Inspirational Real Wedding stories
Albums in
Emerald and Blue Fashion Wowed at This Wedding at Goodstone Inn in Middleburg, Virginia
Picture this: You walk into a raucous college dorm only to be greeted by a shirtless boy biking around the hallway. That was Nikita Chauhan’s (29, a structural and architectural engineer) first encounter with James Esser (29, a computer and software engineer). The interaction left her “very confu...
Who Doesn't Love Pastels? A Colorful, Dance-Focused Wedding at Shinola Hotel in Detroit
In the warm embrace of a Northern Michigan summer soirée, Amy Beck and Gus Navarro discovered a magnetic connection that felt like destiny. “That first night, we figured out how much we were drawn to each other playing apples to apples,” Amy explains. Their playful spirits were a perfect match, a...
This Colorful Indian Wedding at Cline Cellars in Sonoma, California, Was Steeped In Tradition
Once upon a tune in college, Sveta Mohan and Raghav Paliwal crossed paths harmoniously. "We met in college over a decade ago on an a capella team," Sveta recalls. Fast forward through the crescendos of courtship, and there they were, in the heart of San Francisco. "I thought we were just going to...
Dark Detail Lovers—This Fall Wedding at the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum Is for You
There's nothing like pure serendipity on a getaway weekend. Jake Parrick fondly recalls, "We met in Nashville during the 4th of July weekend, and it was attraction (love, if you will) at first sight." The sparks flew between Jake and Ethan Campbell. When Ethan decided he wanted to pop the questio...
This Yellow-and-Blue Wedding in San Marcos, California, Drew Inspiration From Birds and Honey
Ada Ng (26, a medical school student) and Kevin Wang (27, a software engineer) met way back in high school, so it’s no surprise that they share quite a few inside jokes. And what better way to plan a wedding that authentically represents a relationship than to use humorous memories as inspiration...
’70s Disco-Glam Vibes Filled This Wedding at The Jane Hotel in New York City
“As queer people, we don’t often see ourselves represented in the stereotypical wedding aesthetic. It didn’t feel ‘us’ to try and force that vibe for our wedding,” say Max Aboody (33, a residential interior designer) and Eric Brodzinski (33, a product designer) of their October 9, 2022, celebrati...
A Desert Wedding With Midcentury Modern Touches at the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, California
A simple swipe on a dating app can lead to great things. Andrew Rohrlich recalls, "Being the eager beaver that I am, I asked Danny if he wanted to get coffee later that day." That coffee date with Danny Lewis marked the start of a lasting connection. "I literally felt sparks fly when Danny walked...
A Laid-Back, Effortlessly Cool Desert Wedding at Ground in South Africa
Some people meet at precisely the wrong time. When Robyn Pamela introduced herself to Nicci Campbell at a restaurant, both were in relationships with other people. "We became good friends," Nicci laughs. Their friendship deepened over time, and as fate would have it, they found themselves single ...
Pastels Abound at This Celestial-Inspired Wedding at Newcastle Golf Club in Seattle, Washington
After meeting through a mutual friend during their university days, Haoyan and Yilan struck up a relationship that would end up being lifelong. When it came time to plan their nuptials, the bride and groom offered a shared passion for the wedding aesthetic. "We both majored in Physics, so we pick...
A Multi-Day Celebration Full of Bold, Modern Details in Los Cabos, Mexico
Blind dates seem like a facet of days gone by, so when Samantha Berger and Shane Knowles got the chance to tag along with their friends on a blind double date, they both jumped at the opportunity. Who would have thought it would lead them to their forever partner? When it came time to pop the que...
Exclusive: Modern "Bridgerton" Vibes Filled Sean Taylor's Ornate Wedding at Dover Hall in Richmond, Virginia
Sean Taylor and Eric Carlstrom’s love story almost didn’t happen. “We had multiple missed connection moments and finally reconnected on Tinder years later,” Sean details. It was as though destiny was giving them a second chance to find each other. Their relationship faced its first major hurdle w...
A Wedding Expert's Classic Celebration Teeming With Personal Details at The Down Town Club in Philadelphia
“We first met at a party at Fairfield Beach in 2011, introduced to one another as ‘the only other person from Pennsylvania.’” Over the years, the connection between MaryKate Callahan, the Director of Content Strategy at The Knot Worldwide, and Brad Chleboski, who works in pharmaceuticals, grew an...
