Jessica + Robert

How did you meet?

We met at Towson University, in Baltimore, Maryland. I was a freshman, Rob was a senior (his “first” senior year… he took a victory lap around and needed to finish the rest of his credits LOL).

How did you know he was the one?

The moment we first kissed, the room spun in slow motion. We both felt it.

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

His positivity, selflessness, and loyalty.

Who proposed and how?

Rob proposed- we went to my favorite place in the entire world… Long Beach Island, NJ. He had a photographer and videographer secretly follow us around the ENTIRE day to document every single moment leading up to the proposal. I had no idea… then both our families were waiting for us for yet another surprise for me… an impromptu engagement party! It was incredible.

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

Abigail Bridal in Asbury Park, NJ. I was going for a certain “vibe” and as soon as I tried this on, my eyes welled with tears. My sister, who is my maid of honor, actually picked this dress out.

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

My best moment was exchanging our vows. We decided we wanted to write our own because of how personal they would be from our hearts. Also, my husband’s brother created a video of all different clips of guests who couldn’t be in attendance (due to Covid) wishing us well. Our one friend, who was supposed to sing and perform our first dance, recorded himself singing and playing the guitar to our song. The video was shared and played as soon as the ceremony was over. Because it was most of our loved ones, both near and far who couldn’t be there, it was one of the most emotional moments of our lives. It was beyond special and beautiful.

What surprised you most at or about your wedding?

Covid caused us to postpone our big wedding. We still wanted to get married on our original date, and our only option to do so was in my husband’s father’s backyard. Never in a million years did I ever imagine how truly perfect and flawless this day would be— to the point where… we don’t even know if we want our big wedding because of how intimate, happy, and incredible this day was.

What advice would you tell other brides?

I let the sadness of Covid take over me. We felt robbed and stripped of every “happy” experience leading up to our wedding. However… I couldn’t dream of a more perfect day. MOST of the integral people in our lives could not attend because of this pandemic… but we live streamed it so everyone could still be a part of it. I really could not have dreamed of a more perfect day. So if you’re contemplating a backyard elopement… DO IT!

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

My main concern was making sure the people who attended felt safe and comfortable, given the current state of the world. Also, I wanted to create a bohemian wonderland in the backyard. I spent MONTHS collecting antique furniture and decor to make my vision a reality. It seriously turned out more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. I designed the entire layout myself and it was stunning. We had individually wrapped sandwiches for food, socially distanced seating, hand sanitizer and wipes everywhere, etc. Also, again, we made sure to live stream the ceremony so any guest that wanted to view it, could. Many said they felt as though they were right there with us in person