Maggie + Devin

On the 5th of August, 2023, Belle Gardens witnessed the heartwarming union of Maggie and Devin. Their wedding day was nothing short of magical, brimming with sentimental memories and the presence of their cherished friends and family. The atmosphere was imbued with love and excitement as Maggie shared a first look with both Devin and her father, creating enduring memories to be cherished forever. Surrounded by the people who mattered most, Maggie and Devin celebrated a day that will forever hold a special place in their hearts. Congratulations Maggie and Devin! Welcome to the Believe Bride Family!

The Proposal! My (now husband) took me to Manito Park on the pretense of taking a nice photo for his family's Christmas card and brought his best friend (who is a photographer) to get the picture. As we were taking the photo, he stepped behind me, knelt down, and pulled out the ring box. He then told me to turn around and I was so surprised and overjoyed! It was the fastest and easiest yes of my life.

The Dress! When I came into Believe Bride I brought my mom, my sister who was my maid of honor, and both of my grandmas It was such a special time. We were helped by Meagan and she was absolutely amazing! So kind, excited, talented at her job, and such a hype-woman! I tried on several different styles, but knew that I wanted something a little but whimsical/enchanted garden to match my venue. Honestly all the dresses I tried on were stunning, but I fell in love with one in particular and after that it was an easy choice!

The Big Day! Our wedding was everything we wanted and more! Some of the things that stood out however are as follows:
1. We had everyone we wanted in our bridal party, even if that meant our number of bridesmaids and number of groomsmen were unmatched, and that I thought people would think I had "too many bridesmaids." Honestly, though, it didn't matter at all. We had 9 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen and we are so glad we included everyone we wanted to. 10/10 would do the same way again.
2. As part of our ceremony, our pastor had us each (separately) write down 4 memories that were core to why we fell in love with each other and why we wanted to get married. He then shared these during the ceremony and it was so touching. We had guests say it was the most touching wedding ceremony they had been to, and it was so special for my now-husband and I to hear those things each other had written.
3. We had my aunt and uncle and their band Goodnight Suzie play music at our ceremony and reception. The touch of live music was so special and classy, and they did a wonderful job! It made it even more special that they were family.
4. We went a little "rogue" some might say from the classic food, and we had Mexican food! (my husband's favorite). We also had half cupcakes (because cake is my favorite) and half donuts (because that's my husband's favorite), and we were glad we did all of those things--even though it wasn't necessarily the wedding standard. People really enjoyed it, too!
5. We had a sparkler exit! Honestly so magical and made for some amazing photos! 10/10 recommend if your venue is okay with it.

What was your favorite part of your wedding? My favorite part was during the ceremony when my now-husband and I got to hear what we'd written about each other for the first time. It was so sweet and really conveyed the depth of our love for each other. Honestly the party was amazing, but that's my favorite part of the whole night.

Special Memories! The first looks we did were really sweet. I did one with my now-husband, one with my dad, and one with my bridesmaids. I also had a special moment with my mom, sister (MOH), and younger cousin (Jr. Bridesmaid) where they were the only two that helped me get dressed. That was we could have a special moment just the four of us--well and the photographers and videographer, too 😂

What advice would you give to future brides? Make sure you fill the space around you with people you love and love you back. Don't be worried that you'll have too many bridesmaids--include all your close friends. They will be the ones that are taking care of you that day and hopefully that are there for you the rest of your life. Two of my bridesmaids kept bringing me and my husband water during the photo sessions, another one would bring us snacks or juice, another one held my dress as I walked around—don’t let the "normal" conventions of a wedding stop you from including the people or things important to you. I took my mom’s advice on this and am so glad I did.

Vendor Credit!

We had some amazing vendors who I would wholeheartedly recommend.
1. Belle Gardens was our venue, and it was absolutely stunning. The owner, Gina, truly goes above and beyond to make your day perfect.
2. Out florist, Evergreen Floral, was wonderful! Song and Jo, a mother/daughter team, were so kind and put together the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen.
3. Our photographer, Tiffany Lauren, was absolutely amazing. She took spectacular photos, was a major hype-woman, and even helped my mom and sister bustle my dress when we needed help 😂
4. Our videographers at Breite Videography did a wonderful job, as well! They were everywhere getting footage, all day long!
5. Our cake and cupcakes were from Sweet Dreams Bakery and they were absolutely delicious and stunning, to boot!
6. My makeup artist, Aly from Beauty Bandit, and my hair stylist, Lucia from Rooted and Rogue Salon, did such incredible jobs making me feel like a princess!
7. Our food was from Nectar Catering and it was delicious!
8. Like I mentioned above, my aunt and uncle's band Goodnight Suzie provided the music and DJing, and they did an incredible job.
9. My dress was altered by Leslie at Lace Envy and she did a fabulous job!
10. Our rings were from Pounders Jewelry which is where my parents' wedding rings were from. They are lifetime customers, and we will be, too!