An Indian Celebration Surrounded by the Breathtaking Red Rocks of Zion National Park in Utah
"From the moment we started talking, we just clicked and became best friends right away," Krupa Patel describes of her and Dilan Talsida's initial meeting. Their connection was instant, as if the universe had brought together two kindred spirits. Krupa adds, "It was amazing to have someone who un...
The Legend of Zelda Inspired This Couple's Magical Wedding at Cielo Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California
Sometimes, the hallowed halls of your university are an idyllic place to form a love connection. Peyton Pierce reminisces on the start of her relationship with Mathew (Mat) Paton, "We met in college at what Mat would like to say was a party, but it was really a sorority fundraiser." Sparks flew o...
The Couple's Indian, Belgian and Ghanaian Heritage Filled Their Two-Day Wedding at Borgo Corsignano in Italy
Chloe Eyison and Claudio Eyison’s love story is one of serendipity. ‘We initially met on a night out in Dubai, UAE,” Chloe reminisces. Their first encounter was marked by friendly conversation, although they didn’t exchange numbers at the time. Fate, however, had more in store for them. Just a mo...
A Sustainable Wedding Embracing Nature at Pie Ranch in Pescadero, California
"We met while studying sustainable agriculture in Santa Cruz, California, in 2016," Leigh Gaymon-Jones recalls. Her connection with Beth Burzynski steadily grew over time, nurtured by the shared experiences, living and working together for a year and a half, and they began dating. Then, during a ...
Bright Colors and Impeccable Food Left Guests in Awe at This Wedding in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
For Paige Chenault and Stephen Lohoefer, friendship laid the foundation for lifelong love. “We were friends for years first. True friends!” Paige laughs. As destiny would have it, Stephen, the pastor of Paige’s church, ran into Paige, the founder of The Birthday Party Project, on a walk around th...
This Couple's Elegantly Emerald Wedding at Prospect Park Boathouse in Brooklyn, New York, Is Timeless
Oliver Saikaly and Nicholas Deising's love story began with a chance encounter through mutual friends during college. As their relationship blossomed, Oliver devised a secret plan for a breathtaking proposal that was sure to knock his beloved's socks off. "Originally, I wanted to surprise Nick wi...
Celebrity Event Planners Say "I Do" at The Hilton West Palm Beach in Florida
What do two professional wedding planners do when they find themselves engaged? Well, it turns out they’re just like us: Brian Kelly and Sean Koski faced a series of challenges orchestrating their own wedding. Yet, amid the twists and turns, they found a remarkable way to realize their idyllic vi...
The Bride Rocked a Gold Dress at This Uniquely Personal Beach Wedding in Auckland, New Zealand
The sparks flew between Claire and James Tucker on Tinder, and after five years of dating, the groom decided to pop the question. "James asked me to go on a stand-up paddle board near where we were moored on Great Barrier Island in New Zealand," Claire recounts. "When we got to the island, he pop...
A Playfully Pink Wedding With Vintage Vibes at The Sands Hotel in Indian Wells, California
Shutting down the bar on the first date? Definitely a sign of an ever-lasting love! When Hilary Hahn and Drew Simon connected through mutual friends, the spark was undeniable—so strong, in fact, Drew decided to venture a bold ask of his date. “He asked me to take me to Hawaii that night,” Hilary ...
A Black-Tie Affair With Modern Accents at The Baltimore Museum of Art in Maryland
Straight out of a movie, Isyis Robinson and David Robinson started their love story in the heart of the bustling city, where fate orchestrated their “meet-cute” at a Macy’s in downtown DC. “After only a year of dating, David proposed at City Center DC during Christmastime in front of a 75-foot Ch...
Chill Vibes Filled This Sustainable Wedding With Unique Touches in Carpinteria, California
Jacqueline Rabôt and Robby Massar met on what the bride describes as “a very quintessential LA evening: a friend’s movie night.” The atmosphere that evening encapsulated the essence of the city’s charm. On this cinematic night, they discovered a shared passion that intrigued t...