Even though Mara Martin (she/her) and JD Martin Dentinger (they/them) were in the same professional fraternity in college, they only crossed paths years after graduation, when they were both living in San Francisco. After two years together, they moved into their new apartment together and to celebrate, Jane took Mara to their rooftop to pop a bottle of champagne…and, you guessed it, the question! Mara said yes, of course, and returned the proposal with her own weeks later on their roof again. She presented Jane with a ring that matched her own in white gold and a Cameo video from Michael Franti, whose concert first brought the couple to Saratoga, California.
Once engaged, the couple fell in love with Hakone Gardens for their wedding venue. It felt like the perfect blend of their individual roots—a Japanese garden to represent Mara’s family and located in Saratoga, a similar name to Saratoga Springs, New York, where Jane grew up. To help bring their vision to life, the two brought on Emily Gaikowski of Heartthrob Weddings, and Bourne Paper Co. set the tone for the weekend with a beautiful invitation suite.
For their trip down the aisle, Mara fell in love with a non-traditional two-piece Cortana look, which had touches of Japanese references. And Jane couldn’t get a Claire La Faye lace gown out of their mind, which reminded them of the wedding dresses worn by their mother and sister. Bridal boutique Wild Bride was a big help in finding their ceremony looks, and stylist Allison Bornstein aided in the curation of the wedding weekend jewelry and the beauty direction. On the day-of, Mara and Jane got ready with makeup artist Nikol Elaine and hair stylist Sarah Jordan, who made them both feel like the best versions of themselves.
On June 11, 2022, the early evening ceremony was set in the Hakone Garden and officiated by Dennis Connors of NextGen Acting. After he set the scene with heartfelt introductions, Jane and Mara shared personalized vows before exchanging rings in front of the floral arch by Amanda Vidmar Design. “I was a wreck,” Mara says. “The moment the wedding party began walking down the aisle, I burst into—happy—tears. I don’t think I stopped crying the entire ceremony. I wish I could bottle up the feeling during the vow exchange. It was the most incredible mix of sheer adrenaline from the day and peace knowing I was about to officially marry the love of my life!” Jane adds, “Knowing that I was going to be giving my vows first, I was trying my hardest to keep it together—but we were all following the lead of Mara’s emotions! There was not a dry eye to be seen.”
Once announced as a married couple, the newlyweds led their guests to cocktail hour on the patio of a gorgeous reconstructed 19th-century Kyoto tea merchant’s home. For dinner, everyone returned to the garden to enjoy a delicious family-style meal by Toast, followed by the wedding cakes by Butter&.
The newlyweds had their first dance to the acoustic version of “Life is Better With You” by Michael Franti, which was the same song that Mara played when proposing to Jane. And after a joyous celebration with DJ Keelez, the party kept going at The Bank in Saratoga with late-night Taco Bell and more core-memory moments.
Not only did their wedding mark the beginning of their marriage, but the couple received donations to many organizations close to their hearts in lieu of gifts, including the San Francisco Transgender District.
