HITCHED: Jessica + Dan

We are so happy to introduce you to GMG couple Jessica & Dan, who were married in October in a beautiful ceremony at The Glen at Crossmount. Read on to hear the story of their love and wedding day.

How did the two of you meet?

Dan and I met online back in May 2013. We talked online for 2 months before we finally met and had our first date. And honestly, the rest was history - we were inseparable after that.

How did you know Dan was the one?

I knew Dan was the one almost immediately. I had never felt such strong feelings so quickly before.  Before I knew it, I felt the strongest love I've ever felt for someone. I truly feel like he was made to be my soulmate.

Tell us about the proposal.

It was November 10, 2016, and Dan had the proposal all figured out. His plan was for us to eat at the Rook and Raven (which we did) and then go for a walk down by the river under the night sky—which was where we ended up on our second date. It was very romantic. But, unfortunately, I ruined it for him.

Really? How did you ruin it?

When he suggested that we go take a walk down by the river on such a beautiful night, my response was, "Ugh no. I'm tired and my feet hurt. I just want to go home. Can't we just take the dog around the block and call it a day?" Talk about a buzz kill. He kept trying to coax me into doing the walk, but eventually surrendered and we took our dog to the dog park. It ended up being the most memorable moment of my life. We were the only ones at the Avalon Dog Park and we walked up to the top of the hill. It was pitch black outside and we were looking into a backyard that had a bunch of beautiful Christmas lights on. Dan said a bunch of sweet things, which wasn't out of the norm for him, and then he turned me so I could look at him and dropped to one knee and asked me to be his wife. It was a beautiful moment, and it honestly couldn't have happened in a more perfect way. I was and will forever be floating with him from that moment forward.

Now, tell us about the ring.

We had originally purchased a different ring from another store that he proposed with, which ended up being an absolute nightmare. It was very heartbreaking as I had to deal with the fact that I no longer would be wearing the ring he proposed with, but in the end we got our money back.  

That’s so stressful - what made come to GMG?

We decided to come to GMG as we heard AMAZING recommendations from people we knew. Barb helped us that day and she was incredible to work with. She was so patient and compassionate with us while we looked at each ring she grabbed for us. Even with me crying the whole time over our circumstances for being there, she was so easy to work with and I immediately knew we made the right decision coming to GMG.  We ended up finding the PERFECT ring for us! It was even more perfect then the original one. I'm still so in love with this Noam Carver ring and wear it beaming with pride. I get compliments all the time and I truly believe it is the perfect symbol of our love.

How would you describe your wedding style?

We were a little bit less traditional with our wedding, and it had a very easy going feel. Our venue was so beautiful to begin with that our decoration selections and colors were very simple – if I had to describe it, it would be a fun fancy country club.

What made it less traditional?

We didn't sleep in separate houses the night before and I'm really glad that we didn’t. I was a stressful mess and a ball of nerves— and Dan was there to comfort me. We did pictures before the ceremony as most of our family was coming from out of town and didn't want to have that long gap between the ceremony and reception. Seeing Dan before also helped me keep calm before having to walk down the aisle.

What is your favourite memory from the day?

The whole day was so memorable. The ceremony was short and sweet, but beautiful. The food and cake/cupcakes were to die for and the dance was the party I dreamed of. EVERYONE was dancing! Not once was the dance floor empty. The entire day is one I will never forget - the 11 months of stress was worth it!

Do you have any advice for future brides?

I don't think anyone totally prepares you for how stressful and hard planning a wedding is - unless you hire someone to do it for you. But, I'd like everyone to know it's worth it! No one knows when things go wrong, so don't stress about the little things that might not work out.

Jessica and Dan, thank you for sharing your special day with us. We couldn't be happier for the two of you and your new adventure together. 

xo In Bloom

JESSICA & DAN LOCAL LOVE LIST:

Photographer: BE Photography
Bride's Wedding Band: Coast Diamond
Bride's Dress: W Bridals
Groom's & Groomsmen's Attire: Tux n Tails
Wedding Cake: Theodore's Bakery