Ariana & Stephen's Wedding - Tara Lauren Real Love Tara Lauren

After meeting in high school, fate brought Ariana and Stephen together again almost 10 years later, as their love story was truly meant to be.

Of her Isolde gown, Ariana said “When I found my dress, I was originally going to get married in a Cathedral in a destination wedding in Cartagena. I knew I wanted a dramatic train and a back that would stand out. And that’s what I found with Isolde by Tara Lauren! It was just perfect so even when our plans changed, I knew that I was still going to wear Isolde.”

Names: Ariana & Stephen

Wedding Date: 11/28/20

Guest Numbers: 50

Wedding Location: West Palm Beach, Florida

Photographer: Emely Williams

Tell Us Your Love Story

How did you meet?

We both met over a decade ago while we were still in high school. At the time, we ran in different circles, but were acquaintances through our youth group. It wasn’t until 10 years later that Stephen slid into my Instagram DM’s and we decided to meet up for drinks to see how the other person was doing. The rest is history…

How did he put a ring on it?

Exactly a year before our wedding, on 11.28.19, Stephen proposed on Thanksgiving with all of our friends and family. We decided to honor our 11.28 date and get married exactly a year later, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Where did you draw inspiration from?

I was lucky enough to be close friends with an amazing planner in South Florida, Adriana from The Creative’s Loft. Her husband and my husband both work together at the Palm Beach Fire Department. She really helped us out with vendors and together with the florist, Primrose Floral from Miami, came up with a mood board that embodied all of the ideas we had discussed about the wedding. We knew that we wanted there to be an earthy feel with touches of terracotta, dried flowers, and unique designs to make the wedding feel more personal.

What made the wedding personal to you?

Everything about the wedding was intimate and personal! There were so many small touches that were special. Stephen and I had worked together with our planner on ALL of the details, and I think that’s what really made a difference. Since it was a smaller wedding than we had originally intended, we really got to focus on what and who was most important to us, which made it very sentimental.

What were you most nervous or excited about?

We were very excited about spending the day with our closest family and friends! Of course we were nervous about the situation with COVID, but we planned everything with that in mind and took steps to keep everyone safe. We offered masks to our guests, had a sanitizing station, and made sure the tables were spread far enough apart. In the end, it really was the most perfect day.

Now, the most important part – the Dress!

Tell us about your dress?

When I found my dress, I was originally going to get married in a Cathedral in a destination wedding in Cartagena. I knew I wanted a dramatic train and a back that would stand out. And that’s what I found with Isolde by Tara Lauren! It was just perfect so even when our plans changed, I knew that I was still going to wear Isolde.

What stockist did you get it from?

Lovely Bride Miami

What was your most memorable moment from your day?

There were a few memorable moments, it’s so hard to choose just one! The moment when I walked down the aisle in our home church and saw Stephen waiting for me was a big one. After the ceremony we went to Stephen’s local fire station to take pictures with our wedding party in a trolley that rode us around Palm Beach. There was also a moment when my good friend, and wedding planner, brought Stephen and I up before everyone else to see the reception area fully decorated, which ended up being beyond my expectations. Adri’s team really outdid themselves and transformed the rooftop reception venue into a magical, intimate space where we were able to create the most amazing memories for us to cherish forever.