David's Bridal

Real Wedding: Anna and Ryan C.

Our team recently caught up with DB Bride, Anna, who won her David’s Bridal gown from our online sweepstakes in 2011. She stopped by the blog today to share her amazing wedding photos from the beaches of Jamaica.

Bride’s Name: Anna
Groom’s Name: Ryan
Wedding Date: April 14, 2012
Wedding Location: Ocho Rios, Jamaica

The Love Story

Where did you meet your spouse and was it love at first sight?
It was love at first “dance”; we met at a dance club!

How did your loved one propose? Were you surprised?
It was Valentine’s Day weekend, and I was totally surprised when Ryan told me to pack my bags because he was taking me on a trip! I was excited to spend time with him and looking forward to what he had planned all by himself!  We stayed in the Presidential Suite overlooking downtown Cincinnati! It was amazing! I had no clue that he was going to propose. He did, and it was the ring of my dreams to match the man of my dreams! Very Lucky Girl!

The Bridal Gown

What bridal gown style did you select and how did you know it was “the one”?
I chose a Galina Sweetheart Organza Gown with Pick Up Skirt (Style PK3226). Initially, I was looking for something a bit simpler; however, my consultant requested I try this dress on. It was perfect! It fit like a glove and make me feel like a bride for the first time!

What tips do you have for new brides picking out their wedding dress?
Don’t just look for gowns you have in your mind; be open to new ideas and try on different styles.

How did you accessorize your gown to make your bridal look unique?
I wore a small flower in my hair that went great with the flowers on the belt. I also chose a diamond necklace and a bracelet that was accented with pearls.

The Big Day

What was the inspiration or theme for your wedding?
Romantic, Intimate, and Simple.

What was your favorite part of your wedding day?
My favorite part of my wedding day was the ceremony. We got married on the beach in Jamaica, just the two of us! It was an amazing feeling to be looking at my husband! I was wearing a beautiful wedding dress and didn’t have to worry about a single thing. Having won my wedding dress from David’s Bridal’s online sweepstakes  just added to the ease of my whole planning experience!

Good Morning DB Readers! Happy Wednesday!! Today we are featuring one of our “real brides” who decided to get married on the most iconic date in 2012…. 12-12-12! Here is her story as to why she got married on this interesting date, and what it meant to her and her husband, Tommy! We also included some photos from her wedding… ENJOY!

Our 12-12-12 wedding was a million times more amazing that I dreamed. We planned a wedding of 26 in Costa Rica, including ourselves, at a private property we rented for 7 days.

Wedding Stress Extreme
Tommy and I got there to check-in before the rest of our group, as we traveled separately, to find out that all our guests from Denver (our hometown) has their flight cancelled. That group of people included almost all of our bridal party, my parents and most of our friends. Tommy’s family, my brother, and some of our friends from around the country met us as scheduled on Saturday, which helped ease the stress. I was finally able to email with my sister and we found out they were put on a flight that night. 6 hours later we found out they cancelled that flight. It was chaos! My dad bought 7 tickets for him, my mom, my sister and our bridal party on a different airline to leave within 8 hours. The rest of our group was scheduled to leave on that same airline the next day. We had to reschedule scuba diving, the airport shuttle (4 hour drive from the airport to the villa) and our activities… but luckily, nothing really was impacting the wedding.

No Photographer for a Photographer’s Wedding?
Well due to all that flight cancelling, something happened to our photographer’s flight. He and his wife are family friends and were planning to be our photographer. They emailed us saying due to all the issues, they would have to re-book at 5x the cost, so they weren’t coming. WHAT?! Tommy, being a wedding photographer himself, was extremely stressed. We thought to try to hire a local, but were at our max budget. Tommy’s dad was planning to be the second camera (he’s a former wedding photographer), but we wanted him to be the groom’s dad during the wedding. He arrived Sunday afternoon and accepted the challenge and helped calm us both down. Our pastor was also a photographer, so he volunteered to be the second camera. Still stressful and not plan A, but PHEW!

