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San Francisco Chronicle Style Section Cover – Christophe Genty Photography
The May 23rd wedding of Stacy Wakefield and Bruna Rocha was held at Flying Cloud Farm with nearly a hundred guests attending, many from Oklahoma. Wedding Photography at The Flying Cloud Ranch in Petaluma, CA – Christophe Genty Photography
It was a Friday night in January 2012 and Stacy Wakefield was out dancing with friends at a Castro bar. A recent transplant to San Francisco, she’d been single since she arrived from Oklahoma City, Okla., earlier that year and she was just a little bit on the prowl. Known for being cautious, Stacy, who works in marketing for a financial startup, enlisted the help of one of her posse to find her a woman of interest. Her friend returned with Bruna Roche, a boisterous, outgoing, beautiful Brazilian. Both felt immediate chemistry. They danced and over the noise Stacy, now 30, asked for Bruna’s number.
Several days later, Stacy called to arrange a date. On a rainy evening outside a Financial District bar, Stacy, in an unusually bold move, leaned in for a kiss as Bruna fumbled with an umbrella. It was game on from that moment forward.
Though their cultures are wildly different, the couple say they share similar values. Bruna, 32, now a paralegal student and working as a nanny, has been in the U.S. since 2007. Stacy, a native of Oklahoma, says her Midwestern values parallel Bruna’s, who hails from central Brazil. Personality wise, they say they balance each other: Stacy is more organized and “centered” and Bruna is more “carefree” and is the executor of their many plans.
The two became engaged in 2014 while visiting Italy to hike the trails of the Cinque Terre. After a long, beautiful day, Stacy, who’d been hiding a ring in her pocket, fell to one knee and proposed — in Portuguese. Bruna, shocked, took a moment to comprehend her native language and then, in tears, accepted.
Plans for their Petaluma wedding took much of the next year. Each wanted to wear a gown, but neither wanted the other to see it before the ceremony. They shopped together, though in separate rooms, while the staff at Novella Bridal made sure their selections would complement each other. Stacy chose a full-length chiffon beaded column with a sheer back, while Bruna wore a classic lace fitted gown with a plunging back.
The May 23rd wedding of Stacy Wakefield and Bruna Rocha was held at Flying Cloud Farm with nearly a hundred guests attending, many from Oklahoma. Wedding Photography at The Flying Cloud Ranch in Petaluma, CA – Christophe Genty Photography
The May 23 wedding was held at Flying Cloud Farm with nearly a hundred guests attending, many from Oklahoma. Bruna was overwhelmed the moment she saw her bride in the gown; the highlight of the day for Stacy was sitting at dinner, gazing over a sea of supportive family and friends.
Guests dined on Spanish pixtos and paella, a favorite of the couple from their European travels, executed by Park Avenue Catering in Cotati. In Brazilian tradition, they finished the wedding meal with a variety of truffles, and 10 variations were offered during dancing, including some containing whole grapes.
By the end of the evening, families with kids whom Bruna had cared for were still dancing as Mrs. and Mrs. Wakefield spirited away to the Ledson Hotel in downtown Sonoma for a few days of privacy before settling back in their Mill Valley home.
“The whole day involved a lot of work, but I would have married her 10 times if it were possible,” said Bruna.
“We both dreamed of getting married our whole lives like most people do, and to finally experience the joy and love was amazing,” said Stacy, who is already planning the anniversary party they’ve promised to throw in 25 years.
Louise Rafkin is a Bay Area freelance writer. E-mail: style@sfchronicle.com
AT A GLANCE
Dresses: Novella Bridal, San Francisco
Hair and makeup: MC23, Ross
Flowers: Catherine Scott, Sonoma
Cake: Branching Out Cakes, San Anselmo
Caterer: Park Avenue, Cotati
Photographer: Christophe Genty, Napa
Venue: Flying Cloud Farm, Petaluma
DJ: DJ Jeremy, San Francisco
Video: Inventive Weddings, David Schloss, Sonoma
Live music: Heart Strings, San Leandro
Photo booth: City Bay Photo Booth, San Francisco