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My name is Sara Aranda and my fiance, Patrick Hodge, and I are planning our dream honeymoon! This page is mostly a platform for friends and family to donate their gifts for our wedding and reception, instead of a physical gift. Read a bit about our story and what we plan to do for our honeymoon below!
How We Met:
In 2014, I took on the daring task of moving to Colorado by myself. I was ready to create a new life and explore areas outside of California, where I was born and raised. I had heard of a place that was home to climbers from all over the world, a place that culturally embraced fitness and health on a whole new level, and resided right along the Rocky Mountains. With no job or home lined up, I packed up and went, ready to embrace all to come. After spending a month on the road, and climbing in places like Indian Creek for the first time, I finally landed in Boulder at the beginning of December. After a week of applying for jobs from the local Starbucks, I was hired at Movement Climbing + Fitness, a stellar climbing gym right in town. My first day was 12/11/14.
Patrick and I met right after Christmas, 2014 at that very gym. I worked the front desk and Patrick would pretend to not have his scan card so that I could manually check him in. I thought he was really cute so I made it a point to remember his name. Every once in a while he would ask about a book I was reading at the desk and he'd share some random, but witty quote, or I would catch his eye and smile. He would often trip over things or end up going in the wrong direction after I'd flash a smile his way - it was super cute! Almost two months later, I had to work on Valentine's Day. Patrick and his buddy Johnny showed up and it guaranteed to me that he was single! And when it was time to close up the gym, Patrick and I started chatting. We immediately talked about climbing of course, and he asked if we could climb sometime. I said yes and he ran off like a happy puppy to grab his cell phone. I gave him my phone number and now here we are, over a year later, ready to share the rest of our lives with one another.
Our Climbing Wedding:
Our climbing wedding will happen on top of The Incredible Hulk, a stunning granite feature in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We will climb the Red Dihedral, 5.10b, to the top for a short ceremony to be officiated and filmed by Cheyne and Jessica Lempe, and crew. We hope to have friends at base camp, waiting to celebrate with us. Hot springs and car camping in the Mammoth area will likely happen afterwards! So from July 10-17th, we will be waiting near Bridgeport, CA for our perfect weather window. Once we know we'll have great weather, we'll hike in, set up camp, then climb the following day, camp another night, then hike out. We'll keep everyone updated!
Patrick and I have shared numerous adventures together from our first date on a snowed-in hiking trail to road trips chasing climbing destinations. Climbing has been the main activity we share and are passionate about, playing a major role in our goals and expectations of a life together. He has taught me so much about mental strength while climbing and he has been the most patient and generous climbing partner of mine, always dependable and always psyched. He is strong and motivated, and we keep each other dreaming for what's next! It's so easy to live an adventurous life with Patrick and we're only getting started!
So why the climbing wedding? Since climbing is such a major part of our lives, we of course want it to be a part of our union. It brought us together and it has shown us the endlessness that exists, from travel to fitness. While climbing can be difficult and scary, it is also a commitment to your partner, and to the route, requiring peak mental and physical performance. The journeys one goes through while climbing can range from utter panic to utter bliss: and isn't that what happens in life? Life can be rugged and cold, or smooth and exciting. The climb we will perform for our wedding will symbolize life and all of its trials - things may not come easy, and hiccups are a fact of living, but sharing my life with Patrick has only made me stronger. Anything life has thrown our way, we've only grown closer. So at the top of The Incredible Hulk, we will be on top of the world, ecstatic about life and how our minds and bodies have brought us there, with the beauty of the mountains in witness.
The Honeymoon: (Updated 9.24.16)
As we get closer to the Fall, we are looking at: Costa Rica for October and Indian Creek for November. Ideally, we would like to spend the rest of Winter traveling to new climbing destinations, especially on the East Coast, like the Red River Gorge, New River Gorge, Chattanooga, and others. Patrick will be returning to work by the Christmas Holiday season. I will likely return after New Years.
The biggest expenses will be airfare to Costa Rica and Mexico, and gas for the road trip East to Indian Creek and destinations nearby. While traveling in the States, we will be living out of my Jeep Cherokee in true dirtbag style (unless somehow we magically become van owners)! Our honeymoon travels will officially begin October 1st, 2016 with our flight to Costa Rica!
Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far!
How We Met:
In 2014, I took on the daring task of moving to Colorado by myself. I was ready to create a new life and explore areas outside of California, where I was born and raised. I had heard of a place that was home to climbers from all over the world, a place that culturally embraced fitness and health on a whole new level, and resided right along the Rocky Mountains. With no job or home lined up, I packed up and went, ready to embrace all to come. After spending a month on the road, and climbing in places like Indian Creek for the first time, I finally landed in Boulder at the beginning of December. After a week of applying for jobs from the local Starbucks, I was hired at Movement Climbing + Fitness, a stellar climbing gym right in town. My first day was 12/11/14.
Patrick and I met right after Christmas, 2014 at that very gym. I worked the front desk and Patrick would pretend to not have his scan card so that I could manually check him in. I thought he was really cute so I made it a point to remember his name. Every once in a while he would ask about a book I was reading at the desk and he'd share some random, but witty quote, or I would catch his eye and smile. He would often trip over things or end up going in the wrong direction after I'd flash a smile his way - it was super cute! Almost two months later, I had to work on Valentine's Day. Patrick and his buddy Johnny showed up and it guaranteed to me that he was single! And when it was time to close up the gym, Patrick and I started chatting. We immediately talked about climbing of course, and he asked if we could climb sometime. I said yes and he ran off like a happy puppy to grab his cell phone. I gave him my phone number and now here we are, over a year later, ready to share the rest of our lives with one another.
Our Climbing Wedding:
Our climbing wedding will happen on top of The Incredible Hulk, a stunning granite feature in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We will climb the Red Dihedral, 5.10b, to the top for a short ceremony to be officiated and filmed by Cheyne and Jessica Lempe, and crew. We hope to have friends at base camp, waiting to celebrate with us. Hot springs and car camping in the Mammoth area will likely happen afterwards! So from July 10-17th, we will be waiting near Bridgeport, CA for our perfect weather window. Once we know we'll have great weather, we'll hike in, set up camp, then climb the following day, camp another night, then hike out. We'll keep everyone updated!
Patrick and I have shared numerous adventures together from our first date on a snowed-in hiking trail to road trips chasing climbing destinations. Climbing has been the main activity we share and are passionate about, playing a major role in our goals and expectations of a life together. He has taught me so much about mental strength while climbing and he has been the most patient and generous climbing partner of mine, always dependable and always psyched. He is strong and motivated, and we keep each other dreaming for what's next! It's so easy to live an adventurous life with Patrick and we're only getting started!
So why the climbing wedding? Since climbing is such a major part of our lives, we of course want it to be a part of our union. It brought us together and it has shown us the endlessness that exists, from travel to fitness. While climbing can be difficult and scary, it is also a commitment to your partner, and to the route, requiring peak mental and physical performance. The journeys one goes through while climbing can range from utter panic to utter bliss: and isn't that what happens in life? Life can be rugged and cold, or smooth and exciting. The climb we will perform for our wedding will symbolize life and all of its trials - things may not come easy, and hiccups are a fact of living, but sharing my life with Patrick has only made me stronger. Anything life has thrown our way, we've only grown closer. So at the top of The Incredible Hulk, we will be on top of the world, ecstatic about life and how our minds and bodies have brought us there, with the beauty of the mountains in witness.
The Honeymoon: (Updated 9.24.16)
As we get closer to the Fall, we are looking at: Costa Rica for October and Indian Creek for November. Ideally, we would like to spend the rest of Winter traveling to new climbing destinations, especially on the East Coast, like the Red River Gorge, New River Gorge, Chattanooga, and others. Patrick will be returning to work by the Christmas Holiday season. I will likely return after New Years.
The biggest expenses will be airfare to Costa Rica and Mexico, and gas for the road trip East to Indian Creek and destinations nearby. While traveling in the States, we will be living out of my Jeep Cherokee in true dirtbag style (unless somehow we magically become van owners)! Our honeymoon travels will officially begin October 1st, 2016 with our flight to Costa Rica!
Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far!