Finally, We Can Breathe!
The other half of our guests arrived in 2 waves and we could finally breathe! We rescheduled all our activities, but nothing would impact the wedding. Monday – the ladies did a spa day and Monday Night, the guys drove into town and watched Monday Night Football and we were able to finally relax! Tuesday- was the rehearsal. We could really narrow down all the details because we hadn’t seen the venue prior to arriving in Costa Rica. We went through the rehearsal of the ceremony, and then I went through the re-organization of everything at the villa with my family/friends/guests who were the designated delegates. We re-arranged and moved furniture and got everything ready. We had a great dinner, played “The Shoe Game” (great one from Pinterest), and then drove to the beach where each person had a Floating Lantern to send into the sky. It was amazing! A great way to remember our last night as an engaged couple, and to be surrounded by our friends and family and see their lights shining in honor of us. Just after I thought I could breathe, this beautiful moment took our breath away!

We went back to the villa for an amazingly hilarious and ridiculously organized game of Family Feud. Hargroves vs. Cowans. Our friends Marissa and Steve coordinated and hosted this game. It was so funny seeing my dad against Tommy’s aunt. For the record, Tommy’s family won, but my family wanted to protest. HA!

Wedding Day

I kicked Tommy out of our room at 8:30am and a few of my girls came in. My friend, Alyssa, who is a hairstylist and make-up artist started on one of my bridesmaids, while my sister, who is a Massage Therapist, gave me a relaxing massage. The “boys” were finishing moving furniture, etc and Tommy’s sister Sara (our caterer) and his mom, Kathryn (our pastry chef) were busy working in the kitchen! My mom and Laura were creating our bouquets and boutonnieres, as the flowers were picked up that morning. Things were coming together! Tommy’s dad, Tom, came in to take some shots of us getting ready. We had people bringing us food, drinks, etc. I didn’t leave the air-conditioned room until I put on my dress! We also found out it was the hottest day since we’d been in Costa Rica. Later, we realized it was the only day it didn’t rain the whole time we were there. Thank you, Lord!

The whole day went by so quickly. The next thing I know I was taking photos with my side and we were minutes from the wedding! My brother walked my mom down the aisle, my bridesmaid Anna left, my sister and maid of honor, Robyn, left and then it was just me and my dad. They closed the doors and I walked in front, ready for my grand entrance. The music started up again and the doors opened and I could see Tommy. I was beaming! My dad grabbed my arm and we walked safely down the aisle. It was amazing! The ceremony was beautiful and has some amazing impromptus and references to our trip. Eric, our pastor, is so gifted. It was amazing. Finally I was putting on his ring and reading our vows! We each had 12 things we loved about each other that Eric had us prepare earlier that week to keep with the 12-12-12 theme. That, I hadn’t planned before the wedding! We promised our lives to each other in front of God and this beautiful scenery with our family and friends as our witnesses. It was truly amazing!

The Reception
All the planning came together. We had a photo scavenger hunt going on while we Tommy and I took photos with Tom & Eric. We planned that “last minute” and it was a highlight for everyone! Dinner was amazing. As soon as it went dark we moved upstairs to eat. Sara, our caterer, exceeded our expectations. The food and decoration and everything she worked on was amazing! She and her husband Jeff, were married in Spain in 2007 and really the inspiration for our destination wedding. I wish I could have saved all the food because I was just floating the whole time!  The band showed up right at dinner and started setting up. Our friend Jared sang our first dance with the band – the same one Tommy used to propose to me on 11-11-11. (I’m a former TV Producer, so I am working on editing all of our video. Here’s the first dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccf6RFP8-UQ&feature=share&list=UUOGfGMMVeEXZCkvL8zhg6qQ

The band was so much fun. We then had dessert… Oh MY! Kathryn, Tommy’s mom, recently graduated from Pastry School. The cake was amazing. Super small, yet so beautiful! Two tier, chocolate! She also made 4 different desserts, so you could have whatever you wanted. The toasts and speeches made me cry, only second to seeing Tommy during the ceremony. Eventually the band had to leave, the guests started going to bed and it became an “after-party.” But it was the best night of our lives!

