A Rooftop Soiree in Downtown Indianapolis: The Real Wedding of Alyssa and Jake Hayden

Despite both graduating in 2011 and being part of the same social group through the friend who became Jake's best man, Alyssa and Jake never would've thought they would end up together. Around five years ago on a trip to Florida, Jake and Alyssa developed feelings for one another, and they've been inseparable since! Jake proposed to Alyssa in May of 2022 on one of their common sunset strolls on the beach while living in Florida. 
 

"I went into dress shopping pretty open minded but knew I wanted something a little more form fitting than 'ballgown'," Alyssa admits. "Looking back, I laugh because the dress I chose was actually the first dress I tried on that day." Even though she got emotional the first time she put it on, Alyssa waited because she thought it was just because it was the first wedding dress she ever wore. After trying on a few, Alyssa asked to try it on again and knew it was 'the one'. We love all the intricate and sparkly details in Alyssa's gorgeous dress! 
 

When it came time for planning, Alyssa knew she wanted to book her ceremony and reception venues first. Once she had those nailed down, she moved on to booking a photographer before getting the smaller elements in line. In refining the theme for her wedding, Alyssa turned to her trusty wedding Pinterest board that she started when she was twelve! Though all the ideas on there weren't the best, Alyssa landed on a blush, navy and ivory color scheme inspired by her love for light pink peonies. We think the colors really pop in the shots from the day!
 

Alyssa chose to include the timeless items of something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue in their wedding day. Utilizing a sapphire ring her parents got her in high school and a jeweled headpiece that her maid of honor wore at her wedding, Alyssa crossed something old and something borrowed off the list. Her something new was her wedding dress and veil, but her something blue really had a unique meaning. "My something blue was a light blue rosary wrapped around my bouquet, which was very special to me because I prayed countless times for the right man to marry someday!" Alyssa shares. She also made sure that Jake had a unique tie that spoke to his personality and style to set him apart from his groomsmen!
 

 

What We Love

Vilma Maria Boutique Photo Studio brilliantly captured all the beauty of Alyssa and Jake's big day! In fact, Vilma was one of the first vendors that Alyssa knew she wanted to hire for her wedding. Alyssa gushes, "I was a bridesmaid for several weddings Vilma (our AMAZING photographer) has shot and told her whenever I get engaged, I’m calling her up! She does an incredible job and goes above and beyond to make the day special. I could not recommend her more." Every color gets a chance to shine in Vilma's photos, but the happy couple and their joy is what radiates the most in these stunning pictures!
 

 

Advice from the Couple

Jake and Alyssa advise, "Our advice would be to start planning as soon as you get engaged or even before, if you can. We actually booked our reception venue three months before we got engaged (crazy, we know!) but we knew how fast it would book for the month we wanted! The sooner you pick all the vendors you like, the faster you can book them all and the more likely they will have openings for your wedding day. Planning a wedding is fun but stressful. Things will go wrong, but don’t sweat it! If you give yourself plenty of time to plan, it will be easier to fix any issues that arise. Most importantly, try to enjoy the process. You only get to do this once!"
 

 

 

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