Emily is no stranger to wedding planning—after all, she’s the associate editor of Real Weddings Magazine—but that didn’t mean that planning her own wedding was a breeze. “Wedding planning was hard,” she says. “It probably didn’t help that I looked at weddings all day only to come home and look at more.”

Emily and Mikey met in the “normal” way, at least for modern daters: on an app. But what’s not as normal is the fact that their first date lasted 11 hours. “My best friend and dad highly suspected I was kidnapped,” jokes Emily. The two dated for three years before Mikey popped the question casually one weekday morning over coffee and donuts. “I started crying before I even said anything, and just asked her,” Mikey says. “It was pretty pathetic, but she said yes, so joke’s on her!”

The two got to work planning an elegant but laid-back celebration at their venue, which they customized with touches special to the two of them. A bridesmaid designed the signage, Emily’s parents made the table numbers and dessert stands, and they made a custom “Mr. & Mrs.” sign that harkened back to the proposal: a cup of coffee for Mikey and a donut for Emily. They also included signage bearing quotes from “The Office,” one of their favorite shows. “Our welcome sign had a quote from Dwight Schrute,” says Emily. “He says to Angela, ’I just want to be friends. Plus a little extra. Also, I love you.’ It may sound silly to some, but that show means a lot to me and it’s something that I’ve been able to share with Mikey, so it was important to incorporate into our wedding day.”

The couple skipped traditions like the garter toss and bouquet toss to avoid interrupting the party. It was the right decision, as Emily says her favorite part of the reception was having plenty of time to dance with everyone in attendance. But Mikey’s favorite part of the reception was all about dancing with Emily, especially when one of her favorite songs came on and everyone watched as the two of them tore it up together on the dance floor.

Overall, Emily and Mikey were surprised at how low-stress the day was, especially since Emily says she was indecisive and overthinking every wedding planning decision. She expected to be overwhelmed with anxiety and nerves on the big day, but says she felt calm and comfortable from the vows to the speeches to the dancing. But in retrospect, Emily thinks she knows why that was. “I committed myself to Mikey a long time ago, so choosing to spend my life with him was easy. When you love a person so endlessly, there’s nothing to it when you choose them to marry.”

—Suzie Dundas

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey

The Maples Woodland Autumn Midcentury Modern-inspired Wedding by Valley Images Photography Emily and Mikey