Alexis & Ryan

"I’ve been wearing Loeffler Randall shoes for years and there was no question they’d be part of my wedding day (I even wore the gold pleated bow heel for our welcome dinner). I loved the height of the Mikel heel – tall enough to give me a little lift, but sensible enough to wear on grass – but what really drew them to me was the sparkle factor. While my overall look wasn’t flashy, I loved the idea of having something sparkly and fun on my feet."

"I spotted the gown on a LoHo Bride sample sale online. I hadn’t gone dress shopping or tried on any other gowns, but loved the simplicity of the dress and knew that silhouette worked on my body. I ordered it for a song and it happened to fit perfectly. The only alterations I did was to take in the hem a few inches. It was meant to be! I paired it with a long veil from Ann-Marie Faulkner and pearl earrings my grandmother gave me before she passed."

"The weather predicted that we’d be in a downpour during our ceremony, but we decided to thread the needle and hope for the best. As Ryan and I walked down the aisle together there were thunderstorms in the distance on either side of us. One of our best friends officiated the ceremony. We had given her the directive that we wanted everyone to laugh and cry, and she delivered. The drama of the weather certainly added to the intensity of the moment, but as we said our vows the sun cracked through the clouds and blue skies emerged. It was truly perfect.  

"While the ceremony felt sacred, the reception felt like pure fun. After dinner and speeches, we danced for hours into the night with cake, late-night burgers, and fancy Jell-O shots being passed. There’s nothing quite like dancing until your feet hurt being surrounded by all your favorite people. During the last song of the night the last 15 remaining friends joined in a circle and swayed back and forth, which felt like the perfect way to wrap up the night."

"We had a few moments to ourselves before seeing everyone and just felt like the luckiest people in the world."

"I’m fairly type A and love to host, so wedding planning came naturally to me. While I loved envisioning the feeling we wanted to convey on our wedding, the best part was bringing all our friends together. We’re incredibly lucky to be surrounded by so many talented friends and it was so fun to see how everyone chipped in by lending their strengths. We had friends help with the flowers, design elements, cakes, ceramics, lighting — you name it. It really felt like we were being held up and celebrated by our whole community."

"I mean it sincerely when I say the whole day was so special that it’s hard to narrow it down to a handful of moments. If I had to choose one, it was the feeling right after we said our vows and walked back to the house. We had a few moments to ourselves before seeing everyone and just felt like the luckiest people in the world. I’m happy to say that feeling remains!"