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It’s a rarity in life to know elite athletes…let alone TWO!  Greg and Tia were made for each other!  Despite their nine-year age difference, these two can keep up with one another in the gym!  In fact, this was one of the highlights of their wedding, being mentioned in both their vows and the toasts. Greg’s brother gave a hilarious toast when he teased Greg that Tia many actually have bigger muscles than he does…and he’s a Navy Officer!  However, Tia can hold her own being the track and field star that she is…she was even an All-American in the hurdles, which means she was in the top 8 in the nation!

These two don’t let all of their physical beauty get in the way of their inner beauty.  Both of them are some of the kindest, gentle and fun people you will ever meet.  They are so loved by so many people which was very evident if you spent any time with their bridal party and their families.  Laughter played such a big part of their special day, especially for the guys who just loved to joke around and give the groom a hard time.  The girls giggled and primped and looked absolutely lovely in pink.  The flower girl, Summer, especially had the day of her life, especially at the reception where she stole the dance floor!

Picking a day in March can be a risky choice but San Diego chose to be a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze.  Looking out over the Pacific Ocean at the North Island Naval Base in Coronado, the ceremony was a lovely choice for two California natives to be married.  Although they both left the state for brief periods of time, California has mainly been their homes their entire lives.  Greg went to college at UC Berkeley and played football while he was there and Tia traveled all the way to Minnesota where she ran track and excelled at hurdles.  However, being in the military may take them all over the world and they are currently preparing to move to another base.

Throughout the day the beauty of friendship, family and belonging to a spiritual community was very evident.  Joy and love were present in each part of the wedding, from the closeness in the getting ready rooms, the joking around throughout the bridal party during pictures, the blending of cultures and backgrounds, friends traveling from long distances and even divorced parents coming together to honor the bride and groom.  Laughter permeated each part of the day and even after the newlyweds left, the party kept going!  However, I am sure Greg and Tia didn’t mind as they headed off to start their new life together…and go get on a plane to Bora Bora for their honeymoon!

The elegance of the day couldn’t have been possible without the help of the amazing coordinators at Besties Inc. The arch at the wedding, the decorations around the cake and the tables, were spectacular!  Also, Sara Engel Photography did a spectacular job as the second shooter and she captured the essence of the day perfectly!