Not all love is happenstance and meet-cute stories. Sometimes, we take destiny into our own hands and make our life into what we dreamed of. “We have a modern love story as we met on Match.com,” says Brian, when asked about how he and Danielle came to fall in love. “I gave the natural approach of meeting someone organically my best shot, with poor and inefficient results.”
During their year-long engagement, Danielle and Brian worked together in all aspects of wedding planning and coordination. Brian adds, “Danielle was more of the ‘creative director,’ for sure. She’s always the one with the vision, and I make myself useful when it comes to logistics and functionality.” The outdoor setting gave them ample room to create just what they had envisioned for the day. “There were large farm tables delivered, rustic accents, and my dad’s property which came complete with puppies and chickens to tie it all together,” said Brian.
They didn’t want anything too stuffy or formal. Being attached to a strict timeline was something Danielle felt would stifle the pure joy of the celebration of their love. “We took out some ‘unnecessary’ or traditional wedding events and made sure the focus was more on having a good time and enjoying the people around us,” she explains.
Danielle also has sound advice for brides about the stress of wedding planning and the worries of meeting others’ expectations. “The day is a celebration of the love between you and your partner, and the wedding is a display of that love to your friends and family. The wedding is an opportunity to reflect you as a couple.”
Their wedding day was filled with fun and laughter, not just for the couple but for their friends and family as well. Danielle recalls the comical teasing of Brian by the groomsmen when they pulled out handkerchiefs to hand to him during the ceremony as an entertaining highlight that she will always cherish, “He’d cried the night before at the rehearsal dinner. It was hysterical and well executed.”
For Brian, there is no question about what was the most memorable part of the wedding. “The kiss!” he says. “There was so much build up, just standing there across from her, wanting so badly to kiss and hold her throughout the ceremony. When I was finally able to connect with her and kiss, it was explosive for me.”
The beauty of their commitment to each other is what has struck Brian the most since they tied the knot. “It’s all about our unit, our family and all conversations are now in this new context of lasting forever,” he says.
—Abigail Blank
