Anne + Russ

How did you meet?

Russ and I met in a bar just outside of Boston. He was actually getting ready to close his check out and move to another bar with his friends. Well I might have been looking at him/ checking him out (how could I not?!) and when he turned around I used a great pickup line “ I wasn’t staring at you.” Luckily it worked and he reopened his tab and bought me a drink.

When did you know they were the one?

I immediately felt at home with him and knew I could be myself around him. As silly as it sounds I knew from the beginning that this was it for me.

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner

My three favorite attributes are his smile that can light up any room, his kind and warm heart, and the way he treats everyone around him with respect.

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

I had been looking up Made With Love bridal dresses the minute I started looking. I knew I wanted something bohemian to match the theme of our wedding, but also something elegant and romantic. I saw that back home in Connecticut the White Dress by The Shore carried Made with Love and I instantly booked an appointment.I had my heart set on the Stevie dress but then I tried on the Ella dress something changed. The Ella dress made me feel beautiful and matched exactly what I was looking for. Nothing against the Stevie dress at she is beautiful but the Ella dress I just knew was my perfect dress. The train, the intricate lace details, the small, elegant spaghetti straps and the open back hit all my check points. I knew it was my dress when I didn’t want to take it off, oh and of course when I started crying! Also, just to note I only tried on six dresses and four of them were Made with Love.

Who proposed and how?

I thought I was being sneaky and planted a surprise trip away for Russ and I. We were heading to Chicago for a long weekend filled with little surprises throughout the trip. Little did I know he planned the biggest surprise of them all. When we got to Chicago that night Russ kept asking people around us where the best roof deck was. All I wanted and needed was food, I was definitely getting hangry! Luckily we decided to head to the London House where Russ made sure to tell me they had great food, drinks, and an amazing view. I thought nothing of it. When we got there and had a drink, Russ then suggested we take a picture which is very rare for him to suggest. He handed my phone over to a guy who volunteered and when he handed it over Russ told him to take A LOT of pictures. Little did I know Russ was going to drop down on one knee. And that amazing civilian got all the pictures and even a video of the proposal. I wish we knew who he was so we can thank him again and again. This was the absolute perfect way to kick off our trip! Chicago will always have a special place in our heart.

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

I had two favorite moments at my wedding. One was when I got to see Russ for the first time during our first look, it was so hard not to see him all day. My second favorite moment was walking down the aisle with my dad and seeing Russ at the altar and all the people we love around us. That was so special, having everyone you love and care about in one room is really something special!

What surprised you most at or about your wedding?

What surprised me the most was how smooth the day went, there were no hiccups or issues at all. I was also surprised and loved seeing my 90 year old great aunt on the dance floor, as well as, my husbands uncle dancing away the night. He has a bad case of scoliosis and we didn’t know if we would be able to join us on the dance floor but everyone in my husbands family supported him and made sure he could join in. It was truly a moment!

What advice would you tell other brides?

Enjoy every single minute of the day and don’t sweat the small things, the day goes by way too fast. Take it in and enjoy it!

What was the one thing you did differently for your wedding?

We had the D.J play three sets of songs after the introductions were made and before we all sat down for dinner. This really set the mood and got everyone excited for the night.