Gar Woods Wedding | Kati and Sam

Kati and Sam’s love story began in San Francisco in 2018 and blossomed over shared adventures in Tahoe. After getting engaged at Cavallo Point in January 2021, they knew they wanted a simple, elegant wedding in Tahoe, surrounded by the beauty they cherished.

Their special day at Gar Woods was filled with personal touches, from white florals and a custom dress to their beloved bernedoodle, Gumbo, playing a key role. Surrounded by family and friends, Kati and Sam celebrated their love in a perfect blend of heartfelt moments and joyful memories.

In preparation for the big day, Kati shared, “After trying on dresses, I hadn’t found anything I loved. I had the opportunity to work with the team at And Something Blue in San Francisco to create my own dress. I loved the simple, structured details and how luminous the silk mikado was. I wasn’t sure if I was going to wear a veil, so I purchased one on Etsy. I ultimately decided to wear it! My shoes were super comfy from Loeffler Randall.”

As Kati and Sam shared, “We selected July 7th, as it was part of the 4th of July week, which is special to both of us. We invited friends and family to join us for a few days of activities on and around the lake!” Surrounded by loved ones, they celebrated a day of love, laughter, and unforgettable memories.

“Rather than stay in a hotel, we selected an amazing house right on the water with some of our best friends. We jumped into the water every morning, and loved sitting out on the dock.”

“Sam decided on a white tuxedo jacket. We loved the contrast with the water and scenery in Tahoe!”

“Our dog, Gumbo, was an important part of the wedding as well. We gave him a trial at the rehearsal and decided he behaved well enough to join us for the wedding the next day. My sister made him his floral harness out of matching ranunculus to our bouquets.”

Reflecting on a special moment from their wedding day, Kati and Sam said, “We decided to do a first look, so we could spend more time with family and friends at the main event. Kati surprised Sam on the dock outside of our house.”

“We went on our first trip to Tahoe together in the summer of 2019 for the 4th of July. This quickly became a tradition, staying with friends in the same neighborhood on the West Shore…”

“We focused on white florals and decor, with colors similar to those you would find in Tahoe - light blues, rich greens and accents of gold. The florals featured white ranunculus and snapdragons as a tribute to Sam’s mom Anthea, who had passed several years before.”

“On the day of the wedding, the weather was perfect! Kati walked down the aisle to Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift. The live band did an incredible job switching between classics like Frank Sinatra and contemporary hits throughout the evening.”

“It was surreal to have all of our favorite people in our favorite place. It was so hard to leave any one event because we kept seeing people to hug and say hi to. We had a welcome party the night before outside in the mountains, which was so much fun!”

“After a sweet ceremony performed by one of our best friends, it was official!”

“We toasted to everyone at a cocktail reception outside on the lawn right next to the lake.”

“Our top priorities for the wedding were a great venue, a great band, and a great photographer. We lucked out with all three!”

“After cocktail hour, we headed upstairs for dinner at Gar Woods, a classic Lake Tahoe institution. Since Sam and I love to travel together, we named each of our tables after cities we had gone to together.”

“First dance was to an acoustic version of Cruise by Florida Georgia Line.”

“After that, the band absolutely killed it. At one point, someone at Garwood’s asked us to stop jumping because the entire building was shaking. Thank you for tolerating us! The wedding wrapped up around 1…”

“Then, it was time to go home. We were so grateful to everyone who made the trip out and made the day SO amazing and fun.”

Elsa BoscarelloComment