Third time’s a charm for Cloverdale couple

After one wedding ceremony, two receptions and two photo shoots, Stan and Lacey Davis of Cloverdale still wound up with no wedding album. Until a group of locals took it upon themselves to make things right, that is.

Thanks to six Sonoma County professionals, the pair were able to step back into their wedding outfits in January and pose in a spot that was every bit as picturesque as Hawaii - their Cloverdale ranch.

“Now we have something to hang on our walls and look back on when we are old and gray,” says Lacey. “We feel so blessed. No words can express our gratitude.”

Lacey and Stan were born one day apart in 1981. Their grandmothers attended the same Cloverdale church and were close friends. Family members recall the pastor announcing their births during the same service.

Even though they met at church, saw each other at family functions and ran into each other around town as kids, they never dated. Lacey thought of Stan only as an acquaintance until she was older and living in Guerneville. Then one day, Stan spotted her while she was visiting her sister, and he asked who she was.

A two-year email relationship began, followed by texting and occasional phone calls. They finally met as adults, often going to Ruth McGowan’s Brewpub where Lacey’s sister worked. Once Lacey’s sister asked if she had kissed Stan yet. Lacey admitted she hadn’t.

“He was handsome and a really nice guy, alright, but he was also a family friend,” she said. “I guess I just hadn’t thought of him that way before.”

Lacey told Stan what her sister had said, and “he planted one on me right then and there,” Lacey said. “And we just knew. This was the real deal.”

Stan would have been fine getting married on their front porch, but Lacey had always dreamed of an island wedding. Last summer, they traveled there with 30 friends and family members, most of them from Cloverdale. Lacey calls it the best family vacation ever.

Unfortunately, their photographer made an error and lost most of their pictures. He apologized and refunded most of their money.

Back home and still determined to have professional quality photos taken, they hired another photographer referred to them by Christina Zegrean of Bella Vita Event Productions. Friends and family joined them at the Red Barn Ranch in Hopland for a potluck reception and another photo shoot.

Days, weeks and then months went by. The photos never arrived, despite numerous phone calls and emails. Lacey even called Zegrean, who also was unable to reach the photographer.

Feeling awful that she had referred the woman, Zegrean “told me not to worry because she was going to make it right for us,” Lacey said. “She called later and threw out a few dates for us to consider and then set up a complete redo of our romantic wedding shots at our ranch in Cloverdale.”

With the help of Zegrean, Natasha McGuire Photography, Makeup by Brittney Lee, Tatianna Bourget of The Parlor Salon, Monica Walters of Sweet Dust Creations and Queenie Tran Le of Queen Nail Spa, the finishing touch was finally added to the Davis’ romantic Hawaiian wedding.