Megan and Ryne met in 2011 at a housewarming party held by a mutual friend from college. Ryne, smitten by Megan, messaged her a few days later and asked her out to lunch at an neighborhood Thai restaurant. By the time their first date was finished, they both knew that something special was in the making. They learned they had a lot in common: They both attended the University of Illinois, graduated the same year, participated in the Greek system, and shared a number of mutual friends. There was even a group photo on Facebook taken of them a year prior!
We asked Megan and Ryne to give us the scoop on the proposal, the importance of wine during wedding planning, and how a wedding is just one stop on a lifelong journey together.
Give us the details! When? Where? How?
The two of us have a tradition of spending July Fourth each year with Ryne’s extended family in Green Lake, WI. Our four day weekend plans consisted of going to a Blake Shelton concert with our parents, sunbathing and drinking on the boat and having a barbecue with the extended family. We had also made plans to attend a “graduation party” of a family friend that lived across the lake on July 3rd. That day, Ryne’s parents asked the two of us to boat across the lake to pick up a few family members along the way. We grabbed a few beers and headed that direction. Once we were in the middle of the lake, Ryne got down on one knee and proposed while one of our favorite songs played in the background.
The surprise didn’t end there. Instead of heading to the fictional party, we boated back to the pier to meet a crowd of friends and family cheering our arrival! Our surprise guests had booked hotels on the lake and thus an epic after party ensued that went from land to boat to bar. It was truly a perfect day and perfect engagement weekend.
What has been your favorite experience planning the wedding?
Our favorite part about wedding planning is the way that it brings together our family and friends in new ways. We feel incredibly grateful to all the people that are helping make our day ours.
How do you stay sane under the pressure of wedding planning?
Wine. Just kidding (sort of, haha). Fortunately, we have a great support system that we lean on during times of stress.
What is your favorite part about using Joy for your wedding?
I love the modern feel of Joy and the ability to use our own photos in the design of our site. It makes it feel extremely personal as if it was made for us!
What piece of advice would you give couples to ensure that they use Joy to its fullest potential?
Before building your page, I would gather a group of high resolution photos to fully customize the look of your site. It makes it feel extra personal. I would also utilize all the suggested content.
At Joy we believe that even though a wedding lasts a day, joy should last forever. What does that mean to you?
We hope that the love and joy we feel on our wedding day is just a milestone in our life long love story.