It was a million times better than we could have ever imagined. Truly a dream come true!

Good Morning! Today is our last post about one of our “Real Brides” who decided to get married on the last iconic date of the century… none other than 12-12-12! Ella and her husband Randy! Ella sent us some fabulous photos from her gorgeous wedding, and we are sharing her touching story as well!! Read more about why Ella and Randy decided on 12-12-12!

“Our 5 year dating anniversary is coming up on New Years Eve so we were looking at a way to celebrate big…and were tossing around the idea of getting engaged this anniversary and having a wedding or eloping next year. We started looking for unique dates that would be easy to remember and special like our holiday dating anniversary. We set our sites on 12/12/12 and everything started falling into place! We are going to Savannah and getting married in the quintessential Savannah Square, Forsyth Park. The officiant and photographer will pick us up in a classic cadillac and take us to the park for the whole deal. We plan on using photos from a recent shoot and our wedding photographer to create a video to send to our family and friends as an announcement for Christmas.”

Good Afternoon! As 12-12-12 was one of the most iconic dates of the century, we had a plethora of brides who decided to marry on this interesting date! Monica, one of our “real brides” from Houston, TX shared her lovely story with us and some pictures of her gorgeous wedding! Read more below about her fairy tale romance!

“My fiancee’ and I met online on October 12, 2009. I added him as a friend, and he messaged me asking if we knew each other. I replied, “Nope. My name is Monica, what’s your name?”. Ever since, we were in constant contact via e-mail, myspace, facebook, text, and phone. A month and a half later, he decided he liked me as more than a friend, so he decided to travel to Houston and have Thanksgiving with me: since he was living in Seguin TX at the time.

Two weeks after we met, he moved to Houston for good, because I refused to be in a long distance relationship. On December 12, 2009 I asked him if he was planning on making it official, and he responded with “Sure, since you beat me to it”. I’m not sure who asked who out, but since that day almost three years have passed and I am happier than I have ever been! December 12th will be our three year anniversary, and what better way to celebrate than with a wedding? Also, 12-12-12- is a once in a lifetime event. It only happens once every hundred years! The next time that dates will have triple digits will be 1-1-2111, and I don’t think we could have waited that long.

When we started planning our wedding, the date was already set, but little did we know how much it would save us. We are having a $25,000 wedding for half the price. Getting married on a Wednesday is not very common, but John (my fiancee’) and I wouldn’t change it for the world! The number twelve was symbolic to us from the beginning of our relationship, and it will continue to be important in our marriage. We have both agreed that every third anniversary we will do something extravagant since on our third anniversary we’re getting married, and every twelfth anniversary we plan to renew our vows.”

Bride’s Name: Riley

Groom’s Name: Anthony

Wedding date: July 13, 2012

Wedding Location: St. Paul’s in Canton, Ohio (ceremony) and The Legends in Massillon, Ohio (reception)

Photographer: Nathan Migal at Imagen Photography and Sam Saccone

Where did you meet your husband and was it love at first sight?

I met my husband the first week of high school and had a crush on him right away. I told him I liked him one morning during gym class, we went on a few field trips together and then he asked me out during lunch while our friends were away from the table. I remember within the first few months of dating, we were already talking about getting married someday.

How did he propose?

Anthony had been in the Navy for a while and away from home for months when he got a chance to come home for Christmas. He told me to get dressed up because we were going to a nice dinner and he was going to wear his uniform. I had a feeling he was going to propose but dinner ended, and I was wondering if it was going to happen that night. We went back to my old room and were just hanging out when he, almost bashfully, told me he wanted me to marry him and showed me the ring. I told him that wasn’t a question but I was so happy and the answer was yes. Later he told me that he had planned to do it differently and outdoors, but he noticed I was too cold and felt like it wasn’t right. I didn’t care, it felt right to me no matter what.

