An unexpected encounter sparked the flames of love between Ariel and Andrew. Arielle was visiting her mother in Florida, engaging in an activity she hadn't imagined would lead her to the love of her life. A casual day of pickleball with her mother's friends brought forth a pivotal moment when Lisa, Andrew's mother, approached Arielle. "Are you single?" she asked, setting off a chain of events that would change Arielle's life forever.
Lisa was eager to introduce Arielle to her son, Andrew. A few days later, before Arielle was set to depart for Baltimore, their paths crossed. Numbers were exchanged, and what followed was a barrage of texts from Andrew, who seemed genuinely interested.
The real connection brewed in December when Arielle was back in Florida for Christmas. The sparks flew as Arielle witnessed Andrew's effortless camaraderie with her family during a pickleball outing. There was an undeniable chemistry, and Arielle felt a growing desire to know Andrew better. Their days were filled with pickleball games, family hangouts, and shared moments.
The turning point arrived during New Year's celebrations when they spent a week together. It was then that their relationship officially began.
What made Arielle fall for Andrew was his innate generosity, unwavering kindness, and authentic personality. His love for family mirrored her values, solidifying their connection.
The defining moment struck unexpectedly during a casual game night at Arielle's mother's place. Andrew's genuine efforts in setting up the charcuterie board and taking charge as a bartender for the evening spoke volumes to Arielle. It was in those small, thoughtful gestures that Arielle knew she was in love.
The Proposal:
The proposal was a heartwarming culmination of their journey. In Arielle's hometown, surrounded by loved ones, Andrew orchestrated a surprise proposal. Using a custom jack-in-the-box game filled with family-related questions, Andrew led Arielle to the final "bonus round" hinting at a romantic engagement. With a gathering of family witnessing the moment, Andrew knelt down and proposed, eliciting joyous squeals from Arielle's grandmother.
Looking forward to their wedding day, Arielle eagerly anticipated the first look with Andrew. The sheer excitement of walking down the aisle towards him and witnessing his reaction twice was a moment she was eagerly awaiting—a moment that would mark the beginning of their forever together.
Here are our favorites from their regal wedding at the Crystal Tea Room beautifully captured by Ralph Deal Photography.
Getting Ready
Bride and Groom
The Crystal Tea Room Wedding Ceremony
The Crystal Tea Room Wedding Reception
Reception: The Crystal Tea Room | Dress: The Wedding Factor | Suit: Enzo Custom Tuxedo | Music: The Don Eaton Band | Hair: Emboldened Artistry | Cake: The Master's Baker | Make-up: JKO Beauty | Florist: Heights Flower Shoppe
Let's Talk About Your Wedding!
"I highly recommend hiring Ralph Deal as your wedding photographer! Our pictures turned out beautifully and we got all of the shots that we wanted. Ralph was such a great communicator leading up to the wedding. We had several meetings to discuss what we wanted for our wedding, which was extremely helpful. Ralph wanted to know every detail about us and the wedding day and was very thorough. I especially recommend Ralph because he made the day run so smoothly. Because my fiancée and I didn’t want to do a first look, we had a very tight amount of time to get our pictures taken in.
Ralph was so good at directing us, our bridal party, and our families so he could quickly get the perfect shots. We spent the 2 hours between the mass ending and the reception starting getting all of the photos we wanted. Ralph was so efficient that we didn’t miss 1 minute of our cocktail hour! Ralph is not only a great photographer, but a nice and fun person to work with. I feel like we got to know Ralph and he got to know us. It was so nice working with someone who made us feel so comfortable.
And like I said, our pictures are absolutely gorgeous.
I’m so glad we had Ralph as our photographer to capture our day!"
-Grace Abbott