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
My fiancé, Danny, and I (Sadie) live in Salida, Colorado! It’s a small town in the middle of Colorado. I am a full-time wedding photographer, and he has his own business with my brother building custom mountain homes. I love getting to see the world through photography, but we also really love the calmness of living in Salida. We are avid mountain bikers and river rafters, and there we get to do it all!
How did you meet?
Danny and I met in college in Arizona, of all places. We worked as rescue guides together for work while in school, and the adventure has never stopped!
The Proposal
Danny grew up in San Diego, and over the holidays, when we were back there, we booked a sunset sailboat with his three other siblings off the coast for a fun little excursion. I had no idea the proposal would happen there! My dad, who has now passed, had a sailboat and would take my mom out on it for dates, so I thought that was special. Afterward, he planned a nice dinner, and I was surprised by some of our dearest college friends!
The Wedding Vision
1. When and where is your wedding taking place?
The wedding will take place in April 2026 at a private beach house on Oak Island, North Carolina!
2. Describe your wedding in 3 words.
Free, nostalgic, intimate.
3. Do you have a moodboard or a reference image you keep going back to?
I have a lot of inspo for this wedding. One image I keep coming back to is this, because while it looks like it’s so simple, I think it’s so timeless, unique, and will really elevate the beach where the ceremony is taking place. Our florist is excited to make this vision come to life!
4. What are three non-negotiable elements for your big day?
Great food, structuring our day around how we want to feel, and only inviting the people closest to us (aka we have the outlook that it is not a family reunion).
Planning Process
1. What’s been the highlight of your planning process so far?
I love hosting, so creating a party/event for us that our closest friends and family will get to experience is really fun. As someone whose love language is giving gifts, planning an experience for the people closest to me has been so exciting while celebrating my and Danny’s love for each other. I’ve also so enjoyed spoiling myself and really letting myself be a bride.
2. What’s surprised you most about wedding planning?
What’s surprised me the most about wedding planning is the structure and predetermined thoughts on how wedding days should go. I’ve had a couple of conversations with vendors who were so taken aback by our nontraditional wedding. I think every wedding and couple are so unique, and I welcome the uniqueness of every wedding.
3. Is there an Instagram account, TikTok trend, or aesthetic you’re secretly loving right now?
I am obsessed with the way Romavera Films captures love stories. I am really loving all the true to tone, timeless, film photography. We booked our Photographer, Lauren Lucile Creative, because of her film but also because of her outlook on love. I am in love with The Bisou Bride’s styling and am constantly looking at their Instagram for bridal inspiration.
4. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting their planning journey?
Don’t feel obligated to tell everyone every detail right away. As a bride, and as someone who works with a lot of brides and couples, I know things, ideas, thoughts, and wants change all the time leading up to your wedding. Use Instagram as a tool to inspire, whether the inspiration is from styled shoots or real weddings, and do what FEELS true to you. No idea is too crazy, and you should do what you want to do on your wedding day.
For us, it’s a beach wedding followed by dancing barefoot in the sand with fire pits and good music. We are not doing a sit-down dinner, we just wanted it to be one big house party with a variety of finger foods flowing the whole night! Some food including sushi, mini lobster rolls, an open bar, sliders, and so much more. Our ceremony inspo photo is from a styled shoot, and seeing that creativity was super helpful and spoke to us as something we could achieve at our intimate beach wedding.
