Wedding Date on May 28, 2018

Dan and I have known each other since we were teenagers. As a teenager, I thought he was super immature and wanted no part of hanging out with him. Which was not very difficult because we never crossed paths. Fast forward 8 years, I saw Dan at a mutual friends party and he cozied up right next to me on the couch as soon as I got there. He told me that I had the wrong impression of him when we were kids and he would love to take me out to dinner if I were ever single. I told him I probably wouldn't take him up on that but it was nice to be civil.A year or so passed and I had just gotten out of a relationship and I was ready to celebrate my birthday with my girlfriends. We had a great time at the local brewfest and we’re headed to a bar, Hukelau for some drinks when a mutual friend texted me and said he was going to meet me for a birthday drink. He also had to add in that he was with Dan and that Dan was excited to see me. I had to admire his persistence! That night, we danced and had a great time but I told him he wasn't boyfriend material (brutal I know)! Later that night he convinced me "he was one of the good guys" and I agreed to give him a chance. Soon after, we made plans to go out on our first date. After that first date I realized I had never judged anyone so wrong in my life. He was the sweetest, most loyal, trustworthy and fun person I had ever met. I quickly fell in love and realized that he was the answer to all my prayers. We became happily inseparable ever since. I never wanted to imagine a single day without him.After two years of dating, it was pretty clear to both of us that we had truly found our soulmate in one another. In those two years, I had asked Dan to take me to Bright Nights, a local holiday light display in our area! Each time I asked Dan if we could go, it just never seemed to work out. But for some reason, on December 23rd, 2016, he was very adamant about going despite me feeling tired and wanting to stay home. With much persuading, he made me some hot chocolate with Baileys and we headed out the door. I had no idea my closest friends and family were waiting for me to leave so they could set up my beautiful proposal. To take a break from traffic, we stopped and walked through the park to re up on some hot chocolate. As we were walking, I saw a board lit up with lights that said Marry me, I thought OMG it's happening! I quickly realized it was not for me and we made our way through the park.After Bright Nights, we made our way home and Dan made a comment about these new lights his mother had put up in front of her house. When we got out of the car I was fixated on the new lights and didn't realize the beautiful scene my family, Dan's family and my friends had created. I had no idea that he had been plotting, made a secret trip to the mall to get all the supplies with his brother, and that our journey was just beginning. When I got out of the car, the walkway was paved with rose petals,candles, and a beautiful tree filled with memories of our relationship. These beautiful lights were actually for me!After I locked in my always, the fun began! The wedding process was the most creative and fun time I've had. Dan is very laid back and tends to let me take the reigns on most things. Even though I knew this about him, I still made it a point to get his input in at the very beginning. I asked him what his top 3 important items on our wedding checklist. He chose Food, Bar, and DJ for him to research and he gave me his top 3 choices with the information. I did the same with other aspects of the wedding and we exchanged thoughts pretty easily. We were in great shape 6 months into planning! We had everything major booked and deposits made. As easy as that was, there were other areas where we struggled: crafting. I am a huge crafter! I love the creativeness behind it, the number crunch, and the pride in it. Dan on the other hand, does not share my passion. He helped as best he could with all of my DIY projects but lets face it, it didn't really interest him. He humored me with multiple trips to Michael's and Hobby Lobby. He at times would help, but it definitely was an area for me to invest in as well as enlist the help of my mom or bridesmaids. Planning a wedding, it was truly amazing to see my vision come to life. But obviously that vision sometimes can come with a cost. We made a monthly budget that we both stuck to for our year and a half engagement. We were very certain we did not want to come out of our wedding with any debt. We truly worked together and with our family to make this happen. If I could stress any part of wedding planning, it would be to make a budget and stick to it. Designate areas where you are willing to spend the extra $$. For me, decor was important. Initially looking at rental companies, I found a lot of the stuff I wanted to rent I could make myself for a fraction of the cost. So, I gave myself enough time in the year before to do a project or two every month so I wouldn't be overwhelmed. For us, videography was where we wanted to spend a bulk of our budget. We know we wanted Skyride Productions and they were the first vendor we booked. I find it incredibly important to have a visual experience of the day as the day can go by so fast. The video truly takes me back to that day. It lets me see the emotion, the love, and the hope I felt on that day.