The Celebration After “I Do”

We met in the most unexpected place, a small-town bar: Blake, from Southern Indiana, and Michaela, from Northern California, somehow ended up in the same tiny town. The odds of us meeting were literally one in 12 million… but life has a funny way of bringing the right people together at just the right moment. What started with a simple “Hello, would you like a skittle?” turned into something we never could’ve imagined

The weekend after my birthday, we went out for a lovely sushi dinner, which I thought was to celebrate after a crazy week. Blake was acting very strange the whole time, even eating the raw fish I ordered, which he never does. I thought something was up, but I didn’t expect what came next. After dinner, he took me to Humboldt Park in Chicago, a spot that felt extra special because I’m from Humboldt County, California. There, surrounded by the familiar name, beautiful landscaping, and a whole lot of nerves, Blake asked me to marry him. I said yes…

On Friday, June 13th, 2025, we tied the knot at San Francisco City Hall—a dream we’d always shared about getting married in California. With just 90 days to plan, everything came together perfectly. We already had a trip planned, and the perfect date happened to fall right in place. Surrounded by our parents, witnesses, and our daughters, we had a small ceremony in the beautiful rotunda. Afterward, in true Blake fashion, we celebrated with a hot dog from a stand right outside. From there, we headed to a Golden Gate Bridge viewpoint to privately exchange our vows before hitting the road. We drove up the coast, stopping for a champagne toast in Sonoma County, then continuing north through the breathtaking scenery of northern California, all the way to Humboldt. A journey as unforgettable as the day itself!