WHAT WERE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF STAYING WITHIN YOUR BUDGET AND HOW DID YOU MANAGE IT?
We were able to stay pretty close to budget by doing the planning and tabletop decor ourselves. I had my family help set up between the ceremony and reception, which was such a huge help! There were a lot of little details we didn’t initially budget for, but as we got further into planning they became must-haves-such as a basket of flip-flops for the dance floor, wraps for our guests to keep warm, custom Nikes for my husband and I, and gifts for our bridal and groom party day-of. We did not have a photo booth, but I really wish we did!
HOW DID YOU MEET?
We met on Bumble! We immediately clicked and started chatting daily, and then finally met in person two weeks later, the day after Christmas. After our first date, we were inseparable and together as much as we could be! Fun fact, I came really close to canceling our first date-not because of him, but because I wasn’t really sure I was ready to go down the dating road again. I am so glad I didn’t cancel, because the minute he walked through that door I immediately knew I had found someone truly special.
WHEN DID YOU BECOME ENGAGED AND HOW?
We got engaged one year after we met, at the same restaurant and spot we had our first date. He planned ahead and invited all of our family and friends out for a “holiday dinner.” One by one, people showed up and I was clueless as to what was going to happen. I had my back to him ordering a glass of wine, and then he tapped me on the shoulder, got down on one knee, and all I remember is immediately crying and saying “yes.”
#WEDDINGGOALS
We wanted the day to be relaxing, as stress-free as possible, and for all of our guests to have the time of their lives on the dance floor. The music was really important to us—we handpicked every song
our DJ played.
HOW DID PLANNING GO? FAVORITE TIME? WORST MOMENT?
Because we planned it all ourselves, there were definitely moments of stress when needing to make decisions. Making sure we weren’t forgetting anything, getting our RSVPs back, and the seating chart were, by far, the most challenging! My husband and I planned every detail together. He was so involved with all of it—it was so special to share this together and include details in our wedding that were important and meaningful to him, to me, and our kids. Everything we did reflected our personalities and interests, and sitting down to dream it up and plan it out with him was among my favorite moments.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF WEDDING PLANNING?
The seating chart! I will be a very happy woman if I never have to do another seating chart again.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CEREMONY? WAS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT MADE IT UNIQUE TO YOU AS A COUPLE?
We wanted a quick ceremony (so we could get to partying!) yet meaningful and intimate. Having our kids part of the wedding party standing right next to us was the most beautiful part of it all, because this wasn’t just about the two of us-it was about us coming together as a family. My husband is a basketball coach and really wanted to get married in Nike Jordans, which is exactly what he did! I loved that he got to inject his personality into what he wore when getting married.
ANY MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM YOUR RECEPTION? TOASTS? FUN DANCES? PERFORMANCES?
Hands down, the kids’ speeches. There was not a dry eye in the room!
SPECIAL DANCE SONGS
First Dance: “Stay” by Noah Thompson
Family Dances: Father/Daughter — “Sweet Pea” by Amos Lee; Mother/Son — “Forever Now” by Michael Bublé; Bride, Groom & Kids — “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart
Last Dance: “Home” by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR DAY, FROM EACH SPOUSE’S PERSPECTIVE?
Ashley: There are so many great moments, it’s hard to narrow down what was the “best”-walking down the aisle and seeing my husband waiting for me at the end is something I want to relive over and over. I couldn’t get to him fast enough! The kids, and seeing how happy they were, is something I will never forget. We didn’t proof their speeches ahead of time, so we heard them for the very first time along with the rest of our guests, and I can’t really put into words how special it was to hear in their own words what this union meant to them. The day was truly all about the five of us.
Brendan: The best part of the day for me was the first look I got when Ashley was walking down the aisle with her dad. Admiring her beauty and smile while wearing the dress she’d bragged about for months was absolutely amazing to see for the first time. I had a tough time holding it together at that point. Having our girls, friends, and family there to witness and be a part of our day was a dream come true.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE DETAIL FROM YOUR WEDDING DAY?
We got married on the rooftop overlooking the lake. When the sun set, every single guest got incredible sunset photos. It was the perfect backdrop for our day, and although it wasn’t a detail we could plan-it had rained all the way up to the day of our wedding, so we were unsure if we would still be able to have the ceremony and reception outside. The weather turned out perfect, and the sunset showed up in a huge way for us!
#VENDORRAVES
My photos and flowers were INCREDIBLE!! My pictures turned out better than I could have imagined, and our flowers were absolutely perfect and exactly as I wanted them.
LOOKING BACK, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR GUESTS WILL REMEMBER MOST ABOUT YOUR WEDDING?
The kids, and how involved and happy they were on that day.
WHAT TIPS OR ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO COUPLES PLANNING THEIR WEDDING TODAY?
Just relax, enjoy the process! The stress will come and go, but the day is all about you, and no one will ever know if there are details missing or things that didn’t go according to plan. Enjoy the ride that got you to this day, and take time during the wedding to sit and take it all in with your new spouse.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE?
Nothing. It was everything we wanted!
