Jenna + Ryan

How did you meet?

My husband and I met in my first year of university. He was in his 3rd year. We laugh about it now, but initially we both thought we were too good to talk to one another, so we didn’t end up talking for over a month. We just needed the kind push (literally) from a mutual friend to start our romance off. 7 years later, we’ve officially tied the knot in front of those same university friends.

When did you know they were the one?

I never had a serious boyfriend prior to meeting my husband, as no one ever caught my eye enough to take myself completely off the market. When I saw my husband Ryan for the first time, I thought-wow, there’s no way he’d ever talk to me, I’m not gonna waste my time. Coincidently, he thought the same thing. Once we had the push to go on a date, I knew very quickly that this was someone I’d be willing to go totally off the market for. Tall, brunette, funny, handsome, kind, intelligent and loves his mom? No brainer.

As for when did Ry know I was the one? Well I like to think he knew pretty quickly too 😉

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

Kindness -no matter who it is, he is always kind to everyone around him-even when he shouldn’t be…I always knew to watch how a guy treated his mom, as that’s a pretty good indicator of how he will treat his wife. Let’s say his mom and I are lucky women!

Funny-we are able to have the most fun together just doing the simplest of things. He makes me laugh when I’m mad, sad, frustrated and even in the most inappropriate of times. He always know to put a smile on my face, and can always count on him to cheer me up with a good laugh.

Hardworking. He puts 110% into everything he does. From his professional life to doing the dishes to our relationship. He makes it clear that he is willing to do what it takes to work for what he wants. Because of this, I am confident to know that he will fight for our love

Who proposed and how?

Ryan’s family is from a small town in northern Ontario. His family is lucky to be able to live next to a beautiful rock mountain overlooking a lake-Rock Lake. We have taken many trips up there to visit Ryan’s family, and it was quickly become one of our favourite places to go.

One morning, at 5 am, Ry woke me up to go for a hike up the mountain to watch the sunrise. Although out of the blue I thought, I merely just wanted to sleep in on our first day of vacation. I told ry no, and his response was “well I’ll just go by myself.” Now for a second I thought, could this be the moment I think it is, but as fast as that thought entered my mind, if left. I felt guilty saying no, so I hurdled on my pyjamas and boots and we hiked the mountain at 6 am. Although there was no sunrise due to the clouds, he still managed to catch me off guard when I turned around on the edge of the mountain down on one knee. I don’t remember what he said, but I’ll never forgot how I felt!

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

I fell in love with my dress at the boutique called The Modern Bride in Guelph Ontario. Archie is a perfect dress and let me tell you why.

A classic, crepe styled dress with buttons down the back will forever be a timeless look to look back on. Dress regrets? Never heard of one.

The low back adds the perfect amount of spice to a more simpler dress. It hugs your curves perfectly, and gives you a more dramatic look to your dress. Not something you see a lot with other dresses/designers.

I felt as though I was wearing the dress, and the dress wasn’t wearing me. You were able to admire the beauty, elegance and sophistication of the dress, while also admiring what the bride looked like.

Comfort…need I say more. Who wouldn’t love a comfortable wedding dress.

The train. The most perfectly constructed length for a train to make you feel like a beautiful, elegant bride walking down the aisle. Paired with a cathedral veil, and you have the perfect bridal look.

What was the best moment for you at your wedding? 

The best moment was our ceremony. This was something I have looked forward to since I was a little girl. Being able to have my dad walk me down the aisle to standing in front of our favourite people to solidify our love was something I have always dreamed of and will never forget. The intimacy of you and your husband sharing your vows and committing to continue a life together, in the presence of your favourite people will never be able to be topped.

What were your favourite details? 

My favourite details of the day were my dress and accessories. I wanted to look like an old
Hollywood celebrity focused on pearls, Hollywood waves, a classic and timeless dress and dainty jewelry. Aside from my vision coming together, my other favourite details were our sweetheart table. It was the perfect time to soak in our thoughts shout the day together while also being in the presence of our guests.
Ultimately, the whole day was my favourite so it is hard to pinpoint a few favourite things.

What advice would you tell other brides?

Advice I would tell other brides is to not sweat the small things. On your day off, the love and connection between you, your husband and loved ones will over power any small detail that did not go as planned. No one will notice these “mishaps” other than yourself. Your day goes by so quickly that the only thing will matter is you and your husband.

Any standout vendors?

Our venue-St. Marys Golf & country club was a stand out venue. The staff, the beauty of the venue to the food, surpassed all of our hopes for our wedding day.

The Modern Bride boutique. The most elegant and stunning experience and bridal shop that I’ve been to. So many dresses to fall in love with, and have the most perfect bridal experience.

Kyms alterations (water down ON). I trusted her with alternating my dream dress to fit me perfectly. With ease and passion, she was able to have my dress hug me perfectly on my big day and created the most beautiful bustle.

MWL DESIGN:

Archie

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Chelsea Abram Photography

RETAILER:

The Modern Bride