The Hour Approaches
Until We Say “I Do”
A new chapter, written in El Dorado Hills.
Saturday · August First · MMXXVI
Chapter One
Our Story
Four years, countless passport stamps, one clean whiskey.
The Silly Goose
The Silly Goose is a downtown Memphis cocktail bar with dim lights and a long cocktail list. It’s where, on a company night out, we had our first real conversation. Brittanie has the kind of energy that lights a room. David spent the rest of the night happily in her orbit.
Brittanie ordered her usual: a dirty martini. David asked for a whiskey, neat. Then Brittanie, doing what Brittanie does, marched back to the bar and ordered him a “clean whiskey.” The bartender, to his credit, asked how to make one. (It’s just a whiskey, neat.) The phrase stuck.
Four years, two continents, a passport full of stamps, and one very earnest proposal later (November 15, 2025, in which David forgot every word he’d rehearsed), here we are. The speech, he promises, is saved for the aisle.
2022
First “clean whiskey”
11·15·25
The question, asked
Chapter Two
The Venue
A wedding at home: our backyard, under the California sky.
The El Dorado Hills Residence
Backyard ceremony & reception
6012 Ladero Way
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
- Arrival6:00 PM · Welcome & Gather
- Ceremony7:00 PM · Backyard
- Cocktails & Dinner7:30 PM · Ongoing through the evening
Open in Maps →
Where To Stay
Town Center & Travel
We’ve reserved a room block at the Holiday Inn at El Dorado Hills Town Center, and the Town Center itself is a gem worth exploring.
Holiday Inn · Room Block
4360 Town Center Blvd, El Dorado Hills, CA
- Group CodeBKW
- Rate≈ $170 / night
- Book ByJune 4, 2026
- ShuttleHired all night, hotel ⇄ home
Other hotels work too, of course. The block is simply the easiest path, and shuttle service runs straight from the Holiday Inn to our door and back throughout the evening.
El Dorado Hills Town Center
A small love letter to the neighborhood.
Town Center is a walkable little oasis: think tree-lined courtyards, fountains, and a weekend-long list of excellent reasons to arrive early or linger on Sunday.
- DiningHigh-end restaurants & patios
- CafésEspresso, pastries, slow mornings
- Spa & MassageWalk-in ready
- Cigar BarsFor the nightcap crowd
- Around EDHFolsom Lake, wineries, rolling hills
Getting To El Dorado Hills
Just east of Sacramento, on the way to Lake Tahoe.
- By AirSacramento (SMF) ~45 min Drive
- By RoadUS-50 · Exit El Dorado Hills Blvd
- ShuttleHotel ⇄ home, all evening
Chapter Three
The Programme
An evening in the backyard, a live band, and the best of us under the stars.
Saturday, August 1 · 2026
6:00 PM
Welcome & Gather
Our home · El Dorado Hills
Come early, settle in, say hello. Welcome cocktails poured on arrival and a quiet half-hour to mingle before the ceremony.
MinglingCocktails
7:00 PM
The Ceremony
In our backyard
A short and tender ceremony under the California sky.
OutdoorsBackyard
7:30 PM
Cocktails, Dinner & Reception
Ongoing through the evening
Dinner, toasts, and a live band playing late. No interval — we simply slide from ceremony into the party.
Live BandDinnerDancing
All Night
Shuttle Service
Hotel ⇄ Home
A shuttle runs between the Holiday Inn room block and our home throughout the evening — hop on whenever suits you.
Complimentary
The overall theme is GREAT GATSBY — art deco, a little sparkle, a little swagger. No pressure to lean in; the only rule is that it’s meant to be fun.
Chapter Four
Dress Code
Cocktail attire for an evening wedding. Lean art-deco if you like; it’s a bonus, never a requirement.
The VibeCocktail, with a wink
Come as you’d dress for any evening cocktail wedding. If you’d like to lean art-deco, the Flourish list below is your invitation, not a homework assignment.
Suggested palette
- I.
Ladies
Cocktail or floor-length. Beading and a little sparkle always right.
- II.
Gentlemen
Suits, tuxedos, or a sharp dinner jacket.
- III.
Shoes
The ceremony is in our backyard, mostly hardscape underfoot. Block heels and flats will thank you.
- IV.
Flourish
Feathers, fringe, long gloves, a pocket watch, drop waists, beading, anything art-deco. Lean in if you like; truly no pressure.
- V.
Avoid
A small ask: skip ivory, champagne, and anything that photographs as white.
Chapter Five
The Album
A few favorites from the road to this celebration.
