Tiffany and David's Wedding

Tiffany and David

We were wed 1 August 2020
10 August Update

Tiffany and David were married in San Jose on the 1st of August, 2020. The 5:00PM ceremony was followed by hors d'oeuvres and then a dinner reception at 7:00PM.

We had planned this wedding date for a long time. We began with the thought "the two of us and someone to sign the license is a great place to start; after that everything is super-double-bonus".

Of course we wanted to include many family and friends (including you). Before we got into our list of people to join us we booked the GrandView so we could host any number of people.

Once we got back to thinking about people our list grew (and grew). We have friends and family from around the bay area, around the country and around the world. We wanted to share the day with all of you and you with each other. The celebration would have been grand.

Alas, we had to cope with an epidemic.

In the early days of the shut down we wondered if we'd have to revert to our most basic list: Tiffany, David and a signature. Still good but not what we'd hoped.

At one point society seemed to have the virus under control. It started to look like we'd have a party again. As our wedding day got closer the epidemic took a turn for the worse. So we wouldn't endanger anyone's health we minimized including not asking people to travel.

Our wedding celebration was very small, just a few family members. As the epidemic allows We are looking forward to share the day with you later. Maybe that will be in San Jose, maybe where you are. We hope it will include some of our community joining each other from their far-flung corners of the earth.

A Ring     A wedding begins with a proposal. David and Tiffany had a date in Santa Cruz. This included a walk to the lighthouse at the harbor entrance. David brought his camera to show Tiffany pictures from the past, present and future.

Santa Cruz Lighthouse

Pictures of the future came with a proposal and ring.

The Recently Engaged Couple

Venue     We had to find a place to get married. We picked the GrandView Restaurant on Highway 130 (Mount Hamilton Road) in the East Foothills overlooking San Jose. The GrandView is a few miles from our home, has great food, great service, could accomode a large event and, coincidentlally, has a grand view.

It was pre-pandemic when we decided on the GrandView and arranged things with them. Between the start of the lockdown and the re-openings and the re-lockdowns our plans oscillated. In the end we had a very limited affair. The GrandView worked with us to make sure we could keep everyone safe.

GrandView Map

The GrandView has three major areas. To keep everyone safe we did not use the indoor areas at all. We had the wedding and hors d'oeuvres in the lower patio area. We had the reception in the upper patio area. Yes, we did use the map to be clear so guests and staff alike could be safe. We also made a health department warning for everyone.

Health Department     This is what we had to say: Because of Coronavirus and the summer resurgence, we are limiting guests to family. While sad because we are unable to invite more family and friends, we want to protect everyone's health. For the few people who will join us, these are the health safety guidelines:

In these coronavirus times, we will need your help to keep everyone healthy. Here is what to expect.

Our wedding guests will have exclusive use of the GrandView venue. We will be outdoors for the entire duration of both the ceremony and the reception. Expect warm weather and afternoon breezes rising up the hill to go with great sunset views.

The GrandView will take temperatures and provide liberal amounts of hand sanitizer. We will have masks and gloves available for anyone who needs additional PPE. Please do not attend if you are not feeling well.

Tiffany and David may not wear their masks at all times but will plan to keep an appropriate distance from our guests at all times. We ask everyone else to wear their masks with the exception of when they are seated or separated into their household groups.

Our group of 25 guests will have plenty of room to celebrate. The restaurant capacity is many times our group size. The restaurant staff and people helping with the wedding will be wearing PPE and, except as needed, separated from us.

The event will be outdoors in two separate areas. The 5:00PM ceremony will be in the lower patio area. There will be chairs for all the guests and the entire patio area has been recently shaded. We intend to have the chairs separated by a comfortable distance, and you are welcome to move the chairs around if different households are closer than 6 ft to your household. There will also be small tables and extra tables behind the general seating area. After the ceremony, hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Dinner will be served around 7:00pm in the upper patio. The plan is for each household to have its own table. Tables will be appropriately distanced to give different households space from each other. There will be extra tables as well. As with the lower patio, the balcony is large enough that in normal times, it can accommodate many more people than our small group.

