Inspirational Real Wedding stories
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For a Wedding Planner, Surprise Nuptials in Her Maryland Backyard Were Just the Ticket
Imagine this: Your good friends get engaged and invite you to celebrate at a local bar. Except, upon arrival, you learn that you won’t be raising a glass to an upcoming wedding—it’s happening today. To celebrate their love, Angelica Laws (32 and a wedding planner) and Melisa Matthews (34 and a ph...
This Colorful Mod Wedding in Santa Barbara Included Mood Rings, Goldfish, Sand Castles and a Marching Band
There’s creative and then there’s absolutely and utterly visionary—and the Southern California beach wedding of Mychaela Miller (32 and a nurse practitioner) and Giancarlo Silva (35 and a media executive) was undeniably the latter. The couple wanted “something very memorable, out of the box, inte...
One Couple's Colorful and Bold Multicultural Wedding in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Isabel Skau and Jeremy (Jez) Swanson first locked eyes across the churchyard in November 2019. Jez was busy organizing an event for the Sunday school program and doesn’t quite remember meeting his beloved’s gaze for the first time. However, he does remember receiving a friend request from Isabel ...
Timeless Romance Blended With Chill Lakeside Vibes at This Sewanee, Tennessee, Wedding
John Fisher had an elaborate plan to propose to his college sweetheart, Noni Hill. “John tricked me into thinking we were going camping one spring weekend,” describes Noni. “He surprised me with a note in the mailbox directing me towards a surprise plane ticket to Seattle that boarded just an hou...
We Can't Stop Dreaming About This Couple's Romantic Wedding at Santa Barbara Historical Museum in California
Three months after a serendipitous introduction to Mudra Patel (34 and a VP of product management), Paul Cressman (35 and an attorney) knew he wanted to marry her. “In fact, I told his little sister that very thing. She was just such an amazing person, with such a kind heart, and everything just ...
Anemones Inspired This Industrial-Meets-Art-Deco Wedding at Red Space Events in Cleveland, Ohio
Lucas (Luke) Franz and Logan Fahey planned a springtime wedding featuring a beautiful fusion of classic and modern elements. As their wedding planner, Nora Culley Tuck, shares, “The words they used in our initial design meeting were ‘Art Deco’ and ‘industrial.’” The wedding highlighted a sleek, b...
Prepare to be Royally Wowed by This Opulent, Maximalist Wedding at Dover Hall Estate in Richmond, Virginia
Kelly McLean and Corey Mahoney go way back. “Corey and I were high school sweethearts,” Kelly shares. “Our connection was so instantaneous and organic that we were only friends for a few weeks before we decided to date.” It was at Barboursville Vineyards, one of their favorite spots in Charlottes...
This Wedding at Basilica Hudson in Upstate New York is a Masterclass in Rocking Bold Colors
Brittany Hicks and Manny Sevillano’s love story is a testament to the power of friendship, laughter and dance. Their journey began in college, where they had many mutual friends but didn’t know each other very well. They reunited in New York City after graduation and quickly became close friends,...
Minimalists Will Swoon Over This Orange-and-Blue Wedding at Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, California
Even on the most mundane of days, fantastic things can happen. A typical day at work for Maggie (handling the front desk at the Berkeley Art Museum) and Mario Azary (a visiting landscape architect) turned into an electric meeting between the two. “Mario invited me to dinner after my shift ended, ...
Calling All Wes Anderson Fans—This Quirky Wedding at The Cracker Factory in Geneva, New York, Is for You
Jenny and Steve Manganaro’s love story began with a serendipitous introduction by the bride’s cousin and his wife. What started as a simple friendship became a romance transcending geographical barriers. The pair remained committed despite Steve’s relocation to Los Angeles to pursue his career in...
One Couple’s Intimate Autumn Wedding at Junipero Serra Museum in San Diego, California
Kelly Nyland and Angelina Bembry-Nyland first locked eyes across the yard at a mutual friend’s pool party. “It was a crazy road to get to the point that we were actually dating,” they reveal. “But we knew in our first week of being girlfriends that we wanted to get married.” Kelly first proposed ...
The Beauty of New Mexico Was on Display at This Colorful Wedding at La Posada De Santa Fe
Love can take us by surprise, and for Ashley Ford and Charlie Strauss, it was the pandemic that brought them together. “Charlie slid into my DMs asking what I was up to,” Ashley recalls, “and that’s how our love story began.” After moving back to Texas from New York City, Ashley visited Charlie i...
