Channing + Nathaniel

How did you meet?

Nathaniel and I met in 2015. My best friend invited me to grab dinner and drinks at a sports bar with her and her new “fling” she just met through Tinder. We come to find out when we got there that her date also brought a friend. Little did I know, this friend he brought would end up becoming my husband 5 years later! The best part about this first meeting is that our two friends who brought us together are currently engaged and plan to get married this year (2021)!

How did you know they were the one?

There isn’t one single moment that signified to me that he was the one but a culmination of many moments. From seeing his love for adventure by taking me hiking for our first date to the way he always made me feel so comfortable in my own skin, I got that “feeling” pretty early on!

What are your three favourite attributes of your partner?

He is very adventurous, thoughtful, and motivated!

Who proposed and how?

Nathaniel proposed four years into our relationship, on the day after Valentine’s Day. I was very ready to be engaged and he knew it! We were living together in an apartment in the museum district of our city, and he wanted to walk over to an art museum that we commonly frequented on Fridays for happy hour. We got dressed and walked to the outdoor sculpture garden at the museum. He insisted we take a look at a particular statue that was perched up on a hill. When we reached the statue that wasn’t really much to look at, he got down on one knee. Of course I said yes, and he had a photographer waiting in the background to capture all of the moments! We called family and shared a glass of wine together before he spilled the beans that he set up a surprise party at a local restaurant for us to celebrate with our loved ones. We arrived to the party with SO many friends and family members present and had the best night ever. It was a dream!

What was the best moment for you at the wedding?

There were so many “best” moments – most importantly because I knew we were finally getting married, 4 months after our original wedding date. The pandemic pushed back our original June wedding, but we were able to make it happen in October. Everything was perfect about that day, but seeing the tears start running down my soon-to-be-husband’s cheeks as I walked down the aisle is a moment I will never forget.

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

I started looking for dresses at a local shop in Richmond called Annalise Bridal. I picked out a handful of dresses that I loved from the rack and ended up with all Made With Love Dresses in my “top 3”. I fell in love with the sexy yet understated designs first and then with the COMFORT! They felt better than any other dresses I tried on and just looked like ME. The Riley Luxe was my favorite, but I wanted to check out another shop in Georgetown, Lovely Bride, before making my choice. A few weeks later, my mom, sister and best friend and I made our way to D.C. to Lovely Bride. Yet again, I found myself with only Made With Love dresses, but this time I was stuck between the Riley luxe and the Sadie. Without making a decision, we went back home for me to think on it. For the next week, I realized I couldn’t stop thinking about the Riley dress. I soon after went back to Annalise, tried on the Riley, added on the wings, and knew it was my dress! It made me feel beautiful, sexy, and so comfortable. I knew with this dress, jaws would drop AND I would be able to groove on the dance floor with no problem!

What advice would you tell other brides?

Well, try not to get married during a pandemic! Just kidding. But really, just try to let others help you during the planning process! Your people want to help, so let them!

What was one thing you did differently for your wedding?

The pandemic restrictions made a lot of things different. Masks, spacing tables, keeping things outdoors, and guest number limits were definitely unique. But also, we had a full Dancing With The Stars-esque choreographed first dance and it was AWESOME! We practiced for months and totally killed it at the reception. I have never felt so proud of Nathaniel and I than at that moment!