August 22, 2009
Expect the Unexpected
Over the past three years, Scott and Caisha Moyer learned things very seldom work out as planned. But those experiences brought them closer and made the couple realize what's really important.
About a year and a half after they first met, Scott planned a proposal he knew would take his future bride completely by surprise. He wanted to pop the question on the beach in St. Joseph, Michigan on August 22, 2008--exactly 1 year before what he hoped would be their wedding date--then treat her to dinner. But when Caisha came home from work with a headache, she told
him all she really wanted to do was go to bed.
"She said, 'Dont push me,'" Scott recalled, smiling.
Panicked but not wanting to give away the surprise, he called his mom and one of his best friends for advice. They told Scott he had to go through with it. So he proposed that same night while Caisha was relaxing in bed. Needless to say, her headache vanished and the couple spent the rest of the evening celebrating at a friend?s house.
Scott and Caisha spent the next year planning their non-traditional beach wedding. When it came to choosing colors, they each agreed to pick one without consulting the other. The end result was lime green and hot pink. They also went to several bridal expos with Scott's mom and dad--the guys were responsible for tracking down photographers and DJs, the girls took care of everything else. Scott and Caisha had decided on a photographer out of Indianapolis when local photographer Christi Nelson approached them at a bridal show. She'd heard them talking about their beach wedding and said she really wanted to shoot it. They checked out her portfolio online and decided it was a perfect fit.
The week of their wedding had finally arrived, but the couple never stressed about details falling into place. They didn't have time. Scott and his parents remember the phone call they each received five days before he and Caisha were supposed to walk down the aisle--his fiance had been involved in a serious car accident on the Indiana Toll Road. Caisha spent the rest of the week in a lot of pain--nursing a sore back, a black eye and three stitches on her forehead.
The realization that the crash could have been much worse put everything into perspective for the couple and their families. On their wedding day, Scott and Caisha didn't mind the August 22, 2009 forecast called for wind, rain and temperatures in the 60's at the Washington Park Beach in Michigan City. The entire wedding party braved the elements, walking down the aisle barefoot. Instead of the traditional unity candle (which wouldn't have worked in the wind anyway) the Moyers had a sand ceremony. Their mothers poured in black sand, Scott poured green and Caisha poured pink to create a beautiful design they'll cherish forever.
After the wedding and reception, most couples go on their honeymoon then eagerly await proofs from their photographer. But Scott and Caisha had already scheduled a second photo shoot to "trash the dress" a month after saying their vows.
"Trash the Dress" is a craze sweeping the country. Brides will either use their own wedding gown or buy a less expensive one and literally trash it in dirt, mud, sand, water, paint or anywhere else you wouldn't expect to see a bride in her wedding dress. The object of a "trash" shoot is to get creative, unusual and unexpected photos. Caisha bought a $99 gown at David's Bridal and unlike most "Trash the Dress" shoots, her husband took part too.
If you ask the couple what makes their relationship work, they have a tough time finding a way to put it into words. The Moyers will eventually tell you they "just understand each other." And by now, they know the unexpected will always make their lifelong journey together well worth the ride.
Washington Park Beach
Michigan City, IN
Reception Location:
Krueger Memorial Hall
Michigan City, IN
Photographer:
Rawsii
Mishawaka, IN
Wedding Gowns:
Bernardo's for the Bride
South Bend, IN
Wedding Gown:
David's Bridal
Mishawaka, IN
Hair & Nail Salon:
InStyle Salon
Goshen, IN
Tuxedos:
A Paris House of Bridal
Michigan City, IN
Wedding Rings:
Sorg Jewelers
Elkhart, IN
Catering & Rentals:
The Skillet
South Bend, IN
Rental Company:
Tables & Tents, LLC
South Bend, IN
Accomodations:
Comfort Inn & Suites
Michigan City, IN
Reception DJ:
A Sound Investment
Elkhart, IN
Rehearsal DInner:
Albano's Pizza
Michigan City, IN
Honeymoon:
Riu Vallarta Resort
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico