• A wedding day is one of the biggest days of an individuals AND a couple’s life. So much planning and effort goes into making it the day of ones dreams, so why not keep talking about it?

    One thing we love to do here at The Renaissance is to shine light on some of our past clients and write a blog about their love story and their amazing day at our facility. We reached out to Josh and Rachael and they gave us so many great answers to some interview questions that we just couldn’t wait to share with everyone!

    Photos by Orrie Gaines Photograpy

    With this day and age, online dating is SO common. Josh and Rachael started their love story on E-Harmony. “I was actually kind of funny because I lived in Richmond Virginia at the time and he lived in the Nashville Tennessee area.  The reason that this is funny is because I didn’t pay attention to where he lived and when he got my first message he was like “She is 600 miles away, why did she send me a message” but he decided to send me a message back any way because he figured the worst that would come out of it was the he might make a friend,” Rachael shared with us.

    After talking for six months through the app and over the phone, Josh drove to Richmond so the two could finally meet! Rachael told us that she had her older sister and her husband go to the restaurant she was to meet Josh at to “scope him out” and make sure they didn’t get any creepy vibes from him. “We had instant chemistry over the dinner, I was eating the things on his plate that he didn’t like and he ate the things on my plate that I didn’t like.  We had gelato after dinner and just spent the evening talking and looking in each others eyes.” How sweet!

    Photos by Orrie Gaines Photograpy

    First comes love, then comes engagement! Hearing the story of how couples pop the question is always so exciting, because everyone does it in their own special way.

    “I was so oblivious to the whole thing. He had planned this whole trip down to Biltmore so that we could see the Christmas decorations together. His sister and her boyfriend at the time went with us for what I thought was a double date, but they were there to actually help him get pictures of the moment. We went around the whole place looking at all the beautiful settings and we were on our way back to the car when he stopped and said that he wanted us to take a picture in front of the huge tree that had covered with Christmas lights. It was literally like 5 degrees outside so I was a little reluctant but I agreed. I remember looking around at all the pretty lights and when I turned around to tell him something he was down on one knee. He claims that ‘my first step was backwards like I was going to run away, but then I realized that it was so cold and I didn’t want to get left out in the cold so I said yes’ He couldn’t be more wrong! I was just so surprised that I did take a step back but not to leave, I couldn’t wait to tell my sisters and family!”

    Photos by Orrie Gaines Photograpy

    Josh and Racheal were engaged for 15 months before their wedding day came around. It’s hard to pick one favorite memory out of every single one from your big day, but Rachael’s was too sweet not to share. “My favorite memory of the day is when I started walking down the aisle to be with my love.  There was so much excitement and anticipation for this moment and it was finally here. Everything was so beautiful as I walked through the door to the aisle and I could see him standing there with such a beautiful smile on his face.”

    Photos by Orrie Gaines Photograpy

    After their honeymoon at St. Thomas, it was time to actually live in the real world as a happily married couple. The last question we asked them was what they are most looking forward to now they they’re married, and Rachael’s answer couldn’t be more perfect! “Building a life together with my new husband! We both want to travel and do some exploring before we eventually have kids.”

    Photos by Orrie Gaines Photograpy

    In closing, some advice she threw in for any potential or already booked clients of ours was “Don’t let things overwhelm you or the little things bother you, Tommy and his staff will make your day run smooth and look beautiful! Enjoy it because it goes by so fast once the day is upon you!” We appreciate the kind words, especially because they couldn’t be more true. We LOVE our clients and will do our best to make the day of their dreams come true. We are so fortunate to have had Josh and Rachael spend their special day with us, and we wish them a happy and healthy marriage!