Five years ago, Jennifer met Ryan while coaching his middle child, Sarah, in gymnastics. Ryan was a single father trying to raise three kids on his own. Since the two lived near each other, Ryan asked if Jennifer could help take Sarah to and from gymnastics. Initially, they were just friends…picking on each other for the sports teams they liked, talking about shared music interests and keeping things light. When Ryan asked if Jennifer could hang out sometime, she was very hesitant. After all, she was his daughter’s gymnastics coach, he was newly divorced, AND he had three kids! One day, she gave in and it was one of the best decisions she’s ever made.
Their relationship developed very slowly, which was intentional. There were hurdles to overcome; some minor, some not so minor. Jennifer and Ryan faced each obstacle head on and overcame them relatively easily as their relationship blossomed and grew. Soon, they were madly in love.
When Ryan was sure that Jennifer was the one, he talked to the kids and included them in every decision he made. From picking the ring, to how he would propose, and when. When she said yes, the kids were thrilled, making it easy for her to step into such a big role in their lives! The couple included the kids in the wedding planning process, feeling it was the right way of joining two families. It was decided that Landon would serve as ring boy and groomsman and that Emma and Sarah would serve as flower girls and bridesmaids.
The venue selection process was challenging! They had looked at so many places with no luck, not wanting a typical Las Vegas wedding. However, when visiting Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, they fell in love. The beautiful green trees and old whitewashed buildings transported them far away from the bustling city or dry desert feel of Las Vegas. The mountains, peacocks and geese, September sky and scenery at the park had them excited to get the photos back from their photographer. The park fit their outdoor, upscale, fiesta theme perfectly and provided a beautiful backdrop to share their special day with friends and family.
Jennifer and Ryan’s Christian faith is something that is very important to them as a couple and as a family. Being regular church goers, they asked their pastor to be their wedding officiant. Also, being a blended family, the couple wanted to symbolize becoming one by taking communion as a family. They had their pastor pray over the five of them as they took holy communion; the bread to represent his body, and juice to represent his blood. It was a simple gesture, but a meaningful and powerful moment for all of them to share as they officially became a family.
The happy couple reflected on their wedding planning experience with Emily Grace as follows:
“Emily Grace was fantastic to work with. She brought a level of planning and executing expertise that we simply didn’t have. When we would meet at our location, she would listen closely to our thoughts and ideas. She would always provide feedback. She would offer a different solution and provide the reasons why she felt that way, or she would agree with a suggestion and provide examples of a time when she had done or seen that in the past and why or how it worked.
“She and her husband were so thoughtful when it came to all the little things, as well as the huge things! She communicated with and managed our vendors very well and was very organized. She kept us on time and kept the party moving along on our special day. Having someone mindful of the timeline, what the couple wants to accomplish in the time available, was huge. Time would have gotten away from us if not for her! She was supportive and encouraging, and extremely helpful before and after the wedding. She was some of the best money spent on our wedding! We hope that’s a nice compliment! She was a calming, trustworthy partner during our wedding that we needed and truly appreciated. We would definitely recommend her to our friends and family, or anyone looking for a great wedding coordinator!”