It started the way most relationships start: online. Stacey and Ashley matched online and immediately clicked, bonding over their love of alcohol and Harry Potter (which, same babes, same). They spent their first date driving around and getting to know each other. It felt so easy and natural, like they belonged together already.
It wasn’t long before they moved on from chatting about everyone’s favorite bespectacled wizard to chatting about their future together.
“We talked about our future engagement and wedding so much, our actual proposal story seems almost inconsequential,” Stacey said.
Stacey knew that she had found her person and had a big plan to pop the question. But the second the ring got in her possession it was burning a hole through her pocket.
“It was killing me to keep a secret and wait for that perfect moment. As it turns out, that big moment was so imperfectly perfect for us,” Stacey said.
They found themselves in a familiar conversation about their future wedding and the discussion became just a touch heated when they started discussing who would be invited.
“[It was a] silly thing that doesn’t mean much now,” Stacey said. “But Ashley wasn’t sure why I was so upset about the topic, and after we squashed whatever it was we were arguing about, I pulled out the ring and asked her to marry me. It was intimate with just us, in our first place together, and neither of us could have asked for anything more.”
After dreaming about their big day together for so long, they were excited to get the ball rolling and actually do the damn thing!
If you know anything about the couple, you won’t be surprised that Ashley’s favorite part was scrolling through Etsy to find ways to personalize things and make the wedding uniquely theirs, and Stacey’s favorite part was pulling together the small details to get all the moving parts going.
“We both loved looking for venues so much and spending time together planning all the big things,” Stacey said.
Next came my favorite part of their wedding planning (obviously): their search for their dresses! From the moment they called us, we knew this would be the most fun experience in our store (and we weren’t wrong). It still remains amongst our favorite appointments since we opened. Stacey and Ashley wanted to make sure they could experience wedding dress shopping at the same time, but didn’t want to risk seeing each other’s gowns.
“Being plus size women, both of us were nervous about dress shopping since we don’t wear them often as it is. We had one appointment at another wedding shop and we both left pretty defeated,” Stacey said. “Laura & Leigh saved us, and dress shopping turned out to be a highlight for us both.”
They both wanted to prioritize comfort. Ashley wanted to feel like a princess and Stacey wanted a soft a-line silhouette. And above all, they wanted to make sure they coordinated without compromising their own sense of style.
“I think we were both most nervous to clash since we would both be in dresses! That was probably our biggest anxiety in regards to planning, making sure they would look stunning next to each other and individually,” said Stacey.
Ashley and Stacey ended up both saying “Oui” to beautiful Stella York a-lines with elegant sashes by Sara Gabriel. The best part was seeing how the gowns vibed together while showing off each person’s unique beauty.
“I was so surprised; I had tried on the dress that Stacey chose,” Ashley said.
Ashley was looking forward to the surprise of seeing what Stacey ultimately chose for her wedding dress and seeing the full look come together.
“It was the only thing that was really a ‘secret’ for me,” said Ashley.
The excitement to finally tie the knot and celebrate their love was what Stacey was excited to experience.
“If I’m being honest I think I was most excited for the party! I love to dance,” Stacey said. “I was also really looking forward to just having all of my favorite people in one place to celebrate Ash and I. That warms my heart.”
Stacey and Ashley made sure to prioritize celebrating the day with each other, finding quiet time together before they walked down the aisle.
“The best part of the wedding was the quiet time we got right before the ceremony. Hair and makeup were finished, pictures were on hold, and we just shared a bottle of champagne until they were ready for us to walk down the aisle,” said Ashley.
The moments of their wedding that they celebrated together were so special for the couple.
“The love was so palpable and that made so many moments special,” Stacey said.
They were unsurprisingly calm, cool and collected throughout the day. They weren’t nervous. Maybe it’s because they pretty much had a wedding planned the whole time. But I think it’s because they knew that they belonged together this whole time.
Their Advice for Future Couples:
“Communication is key! I feel like that is so cliché but also so important. Making time for each other and continuing to “date” long after you’ve past the dating part of a relationship really keeps you focused on your partner. As for wedding advice, make it what you want. Forget the social norms. It was so important to us to have things and people involved that fit who we are and how we wanted to celebrate love. And it really could not have been better.”
A special note from Stacey that I promise I didn’t prompt!
“Added my own question because I thought it should be included! I will never be able to say enough good things about your team, your work, your attitude, your attention to detail and the way you care so sincerely. We will never stop telling everyone who will listen how amazing you ALL are and how much we love you all. Thank you for everything from the bottom of our hearts!”
Stacey’s Look:
Dress: Stella York
Belt: Sara Gabriel
Bridal Party: Sorella Vita
Ashley’s Look:
Dress: Stella York
Belt: Sara Gabriel
Veil: Sara Gabriel
Bridal Party: Sorella Vita
The Vendors Who Made The Day:
Photography: Nicole Cordisco Photography
Venue: The Bradford Estate
Florals: Alisha Simone
Hair & Makeup: Mar & Co Beauty
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