Once upon a time, Sophie Maya and John Haynes went out to have some tea. Laughing, smiling, holding hands, and sneeking kisses, they approached the counter and placed their orders. When the waitress arrived, she placed their tea in front of them and announced, "Tea for the Adorable Couple." Now, Sophie and John are not the sort of couple to refer to themselves in third person, but the appellation was so sweet, that they privately began referring to themselves as "The Adorable Couple." Of course, they know not everyone will find them adorable, but they certainly ADORE each other, and that's as good a reason as any to let themselves be known as "The Adorable Couple." Congratulations, Adorable Couple! Marriage looks adorable on you!

How do a couple of introverted perfectionists tie the knot? In our case, we agreed upon two things. It should be intimate and it should be easy. Intimate because, at the heart of it all, a marriage is a very private thing, and easy because we are way too good at complicating things. We considered different options, of course, but in the end we chose the one that was the most exciting and the least overwhelming. Did we mention that we get overwhelmed easily? So, our elopement was the perfect imperfect choice. We wore off-the-rack clothing that we didn't even get tailored. We chose a beautiful bed and breakfast in Northern California, not only because of the location, but also because they offered an elopement package. Basically, we kept the planning to a minimum. We were married the weekend in between Sophie's birthday and Thanksgiving. We could have waited until Spring or Summer. Who knows why we chose the Fall? We just knew. It was decided. We were ready to level up. So, we ran away together. We purchased wedding bands which were ready in time for the ceremony. Sophie's engagement ring would come later. The sun was shining brightly on our wedding day and we were both sufficiently warm. Danielle, our photographer, added to the fun as she cheerfully led us around the property, clicking away in a variety of picturesque locations. At noon, the innkeepers arrived for the ceremony. The ceremony was short, sweet, and most importantly, official. We were now husband and wife, not only privately in our hearts, but publicly as well. After the ceremony, we danced. John chose the song "My One and Only Love," by Johnny Hartman. Sophie picked "Into the Wild," by Lewis Watson. This was the most emotional part of the day, as we surrendered to our feelings of profound love and appreciation. We both waited a long time for this kind of love. Now that it's finally here, we choose to be BETTER TOGETHER FOREVER. Life is good and the best is yet to come!