In the Winter 2011 issue of Pacific Weddings, Editor-at-Large Shaunna Nygren pens her own wedding journey, and for the first time ever, Pacific Weddings features a real wedding beyond the Pacific. Here is an excerpt from the original story, first mentioned on Love Notes with details of Shaunna's inspiration. The setting is the small town of Marshfield, Massachusetts at the bride's childhood summer home on the coast of New England. (For more photos and the rest of the story, pick up a copy of the Winter-Spring 2011 Real Weddings Issue.

I first noticed Jason two years ago at a café on Maui’s North Shore. He was witty, intelligent and completely unlike anyone I had met before. After spending a weekend camping with a group of friends in the rugged terrain of Kanaio, he had my interest. Jason hails from New Mexico, while I am a born and bred East Coaster. A shared love of travel and exploration was immediate, and we became acquainted through tales of wanderlust and adventure. Within months of our meeting, Jason had gifted me a round trip ticket to any destination in the world, and before long, we were writing and photographing our way around India and Southeast Asia.

A year later we found ourselves back in the States, happily engaged and excited to wed! We thought autumn in New England to be the perfect time to host our seaside wedding. We really wanted to create an easy-going environment for our families to join together without the typical formalities that come with such an affair. My parents’ beach house in Massachusetts provided the ideal setting for our nautical-inspired wedding. Marshfield is a sleepy coastal town that quiets down in the fall. I particularly love the off-season by the sea. Having spent many years in the Hawaiian Islands, I discovered a newfound love and appreciation for New England’s coastal charms, and I really wanted to share this with our out-of-town guests. Family and friends arrived from around the world, traveling from Hawaii, New Zealand, Canada, California and Arizona. We kicked off the week-long celebration by hosting an intimate dinner at a favorite seafood restaurant, Haddad's Ocean Cafe, famed for creamy clam chowder and baked lobster. The following night, celebrants gathered at the Nygren family's rental cottage to enjoy a home-cooked spread of Southwestern fare, courtesy of the ladies in Jason's family. All agreed that it was one of the most memorable nights for delicious food and warm company.

When it comes to our musical leanings, Jason and I are a little bit country but mostly rock and roll. We knew songster Evan Kenney of the band Bodega Girls was the man to call upon to satisfy our eclectic taste on the dance floor. The musically inclined party-goers danced the night away to classics by Hall and Oats, James Brown and Tom Petty, to name a few. Even our letterpress wedding invitations were inspired by country music legend Johnny Cash. On a road trip through Nashville, Tennessee, we found inspiration in old concert posters that lined the nightclub walls. Kansas design outfit Hammerpress came to mind in recreating the country western look and feel we desired for our invitations. The cheeky stationery set encouraged guests to don mustaches per the request of the groom. What began as a silly idea turned out to be a great conversation piece when our male attendants arrived clad in impressive facial hair!

As a surprise gift, my brother Brett put on a fireworks show to send us off as husband and wife. The entire day was a celebration of family, friends and, most importantly, love. We set our sights on the horizon and joyfully embraced our new adventure.