Jessica & Bryan’s Wedding Day Highlights

Picture this – the ground is covered in a fresh layer of white puffy snow. The air bites at your nose as you step outside and in front of you stands a couple all wrapped up in each others arms. Him in a tux, her in a white bridal gown. The only thing between them is the slight sparkly fog of their breathing in the cold December air. It’s almost like being in eachothers arms is taking their breath away.

Awwww. Meet Jessica and Bryan – two people who planned their best day ever to happen on the last possible day of 2017! It is amazing to see their vision come together and be surrounded by friends and family for the entire day! It was perfect!

I asked Jessica how they came up with their theme. It’s a little bit of a redundant question (if your date is December 31, you almost HAVE to go with a NYE theme, it’s science). “The theme came easy to us; celebrating NYE means you have to have sparkle! Our main color was gold… so our invitations, escort cards, table numbers, and bridesmaid dresses were all gold.”

If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jessica in person – you know she has a big bold colorful personality (Bryan’s favorite feature of his bride!). On their wedding day, Jessica wore her colorful personality as her “pop” of color and let her accessories sparkle and embrace the classic wintery white. Her lips? Red. Red. Red. Of course.

Her something blue? Haha, Bryan and her may or may not have had blue fingers after being outside for all the portraits! (Don’t worry guys, we took a few breaks and warmed them up after being CHAMPS standing in the -1 degree December weather.)

I mean, there were a few other pops of red throughout the day besides Jessica’s lips. Their bridesmaids getting ready shirts were ah-maz-ing (and SO theme appropriate for a winter weather!). (P.S. I still want one of these, *hint hint* Travis!).

And Bryan – you sly dog – surprised Jessica with a stunning pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos. So very very classy.

Ahhhh. Okay, one more.

I wonder if the thought crossed their mind as they were standing on the beach in Hawaii (on the sand in a heart made of flowers and leis) that they would trade in the shorts and sunburns for furs and gloves on their wedding day. Bryan is a super romantic guy, so I’m sure he didn’t mind pulling his bride in close as they stood in the snowy wonderland on the grounds of the Inn at Leola Village. It was so so so wintery wonderlandy perfection – even with the chilly air.

Jessica started her day at the Destinations Spa with her ladies. Once hair and makeup was complete, Jessica took her ladies back to the bridal suite where they hung out for a few moments before they got into their formal wear. The bridesmaids all looked radiant in their sparkly gold Badgley Mischka ‘Night at the Oscars’ gown from Rent the Runway.

Jessica’s Kleinfeld Bridal gown was pure timeless elegance. She paired her gown with an old ring that was her Grandmothers, as well as a faux fur wrap and some details from Kate Spade. Jessica’s bridal party was so wonderfully supportive and helped the bride perfect her wedding day vision to prepare her for the first look with her husband-to-be.

As Jessica was up stairs getting ready with her girls, Bryan was a few floors down laughing the morning away. The hotel room overflowed with laughter as Bryan and he groomsmen recounted the tales of the previous days in vivid and colorful detail. Painted in a Rembresque light, Bryan donned his perfectly tailored suite. As he put each piece on the mood in the room slowed changed. Things started to quite down and you could see Bryan was both nervous and excited. If you know Bryan you will understand it was not a bad kind of nervous but rather the kind of nervous built in anticipation and excitement.

You could tell all he was thinking about was seeing his wife to be and the day ahead of him. We talked over the day and you could tell Bryan wanted to make his fiancé happy and give her the perfect day. Jessica’s most favoritest thing about Bryan is he is always happy.

Each detail was recanted and discussed making sure every duck was in a row. With some final touches and a moment to himself Bryan was ready and we headed outside for a few quick photos before he would see his fiancé for the first time.

The first time they met in 2014 the two went out for drinks. I hope the butterflies the two felt in their stomachs on their first date continue to live on every time they see each other after a long day. Jessica and Bryan chose to do their first look in their ceremony space at the Inn at Leola Village. In the empty room Bryan turned to see his wife-to-be for the first time on their wedding day.

