Red River Gorge Elopement at Hemlock Spring and Miguel's Pizza

Sidney and Taka’s elopement was at the gorgeous Hemlock Springs in the Red River Gorge. Their ceremony was under a canopy of trees nestled in the forest. Sidney looked beautiful in her tulle wedding dress with a beaded top. Her bouquet was filled with white flowers and assorted greenery. Taka was handsome in his grey suit and green bowtie. After their ceremony, we celebrated by taking some romantic and fun photos. Then, Taka and Sidney cut their cake on the back porch of the barn and had a dance under the string lights. Afterward, we went to Miguel’s Pizza and celebrated the night with delicious pizza and Ale8.

Sidney and Taka first met in 2017 while he was studying English in America. Sidney was an instructor at the English program, and he told her every day that he loved her and that she was pretty. On Taka’s last day in America, he gave Sidney flowers and asked her to give him a chance to get to know her. Their first date was in Osaka, Japan, at the Osaka Castle. Together Sidney and Taka love hiking, eating, traveling, and learning new things like languages, cultures, philosophy, and woodworking. Just trying anything new is what they love to do.

Taka proposed to Sidney at the top of Mt. Maya in Kobe, Japan. It overlooks the harbor and is the third most beautiful night view in Japan. Proposals aren’t a thing in Japan like they are here in America, so Taka was really nervous, and it was kind of an odd sight there for the people around them. Taka bought Sidney’s engagement ring from a pawn shop in Japan because she insisted on not contributing to blood diamonds. Sidney’s wedding band was Taka’s maternal grandmother’s wedding band. Sidney and Taka have two unique aspects to their relationship that makes them special. First, they come from completely different lifestyles. Sidney was raised in Southern US culture, and Taka is from one of the biggest cities in the world in Japan. So they have a lot of differences, but they are able to talk through them and combine what they like and change what they don’t like about that. So being a cross-culturally biracial couple has its challenges, but it’s also really fun to create their own style. Second, Sidney and Taka lasted long distances for a year and a half due to the pandemic. They couldn’t travel to see each other because of border closures and Japan’s strict immigration policies for covid. It was really difficult, but they did something most say is impossible and are a lot stronger and more confident in their relationship because of it.