The Wedding Story of Melissa and Bryan Briones

Melissa and Bryan met on Match.com. “He reached out to me first and we corresponded by email and text for a little while before our somewhat crazy schedules allowed us to meet in person,” she says. “We met at a dive-y little Hawaiian bar and both knew within minutes that we had found something really special.”

The two went to Maine for a vacation just a few months after meeting. “He took me to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park to watch the sunrise and proposed with a vintage ring that had belonged to his grandmother (which he had restored) as the sun came up,” says Melissa.

 

Even though Melissa was so excited about her upcoming nuptials, she was a little intimidated by the actual wedding planning. After discussing the many different options for their wedding including elopement, a destination wedding or a more traditional wedding, the couple decided they wanted something a little different and very personal with their closest family and friends in attendance.
 

 

Looking for something simple, quaint and intimate, their venue proved to be a perfect match.

Melissa found her beautiful WToo by Watters dress at a small boutique called A Joyful Occasion. “I wanted something simple and comfortable and I knew I wanted lace,” she explains. “I did try on a bunch of styles but ended up going back to one of the first dresses I tried on (and also one of the least expensive!)."

 

Like many brides, Melissa found the planning process a bit overwhelming, especially while trying to do things on a budget. She says, “I owe so much to Tiffany, our planner, who really guided us through everything and kept it manageable.”

 

The couple enlisted a friend to officiate to write what they felt was a really meaningful and unique ceremony. Melissa says, “We wrote our own vows as well. It was an extremely personal (and emotional) ceremony, and I wouldn’t change a thing! For our first dance, Bryan surprised me by having his record player brought in to play the first song we ever danced to.”

Melissa’s D.I.Y. project list included menus, programs, table numbers, a paper flower wall, most of the decorations and more that she completed with the help of her sister.   

Because Melissa and Bryan wanted their flowers to be seasonal and natural, they ended up with a color scheme of soft coral, peach, green and cream.

 

 

Advice from the bride

Melissa says, “Try not to lose perspective. The marriage is what matters in the end. The wedding is just day one!”

 

 

What We Love

Pies are certainly popping up more and more as a wedding dessert option. When asked what her guests will remember, Melissa says, “Certainly the personal nature of the ceremony, great food and drinks and those pies! But mainly just all the love in the room all night."

 

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