When Victoria won our Bride of the Year contest, she was as equally excited as we were. You see, Victoria had booked us TWO YEARS before her wedding date so we had lots of time to get to know her and her family! But we found out even more after she won as we interviewed Victoria on how she met Ryan and planned their magical day. Here is their story:
THE MEETING
“One of my sister’s friends set Ryan and I up about 4.5 years ago and after our first date we both had a feeling this could be it. We lived in New York City at the time.” Victoria says dating in the city is, “the worst thing ever! We were both working crazy hours during the week, while visiting family and friends upstate on the weekends.” Victoria remembers going on vacation abroad in Milan after a month of dating and wondering when she got back if Ryan would still be interested? Well, he certainly was, and the two moved in together after 7 months of dating. Ryan proposed in their first NY apartment together 2.5 years after they started dating. On Friday, January 19th after dinner one evening and they started planning their upstate wedding from afar!
THE VENUE
Victoria and Ryan chose Franklin Plaza in Troy, NY. Victoria said that when they were looking Franklin Plaza gave “the most bang for your buck.” Plus, the hotel where her girls and family would be staying and getting ready was right across the street from the venue, which is a historic renovated bank and had recently undergone a huge renovation on all 3 floors. She said after the wedding, ” The food was really good.” Everything was “simple but elegant” just the way they wanted.
FLORAL AND EVENT PLANNING
Victoria chose C&A Event Planning , who acted as event planners and also did all the florals for her big day. They were a recommendation from Victoria’s wedding photographer. “Cathy and Ashley were really great. Franklin Plaza did so much the day of the wedding too! We were in really good hands all around.” Victoria told us, “I wanted GREENERY, organic greenery.” Again fulfilling her theme of simple but elegant.
ENTERTAINMENT
Victoria used the words ,”Obsessed.” and “The best.” They chose Love of Music and DJ Chris. Victoria says Ryan loved him too. She thinks the best part of her whole wedding was “after all the formulatities there was dancing, lots of dancing.” Victoria has been a dancer since she can remember, so seeing the photos and videos from their wedding are not your usual wedding videos. This group can dance! And nearly everyone was on the floor in what looked like perfectly choreographed group dance sequences.
THE HONEYMOON
Ryan and Victoria talked about honeymooning in Greece just 8 months after they began dating and after a trip they took together to Croatia.
Victoria says that Greece was “honestly breathtaking.” They loved the hotels, the beaches, the fresh mediterranean foods.
HOW I CHOSE MMF AND THE BEAUTY PROCESS
“I had heard from friends that booking vendors can be one of the more stressful tasks, but for us it all kind of fell into place and with instagram these days, we found most vendors through social media. However, choosing Make Me Fabulous for hair and makeup for myself & bridesmaids was a decision I had made even before getting engaged! The Make Me Fabulous team styled one of our friend’s wedding and once I saw how stunning the bride and her bridesmaids looked, I was sold, two years in advance! “Awwhh, we are so glad you did Victoria! ”
“Alayne is incredibly personable so from my first phone call with her, I knew she would be amazing! I started going to Alayne for my monthly eyebrow appointments and during those appointments we would catch up on wedding details and start chatting about what my wedding look would be. When it came time for my trial, I came in very unprepared and all I told her was that I wanted to wear my hair down and look like myself. What Alayne came up with over exceeded my expectation!! Her Alayne Curtiss Bridal Beauty is an amazing product line, goes on so smoothly and stays all day! Not to mention works well with my sensitive skin.”
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
Victoria and Ryan just bought their first home together. They hope to invest for their future by purchasing investment properties, and of course to have children. They recently got a puppy too, Luna, a golden retriever. Seriously look at that face! I had the chance to meet Luna recently and she is the absolute sweetest ball of lovable energy!
LOOKING BACK AT THE DAY
Victoria says her favorite part of her day other than all the dancing was when their photographer, Nicole Weeks, pulled she and Ryan aside at the end of the cocktail hour for about 25 minutes. Taking pictures of just the two of them. These pictures are her favorites of the entire day and the time together just Victoria and Ryan is the most memorable. Victoria says that every bride and groom should take a few moments together on your wedding day, “just the two of you.”
