Brynn &and John

When and how did the two of you meet, and what is most memorable about your first meeting?

We met on a blind date at a cocktail bar in the upper east side of Manhattan. Our first date was one for the record books as it lasted 5 hours, which we can now safely say was the start of a lifetime together.

When and where did the proposal take place, and how did it unfold?

The proposal took place on February 9th, 2019 at Stein Erikson Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah.
We are avid skiers and have both been to Park City, Utah together a few times. John arranged for a private horse drawn sleigh ride on the mountain at sunset. When the ride ended, ski poles with signs were lined up with photographs and instructions leading to a snow covered gazebo just outside of the lodge. The deed was done, and Brynn’s mother, father, sister and sisters’ fiancé were there to celebrate with champagne immediately after the proposal.

What was running through your mind when you saw your bride/groom for the first time?

John – Wowza
Brynn – TDH – tall, dark and handsome

How did you choose what you wore? Can you walk us through your thought process for clothing, jewelry, and beauty. What did your spouse wear?

John wore a flowered tie from Dazi Ties and a custom suit and shirt from Enzo’s in NYC. John’s hair was styled by Takashi Matono of Le Mino Salon, NYC.
Brynn wore a custom Madeline Gardner gown for the ceremony and another custom Madeline Gardner dress for the reception. In accordance with tradition, the something old was her Cartier love bracelet from her family for her 30th birthday, the something new were pearl earrings from her sister for her bridal shower, something borrowed was her grandmother’s wedding ring, something blue were the hydrangeas in the bridal bouquet, and the groom’s mother brought a sixpence that all the women in the Whitaker family have worn in their shoes on their wedding days. Virginia Linzee nailed the “beachy blushing bride” beauty look and Takashi Matono flawlessly executed two different hairstyles to match the dresses throughout the night.

How did you get a bottle of champagne on the beach?

We used a bridge/path to access the beach and take photos. The owners of the bridge/path were on the beach at the time and when they learned that we were getting married in a couple of hours, congratulated us and gave us permission to continue using it. While we continued to take photos on the beach, a few of the kids from the owners’ group went back to their house, grabbed a perfectly chilled bottle of champagne and gave it to us as a surprise gift. This gift really added to the excitement of the day – we decided to pop the cork and drink the bottle while walking on the beach and riding to the venue.

What was your most memorable moment?

Dolphins swimming just off shore directly under the chuppa right before our ceremony – assume it was a good omen! The weather was also one, if not the, most perfect day of the summer.

What was on your wedding day wish list?

Good weather, as most of the events for the day were planned to take place outdoors and we picked a date and location to showcase summer at the beach. Most importantly, we just wanted our family and friends to enjoy the beautiful location and enjoy celebrating with us. Needless to say, our wishes came true.

Describe your day in three words.

John – Un-Be-Lievable
Brynn – Epic, Tender, Perfect

How did you choose your wedding venue and aesthetic?

We knew that we wanted to get married outdoors by a beach, which is inherently predicated on good weather. Given the timing of our engagement, we started looking for venues with only 6 months to go. We always dreamed of a Hamptons beach wedding with the ceremony and reception on the beach, but didn’t think it would be possible given the short amount of time to plan. We reached out to many venues nationwide, and it just so happened that our perfect venue had availability during a Saturday on a holiday weekend in the summer of 2019 that worked for most of our guests. The venue was extremely close to our parents/in-laws house, was the right size, and, most importantly, was a private space.

Given the beach location, we wanted the interior to match the natural aesthetic outside, so we mirrored the beige and blues from the beach in the table linens, menu cards, and flowers. We also loved a more rustic look that was accomplished with candles and natural wood chairs. Lastly, it was important to us for our guests to be able to see each other across the table, so we picked flower arrangements that were below eye level.

What wedding planning decision was the easiest one to make? What was the most difficult?

The easiest decision was the destination. We both have spent a lot of time in the area, and dreamed of a wedding in this location if possible. Once we knew a venue was available in our desired location, it was a no brainer.
The most difficult decision for Brynn was the wedding dress. Brynn went dress shopping no less than 10 different times with only 3 months to spare before the wedding. John’s most difficult decision was finding a venue in a desired location during summer 2019 – he communicated with many venues nationwide but finally narrowed it down to one that was able to host in the desired location at the right time.

What do you hope your guests remember most about your wedding day?

We hope they remember the love we share and how they were able to help make this the perfect day for us that only comes once in a lifetime. We also hope they remember the area and event for what it was – perfect. We have never seen better weather (no wind, perfect temperature, no clouds) and we were so happy to enjoy an outdoor ceremony on this perfect day.