How they met: The couple met when John, a real estate agent, did business at the title company where Tiffané was working.

How they got engaged: “I surprised her on Christmas morning,” John says, by putting the ring box inside several boxes. “She kept opening these boxes, and the boxes got smaller and smaller.”

Details, please: The couple wanted to honor their agricultural roots while at the same time host an elegant affair. The vineyard venue helped them achieve both goals and offered views of the Sacramento River, one of John and Tiffané’s favorite spots. During the ceremony, the couple took communion, held a prayer and blended sand, symbolizing the blending of their lives. John’s grandfather Mario Ceresa served as his best man. (John had been his grandfather’s best man when he remarried in 1994.)

First glance: Photographer Teri Fode captured the couple seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day, with Tiffané stepping out of the limo and John walking down the path toward her. “That was very cool,” says Tiffané. “It was really meaningful,” adds John.

Weather report: The 103-degree late-summer day was cooled by the Delta breeze just as the ceremony got under way—and was topped off by a remarkable sunset. “We had one of the best sunsets to hit Sacramento,” recalls John. Then, at the end of the evening, it started to drizzle. “It was like a kiss from God just ending the night for us,” says Tiffané.