Lauren and Tim at The Ryland Inn

Lauren-tim-ryland

How did you meet?
We met in high school while both participating in the school musical as crew members. Both of us have zero theater skills and simply joined for college credit!

How did you get engaged?
We got engaged during a walk through Central Park. Tim dropped down on one knee on the iconic bridge in the park, which was also the location of our favorite photograph together from my 18th birthday celebration in NYC.

Details of the day!
Both of us wanted the theme of our wedding day to be elegant, romantic and timeless. We contrasted navy with neutral colors such as taupe, gold and ivory. The flowers were textured styles of white, ivory and mixed greenery. As our favor, we thanked our guests with Auntie Anne’s pretzels in personalized bags reading, “Thank you for helping us tie the knot!”

Why did you choose your venue?
The moment we toured the Ryland Inn, we knew that was where we wanted to have our reception. It had the perfect balance of a rustic yet elegant feel. Atmosphere and food were two of our most important parts of the day, and The Ryland Inn checked both boxes!

What was on your menu?
Our cocktail hour was a variety of stations including Mediterranean specialties, fruits and cheeses, Italian antipasti, chicken and waffles, seafood, risotto and farm-to-table comfort foods such as chicken pot pie, mac and cheese, and short rib. We named our signature cocktail, a margarita, after my family dog, Stanley. For dinner, options of filet mignon, salmon or vegetable lasagna followed by a light strawberry salad. Our cake featured our favorite flavors: chocolate fudge, carrot cake, vanilla raspberry and hazelnut. The cake had a beautifully rustic white buttercream design with fresh flowers topping the various tiers.

All about your gown!
I wanted my wedding gown to fit the theme of our wedding—romantic and timeless. I chose a fitted, lace strapless dress with a beautifully detailed sweetheart top and train. It happened to be the first dress I tried on as I was drawn to the simple yet elegant look of the gown.

What was your favorite moment?
Our favorite detail of the night was the moment we finished pictures to sneak upstairs for a quick snack and bustle, it started to pour. The rain that we had been dreading and tracking for days timed itself perfectly. Not a moment of our day —the trip to the church, the ride to the venue and all of our pictures —was affected by the weather. We simply looked at each other as we saw the downpour of heavy rain, sipped our “Stanley” margaritas and laughed. We had made it.

One detail you couldn’t live without?
The one detail we couldn’t live without was an epic playlist. We agonized over putting together the perfect collection of songs that would connect with every guest present. It took years, but, in the end, it was perfection.

Did anything go wrong?
The pandemic! Our original wedding was planned for March 28, 2020, which we had to postpone less than two weeks before. As heartbreaking as that moment was, we both believe our wedding was better than it would have been if it had happened on our original date.

First dance song?
Our first dance song was “Two is Better than One,” by Boys Like Girls.

Any advice for future brides?
My advice to other brides is to enjoy every moment. Cherish every detail, every decision and every headache because once the day comes, it is over in the blink of an eye. While at your reception, be present and mindful that you made it. Once that last song plays, you will end up feeling such an immense feeling of gratitude and content.

Honeymoon location:
We had canceled our original honeymoon to the Bahamas due to the pandemic. The week after the wedding, we had a “stay-at-home-moon” with our new puppy. We may go on an official honeymoon next summer!