Our Elopement and Wedding Story
- Lacy
- Aug 14, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Our Story
Having a wedding was never a dream of mine. I didn’t know what kind of wedding dress or ring I wanted, like many other friends I grew up with. I just didn’t envision it for myself. However, when I met the love of my life from Brazil, we naturally wanted to get married and start our lives together.
When I called a wedding chapel in Las Vegas to book our elopement, they asked me just five simple questions:
Date
Time
Color of roses
Elvis or no Elvis (We chose no Elvis — nothing against it, it just wasn’t our style.)
Photography or not Videography or not Limousine to pick us up or not
“Great! We’ll see you in three weeks,” they said.
I was shocked. Was that it? Was my wedding really planned already?
It was fast. It was simple. And most importantly — it was completely stress-free.
Three weeks later, we were married and began our life together in San Francisco.
What I Didn’t Realize at the Time
That experience quietly set a standard for me.
There were no vendors to research or chase down.
No confusing contracts.
No uncertainty around pricing or payment schedules.
No timelines to manage.
No waiting days — or weeks — for people to respond.
I didn’t have to be on the phone constantly coordinating moving parts or worrying that I was doing something wrong. Everything was clear, upfront, and handled. I could simply show up and enjoy the moment.
At the time, I didn’t fully realize how rare that feeling was.
In the months that followed, my mom started telling me that she wished I would have a wedding reception. I’m the oldest daughter in my family, and I hadn’t invited my parents to the Vegas elopement.
“Let’s just go look at some dresses for fun,” she said. “No pressure.”
I reluctantly agreed — and of course, I tried on the most beautiful, jaw-dropping dress.
“I’ll buy it for you,” she said, “if you have a wedding reception.”
And just like that… she had me.
Planning a Wedding the Traditional Way
Once we decided to host a celebration, I was suddenly introduced to the world of traditional wedding planning — and it felt very different from our Vegas experience.
We had to figure out:
Which vendors to contact
Who was available on which dates
What each contract actually meant
How and when payments were due
What pricing was fair (and what wasn’t)
How everything fit together in a timeline
Responses were often slow. Details felt fragmented. And much of the responsibility landed on us to coordinate everything ourselves.
It wasn’t bad — but it was heavy. And it made me realize how overwhelming wedding planning can feel, especially for couples who don’t know the “right” way to do things or simply don’t want to spend months managing logistics.
Cabin Heaven is a family property, and we had spent countless weekends there with friends and family — but we had never used it for events.
In October 2014, Zan and I were married on the knoll on a beautiful fall day. I included the elements that were truly important to me and let the rest go.
We focused on:
Being present
Celebrating with the people we loved
Letting the mountain setting speak for itself
The day felt easy. It felt joyful. And it felt right.
The Moment Everything Clicked
After our wedding, several guests told us how special the space felt — and how different the experience was from other weddings they had attended. Many said we should start having weddings on the property.
That’s when it clicked.
I realized I loved doing something that feels stressful for others — and turning it into
something calm, clear, and intentional instead.
I knew firsthand what it felt like to:
Want clarity instead of complexity
Want fewer decisions, not more
Want transparent pricing
Want support without pressure
Want to enjoy the experience, not manage it
And I knew I could offer that to other couples.
That’s how Cabin Heaven was born — and the rest is history.
If you’re looking for a wedding experience that feels calm, intentional, and fully supported, that’s exactly what we’ve created with our packages.
~ Lacy
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