Ashley + Jesse's wedding at Forest House Lodge in Foresthill started a little differently than most wedding days — with cocktail hour first! Guests gathered at the lodge, drinks in hand, before heading up to Grand Sierra Pointe, where towering pines and sweeping Sierra views framed their ceremony.
Ashley + Jesse met in grad school in 2018 through Bumble — although Ashley had actually spotted Jesse at an orientation event a couple of months earlier and already thought he was cute! Their first date was a little spontaneous: they had planned to meet for coffee on a Saturday morning, but Jesse asked Ashley to dinner the night before with about 45 minutes' notice. They grabbed drinks at a local bar while they waited for a table — Jesse, who wasn't drinking, went with a grapefruit soda — and that last-minute dinner became the beginning of their life together!
The outdoors have always been a big part of their relationship — hiking, biking, paddleboarding, traveling, trying new recipes, and tackling projects together — so a wedding surrounded by the mountains and forests of Northern California felt especially fitting. They had originally planned a Lake Tahoe trip in July 2020, but when COVID changed those plans, they went camping in the South Dakota Badlands instead. Jesse carried the ring around for the first couple of days of that trip, waiting for the right moment — and it came on a sunrise hike, as the sun began coming over the horizon!
Back at Forest House Lodge on their wedding day, while guests settled in with their drinks, Ashley + Jesse shared their first look and a bridesmaid reveal, so the celebrating started early. After the ceremony at Grand Sierra Pointe, they opened the party back at the lodge with a choreographed first dance, gathered all 110–120 of their guests for one big group photo (a special request from Ashley's mom!), and later slipped away for golden-hour portraits before returning to spend the rest of the evening with their favorite people!
The Vendor Team
Venue: Forest House Lodge · Ceremony: Grand Sierra Pointe · Day-of Coordinator: Chenoa Taylor, Forest House Lodge
