{SBB Bride of the Week} Krystal
K R Y S T A L
+
K Y L E
{September 28th, 2024}
{Photos by: Jackie Brown Photography}
A classic beauty!
Introducing our gorgeous bride, Krystal!
For her September wedding, Krystal looked absolutely stunning in a satin, off-the-shoulder ballgown from Essense of Australia!
She added a pearl cathedral length veil by Giselle Bridal and her final look was so beautiful!
{Photos by: Jackie Brown Photography}
We just need to take a moment for the bride’s adorable pooch!
What a DIVA!
{Photos by: Jackie Brown Photography}
For her florals, Krystal worked with La Petite Fleuriste {an SBB preferred vendor}!
Per usual, Lori did an amazing job!
{Photos by: Jackie Brown Photography}
Krystal married her hubby, Kyle, at the Grand in the Crown Point Courthouse in downtown Crown Point!
The ceremony room is so beautiful and the addition of the candles made it extra romantic!
{Photos by: Jackie Brown Photography}
The reception was held in the ballroom and if you’ve ever been to this venue, you know just how beautiful it is!
We love all the personalized vibes, from the newspaper to the little dog on the cake!
{Photos by: Jackie Brown Photography}
How did the newlyweds first meet?
“We met online through the dating app, Bumble, in early November of 2022. His profile only had two words in the About Me section: companion wanted. When we matched and I had to send the first message, I told him "Hi, my name is Krystal and I'm here to apply for the Companion Wanted position. Please advise if a resume and references are required." He at first thought my message was spam and almost didn't reply, but I thankfully didn't get sent to the junk folder!”
How did Kyle pop the question?
“We live in Dallas, Texas, and had plans to go to a sports bar called Over Under to watch the Dallas Cowboys season kick-off game. This was the same sports bar where we had our first date. It also was a special location because I (Krystal) am a restaurant and hotel interior designer, and this was a bar I designed. Kyle said we were meeting some of his friends from work, and took me up to the rooftop at the same table where we shared our first kiss. I made an off-handed comment about this being our spot, when all the TV's turned off and our song ("I Like Me Better" by Lauv) started playing over the bar's sound system. I started catching on to what was happening when Kyle explained what the song meant to him, and then I burst into tears when he pulled the ring out and officially proposed. After I gathered my emotions, he told me we weren't actually meeting any friends and pointed to the videographer who had been secretly filming us the whole time - there was even a drone flying behind my head that I had been completely clueless to!”
Was it a surprise or did she know it was coming?
“We had talked about marriage and looked at a couple rings together in August, but I was told the proposal wouldn't be possible until about January. My only request was that he not propose during the holidays because it felt too cliche for my liking. I was completely shocked when he proposed on September 10, 2023! Even more so because I was actually the one who suggested on Tuesday of that week that we go to the Over Under bar to watch football. My idea inspired and sent Kyle into overdrive to plan his full proposal and have it in place by Sunday afternoon.”
After securing the ring, it was time to secure the gown! How did she find "the one"?
“My coworker in Dallas was recently engaged and deep into her wedding planning process, so I was studying and taking notes from afar about her Texas wedding experience as we were still unsure if we wanted to get married near our home, back in my Indiana hometown, or in a destination location that was neutral to both our families. My coworker had recommended a couple bridal boutiques in our area, but all their dresses started out at a $4K minimum. She actually wasn't able to find anything she liked in her own budget and ended up splurging on a $10K+ gown - a price tag that was both shocking and sounded defeating to me. Every girl I knew back home in Indiana ended up finding her gown at Something Blue (including my best friend who was married two months before us), so I made an appointment to try on dresses the same day that I was in town touring venue options. I had an appointment with Shannon and took my mom and Matron of Honor with me. I came with a selection of dress styles that I was interested in, and we all got to work picking out dresses to try on. The first one I tried on was one that my mom had chosen, and the minute it was on my body I knew that it was the dress that all other dresses would have to compete with. I tried on about ten or twelve more, but each time I looked in the mirror I would say, "I like this, but wish it had the pleated waistline like the first dress." or "I like the way it flatters my shape, but I liked how the first one had a sleeve to cover my upper arms." Every dress had me wishing it was more like the first, and Shannon knew that I couldn't get it out of my head. She put me back in the first dress, and we all agreed there was no point in looking at any more - it was The One.”
What was Krystal’s favorite part of the wedding planning process?
“As a professional interior designer, I really dove into what the look and vibe of our wedding would be - crafting details that felt unique and authentic to the two of us as a couple. Meeting with our florist, Lori, was the first time in the planning process that I can say I truly had fun! She and I spoke a similar design language, and I immediately trusted that she understood what we were after. My husband and I also took a few dance lessons in the months leading up to the wedding, and we would practice our choreography in one of the racquetball courts at our gym after weekend workouts. I grew up dancing, and really loved being able to dive back into that hobby and share it with Kyle.”
What about her least favorite part?
“It was honestly a tie between two tasks I do not wish on my worst enemy. The first was assembling our custom formal invitation suite. I admit I went way over the top with the stationery package, and I actually think it cost me more in the end to DIY each individual piece than pay someone to do the full design, construction, and assembly. It took about 10 minutes per invitation to assemble, and I swear my fingers and lower back are still recovering from me being hunched over the coffee table folding paper! The second task I loathed was working through the seating chart. Family dynamics, unanticipated +1's or "no" RSVP's, and trying to blend our two sides together was an absolute headache.”
Looking back, what is Krystal’s favorite moment from her special day?
“One of my favorite things we did at our wedding was write a personal letter to each table at our reception. Kyle and I were filled with love as we sat back and watched all of our favorite people react to the special messages we'd written to each of them. I had a direct sight line to one of my aunts who was full on ugly crying as my other aunt read the letter out loud to their group, and I whispered to Kyle, "I think I broke my Aunt Debbie!" Outside of witnessing all those reactions and the number of people who came up to us after saying how much they cherished that moment of feeling included in our wedding day, Kyle and I enjoyed how the actual writing process brought us closer together. The letters spurred us to share stories of childhood memories and family traditions that we hadn't previously known about one another.”
What is the best piece of advice she can give brides-to-be who are currently planning their own big day?
“First, if you are planning on being a DIY bride, I highly recommend creating a month-by-month project calendar so that things aren't procrastinated or piling up on you in the final weeks leading up to the big day. Second, trust that all of your planning and the team you hired are there to execute your wedding day as flawlessly as possible - there is no need to stress and micromanage on the day-of. Take every bit of help that is offered to you! And lastly, remember what the day is all about: you are marrying the love of your life. Everything else that happens is inconsequential. I see a lot of brides hyper-focused on photography and creating a "social media perfect" event rather than investing energy into their relationship and future marriage.”
Congratulations, Krystal & Kyle!!
Check out more of their beautiful wedding photos by Jackie Brown Photography in the gallery below!
