Intimate Elegance: A Grand Island Mansion Wedding

04-19-2023

A bride and groom kiss while seated along the edge of the fountain outside the Grand Island Mansion.

At the center of any wedding day is promising your love to each other for always. And since you’re going to the trouble of planning a wedding, it’s also the perfect time to wave that wand and turn a few wishes into reality. Leading up to Naomi and Jay’s wedding day, bride Naomi shared with me her two wishes for the big day: to look and feel like a princess and get married at a mansion. And judging by what I saw play out at their Grand Island Mansion wedding, I’d say they accomplished exactly that.

Born in entirely different latitudes (and countries), the odds were against Naomi and Jay ever meeting. And yet they look back and see how God brought them together through something as unexpected as a Christian dating app. Once they both found themselves in-person and in Sacramento, their relationship took off. They seasoned their attraction to each other with adventure (flying over Lake Tahoe!), kindness, faith, and generosity. It wasn’t long before they knew marriage was the obvious next step.

They set about planning their wedding and they found the perfect spot to bring their vision to life: the Historic Grand Island Mansion. Built in 1920, a wealthy fruit and vegetable farmer constructed this home in Italian Renaissance style. It has rested for over a century upon the shores of the Sacramento River Delta. Not only do the four floors of the mansion feature 52 rooms, but the grounds cover 24,000 glorious square feet. Indeed, this is the largest private estate in Northern California. But it’s the details that count, and my favorite features were the manicured gardens out front of the house. You should see the fresco wall and courtyard at the rear. But I happen to know that Naomi and Jay liked the fountain best of all.

And so as that spring morning arrived, here’s how their intimate wedding unfolded . . .

Sign for the Historic Grand Island Mansion

And that’s how this American princess and Jamaican prince began their marriage. As far as their happily ever after goes, I know they’ll give each other their strength and love every day of their lives. But when they’re running low, I trust they’ll look to God for their strength.

Naomi and Jay, your wedding day was a treasure that I hope you keep in your hearts forever. And as excited as I was to see you married, I’m even more excited to see who you become next. All the best, you two!