They both swiped right! For Amy and Nick, the rest is history.
Of her Farrow gown, Amy said “I walked out from behind the curtain, and the look on everyone’s face had me sold. It was love at first sight.”
Names: Amy & Nick
Wedding Date: First it was 5.16.2020, then 2.20.2021, then finally 09.26.2020
Guest Numbers: 11
Wedding Location: South Padre Island, TX
Photographer: Moriah Ruth Photography
Tell Us Your Love Story
How did you meet?
The short version? We met on Bumble. I’m still convinced it was fate. I spent the weeks after meeting him telling everyone that “it was the most bizarre thing to ever happen to me.” The longer version? He had just moved to Kansas City for work, and a friend encouraged him to get on an app to meet people. He downloaded a week prior, and I had downloaded it that evening after work. We matched, and I said “what made you swipe right. “I’ll tell you if you tell me” He said “great question – 2 things – your first picture and your dachshund.” I told him it was his second picture and his hockey game picture. His bio wasn’t bad either – it said something to the effect of “let’s meet and get off this app forever.”
We agreed to meet at a bar in the Power & Light district. I got to the bar, and messaged him, and he said “…walk straight in, I have a blue polo shirt on.” (Not super helpful in the midst of baseball season in Kansas City – go Royals!) The bar was huge, so I replied and said “I’m by the taco stand.” He said there wasn’t a taco stand in the bar he was at. (This was going well…) He came to look, and I finally saw him – it’s really cliche, but everything around me turned black & white, all I saw was him. He bought us a round and walked me back to the table. We talked all night, until the bar closed. I went to the restroom to text my mom – I told her I had just met the guy I was going to marry.
How did he put a ring on it?
He planned the whole weekend around a hockey tournament. He played in the KC Men’s League and we had gone to tournaments like this before, so I didn’t even think twice. He showed me texts from the guys and even the hotel reservation. He told me that we were all going to a concert Friday night, and then the tournament started on Saturday. Sunday was our 2 year anniversary, and I was wondering if he remembered… We left Lawrence to head to KC, hockey bag and all. We get into town, and he says that we’re heading to one of the guy’s apartments to meet up before the concert. He tells me that before we go up, he has to show me the rooftop because it’s really cool – (he almost moved into this complex originally). We make it up to the roof of the Power & Light building, which overlooks where we met. We’re walking around (I’m still clueless), and I said “we have to get a picture up here!” so he sets his phone up to take a photo (but actually to record what’s about to happen). I go over to stand by him and he starts talking… he’s telling me that this city, and this place changed his life because it’s where he met me. It was then that I knew what was happening. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, with a ring hidden inside a wine cork (we spend a lot of time drinking wine, and saving corks. We usually write on the corks what we were doing when we finished the bottle. This cork was from a bottle we finished the first weekend we met). I instantly said yes, then asked what about the concert and the hockey tournament… he said all of that was a lie – there was no party, no concert and no tournament. But there was a reservation at a restaurant below, and an AirBnB waiting for us in Hermann, MO for the weekend. We hugged, kissed, found a stranger to take a picture (on the roof), and then called all of our family to share the news!
Where did you draw inspiration from?
Honestly, I drew a lot of my inspiration for the day from my wedding dress. I loved the blush/nude color, and the way the lace looked on top. I was definitely going for a boho-ish vibe that was pretty and still somewhat classic.
What made the wedding personal to you?
This is going to be a long one – we had quite the journey to actually getting married. We had originally planned our wedding for May 16, 2020 in Kansas City. We knew we would probably be moving to Texas over the summer, and wanted to be married first. Right after we got engaged, we talked about our options, and a small, family-only destination wedding came up… As anyone who has planned a wedding before knows, keeping the guest list small is so hard. Ultimately, we ended up deciding on a 70ish person wedding in Kansas City at La Villa – a beautiful renovated Spanish chapel. I was so excited to bring in blacks, whites, and blushes into the almost all-white space. I was going for a marbled look with blush and silver accents. We had all our vendors set up – bartenders, caterers, florists, photographer, etc. Only for COVID and quarantine to hit in March. We waited and watched in hopes of even just having a small wedding with family and our bridal party, but as April went on we realized that just wouldn’t be the safest option since almost everyone would’ve been travelling to us to take part. We still celebrated our wedding day – Nick surprised me with string lights, flowers and a beautiful picnic downstairs with a small strawberry cake (just like our wedding cake would’ve been), champagne, and Taco Bell (we were planning to serve tacos at the wedding). We made the decision to go ahead and move to Texas in June, with all our wedding plans still up in the air. When we arrived to Austin, we started making new wedding plans – we secured a new venue and picked a new date: 2/20/2021.
