Real Wedding: Maddy & Nate

Maddy’s mom reached out to me looking for help in giving her daughter the day of her dreams.
Stacy wanted to be able to create the perfect day, but also be a very real and present part of
celebrating with her daughter. She came to the perfect place! I tell all my clients in their initial
consult that one of the things I am most passionate about and one of the core values at
Storybook Love Events is that I want your VIPs (family, close friends and your wedding party) to
be able to be present in every moment of the day, right by your side to soak it all in and
celebrate with you.

This is exactly what Stacy and her daughter Maddy were looking for! I was
confident that we could provide exactly the support, high level of service and intense dedication
to quality that this family was looking for in someone they could trust with such an important day.
Not only was I confident in what we could provide for Maddy & Nate’s wedding, every detail they
shared made me fall more and more in love with their vision and them. The best vendor team,
beautiful florals as a priority for the décor and incorporating luscious color made this wedding
irresistible for me!

In addition to being fun and beautiful, this wedding also presented some unique challenges.
Maddy & Nate were planning to travel internationally (both of them were/are lifelong tennis fans,
so they were headed to see the French Open!) right before the wedding, meaning that in the
final month of planning-when things are usually the most hectic and stressful. Oh, and did I
mention that on their dreamy trip to France, they were also going to get married…unbeknownst
to all except their parents and ME! So, we had to get a little creative with their planning timeline
and to-do list to allow them to feel calm and confident about wedding plans here in the US and
truly enjoy this once in a lifetime trip and their elopement! The look on the faces of their wedding
party when they dropped that little surprise nugget in the middle of the ceremony was absolutely
priceless.

Just when I think we are about to pull off this gorgeous, super special day with no
hiccups…good ol’ South Dakota weather keeps me on my toes. As we get ready to prep for the
ceremony, the weather looks more and more like rain is inevitable, now it is just a race against
the weather to see if we can get through the ceremony before the skies open up. As I send the
wedding party down the aisle and step back to watch, I am keeping a close eye on the radar
and silently screaming at the officiant to talk faster…I see those yellow, orange and red blobs
moving closer and closer. My subliminal messaging must have paid off, since the ceremony
wraps with a few miles to spare between us and certain soaking. As guests move back into
shelter for cocktail hour, the couple and their photographer decide to snag just a few pics of the
newlyweds tucked away in the apple orchard. Well, my luck ran out, because once they leave
my sight, the heavens unleash and it is an epic downpour.

Two valiant uncles grab umbrellas and rush out to usher the now soaked couple back inside. I can hear you thinking….any bride I know would absolutely die if her hair and dress were dripping wet just moments after her ceremony. But not Maddy! She seemed to not have a care in the world as I valiantly worked to dry her dress with the blow dryer in the bridal suite. After making the best repairs we could, I stepped downstairs to cue the wedding party for their entrances. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nate furiously gesturing me back over to the hallway where he & Maddy were waiting…never a good sign. “Can you have the DJ make a last minute switch for our grand entrance song?” Nate asked. “Absolutely!” I answered. “What would you like me to have him switch over to?” And Maddy & Nate respond without hesitation…”Have him play “Umbrella” by Rhianna.”

And that ladies & gents is the “ideal couple” in a snapshot. Gorgeous vision, commitment to
quality, a dash of fun & surprise, but above all, knowing that this moment doesn’t have to be
“perfect” to be perfectly yours.