Alison + Derrick

How did you meet?

Derrick & Alison met for the first time at a work lunch. They became friends, and then six months later, they had their first date at The Oak, a Raleigh Bourbon Bar. They spent their dating days traveling, frequenting The Oak (their now happy place!), cooking together, road biking, going to concerts, and trying new things together.

When did you know they were the one?

We both knew very early on that we were meant to be together. Soulmate stuff!

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

Taken from my vows to Derrick: “You are handsome, smart, funny, and kind,

Everyone gets good vibes when you come to mind.”

Who proposed and how?

Derrick proposed, and when I say he proposed, he PROPOSED! He planned a surprise first class trip to Phoenix, Arizona. We stayed at our favorite hotel, Hotel Valley Ho, where we had stayed on our first trip together. We went to brunch, and after, he got down on one knee in a cactus garden and asked me to marry him! The ground was so hot in late July in Phoenix that he burnt his knee, but he says it was totally worth it 😉 He had hired a photographer to capture the whole thing and scheduled for him to also take engagement pictures while we were on our trip! He even booked a spray tan for me and took me shopping for the photo shoot J After he proposed, we went to a pool party at Hotel Valley Ho and he had a day bed reserved for us! We went to a nice dinner that evening and had the best trip.

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

The best moment for me at the wedding was the exchanging of our vows. We wrote our own, and they were so heart felt and we both teared up but got through them! It was so special to hear Derrick’s for the first time. I felt like it was just him and I in the whole world.

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

I fell in love with my dress when I first saw it at Coastal Knot! I went to Coastal Knot to try on all of the MWL dresses, and Rosey was the first one I slipped into. After trying on Rosey, my mom, mother-in-law, and two bridesmaids kept going back to Rosey being their favorite on me! They loved the top color (pebble), and how it complimented me. They loved the details of the 3D lace, and my Mom said it was celebratory like confetti, fun and celebratory like I am! Rosey looks like she pops champagne at every celebration, just like me J

What surprised you most at or about your wedding?

We were originally going to have a larger, traditional wedding, but due to COVID, those plans changed. We eloped! I was surprised at how much we loved the intimate ceremony, and enjoyed the elopement experience, just having us two! We streamed our wedding on Instagram Live and had lots of “guests”!

What advice would you tell other brides?

Especially with COVID, just remember that no matter what, it’s about you and your significant other getting married. Stay flexible and make the best of the situation!

What was one thing you did differently for your wedding?

We eloped! It was just the two of us, and a dear family friend that was our officiant. We changed into hiking clothes and hiked to the top of Cathedral Rock, and changed back into our dress and suit, to take pictures after our ceremony, which was different but epic! We also were on our wedding/honeymoon trip for 35 days travelling the Southwest US!