Sam & Sierra will tell you that the story of how they met was perfectly ordinary: a little “boy meets girl” on their college track team. But, ladies and gentlemen, if their first look is any indication for just how everything has gone after that, I’d say they are pretty much set for a beautiful life together! Think, the breathtaking expanse of the Bonneville Salt Flats meets the unique romance of a veiled cape. Yes. A cape.
That’s magic itself, in my opinion.
A word from photographer, Amy Golding:
“In imagining their wedding, Samuel and Sierra knew they wanted to share their First Look at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The sprawling fields of sparkling salt adorn almost any bride perfectly, but with the enchanting cape Sierra had picked to go with her gown, this scene had to be plucked from a dream. It was in this personal and intimate setting, that as photographer Amy Golding captured their First Look, Samuel surprised Sierra with a stunning wedding band to complete this intimate and joy-filled moment.”
Love notes from the couple, Samuel & Sierra:
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
Samuel: “Sierra and I met while we were both studying in college. We both had the opportunity to compete on the NCAA track team. To be completely frank with you, I wish that I had a really cool story about how we fell in love the moment we met or that we knew we would date/get married. My first impression of Sierra was, ‘a new freshmen class has come.’
However, the first time that I ever truly spent time with Sierra outside of practice, I thought, ‘Wow, that girl is really cool.’ At the time, Sierra was single, but I was not. To make matters worse, I was leaving for the summer to work in San Fransisco. Once I returned, I really started to like hanging out with Sierra. We would attend football games and go to dinner together and I knew that not only was she beautiful, she was an awesome person to hang out with.”
Tell us a funny story relating to your relationship!
Samuel: “When I started liking Sierra, she was actually dating another person. Because we both competed on the same track team in college, the majority of the time we spent together was on the road at track meets with out her boyfriend. I remember thinking on several equations ‘Man, I think that Sierra and I could make a pretty cool couple.’ After she broke up with her boyfriend, I still doubted the possibility of Sierra and I dating based on the fact that I had self diagnosed her type of man. I noticed that the majority of guys that Sierra was interested in were what I call ‘husky.’ Weighing barely 160 pounds and standing 6 feet 6 inches tall, I was certain that I was way too skinny for her liking. Now that we are married, one of my favorite inside jokes with Sierra is that she married the ‘near perfect guy– just 50 pounds too light!'”
What is your favorite thing about each other?
Sierra: “My favorite thing about Sam is his personality. When he walks into a room, he fills up the room and lightens the mood. He somehow always knows how to always put a smile on my face. He has learned how to read me, a task that he described as “impossible.” I know that if there is ever a moment that I need to be cheered up, my husband can do that for me.”
Samuel: “I love that Sierra can always take a joke. She insists that she married a 12 year old at times. I’m sure that my immaturity can drive her crazy, but she never shows it. She always laughs, even if I can tell it’s a ‘pity laugh.'”
What part of your wedding day was most important to you?
“When we initially started planning, we sat down down together and talked about what the most important part of our day would be. Every bride has the desire for their wedding day to be perfect and Sierra was not an exception to that but ultimately we both came to the same conclusion. We decided that spending time together and remembering our ceremony was the most important part to us. After the ceremony, we both took a minute away from everyone to talk about and write down how we felt. That moment is something we will both cherish for the rest of our lives together.”
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
Sierra: “My favorite part of planning the wedding was seeing everything come together. During our six month engagement, I felt like the plans would never run smoothly and that our wedding might end in a disaster. Even leading up to the wedding, both Sam and I felt like this might not work out the way we planned. However, our wedding day could not have been more perfect. We loved every second of it.”
What is the best thing you’ve learned from one another?
Sierra: “Sam’s perspective will obviously be much different from that of mine. Prior to our marriage, I knew nothing about the game of basketball. In two short years of dating, I can name the entire Laker’s roster. With another few decades of marriage in front of us, OUR new goal is to become Laker season ticket holders.”
Samuel: “Prior to marrying Sierra, I had no idea how many things that I needed to improve. For instance, I learned that decorating a home has nothing to do with comfort and everything to do with colors. Also, never deal with a problem by saying ‘calm down’ or ‘it’s no big deal.’
On a more serious note, Sierra has taught me the true meaning of love. I thought that I knew how to love, but she always is teaching me new ways. She’s the easiest person to talk to, has the best shoulder to sleep on, and always knows how to serve me when I am in need. That is one of the reasons that I married her, though she constantly amazes me with her love.”
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
Samuel: “I would tell them you get to know your partner well enough to be comfortable around them at all times. Have the tough conversations, let your guard down a bit and truly get to know one another. Sierra and I made sure to align or goals and overall outlook on life prior to tying the knot. If you have different values or goals, your relationship will be much more difficult.”
What is the most honest thing you can say about love?
“Love comes first. Money, shopping, and basketball all come after. Though there are other things that make the two of us temporarily happy, our true love for each other is what keeps us eternally happy.”
photographer: Amy Golding / venue: Bonneville Salt Flats / stylist, floral designer, planner, and designer: Bridesmade Events / dress boutique: Pritchett Bridal / dress designer: Elizabeth Cooper Design / hair stylist: Hannah South of Pro Do Blow Dry Bar / film lab: Goodman Film Lab
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