Bryn + Ben by Ruby Olivia - Together Journal

I wanted lots of bright and fun colors, a little bit of maximalism, everything to be outdoors and airy.

Tell us a little about yourselves, what you do, what you love…

We are both athletes, Ben is a Quarterback in the NFL and I was a college volleyball player. Ben also owns his own hat company, TrueBrvnd, and I work in tech sales. We both love the outdoors and being social. So when life brought us to Colorado, we started falling in love with outdoor activities like hiking, skiing/snowboarding, biking, going to concerts, etc. We love to travel and are trying to hit all 50 states together. We love our mini bernedoodle, Beaux, and had to make him a part of our big day. We are both very close to our families, and although they don’t live close, we always prioritize making trips to Texas/Pennsylvania/Massachusetts to see them!

How/where/when did you meet – and what were your first impressions?

We met at James Madison University on Bryn’s 21st birthday. Ben played football and I played volleyball and we ran in similar circles. We immediately became best friends and didn’t start dating until a year and a half later, the day after Bryn graduated college. It was immediate chemistry, it just took a little while for Ben to get out of the friend zone.

Tell us about the vision you had for the mood and style of your wedding. (theme, key styling elements, florals, colour palettes etc.).

Growing up in the south, I (Bryn) have attended over 30 weddings, so I took notes! I knew I wanted lots of bright and fun colors, a little bit of maximalism, everything to be outdoors and airy, and an event that was intimate, but still a party! This is why we decided to do a private ceremony in Bryn’s parents backyard (only immediate family and bridal party attended), and then expanded to a larger reception and party at Hotel Magdalena with 160 of our favorite people. Key elements included: Austin Texas theme with the live music (band, DJ spinning vinyls at the after party, and string quartet at ceremony), the iconic “I love you so much” sign from South Congress that was incorporated into our seating chart escort wall, authentic and funky colors that were brought into the tablescape, florals, invites, and bridesmaid dresses

What styling and visual elements worked best for you? (could be things, the florals, particular hire products or your marquee, etc., something the stylist created or simply just the scenic beauty of your location or the existing design of your venue).

Leaning into the funky vibe of Austin and our hotel venue, and going with a bright and maximalism aesthetic.

What did you enjoy most about the planning process, and do you have any tips for couples starting their wedding planning journey?

We enjoyed getting to make it totally our own. Initially, some were a bit confused or surprised that we wanted to do a private ceremony and then have a larger reception, but it ended up being so intimate and perfect that we wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I was able to get ready in my parents house with just my mom/mother in law and sisters and it made for the most relaxing, non stressful lead up to the perfect day! It’s YOUR day – do whatever makes you as a couple the happiest. There’s no right or wrong way to do a wedding.

Tell us about your vendors. Were there any standout suppliers you would like to make special mention of?

The vendors were fantastic! Specifically, our planner, Kim Sweat, the florist, Ida Mayes, and our band, Love and Happiness. Kim shared that all the vendors we selected came together and put together the smoothest wedding she’s ever planned! She helped bring my vision to life and was able to help me identify things that I didn’t even know I wanted. The florals were everything and more, and the band created an atmosphere that truly felt like a concert, which is exactly what we wanted! They even brought us on stage to sing a few times and made it super interactive.

Tell us about your main outfits, what was unique, and is there a story?

I went to one bridal shop and found the dress the first day! One and done. Our life is a bit chaotic with Ben playing in the NFL, and the day I went shopping, we found out we might be moving across the country. I was stressed out, so to get my mind oﬀ things, my mom and I went shopping just for fun, but ended up finding the one! Although we didn’t end up moving, I’ll always remember that day turning from a stressful morning to such a special day and memory with my mom! When we went shopping for Ben – it was classic that we bought Louboutin shoes and I got my shoes delivered the week before from Amazon. Very us.

Tell us about your wedding and engagement rings.

Ben flew to NYC without me knowing and custom made my engagement ring with a jeweler. All I told him was that I wanted a “rectangle diamond that was sideways’ (goes to show how little I knew about rings), and he curated my dream ring. My wedding bands are two bands with the diamonds extracted from my great grandmother’s ring. We had it custom made at the jeweler in Austin Texas (Abercrombie Jewelers) that made my mom’s wedding ring. Ben’s ring was custom made at a local jeweler in Colorado where we live (Master Jewelers) and we had “DP4L” engraved on the inside “Doubles Partner for Life” – he proposed to me on a tennis court by writing this on the tennis balls.

What were one or two elements that were most important to you both that you were happy to spend a little more on? (food, photography, florals, the venue, your outfits?).

Music! It was so important to us that the energy and atmosphere of the night was vibrant and fun. The band exceeded our expectations and by the end of the night, they felt a part of our guest list, even wearing the hats we handed out at the reception venue – we wanted a venue that was easily accessible to guests traveling from out of town, and Hotel Magdalena was located right in the middle of the city, on the iconic South Congress street, that perfectly encapsulated the Austin culture that we wanted to carry into our design.

Was there a favourite moment (or two) that you will treasure always?

The private ceremony – Because it was with our closest friends and family, there were no nerves felt and it was so light hearted and fun. Ben hop scotched down the aisle, we forgot the vow books, my aunt oﬃciated, it was held in my parents backyard, our mom’s were the ring bearers, Ben’s brother pretended to pull the rings out of Ben’s ear like a magic trick, and we had our dog attend. It was intimate, casual and very us. Another moment that I will always treasure was our private last dance.