After dinner, we can continue to use both the lower patio and upper patio. The washrooms are indoors. Other than staff in the kitchen, the restaurant indoors will be otherwise empty.

Thank you for joining our wedding celebration and for your help to keep everyone safe.

Ready?     Venue's picked. Local family's assembled. It's time.

Welcome Sign

A quick check of the tie...

Welcome Sign

Now we are dressed and ready to go. Tiffany and David are waiting with flower girls Alana and Avery. It's almost time for somebody to queue the music.

Getting Ready to Walk Down

Steve Gary played the guitar for us. At our wedding he sat far apart, playing for our guests. We were lucky to find him at Steve Gary Music. He played "Air in D" by Bach at the start of the procession and played Pacabel's "Canon in D" for Tiffany's entrance. Before, during and after Steve kept us entertained. Even calling out to him way far away he was a jovial presence through the day. He was an outstanding guitarist and singer for our event.

Steve the Guitar Player

Here comes the bride...

Here comes the Bride

Here comes the vows....

Irene Kane officiated for us. She learned who we were, how we met, why we were getting married and did a lovely job telling stories to our guests and making us feel at ease. Irene's at Ceremonies and Celebrations.

vows

Irene declared us husband and wife.

Now pronounced man and wife

David, Tiffany, Zoe, Kai and Alana.

David, Tiffany, Zoe, Kai and Alana

Here's all the guests who could make it. They are all signed up for joining others once you, we, anyone can travel and celebrate. By then it won't be a wedding we're celebrating. It'll be a marriage and all of our lives.

Guests

After the ceremony we shot some pictures and had hours devours. (Okay, hors d'oeuvres)

Hanging on the Lower Patio

The reception moved to the upper patio. Steve played. David WAS the best man. He got the best woman. He made the speech. Steve played. Everyone smiled.


A grand GrandView dinner at the reception

A grand GrandView Dinner at the Reception

Wedding Menu     The GrandView took care of us.

Hors d'oeuvres
  • Steak Crostini with caramelized onions, horseradish aioli
  • Creamy Gorgonzola tartlet, balsamic roasted grapes, toasted pine nuts
  • Marinated bocconcini, sweet tomato skewers, GrandView farms fresh basil, virgin olive oil
Reception Dinner
  • Plated Appetizer - Jumbo Prawn & Scallop Scampi
  • Salad - Whole Leaf Caesar Salad

  • Choice of
  • Beef Filet
  • Swordfish
  • Wild Mushroom Pappardelle
  • Dessert - GrandView Cheesecake or Chocolate Torte
  • Wedding Cake

A good time was had by all.

Bride and Groom at Sunsent at the GrandView

Honeymoon     Given the epidemic and broad shutdown, we couldn't take the trip we'd hoped. Instead we sent everyone away and stayed at the San Jose house and at the Santa Cruz condo. Lucky us to have those choices. Along with some quiet time and some hikes we paddled the Santa Cruz harbor including out past the lighthouse where a proposal was given and accepted.

Tiffany SUP in the Santa Cruz Harbor
David SUP in the Santa Cruz Harbor

Invitation     Now the wedding is over. We didn't get to see everyone we'd wanted. We didn't get to introduce many of you to each other. We hope those who joined us and those who could not can all get together later. Not a wedding party. More, traveling to see each other over time with maybe odd groupings of you joining us and each other. We don't know when. We don't know where. Right now it's just a hope for the future.

Post Wedding Video Invitation

Video     There's one official video of our wedding. This is it

Tiffany and David's Wedding Video

No Gifts     As for wedding gifts, the toaster's already arrived. If you'd like to make us a card, draw a picture, something like that, great. Please, don't get us anything else.

Updates     Maybe we'll update this over time. Likely not. Please call if you have any questions.


Wedding Rings
Photos by Tyler Vu, Irene, Tiffany, David.