The Big Day: Haley + Stephen

Music: Josh Cianca of Buckeye Entertainment

Dress: Sample Sale hosted by

Luxeredux Bridal Boutique

Suit: Sofyano

Cake: PolkaDot Cupcakery

Rings: Diamond Cellar (engagement), bands from Gemvara (bride), Amazon.com (groom)

Flowers: Vessel Floral Design

Wedding Planner: Emily Messinger

Officiant: Christy Sienicki

The couple that high-fives together—stays together.

It’s hard enough staying on your feet/toes for whole wedding day, so we’ve gotta give credit to Anna and Stephen for setting the pace for a fun-filled day right after sun-up.

Who organizes and runs a 5K on the day of their wedding?

These two do, and we could only sit by and watch with admiration at adding a unique way to shake out the nerves and get the smiles going on your Big Day.

Not to mention making the finish line Red Velvet Cafe, where friends and family not running were waiting to support—and participants were treated to coffee, tea, and specialty cupcakes.

How can you not love a Big Day where you get a Runaway Bride—who still makes it to the altar on time?

Give us a range of your budget.  Did you go over?  Or stay under? $35,000-$40,000. We started wedding planning with a ballpark idea of what we would spend on the major items, then created a spreadsheet to project and track expenses. After we finalized our vendors and quotes, we paid for things in advance. Stephen was very savvy in accounting for everything pertaining to wedding expenses such as tax and gratuity in our spreadsheet so that we were not blindsided.

Was there anything that you wanted to avoid when you envisioned your wedding? I wanted to avoid being peer pressured into wedding traditions that didn’t fit with Stephen and I. We are quirky people, who love entertaining friends and family, and thus prioritized this over some of the more common wedding traditions, such as having a bridal party or having a formal sit-down meal. Instead, we set up as many ways to entertain and spend time with our wedding guests (welcome/drinks at The Sheraton, Wedding Day 5K, and post-wedding party at Pins Mechanical), highlight Columbus, and be stress-free.

Tell us the story of how you got engaged/the proposal. Stephen and I enjoy giving presents that require the recipient to solve a puzzle or participate in a scavenger hunt to be awarded the present. He gave me a puzzle, for what I thought might be an early birthday present. He created word puzzles that I had to solve using letter tiles. The first puzzle alluded to an inside joke and the second a series of adjectives describing me. After each of these puzzles, I got a simple present like a bag of M&Ms and fancy coffee. However, before the last puzzle Stephen pulls out a paper calendar showing March 2015 through September 2016. On this calendar, each day reflected what we had done together: From the day I called and left a message to book an apartment showing (he is my property manager … how we met) to that very day I was solving puzzles. After seeing the calendar he pulls out a similar calendar, but much larger and blank. This calendar reflects from September 2016 through September 2088. He then pulls out the last puzzle which I solve… “Will you pencil me in for the rest of your life?” At which point I am given my last gift: a gift wrapped box. I open the box to find an empty ring box. Stephen was, at that point, kneeling and formally proposing. After that how could I not say YES?!

What was the ultimate highlight of your Big Day? It is very clichéd to say, but it was incredible to see everything come together on our wedding day. From being awestruck by the flowers, to hugging the catering manager, Tom, who introduced me to his staff and snuck me grapes and cheese before walking down the aisle, to the DJ we gave little direction that kept the dance floor full, to the photographer who captured a photo of every single guest at the wedding, I am so incredibly grateful for all of the wonderful vendors that we worked with who embraced our vision.

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