One Couple's Chic Rooftop Wedding Overlooking LA at The London in West Hollywood, California
Melissa and Robert Young’s love story began in an unexpected place—LinkedIn. However, it turns out they were actually neighbors as children but had never met. A mutual family friend (who’d go on to become their wedding officiant) babysat the two of them separately when they were children, and the...
A Fall-Inspired Wedding With Sweet Details by the Couple’s Kids at South Congress Hotel in Austin, Texas
When planning their wedding day, Angelica Whitwell and Tolly Savile were laser-focused on creating an intimate, warm event for their family and friends to enjoy. The couple wanted their nuptials to convey a sense of autumnal romance—they chose bold earth tones to create an inviting atmosphere. “F...
If You’re Dreaming of a Summer Event, This Calamigos Ranch Wedding in Malibu, California, is the Perfect Inspo
Alyssa Landau and Ryan Glick are living proof that people can find love in the most unlikely places. “We both ventured out one night to celebrate a mutual friend’s birthday in April 2016,” explains Alyssa. “Little did we know, waiting in that crowded, smelly, old bar was our entire future!” Their...
A Rehearsal Dinner With An Elevated Western Aesthetic at Holden Marlot Museum in Aspen, Colorado
Who said work romances don’t work out? Not Elizabeth Stone and Bloor Redding, that’s for sure. The pair met remotely, working for the same company but out of different offices. “I was in the New York office, and Bloor was based in San Francisco on a different team,” the bride recounts. “We were j...
Celebrate a Bride-to-Be at Her Bold, Jewel-Tone Bridal Shower at the Hilton in Baltimore, Maryland
On February 13, 2021, Terrell Anderson took a big leap as he got on bended knee to propose to his girlfriend, Nita Smith, in the kitchen as she washed dishes. However, things didn’t quite go to plan. “He didn’t say anything—maybe he was nervous,” she recalls. “So I said, 'what are you doing?' and...
A Lively Sequel Wedding With Vintage Vibes at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, California
They weren’t looking for just any San Francisco wedding venue. In fact, Nicholas (Nick) Tilly and Tristan (Tris) Taylor steered clear of any of the “white box” locales to which couples tend to flock in the city. “The theme really came to us after we selected the venue. We wanted to play up the sp...
An Equestrian’s Dreamy, Rustic-Chic Wedding at Winvian Farm in Morris, Connecticut
Guy Dunkley spent hours finding the perfect spot to propose to Jennifer (Jen) Dorfman while on a quick Key West vacation. Suddenly, the opportunity presented itself—a local dog beach was within golf-cart-driving distance, and the pair had their one-year-old Cocker Spaniel with them. “Noodle playe...
This Outdoor Wedding at Olowalu on Maui Had The Perfect Mix of Tropical and Modern Vibes
“We remember just standing there, holding hands, saying, ‘There is no way this is our wedding. This is perfect,’” newlyweds Mike Watkins and Killian Smith recall. After three postponements due to the pandemic, the grooms were ecstatic to host their friends and family for their tropical nuptials—f...
An Inspiring 50th Wedding Anniversary Vow Renewal With Relaxed Vibes on Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
Shuk-Chong and Frederick (Fred) Thomas celebrated a milestone anniversary in November 2022 and decided to mark such a beautiful occasion with a seaside vow renewal. “After 50 years together, and with COVID on the decline, it seemed like the right time to look back and to look forward. The renewal...
Inside Influencer Sean Taylor's Elopement With a Campy, Vintage-Inspired After-Party at The Village Café in Richmond, Virginia
Within the last few years—and with a global pandemic that set every event back a year or two—some sweethearts have been electing to elope or host microweddings before a larger sequel wedding. Sean Taylor (a style influencer and a season-one contestant on Netflix’s "The Circle") and Eric Carlstrom...
Live “La Vie en Rose” With This Romantic New Orleans Wedding at Hotel Peter and Paul
When Sydney Harris and Tim Stormers’ eyes met at the oaky countertop at The Roger Room bar in Los Angeles, lightning struck. “I was doing a lot of comedy improv and auditioning at the time when not teaching pilates. He was in post-production for HBO and worked long hours,” Sydney explains. “We bo...