Waterfall Lodge and Retreat

Ceremony

Reception

Friday afternoon cruise on the Chardonnay

Our Wedding

Shannon and Cody were both born in Santa Cruz, California. Cody lived there all his life, while Shannon grew up in Marin County. Shannon moved back to Santa Cruz in 2016 to attend graduate school at UCSC. She started teaching dance classes at the downtown studio Motion Pacific, where she made amazing friends. Two of them, Annie Hubbard and Mariah Hart, loved to scroll through Shannon’s Bumble app to try and find a Santa Cruz boy for Shan. They came across Cody’s profile during a girls' night out and recognized him from their childhood; they had gone to school with Cody and thought he’d be a great match for Shannon. Cody and Shannon started texting and planned a date in June 2021. They met for a drink at Abbott Square on Pacific Avenue and had instant chemistry. They played pool at Surf City Bar and spent almost every day together for the rest of that summer. Cody and Shannon got their first apartment together in Aptos in 2023. After a year, they decided to move to Folsom, where Shannon teaches first grade and Cody takes classes in aero mechanics at Sacramento City College. In August 2024, they adopted a rescue dog -- a black-and-white Staffordshire terrier mix named Moo, and he is the light of their lives! Cody and Shannon spend their spare time paddleboarding on Lake Natoma and walking Moo on the many trails in Folsom. They can’t wait to start this new chapter of their lives!

Our Story

Photos

Shannon's big sister Kyla lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Graham. Kyla and Shannon were inseparable growing up, being only two years apart. Kyla has always been Shannon's biggest role model.

Kyla Ainsworth Peck

Diana has known Shannon since the day she was born. The Ainsworths and the Thygesons were neighbors when their daughters were born in the '90s. Diana feels very much like a second sister to Shannon.

Diana Thygeson

Amber and Shannon met freshman year in the dorms at the University of Oregon. They became roommates, sorority sisters, and lifelong besties. Amber lives in Roseville CA with her husband, Chad. Amber and Chad inspired Cody and Shan's move to the Sacramento area.

Amber Sousa Tucker

Sarah and Shannon met in kindergarten at Pleasant Valley Elementary in Novato. They grew up doing Girl Scouts, school band, and many musical productions together. Although they live far apart -- with Marth working as a performer and photographer in NYC -- they are still as close as ever.

Sarah Marthinsen (Marth)

Shayla and Shannon grew up together in Novato. Their early years were full of sleepovers, summer dance camps, Girl Scouts retreats, and musical productions. Shayla lives in San Diego with her husband, Mike, and newborn son, Makai.

Shayla Shimasaki

Abby and Shannon met in 2016 when they attended UC Santa Cruz for their graduate teaching program. They survived student teaching together and made lots of amazing memories in Santa Cruz. Abby lives in Santa Monica with her husband, Grant, and son, Wesley.

Abby Devlin

Robbie is Cody's older brother. They grew up on the west side of Santa Cruz, where they spent much of their childhood in the ocean. Robbie married Melissa, another Santa Cruz local, in July 2025. Robbie is a firefighter for CalFire.

Robert Wright

Kai and Cody were buddies in high school and spent their time skating around the west side together. Kai has been like another brother to Cody through all of life's ups and downs. Kai is a photographer and still lives in Santa Cruz. 

Kai Davis

Chad and Cody met through Shannon's close friendship with Chad's wife, Amber. Chad and Cody share a love for sports, video games, and mimosas. Their friendship has grown since Shannon and Cody's move to the Sacramento area, only 20 minutes from Amber and Chad!

Chad Tucker

Tommy is Shannon's cousin on her mother's side. Cody has enjoyed spending time with Shannon's family throughout their relationship and has developed a great friendship with Tommy, A Lafayette native, Tommy is a professional musician living in Los Angeles.

Tommy Holmes

Michael and Cody met through Cody's friendship with Michael's girlfriend, Mariah. Shannon and Mariah worked and danced together at Motion Pacific in Santa Cruz. Cody and Michael worked at many dance events together, supporting their girlfriends and the organization. Michael works as a photographer in Santa Cruz.

Michael Baba

Mariah and Cody grew up on the same street on Santa Cruz's west side. Their friendship grew when Mariah and Shannon started dancing together at Motion Pacific. Mariah helped to connect Shannon and Cody when they first met in 2021. Cody sees Mariah as the fiesty little sister he never had.

