Frequently Asked Questions

We said "I do" on a misty morning in November.

The ceremony, lunch, and shooting reception was held at a local Rod and Gun Club.

On the property, there were two major locations to note: the first was the large clubhouse which guests drove past on their way to the location of the ceremony.  The second was the skeet field, where both the ceremony and (after lunch) the reception were held.

We hope to revisit where we met, engaged, and married in the future.

The best gift our guests gave us was their presence during the day of the ceremony!

However, after no less than eight separate inquiries, Vince kept (semi-) jokingly saying "Bass Pro Shop."  Despite a fondness for Bass Pro, Trish was having none of that.  So they registered at Crate & Barrel (because it sounds like Wing & Barrel)  as well as Target (just to keep the Shotgun Wedding puns going).   They were horrible at picking out proper wedding gifts, so have some good laughs at the quizzical selections they made.

Imagine you were getting ready to go out on a date in San Francisco.  Guests dressed in layers as though they were going to take Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) into the city, stroll around the Embarcadero, and ducked into a restaurant later.  

Shoes: Weather permitting, the ceremony and parts of the reception were outdoors, so shoes that traversed unpaved ground made life easier.

Dress: Whatever made guests feel classy without sacrificing comfort.

For the folks who were not familiar with the layout of the club, we encouraged them to arrive around 10:00 AM.  For our range family, we asked that they please be present no later than 10:15 AM.  

Weather conditions allowed us to start promptly at 10:30 AM.

For those running late, they were asked to keep their speed to 5 mph on the property. It would be bad if Vince had to yell as General Manager for speeding (he was trying to take the day off).

We would loved to have seen everyone stay for the entire event, but understood that many were taking time out of work or did not feel comfortable with the reception event.  We were just happy they made it out at all!  Given the gorgeous weather and enthusiastic turnout, we shot clays until just before sunset.

The club officially closed the entrance to the public at 4:00 PM, but some stayed and spent time with us as the club bar. We recommended bringing a camera to take photos and a comfortable pair of shoes to walk along the point.

Historically at Richmond, the weather is partially cloudy and temperatures are in the high 50s and low 60s around mid-November mornings.  We recommended that people bring a set of light gloves & their favorite hat/beanie if they were not used to the cooler, overcast weather.

We were very lucky it didn't rain that week, but up to the wedding, suggested to keep a windbreaker or even umbrella handy in the car.

The property had some gorgeous views along the skeet fields.  At the end of the road is a roundabout & fishing point to go visit.  The club's fishermen may be present and hauling in their latest catch.  From the skeet field on the way to the clubhouse is the rifle range where the "You Again??" moment occurred.  If you haven't visited the property before, it can be interesting to watch one of the 15-minute firing cycles.

Since there was firearms involved during the reception, no alcohol was be served during lunch.  However, after the reception at the skeet field, the club bar opened at 2PM with inexpensively priced drinks ;)

We asked them to let us know in advance!  We had at least one vegetarian option available.

There was! We asked friends and family members to please be responsible and trust that they were vaccinated (or have tested negative for COVID).  One of the reasons why we held the wedding and reception on the skeet field is so we could enjoy being with everyone.  Inside the club house, everyone was welcomed and encouraged to wear masks.  If it was still a pain point in coming, we requested them to please let us know (depending on demand, we had a plan for outdoor seating)!

Given that Trish and Vince are enthusiastic shooters who regularly participate in various shooting disciplines, it felt relevant to invite the family and friends into one of our favorite activities.  The firearms shot at the skeet field are shotguns, a type of long gun that fires a cloud of shot versus a single projectile.  The "loaner" guns in particular were under-over shotguns chambered in 20 gauge (Tri-Star Setter S/T).

Over 68% of our guest list were either professional/licensed instructors, masters in their competitive division(s), or club range safety officers, including on the skeet field where guests were shooting.  Since everyone followed all instructions and followed the basic safety rules, shooting clays was very safe & the day was incident free! There were many range officers among the guests present to help have a fun and safe outing. If anyone was unsure, they were encouraged to ask!

Though the wording may change from organization to organization, these are the basic tenants of all responsible firearms operators:

1. Always treat every firearm as though it were loaded.

2. Never point the firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Always keep your finger off of the trigger until your sights are on target.

4. Know your target and what is beyond it.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has a set of "Ten Commandments" in written and video form that are a good reference point if you are not familiar with shooting.  Check out this video: NSSF 10 Rules of Firearms Safety.

Check out this awesome Shotgun Stance and Mount video that our friend & Top Shot Champion Chris Cheng generated for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (he recorded this video on Bay 5 at the action range in 2017).

On the day, several of our friends guided small groups of people on the "how to" of holding and firing a shotgun.  Guests were told to please reach out to Vince or Trish for more details or to address further concerns.

Themselves!  Well, if they had their own ear protection, they brought that. It was especially convenient if they had safety glasses (prescription lenses or sunglasses worked as well). There were loaner safety glasses available and single use foam ear plugs. If they owned a shotgun, guests could bring their own (though the ammo was limited to 12 or 20 gauge). A good attitude and a willingness to learn a new, fun skill is all we asked of our guests!