At WedVibes, we’re always drawn to the stories behind the aesthetics—the vision boards, voice notes, and late-night Pinterest scrolls that quietly shape iconic wedding moments. So, we did what we do best: reached out to real brides who are planning weddings their way. From spontaneous proposals to guest lists made on Google Docs, these brides are rewriting the rules and curating celebrations that feel less like tradition and more like self-expression.
In this series, they open up about the moodboards they can’t stop tweaking, the TikTok trends they’re into, and the vendors who just get it. Expect real love stories, real planning highs (and lows), and plenty of inspiration for your own “main character” moment.
Meet The Couple
Danielle is a celebrity wardrobe stylist, and her fiancé Brian owns his own tech company. They split their time between New York City and Delray Beach, Florida, and love staying on the go – traveling, working out together, and more recently, collaborating on real estate projects together.
How did you meet?
My favorite part of our story is that we actually met in high school and were friends. We ended up attending the same college when my fiancé transferred to Loyola to play lacrosse. We always had big crushes on each other and would find any excuse to be in each other’s orbit. Life took us in different directions over the years, but something always seemed to pull
us back to each other.
Over the past 15 years, we kept crossing paths in the most unexpected places, checking in through random phone calls, and showing up for each other during life’s biggest moments. Then this past year, everything shifted. There’s one night I’ll never forget, because from that moment on, we were pretty much inseparable and in true him fashion, 6 months later, he had the ring.
The Proposal
A month before my 30th birthday, we took a trip to his family home in Delray Beach, a place that feels so special to our story. We love watching sunrises and sunsets together, so when he asked me to come downstairs to catch the sunset, I didn’t think twice. We walked over to “our spot” in the backyard, and the moment I sat down, he said, “I want to show you something.” To which I replied, “Are you doing what I think you’re doing!?”
The rest felt so perfect and so us. He got down on one knee, and I dropped down with him. We were laughing, crying, and talking about how crazy it was that after all those years and all that life, we had found ourselves in this moment together. Then we got to spend the rest of the week, just the two of us, celebrating, soaking it all in, and having the time of our lives.
The Wedding Vision
1. When and where is your wedding taking place?
Wildflower Farms, Auberge Collection, which is upstate in Gardiner, New York, this August!
2. Describe your wedding in 3 words.
Modern, Romantic, Minimalist.
3. What are three non-negotiable elements for your big day?
The wedding is intimate and deeply personal.
A weekend destination experience that feels slow, impactful, and intentional.
Black tie, a bride’s dream wardrobe, guests included!
Planning Process
1. What’s been the highlight of your planning process so far?
I’ve loved how much of the process has been about the people in our lives. That has made it all feel so special. Venue visits with my father, planning alongside my soon-to-be in-laws, dress shopping with my mom, debriefing every detail with my best friend, and asking my fiancé’s sisters to be my bridesmaids have all been such meaningful moments. More than anything, it’s been the sweetest reminder that this chapter is about so much more than just the wedding itself.
2. What’s surprised you most about wedding planning?
What’s surprised me most is just how much goes into planning a wedding. You never really realize how much time, energy, and intention can go into one event until you’re in it. I’ve learned that the bridal industry is absolutely massive, and that it truly is one decision after another. No matter how big or small, every detail somehow feels so important.
3. Is there an Instagram account, TikTok trend, or aesthetic you’re secretly loving right now?
WedVibes! It’s important to us to plan an untraditional wedding and incorporate elements that guests won’t be familiar with. We want the wedding to be so us and sort of anti-bride! Any page that aligns with that new bridal movement is the space for me!
4. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting their planning journey?
Buckle up! More than anything, I think it’s important to pull yourself out of the bridal bubble every now and then, because it’s so easy to get swept up in it all. One thing that really helped me was creating separate Pinterest boards for each event, which made it much easier to narrow in on my vision and refine each moment until it felt right. And through every decision, always come back to yourself and your partner, that’s what keeps it all grounded and meaningful.
