The Wedding Story of Rebecca and Daniel Ray

It’s true that, for some us, we would pretty much run the other way if our parents tried to hook us up on a date. This story is proof, though, that maybe we should hear them out. In Rebecca and Daniel’s case, Daniel’s parents definitely succeeded in playing cupid. Rebecca explains, “I met Daniel's dad through an event I hosted for my job. I attended national conferences for work, along with Daniel's dad and mom, so Daniel and I heard about each other before we ever met. When Daniel's parents offered to set us up, neither of us were interested, especially because I lived in Indiana and Daniel lived in Oregon.” A year and a half later, the introduction finally happened and the sparks were flying. “We became Facebook friends and later casually met up as I was traveling on the West Coast with family,” Rebecca says. “Daniel didn't ask me out until nine months later when we spent a week together at another national conference in Texas.” Beating all the odds, their relationship 2,300 miles apart began!
 

When the couple’s engagement finally arrived, Rebecca’s brother was instrumental in making sure it was a surprise and in the exact locale she dreamed of–the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Working with Daniel, he made a casual night out with his sister feel like any other night. While on a last minute walk before a movie, the two found themselves at the very spot she hoped she would get engaged at. “At one point, my brother looked at me with this huge smile on his face, and I was like, "What?!" He just kept smiling and then looked over my shoulder. I followed his gaze and saw a photographer. Taking a step left, I saw Daniel and my heart nearly stopped. We were so happy to see each other that we hugged for several minutes before he finally dropped to one knee and proposed.”
 

In love with the idea of a classic and elegant wedding that fit their budget, the pair began first with the venue hunt. “We chose the church because we loved its grandeur and classic beauty. Both Daniel and I take our covenant vows seriously, and the formality of the church reflects the mood that we wanted to create for our ceremony,” Rebecca says. “The barn we chose for the reception was filled with twinkle lights and had a joyous atmosphere which reflected the intense joy we felt accompanied the celebration.”

“Once we found the church and reception location we wanted, we picked our date,” Rebecca recalls. “After that, things started falling into place. Our winter wedding date helped us pick our theme, and then all I had to do was dream and do the legwork.” While Rebecca gained inspiration from Pinterest and other weddings, her friend, a wedding coordinator, provided invaluable advice. Rebecca even used WeddingDay, inspired by some of our pins and list of Indiana wedding barns. Evernote, another handy resource, allowed Rebecca to record detailed outlines of everything she wanted to happen.

Rebecca’s David’s Bridal dress checked all the boxes. It was not only beautifully elegant but comfortable and warm enough for her winter wedding as well. “The lace and tulle were so perfect for the look I was going for, and I loved the deep back,” Rebecca says. “In addition, we had very limited alterations, as we took a floor model that fit me almost perfectly! Not only were the staff more friendly and helpful than the other bridal stores I had been to, but ‘the one’ was the least expensive dress I had tried on!”

Navy blue, burgundy and gold were classic colors that Rebecca already loved and thought would be perfect for her winter nuptials. “I wanted something that wasn't going to date my wedding, but would also be trendy and on point as well,” Rebecca explains. “After looking on Pinterest at some fall color palettes, I loved how coral and other colors such as different greens, lighter blues and pinks looked with those colors. I chose those colors because it provided a rich palette that was warm and unlike the other winter weddings I had seen. To incorporate the many colors Rebecca envisioned, her florist combined white Hydrangea, burgundy Coxcomb, red and pink Protea, silver blue thistle, Coral Hypericum Berries, burgundy Leucadendron, Seeded Eucalyptus and Silver Dollar Eucalyptus stems. Rebecca says, “A dear friend of mine actually cut down cedar and other evergreens, along with rose hips and cedar berries for the centerpiece greenery at the reception. She did an amazing job!!”

With some help from her dad and mom, Rebecca designed and printed her own save-the-dates, wedding invitations and programs, and the wedding bell favors that were rung during their send off. Instead of spending hundreds on a veil, Rebecca also used an online D.I.Y. tutorial to make her own in only two hours.

What We Love

Rebecca and Daniel put a lot of thought and effort into creating a wedding celebration that was filled with warmth and joy. Since they were leaving Rebecca’s home state of Indiana for Oregon immediately following the ceremony, Rebecca, especially wanted to ensure that she included sentimental touches throughout. Rebecca says, “The special times we had on the wedding day sharing in meaningful moments were really important to me. I wanted my family to feel invested in and loved, even though I was moving so far away. I loved tying in personal aspects into our wedding. For instance, our flower girl used dried rose petals from my several of my late grandparents' funerals. I had always wanted grand organ music at my wedding ceremony, and the bridal party processional song was special because it was one that Daniel had shared with me and we had both fallen in love with. I also was thrilled that even though it was a whopping nine degrees outside, our photographers graciously took us back to the Indianapolis Museum of Art gardens where Daniel had proposed for some special outdoor pictures.”

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