The Perfect Dress: Love, Marriage and Diet Coke

This is a special blog post. This is my wedding! I am super excited to blog about it because,well, it's my favorite wedding!

Me(Sarah) and Bryan met long before we decided to date. I was on the high school volleyball team with Bryan's sister, I was actually only 14 and Bryan 17 when we met. Many years later, about 4, Bryan decided to finally ask me out on a date. Our first date was to the local Chili's, where we are now regulars to the point of the waiters bringing out the Diet Coke and chips without asking. After about a month of casually hanging out, Bryan finally kissed me and our complicated, on-again-off-again relationship began. After moving home from school for the summer we finally decided to be 100% serious and settle down.

It took me a while to decide on my ring, after finally having it made, Bryan purposed on December16, 2011. He was trying to keep it a surprise so he just drove around Salt Lake to take me back to Bountiful for a beautifully, candle lit gazebo close to his house that his family had sprinkled rose petals all over. It was just perfect!

Having been working here, I had my eye on her dress before Bryan even purposed. I ordered the Allure M451 and with only minor alterations was so pleased with my gown! I really loved it, my seamstress was amazing! I love all the girls here and they all helped me decide on my dress and I couldn't have been happier! My advice to brides shopping for their gown is to trust your seamstress, they are so skilled and will make your dress look perfect! Also, to not second guess yourself. Once you've found the one stop looking, you don't keep looking after you've found the man so why keep looking after you've found your dress?!

Bryan loved my dress. His face lit up when he saw me in it for the first time. Definitely a memory I will always cherish. When I finally let him look at my bridals he kept telling me I picked the perfect dress and he loved the way it looked on me.I felt like the prettiest bride ever in my dress. It was fit to my body, and just what I had always wanted. I was so flattered by all the comments I got during my reception and even when I saw people later. I keep looking for reasons to put it back on!

My colors were dark purple and lavender with lime green accents. The decor of the reception was just what I had envisioned. My flowers were just perfect, my bouquet was stunning I am still in love with it. My favorite part was being with my family, having all 15 of my nieces and nephews there, and FINALLY being married to the man of my dreams.

We don't like cake but have unhealthy addictions to Diet Coke, so my sister's and I decided to make the cake out of Diet Coke cans instead! Bryan and I loved the way it turned out and enjoyed the much needed caffeine kick we got during the "cake cutting."

The car decorating carried on the Diet Coke love. Friends and family filled the our car with almost $100 worth of Diet Coke. It was nice to have after the honeymoon, but the drive away was really dangerous! Cans were flying everywhere, it was super fun though!

We chose May 18, 2012 for our wedding date. Despite Bryan's best efforts, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple, where I had dreamed of getting married from age 5. We held a luncheon and reception at The Canterbury Place in Bountiful.