If you’re in search of a fun love story and wedding wisdom from one of the most joyful, laid-back couples, look no further! We were so fortunate to have Bridget and Mike hold their reception with us in early June 2019, and are excited to share their journey to the altar with you now.
The Love Story
How did you meet and become engaged?
It was Bridget’s second day of college at Michigan State University studying chemical engineering when they met. Bridget lived on the same floor as Mike’s friend from his own freshman year at MSU (Mike was a sophomore at the time). Mike’s friend came down the hall to visit Bridget’s next-door neighbor, and brought along Mike (who had a textbook and was studying Calculus the whole time *eye roll*). Bridget noticed him right away as a funny guy studying engineering, with a handsome smile! Mike noticed Bridget’s laugh, and fun personality. It only took Bridget 2 weeks to ask Mike out to her sorority semi-formal! That semi-formal was Mike’s first dance, too. Multiple study-dates in their shared dorm hall ensued, until they made it “official” later that fall.
Over 3 years later, Mike proposed to Bridget on a cold Saturday morning during the first snow of the season, just before finals week of Bridget’s senior year. Mike had already graduated from MSU, and had come back nearly every weekend that semester to keep Bridget’s spirits up while she rounded out her final lap at school. One morning while nursing a hangover, they were taking a walk through campus as they did often while at school together. Mike took Bridget toward Beaumont Tower, a romantic spot on campus, and got down on one knee with tears in his eyes (and that same friend from their first meeting in the bushes to capture it all!) and asked Bridget the question she’d been waiting to hear. It was perfect.
“We have always felt like we are two halves of a whole – balancing each other out in every way, Bridget said. “Although we might’ve studied the same major in college, we were and still are very different people who have divine appreciation and respect for each other. We’ve been best friends from the beginning, and we knew early on that we didn’t want to go through life with anyone else.”
And you can tell the two are best friends with how they described each other. Bridget loves how willing Mike is to try new things, which led to them sharing a love for the same activities: movie marathons, going to musicals, and the Food Network. She also admires his sense of humor—he can always make her laugh. Mike gushed about Bridget just being a joy to be around; there’s no one else he’d rather spend his free time with, or complete a task with.
The Wedding Preparations
How did you two take on the planning process? Who did most of the planning?
“We were equal partners in the planning process, actually!” Bridget said she isn’t great with details and had little experience in event planning or using Pinterest, and Mike really wanted to be part of everything for the wedding. So they split the work right down the middle. Mike is pretty organized and documented well, and Bridget kept a list of what needed to be done. “Our families offered their opinions when they were asked, but we took on most of the planning ourselves! Our parents had interest in picking the menu, for sure.”
Why did you choose HORIZONS as your wedding venue?
HORIZONS put on major events for Bridget’s high school, and was always on the radar as a beautiful space with great food. Bridget’s cousin held her reception at HORIZONS in 2009, too.
“We knew we’d need a bigger space since we predicted having a larger guest list. Upon visiting the venue and reviewing options offered by HORIZONS, we knew it was the right place for us! Andrea was warm and welcoming from the moment we met her, to the moment our reception ended, and even afterward. Absolutely beautiful venue, and wonderful people to work with.”
What was it like working with HORIZONS?
“Don’t fret if you’re not sure what you want! HORIZONS has trained professionals there who know exactly the right questions to ask to help you figure out what you want. We can’t speak enough about Andrea and her attention to detail. We didn’t have to worry about a thing, because we knew she had our interests in mind. We didn’t know much about event planning, but she kept us on track and knew when and what we needed to make decisions on.”
What was your favorite part of the preparations?
“Food tasting! What can we say? We are major foodies! The Wedding Showcase events at HORIZONS were also really fun! It was exciting to see the different styles of decorations as well as the food/reception extra options our venue offered.”
What is one piece of advice you have for other engaged couples in the planning process?
“Don’t worry about the minor details so much. Give your time and energy to the bigger/more important details. No one is going to notice if your wedding favors aren’t exactly what you ordered (we skipped them altogether!). Focus on planning a day that you both will enjoy and remember for the rest of your lives together! Also, big one – DELEGATE! You don’t need to do it all on your own! Our parents knew how to seat our family and family friends better than we did – so let them do it! They’ve done this before, no matter how long ago it was.”
The Big Day
Looking back on your wedding day, what is one part about it that you loved?
“Either our first dance or when our guests sang “Somebody to Love” by Queen to us were some of our most memorable/favorite parts. We took dance lessons in the months leading up to the wedding, and lessons turned into choreography. We were proud of ourselves for learning a new skill! We were big karaoke fans when we went to Michigan State, and Queen songs were a go-to for us to get the crowd going. “Somebody to Love”, in particular, was one of our favorite songs. Bridget’s dad and sister surprised us when they secretly passed out song lyrics at the reception, and had our guests gather around us and sing that song to us! It was a great surprise.”
What is one thing you wish you did differently?
“To be honest, we don’t think we’d change anything about our day. It POURED that day during our ceremony, and we think it perfectly punctuated the day! The atmosphere was wonderful, the music and food were great, and everyone seemed to have a great time – including us! We were pleased with the decisions we made, and wouldn’t change anything. HORIZONS did a wonderful job creating the perfect atmosphere, and we couldn’t have been happier.”
What is one piece of advice you can share about the wedding day?
“Many people told us this, and many will say it after us – soak it all in! Take moments to look around at all the people surrounding you with love and support. Those moments when you take a minute to breathe and look around you make the day so much more memorable. It will be the quickest day of your life, but also one of the most joyful ones. Cherish it as much as you can.”
Bridget and Mike also shared another piece of wisdom that we are sure brides and grooms to come will benefit from:
“As with anything in life, patience is a virtue. Wedding planning will try your patience with each other, especially if neither of you really knows what you’re doing! Be patient, respect the process, and enjoy that time. You will look back on it and laugh at the silly things you bickered about, or the worries you had about the day.”
Thank you, both, for sharing with us! Check out the highlights video below to truly get a feel for their beautiful, joyful day:
All photos were taken at HORIZONS
