all the people we love most,” she reflects. “Before our wedding day, Jake and I picked a single word we wanted to feel and manifest during our wedding day. We chose ‘love’ to be at the forefront and boy did it deliver. Pure, abundant love from one another and from every single person who was there. It was truly a magical day.”
April Fool’s Day Wedding Vows
The fact that Monica and Jake’s wedding took place on April Fool’s Day did not go unnoticed. Since Jake is a “huge prankster,” the couple initially planned to play a joke on all their guests. After weighing several options, they couldn’t come up with a joke that felt tasteful enough, so Monica assumed they’d scrapped the plan altogether.
“During the ceremony,” she says, “we each wrote our own vows. I read mine first and was so relieved that it was Jake's turn. Jake proceeds to open his vows by saying ‘Monica, I can't believe we are standing here today. Me, you, and our little baby growing inside your belly.’ I was not pregnant then (nor am I now), and it took him about 30 seconds of the crowd howling laughter to finally say, ‘April fools.’ After the joke, he proceeded with beautiful vows, that were eerily similar to my own. But I will never forget that April fool’s joke, and neither will our guests.”
Honeymooning in Bali and Thailand
The newlyweds kicked off their new life together by honeymooning in Bali and Thailand.
“We started off strong at Como Uma in Canguu,” Monica says, “where kicked off our honeymoon with the most amazing beachfront breakfasts. In Uluwatu, we stayed at the Alila Villas and it was such a beautiful and elevated experience - a perfect way to experience the beautiful beaches of Bali. We also loved our time in Ubud, where we spent time at Como Shabahala experiencing all of the healing powers and adventure the jungle had to offer.
After Bali, we spent 5 days in Thailand in Chiang Mai and Koh Somui. We absolutely loved Chiang Mai. We went during Song Kran, which is their New Year festival where they shower everyone in the city in water. It was such a fun and fully immersive cultural experience. We also discovered our new favorite Thai dish, Ko Soi, a specialty dish only available in northern Thailand. We ended our honeymoon in Koh Somui at Napasai, enjoying the beautiful beach at our resort and roaming into town to taste the local cuisine. It was a magical few weeks.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location & Catering: Enchantment Resort, Sedona, AZ; Planner: Revel Wedding Company, Scottsdale, AZ; Floral Design: Mint Green Design, Scottsdale, AZ; Styling: StyleLab, Los Angeles, CA; Rentals: Prim Design Co, Scottsdale, AZ; Lighting & Entertainment: Groove Mobile; Linen: BBJ La Tavola; Engagement Ring: Mark Broumand, Los Angeles, CA; Wedding Dress: Liz Martinez; Bridal Salon: En Blanc LA, Los Angeles, CA; Groom’s Attire: The Grotto Menswear; Hair & Makeup: Sedona Beauty Team, Sedona, AZ; Invitations: Freja Creative; Cinematography: Something New Media, Tempe, AZ; Photography: Jana Williams, Los Angeles, CA