The Wedding Story of Emma and Jonathan Porter

Sometimes when you know, you just know. Emma and Jonathan met when they were young. Because they grew up together, they had fostered a strong friendship, but it was just that—a friendship.

That is, until Emma moved away to Alabama to volunteer at a ministry that cared for infants and incarcerated mothers. “I fell in love with the babies and the work there, but meanwhile Jonathan realized he didn’t like his ‘friend’ being so far away,” Emma explains. “I came home for a visit four months later, and he asked me out. From there, we wrote and stayed in touch while I was still in Alabama.”

Like a scene from The Notebook, images of Jonathan and Emma’s love story tugs at the heartstrings, and their engagement was just as sweet. “Jonathan’s parents’ driveway is a mile long, one way!” Emma recalls. “We would often walk it to get the mail and just spend time together...a lot of fun times, hard questions, arguments made right and a lot of sunsets happened on those walks, and it was my favorite part of my day.” It was on a similar walk one day that Jonathan suddenly stopped, got down on one knee and asked Emma “if she would take the only gift that he would give to her—his life.”

Emma says,  “Then he pulled out the absolute perfect ring—rose gold with a rough cut diamond—the only diamonds I liked. The entire proposal was simple and perfect.”

 

After spending an entire childhood as friends and then over a year and a half in love, this couple didn’t want to wait any longer. After getting engaged in November, they were married by February. Keeping things simple was Emma’s main goal. Although she was plenty inspired by Pinterest, she simplified everything as to not get swept away by all the time-consuming and stressful details. Her process involved designing as much as she could and even letting people wear their own clothing.
 

The neutral gray palette wasn’t only reflective of the couple’s style, it added to the total picture inspired by their passion for industrial interiors, tons of light and white and natural elements like glass, wood and concrete.

As a “no-fuss-clothing kind of girl,” Emma knew she wanted something comfortable and set her sights on bridal separates. When she found her skirt on Etsy and saw that is was from Russia, it seemed like it was just meant to be. “My paternal grandfather is native Russian, so I am a quarter,” Emma says. “I’m very proud of him and his heritage and what he has passed down, and he was not able to make our wedding due to health. It was special to me to wear something from my history, and it was also so simple and lovely. And it had POCKETS! That was a must!”
 

This creative couple found their adorable copper mugs online for a steal (thanks to Emma’s mom) and made them into centerpieces by filling them with eucalyptus, cedar and pussy willow. The three large butcher blocks used to serve food were also handcrafted by Emma’s dad. Emma’s sister was a huge help, too. Besides custom making the bride's jewelry, she served as a key person in executing the simple, elegant look. Emma, herself, designed the invitations, programs and floral arrangements.

Outside of what they were able to do on their own, this couple absolutely loved the vendors they were able to discover through friends, family and the Internet.
 

Editor's note: This sweet 1970's Super Beetle was a surprise Jonathan gifted to Emma as they departed! 

 

 

Advice From the Bride

We love Emma’s sound advice: “Don’t put your wedding, decor, or preferences above your relationships! The wedding is an absolute blast and an incredibly special day, but the people around you are what matter most. Be flexible and think outside the box so when opportunities come along, you’re not so stuck to what you ‘always wanted’ that you can’t see different options! Cherish the time with family before you leave and begin your own with your new husband!”

 

What We Love

It’s true that not every wedding “must-have” is a must for every bride. Emma believes her guests will remember that her wedding was simple, happy, broke a few unwritten rules and reflected her and Jonathan’s faith. She says, “You don’t have to have flowers (only greenery used), you don’t have to find your dress in a salon, and you don’t have to use the whole wedding budget (we didn’t, and had some leftover to stick in the bank...so helpful)!”

 

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