About a month into our new Texas adventure, we were celebrating being engaged for one year at a winery. While there, Nick asked what I thought about moving our wedding date again, sooner rather than later. Of course I jumped on the idea. Later that week, we started calling family members to see what date worked the best. This was mid-July – we decided on Sept 26, 2020. We were starting from scratch… again, but didn’t even care – we just wanted to be married! We picked a location, South Padre Island, since it was close to where my grandparents lived. Our families booked flights, and reserved AirBnbs… they all did everything they could to be there, and we couldn’t be more thankful for that. I was able to get in touch with a wonderful coordinator in SPI who helped us with the officiant and the location. The florist I found for our February date was more than willing to accommodate me several months earlier than planned, and the cherry on top – our Kansas photographer was available on our new September date. It was all set. All that was left to do was count down!
The weekend arrives – we stopped to pick up my bouquet and the bouts/corsages before making the 5 hour drive to South Padre Island on Friday. We arrived and met up with our families. Nick’s parents made reservations for a great dinner party on the water that night, and then we went our separate ways until the wedding. Saturday was the wedding, and I can’t even talk about how fun the day was. It was spent getting ready with our families. My mom did my hair, and even rushed down to the beach to set up all the decor right before the ceremony was scheduled to start. Nick, my dad and brother went to pick up the cake. My grandma helped me zip up my dress. I did a first look with all the guys – my grandpa, my brother and my dad. It was all really laid back… we almost forgot the bouts/corsages in the fridge! Nick spent the morning exploring South Padre with his family, and sharing a few whiskeys while family helped him get ready – mom fastened his tie clip, step-dad helped him into his suit jacket and his sister did the final look.
It was time to walk down the beach with my dad. My song was playing, and all of our family was watching. We were able to stream the ceremony online, so that family and friends could still join virtually.
Honestly, it was SO special – to feel the amount of love and support we received from EVERYONE throughout the whole process. Our family, friends, vendors… We weren’t able to have all of our family, or friends with us because of COVID restrictions on the island, but we definitely felt the love. Our vendors were all so wonderful and accommodating. We couldn’t have done it without EVERY SINGLE ONE of our guests, near and far, and our vendors. It was also special because it ended up being the small, destination wedding we originally wanted.
What were you most nervous or excited about?
I was nervous about walking in my dress – it was altered for 3-inch heels, and I was going barefoot. Walking was definitely a challenge, but there was always someone by my side to help out (thanks dad and Nick!).
I was most excited about putting a RING ON IT – I’ve known since the day I met Nick that I was going to marry him. This was 3 years coming!
Nick was nervous about the timing of everything – making sure everything and everyone was where they were supposed to be. He wanted [me] to be happy with everything.
He was excited about seeing [me] in my dress and finally being married!
Now, the most important part – the Dress!
Tell us about your dress?
I went shopping for my dress with my bridesmaids, my mom and my MIL. We had plans to visit two shops that day. I really wanted to find *the* dress, and I was hopeful I would find it that day. I knew I didn’t want a dramatic trumpet style, and wasn’t fond of a form-fitted dress either. BUT I’ve watched enough Say Yes To The Dress to know that you usually walk out with a style you didn’t think you wanted.
The first shop was super fun, and I found a dress I really liked, but I couldn’t say yes to the dress without having been to the other shop, too. We left Shop 1 and proceeded to bride.confidential. It was the sample rack from their sister shop, bride. We walked into a room no bigger than a small office space, with one rack along one of the walls full of dresses. We all start going through the rack and pulling dresses. I tried on 3-4 before putting on Tara Lauren’s Farrow dress. I walked out from behind the curtain, and the look on everyone’s face had me sold. It was love at first sight. My favorite elements of the dress were the sheer top, the blush-colored satin underneath the two layers of lace… and of course the way it fit my shape. I knew Nick would love it too.
What stockist did you get it from?
Bride.confidential in Kansas City, MO
What was your most memorable moment from your day?
I think the most memorable moment was walking down the beach with my dad to “How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding and seeing the beach set-up for the first time, with all of our family members there for us. And of course, seeing Nick for the first time, and hearing his vows. Unbeknownst to me, he had written a letter THREE DAYS after we met, sealed it up and hadn’t looked at it since. I wasn’t shocked that he did it, because that’s Nick… but I couldn’t believe some of the things he had written. Things like, “I know that someday you’ll be my wife,” and “I am reading this to you at our wedding.” That was really special.
Nick said: The kind words and speeches that our family gave to us at dinner after the ceremony. I will never forget how loved, supported I felt.
Vendors to credit:
Photography: Moriah Ruth Photography // Florist: Forsythia Florals & TX Flowers // Makeup: Bliss Beauty Bridal Team // Alterations: Vanya Designs // Venue: South Padre Beach Ceremony // Officiant: Valerie Waddell // Decor: Hobby Lobby & Etsy // Jewellery: Petite Delights // Bridesmaid dress: Reverly