Mary & Ryan

Occupations Mary is a communication consultant; Ryan is an assistant project manager

Wedding date October 19, 2023

Number of Guests 100

Number of Attendants: 5 (a maid of honor and bridesmaid, best man and two groomsmen)

How You Met Ryan and I met at the Crazy Tuna bar one night out with friends in 2016.

The Engagement Ryan set up a scavenger hunt in our home. After running through the house and multiple clues, it led me to the backyard where strings of pictures of us were hanging off the tree in our backyard. Our two dogs Brisket and Fiji were there—which made it so special. The last clue card said, “Will you marry me?” I turned around and Ryan was on one knee. My sister-in-law was hiding in the corner of our backyard to capture some wonderful photos for us. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. It truly was such a beautiful moment.

Wedding Design Inspiration Ryan and I both enjoy spooky vibes and scary movies. We decided to create a unique experience for our guests. Our wedding theme was “Dark Romance” featuring dark reds, black and touches of pink. With the ambiance in the Gramercy Mansion, it helped us have a spectacular spooky October wedding. We had several pieces of décor including skeletons and candelabras.

What Was Unique and Special About Your Wedding Day Nothing was more special than coming together and seeing everyone celebrate our love. One of our favorite elements was the 12-ft skeleton that we used to hold signs of where the reception and ceremony were. It also became a fun photo opp for all of our guests.

Favorite Details My dress was black with a cathedral-style veil. I personally never saw myself in white, so being able to make my dream a reality meant so much to me. I walked down the aisle to the Jurassic Park theme song on piano which is one of our favorite movies. We also had speciality cocktails that were spooky-themed in honor of our two dogs Brisket and Fiji.

Most Unexpected Event On Your Wedding Day The most unexpected event from the wedding day was acorns were falling off the trees during the ceremony. Some were falling onto the guests. That’s something you can never plan for. I always laugh about this, because my guests truly got a one of a kind fall wedding experience!

Piece of Advice A piece of advice I can share is no wedding is perfect, so make sure to laugh about the things that happen and enjoy your day with your partner. We tend to get caught up in our wedding vision that sometimes we forget to really take a moment and realize the purpose of the day. I feel fortunate to have had such a beautiful memory with my friends, family and husband Ryan.

Beauty Kristen C. Artistry Bridesmaid Azazie Caterer Absolutely Perfect Catering Floral Design Cascade Queen Designs Groom and Groomsmen Men’s Warehouse Honeymoon Excellence Oyster Bay Resort Location Gramercy Mansion Music Baltimore Sound Entertainment Photographer Brittany Dunbar Photography Tarot Card Reader Energy by Kim Wedding Dress Amanda Ritchey Bridal Loft