“I felt happy, excited, and comfort. I had been looking forward to seeing him all day, and I couldn’t wait for him to see me. I’m so glad we did the first look, we got to have a private moment and really take the whole moment in.”

These guys and their bridal party were certainly dedicated to getting the best photos possible. I know it’s been said, but damn, it was a cold cold day. I think perhaps their love was keeping them warm.

The giggles kept us warm too.

And some of us just manned up to the cold and wore pants. (or wore their Nordstrom and Indochino wool… it could go either way).

As the sun on the last day of 2017, Jessica and Bryan were surrounded by their friends and family for the ceremony in Casa De Fiori. Petals sprinkled the aisle and all the blooms were provided by Tracie from Village Florist, the in house florist at the Inn at Leola Village. Jessica’s happiest moment on the wedding day was being escorted by her Mother down the aisle. And though tears were anticipated, Jessica didn’t cry but felt the magnitude of the overwhelming emotions of marrying her best friend.

Their ceremony was almost fifteen minutes on the button. Officiant Kent Jacobs gifted them a Bible and said the best marriage advice he could ever give is already in that book. They sealed their vows to each other with rings and a kiss.

Summer sounded terrible to get married in (too hot). October would have been a dream (too expensive), but a New Years Eve wedding? the Ultimate perfection because it would be filled with fun, sparkly and cold! The newlyweds got their wish and showed off their wedding sparkle with the details at the reception.

Annnnnd CAKE – from La Terra Bakery – Inn at Leola Village’s in-house bakery, The newlyweds added three tokens of things they love together (wrestling, Philly, and caffeine!). For Jessica (and probably Brian as well), the funniest part of the day was when she was trying to cut the cake and the knife wouldn’t cut – she looked at Travis in panic!!! He just said, “just stab it!!!” (#BestWeddingAdvice)…. I really hope that this moment was caught in their wedding video by Complete Weddings and Events!

This phrase that Jessica communicated with me gives me all the feels. “You need people to encourage your marriage because now is when the real work starts.” There was so much love surrounding these two on their wedding day. The two gave a heartfelt toast before everyone clinked their glasses at midnight and smooched their loved ones to ring in the new year. Cue Auld Lang Syne – thanks DJ Paul Saffos from Complete Weddings and Events!

Jessica is a self described “bridechilla” (as opposed to bridezilla). She “didn’t spent a lot of time worrying about where people will sit, table linens, favors, and other details I considered small and forgettable. I’d say to cut out things like save the dates, favors, and programs and direct that money towards things you would rather have more (like getting your makeup done!), because in reality none of your guests will remember or care about any of that.”

This photo sums up a New Years Eve romantic sparkly snowy wedding. And it happens to be their favorite photo of the day – so much celebration with so many wonderful people! (and what better way to ring in 2018 than to be showered with champagne!). Best Day Ever!

What is their favorite thing about being married? “Getting to wear a ring. It is a physical representation for the entire world to know, ‘I found my person!‘”

It was a beautiful way to ring in the new year surrounded by so much celebration and love! May life bring you the best adventures!

I do, do you need more wedding in your life? – click here!!!

“Is there anything else you’d like to share or have us feature in our blog post? Yes, we’d like the whole wide world to know that you guys are AMAZING. You were more than photographers. The fact that you guys are married and shoot weddings for a living means you have lots of experience and know what works, but you didn’t have to share any of that with us. Travis, you could’ve let Bryan wear a fancy belt AND suspenders, but instead you told him to pick one because it’ll look best. Jen, you told us when it was time to GO PARTY and let everybody else deal with any issues that came up (like our 4 bottles of champagne that were lost!) You guys could’ve just sat back and took the pictures but instead you HELPED us… and we are forever grateful. Whenever we talk about our wedding, we always mention how awesome Leslie (my matron of honor) was, and then next is our wonderful photographers.“