Mariah Hart

Wedding Party

Q + A

Waterfall Lodge & Retreat

The Waterfall Lodge &amp; Retreat is a hidden gem in the Santa Cruz redwoods. It has 80 acres of historic redwoods and hiking trails. The main lodge was built from reclaimed 19th century barn wood from Wisconsin along with redwood from downed trees milled onsite.We have reserved the entire retreat center from 4 PM June 17th until 10 AM June 19th. Waterfall Lodge has 32 beautiful onsite cabins and cottages which our guests may wish to book for lodging on the nights of June 17th and/or 18th. Cabin booking opens in February. Guests should book directly with the lodge. A custom link and code will be provided here. Hotel accommodations are also available offsite in Scotts Valley or Santa Cruz.The retreat is just 20 minutes from downtown Santa Cruz, but it can be tricky to find, so take note! If you plug Waterfall Lodge into Google Maps or other navigation apps, it will give you the wrong address and you will find yourself lost in the mountains! Instead, type in 180 Hidden Falls Trail, Ben Lomond.Parking for on-site cabin guests at the venue is very limited (45 spots) so we recommend that guests carpool. Additional parking for offsite wedding guests will be provided at a nearby church and a shuttle will be provided for the 6-minute ride to the venue. Guests staying offsite should park at St. Peter &amp; St. Paul Orthodox Church at 9980 Hwy 9, Ben Lomond. A shuttle will run about every 15 minutes.

San Jose Mineta International Airport is about a 40-minute drive from the Waterfall Lodge &amp; Retreat. Flying in to Oakland or San Francisco would add at least an hour to a drive to Ben Lomond.

San Jose Mineta International Airport

<a href="https://www.waterfallsantacruz.com/about" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.waterfallsantacruz.com/about</a>

Click here for 15% off room rate<a href="https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=SJCSVHF&amp;srpCodes=Q7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=SJCSVHF&amp;srpCodes=Q7</a> Just minutes from area beaches and the famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk, this hotel features spacious and comfortable accommodations as well as relaxing amenities in Santa Cruz, California. Hilton Santa Cruz-Scotts Valley features guestrooms and suites that are filled with unique amenities. Guests will enjoy free wireless high-speed internet access, microwaves and refrigerators. Enjoyable facilities at the Hilton Santa Cruz-Scotts Valley include an outdoor pool and well-equipped fitness center with Precor equipment. Guests can stay productive in the hotel's 24-hour business center. Stonehouse Bar &amp; Grill, located on-site, serves traditional California cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley

Located in Scotts Valley, 7.5 miles from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Four Points by Sheraton Santa Cruz Scotts Valley has accommodations with free bikes, private parking, a fitness center and a garden. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a shared lounge and a 24-hour front desk, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Guests can have a drink at the snack bar. Breakfast is available, and includes à la carte, continental and American options. The hotel has a terrace. Guests at Four Points by Sheraton Santa Cruz Scotts Valley will be able to enjoy activities in and around Scotts Valley, like cycling. Guests can use the business center or relax in the bar. San Jose Convention Center is 25 miles from the accommodation, while Pasatiempo Golf Club is 5 miles from the property. Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is 25 miles away.

Four Points by Sheraton Santa Cruz Scotts Valley

Travel

Enjoy your time on the beach riding the rides and swimming in the Pacific Ocean at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk!

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Enjoy shopping and restaurants in downtown Santa Cruz. Check out the bride's favorite spot, Bookshop Santa Cruz!

Downtown Santa Cruz

Walk down the Santa Cruz wharf and say hi to the sea lions, shops, restaurants, and views. Make sure to stop by Stagnaro Bros. Seafood where Cody worked for 10 years!

Santa Cruz Wharf

Have a picnic or go for a walk by the cement ship at Seacliff State Beach. This is where Cody and Shannon lived in their first apartment together, and also where Cody proposed! It happens to be where Shannon's mom and dad decided to get married back in 1989, so it holds a special place in our hearts.

Shannon & Cody

Shannon & Cody

Q + A

What should I wear?

When should I RSVP by?

Are children allowed?

Can I take pictures during your ceremony?