Alyson + David

How did you meet?

In middle school! We took orchestra together and our dads would sit together during concerts (concerts is a loose term…neither of us were very good). We didn’t end up dating until much later when I was in graduate school and he had already graduated business school.

When did you know they were the one?

It was less a single moment and more a collection of moments. And they happen still. Every time we share a beer together after a long day of work. Every time he yells “pause” when we’re watching tv to tell me something funny he thought of. Every time he sneaks treats to our cat. Every time he kisses my forehead on the way up to bed.

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

He’s so witty. I feel like I’m always laughing.

Who proposed and how?

He proposed. We dated distance for 3 years and around 2.5 years there was this moment where I just broke down. We had grabbed my favorite coffee and went to my favorite spot in the city, and it was right before I was about to catch a flight back home after visiting him for the weekend. I accidentally dropped my coffee and just started crying. Fast forward a year – we got the same coffee and he took me to that same spot. We were no longer distance (one good outcome of the pandemic) and he told me how surreal it was to be in this same spot doing the same thing, but no longer dating distance. He said he never wanted to be away from me again and proposed. I managed to say yes through a whole lot of tears.

Where did you fall in love with your dress and why?

Annalise bridal! I wanted something that felt classy and elegant but different. It was actually the first one I tried on. I tried a couple of others after but at the end of the appointment I put that one back on and I just remember my mom and my best friend crying and saying “that’s your dress”.

What was the best moment for you at your wedding?

Our vows. We wrote our own. It was hard to get through (I’m a crier) but it was incredible to just have that moment, surrounded by the people we loved, where we really took the time to articulate what this relationship meant to each of us.

What were your favourite details?

We did a non-traditional setup for our ceremony, with our friends and family surrounding us rather than a traditional aisle with us at the top. We had my family behind my partner and his family behind me. It was this beautiful symbolic moment of support to have them behind me, and also really nice because I could actually see my family during the ceremony.

What advice would you tell other brides?

The personality touches are going to be the things people remember. Yeah, a Pinterest worthy wedding is great. But people didn’t remember the place settings – they remembered the things that felt “us”.

Any standout vendors?

Our day of coordinator was a literal earth angel. Valentine the Knot. She was so calm amidst the chaos and handled so many things…probably more than I even know.