Love story…
Zach and I were introduced by a mutual friend Chelsei! He thought I was cute, I had thought the same about him, she played Cupid. One night while I was out with Chelsei, he messaged me on Instagram. A year and a half later he asked me to be his Mrs!
The proposal was straight out of a movie, he did so good! He teamed up with my mom, who scheduled family photos out at Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm (one of my favorite places ever) so that all of my grandparents, my parents, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins were present; but none of them knew what was going to happen! I told him “oh, I have family photos today I’ll see you after,” or so I thought!
After we took photos my brother said he needed my help with getting something out of the Harvest Barn before we took off. My brother and I along with my parents have worked at bishops for over 10 years, so it wasn’t strange that he would need something out of the barn.
When I walked into the barn I saw string lights – I thought oh someone left the lights on since it was right before Christmas. Then the song “grow old with you” by Adam Sandler started playing and I noticed a path of roses and sunflowers. As I followed the path, I saw a bunch of photos of us on pallets in frames all with memories and reasons he loved me. Next to them I realized what was happening. As I turned around he had his parents and my best friends standing holding posters with reasons he loved me…he got down on one knee. I cried and I said YES!
My parents had invited everyone over after for an engagement party where they had decorated the house up and had a bunch of yummy treats and food ready. It was the perfect day!
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I had actually gotten to try on wedding dresses right after getting engaged because I got to be a part of the AE bridal fashion show at the bridal show in 2019. I thought I would have the hardest time finding one when it actually came time to look because I seriously loved every dress in the shop! In 2020, one of my best friends Gabby, who works at AE Bridal, asked me to be in the show again – and that’s when I found my dress.
I was thinking sleeves and lace with a long train for my big day…then she pulled this amazingggg spaghetti strapped Stella York off the rack. As soon as I saw it sparkle I loved it! I put it on and it zipped up like butter. It was nothing like what I thought I’d wear on my big day but everything I wanted all at the same time. After Gabby styled me with a veil and bouquet, I looked in the mirror and I knew. I felt like a bride in that fitting room and I knew on my day, I needed to wear that dress.
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My mom gifted me her wedding dress for Christmas the year we got engaged. Since the dress couldn’t be cleaned (they said it would most likely get ruined/fall apart), I decided to do something better and have it made into items I could use. I had a robe, bouquet wrap, ring bearer pillow, hanger, and garter belt, and a teddy bear made. I also had lace handkerchiefs made with my handwriting embroidered to give my parents on the big day. My “something blue” was a blue bow on the garter made from my dads work shirt, which we also added to the bear. Getting to have a piece of my parents’ wedding day in mine was special to me. |
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My brother and his now fiancé Stephany gave me a portrait they had drawn up of me in my wedding dress with my grandma as an angel and my mom in her MOB dress. My grandma Mary passed April 28, 2020. Our wedding day was April 24, 2021 so the anniversary of her passing was right around our wedding day. They gave it to me in a handmade frame and as a small charm clipped to a piece of lace from my mom’s wedding dress so I could have it on my bouquet. I bawled my eyes out. It was the sweetest most thoughtful gesture. |
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Ever since I was a little girl I had said I wanted my bridesmaids in black with bright colored flowers. When the time came to actually plan our wedding I was indecisive for months and went back and forth on if black dresses were right for the month of April, what flowers were the right choice, etc. When it came down to crunch time I said black dresses are a go! BEST. DECISION. EVER.
We got married at Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm. I loved that 2 of the most important memories of our lives happened at the same place.
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At the ceremony the rings were forgotten in the bridal suite! We stopped the ceremony for about 5 minutes so that I could get married with MY ring.
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We had a flower man and a flower girl. I had saved a couple flowers from most of the bouquets he had gotten me and then crushed them up. Our flower girl drove down in a pink jeep while our flower man threw petals of dried flowers that Zachary had given me since we started dating.
I also loved that I got to walk down the aisle with my dad after he drove me down in the truck that he and my brother built.
My little brother A.J. got ordained just so he could be our officiant. We got married in front of the alter that A.J., my parents, and Zach built!
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I chose to do succulents with a mauve and cream blend of flowers in lieu of the bright Gerbera Daisies I had wanted as a little girl. For decor I wanted cute and simple – nothing elaborate because it just wasn’t the vibe! I wanted fun and casual. So that’s what we did. Very simple decor but it all came together nicely.
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I surprised my dad during the father daughter dance with “lean like a cholo”!
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Any advice to future brides:
Do an unplugged ceremony – the last thing you want in all your wedding photos is a ton of people holding cell phones in them. Have your officiant announce no photos or videos at the ceremony, but during reception they can take all the photos they please!
BE PRESENT. Don’t focus on what is not going “according to plan”. I regret not being more present. I wanted everything to go “perfectly” but it just never will. You will spend so long planning and worrying for ONE DAY. So enjoy it every single minute because it flies by!
