Maria + Dylan

How did you meet?

Dylan and I first met in college. It was summer and he was touring campus before transferring to my university that year. I was sitting there working on a project, and he spotted me through the the window and walked in and said hello. We immediately hit it off and started talking. Within a few minutes, his mother who was touring with him walked in and joined the conversation. Her and I ended up chatting for a long while! Later on, I was told that Dylan left to the car bothered and when his mother returned he said to her, “Mom, you cocked blocked me!” To this day, this is a story that makes us all laugh.

When did you know they were the one?

The moment I met Dylan I remember having an internal conversation in my head, it went like this: “Should I leave my current boyfriend to be with Dylan? Well I just started seeing this guy a couple weeks ago and that would be mean. I guess we’ll see where that goes and if it doesn’t work out, then I have a feeling Dylan could be the one.” And gosh was my initial gut feeling right! Two and a half years of friendship later, I was single and Dylan took the opportunity to pour out his feelings. He said, “Maria, do you remember the day we met? Because I remember it clearly. You were sitting there working and I decided to walk in and talk to you. From the moment we met, I always thought you were really special to me.” As a newly single girl, I didn’t want another relationship, so I didn’t tell him that I also remembered the moment we met and instead responded, “Ah you’re so sweet, but we’re just friends!”. Another two and half years of friend-zoning went by but we still remained good friends, and then the 2020 covid pandemic happened. Dylan had recently purchased his first home and invited me over for dinner to check out the place. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had covid and accidentally got him sick. I was fine, but he wasn’t and I felt terrible. For some reason I wanted to take care of him. A month went by and my friends invited me to float down the river and said to bring a plus one, and something in me just clicked – Dylan was the one I wanted to float down the river with. After coming home that day, I remember God clearly saying, “He’s the one you are going to marry and the time is now or never.” I started crying and immediately called Dylan and said, “Do you remember how two and a half years ago you told me how you thought I was special since the moment we met five years ago? Well, I never told you this, but I also remember that day clearly. I remember feeling that you could be the one and even considering leaving my current boyfriend at the time to be with you. So yes, you have been special to me too since the moment I met you.” Although I had known it since many years earlier, it was in that moment that I fully acknowledge that Dylan was the one.

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

My favorite attributes about Dylan are his perseverance to never stop chasing his goals and dreams, his drive and positive attitude about life, his loyalty and companionship, and his pearly whites that make up for that irresistible smile of his.

Who proposed and how?

Dylan proposed to me a little over a year since we started dating. We had returned from a trip with friends to The Bahamas, and as soon as we arrived home, he bought a ring. He hid the ring in the safe for about three months before he planned a surprise proposal just in time for the holiday season. It was a peaceful, foggy November morning by the river when Dylan took me to the university grounds where he had first met six years earlier. We walked towards a grand riverfront tree, and under it was a cozy picnic table set up with blankets, pillows, coffee, a guitar, flowers, champagne, and cupcakes that our mothers had arranged for the occasion. Dylan got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. We cried with tears of joy, enjoyed our picnic, and then went on a long walk along the river. When we arrived back home, both of our families were waiting for us and threw us a surprised engagement party brunch. It was a magical day!

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

I fell in love with my dress through a Google search for “bridal boutiques near me.” The first boutique that popped up was Blueberry Bridal Boutique with a photo of this unique, dreamy dress on the mannequin displayed on the window front of the store. As soon as I saw the dress on the photo, I knew it was the one for me. I went to Blueberry Bridal’s website to learn about the designers and labels carried by the boutique in hopes to find the name of the dress. I checked the websites of every single designer listed, and when I finally came across the dress on Made With Love Bridal’s website, I was delighted to find out her name was Louie Flowy. Not only did her simple yet elegant, one-of-a-kind, dreamy design match my vision, but even her description was an exact match with my personality. And that’s when I knew she was the one. I immediately called Blueberry Bridal Boutique to ask if Louie Flowy was available to try on and booked an appointment. Although I did try on a handful of other dresses during the appointment to explore options and show variety to my family and friends, Louie Flowy was the dress I came for and ultimately left with. When people asked me what I was most excited about for my wedding, I would respond, “besides marrying the man of my dreams, wearing my dress is what I’m most excited about. I almost love the dress just as much as I love Dylan!”.

What was the best moment for you at your wedding?

Our intimate wedding took place on a yacht cruising down the river at sunset. The best moment was walking down the aisle and seeing my husband-to-be shedding tears at the other end of the aisle, it made me deeply emotional. I will never forget looking into his eyes as the sunlight was softly touching his face, creating a golden halo around him. It was a surreal moment facing one another exchanging our wedding vows. The other best part about my wedding was enjoying every moment wearing my wedding dress Louie Flowy, which I’m so in love with and did not want to take off by the end of the night.

What were your favourite details?

My favorite detail of all was our one-of-a-kind wedding cake made to match my Louie Flowy dress and Harlow veil. Our coffee-flavored, raspberry and chocolate ganache-filled wedding cake not only tasted like a raspberry mocha, but it was made with love by our dear cousin. Our cousin skillfully hand-crafted each edible white flower petal and dispersed them across the three-tier, white fondant-covered cake to mimic the 3D lace sown on my dress and veil. My wedding cake was a dream come true! Also, another detail I loved were my faux wedding flowers. All our wedding flowers, including bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, and flower girl petals, were faux silk and foam floral arrangements from Ling’s Moment. Not only were our florals more affordable while still looking real, but we also get to keep them forever and ever for the memories.

What advice would you tell other brides?

It’s your wedding, do it your way! It can be hard to navigate opinions from family members and close friends, however, you have a dream for your big day. So if you feel strongly about a particular aspect of your wedding, don’t let anyone sway your vision! Pick the dress you truly want, the flowers you envision, and the cake flavor that best suits your taste buds. Invite only those people who matter most to you. A wedding is a once in a lifetime occasion!

Any standout vendors?

Amber, owner of Blueberry Bridal Boutique, was an essential piece of my bridal journey. She helped me ultimately order the dress of my dreams by gracefully allowing me to cancel the other, runner-up dress I had initially ordered based on preferences by family and friends. She, along with my mother, encouraged me to pick the dress I truly was in love with. Also, David’s Bridal is an outstanding vendor in my book because not only did the local store help order and exchange my bridesmaids’ dresses until ensuring a perfect fit, but also the David’s Bridal planning app was everything I needed in order to plan my own wedding as well as prepare ourselves for marriage from a legal and financial aspect thanks to the great guidance and tools provided in the app.