What made you decide to wear a White by Vera Wang gown?

When I started researching gowns, I found Vera Wang’s “Diana” and really fell in love. It was so beautiful and I felt like it’s all I could see myself in, but I knew it was too expensive. Eventually I came across a similar gown in the White by Vera Wang collection. I’m so happy with my decision, and I think it was a great way to cut costs with almost zero compromise.

What was the inspiration or theme for your wedding?

I follow a lot of wedding inspiration blogs and always felt strongest about outdoor weddings with a lot of personal touches. While there was no true theme, I often used the word ‘rustic’ when describing things to my vendors, and I had sort of a broad color palette in mind early on: lots of rich plums, cool greys, champagne, fern, and ivory. I should mention my bridesmaids’ dresses here too. I gave my four girls the colors and a really wide range of silhouettes to see what they felt most comfortable in. I eventually narrowed down the selections, they each made a decision and I felt really good about the end result because I knew they were happy.

What tips do you have for new brides picking out their wedding dress?

As with everything, I think new brides should just do what makes them happy and try not to get overwhelmed by the details. There are a lot of people involved in a wedding, but you just have to keep in mind what really matters, and that should be the strength of the marriage you’re entering into. Find a dress that makes you feel confident and beautiful, and everyone will agree.

Good Afternoon! Today we are recounting our “real brides” who decided to get married on the iconic 12-12-12 date that just passed! Tadia Whitner has a very touching story about how “if it’s meant to be, it will be!” Read more about her story below, and see the gorgeous pictures from her wedding!

“I tried to think about why we chose 12/12/12 …I guess sometime in late 2010, I thought it would be neat (and lucky) to get married on 12/12/12 because it would be the last recurring date until 3001.  I figured if I were going to get married that would be the day I wanted to do it. I wasn’t even dating anyone at that point.  In June 2011, a friend of mine wanted to get in touch with someone in the video game industry.  Brian, who works in the video game industry, and I had dated in college and kept in touch on social media.  I sent him a message on Facebook and we started to talking.  A few months later, Brian told me he always felt that I was “the one that got away”.  He told me that he wanted to date seriously with the goal of getting married.  I told him I wanted to get married on 12/12/12, he said that was not a problem for him and basically he made it happen.  He courted me long distance from Baton Rouge, LA.  In December 2011, he took me home to Pennsylvania to meet his parents.  In July 2012, he moved from Baton Rouge to Lawrenceville, GA because my newly formed law firm was doing so well.   The rest is history.  I asked Brian why we picked 12/12/12 and he said because I had my heart set on that date and it was his job in life to give me whatever my heart desired.  I figure there was not a better reason than that!”

TGIF! We are starting off our weekend by posting about one of our “Real Brides” who got married on the most iconic date of the year…. 12-12-12!! Julia Hintze from Phoenix, Arizona got married in a beautiful chapel in Yosemite National Park, as she grew up camping there and decided it would be the perfect place for her wedding! Julia had an intimate family gathering and decided that 12-12-12 would be a date she could never forget!  December is always a great month for the couple, making it even more special!  Here are a few pictures from Julia’s big day!

We recently came across this wedding photographed on Style Me Pretty!  The gorgeous bride is wearing a David’s Bridal gown that transformed her look from ceremony to reception!  It was such a delight seeing the groom take part in the revealing of her outfit change in front of their family and friends! Click here to see how this lovely couple captured the moment!

Barbara and Mark of Ridley Park, PA exchanged their vows for a third time before the Rascal Flatts concert at the Why Wait Wedding Chapel sponsored by David’s Bridal.  This was the first ceremony where Barbara wore a wedding gown, and was fortunate enough to have it autographed by all of the band members!  To see the couple and the Rascal Flatts, click here!

Sarah just got married and looked absolutely stunning in her “super affordable” David’s Bridal gown! To check out her blog post, click here!