Soundtrack to our Life

Oooooh... what's this you ask? ... You'll see!!!!

Update!

  We're getting closer! As of today (February 17th) we have accomplished several big things. We confirmed our officiant. Ms. Charlene Hughes will marry us on our special day. For those of you who know her, you know that this is a very special gift that I will cherish forever. We have finished getting candy jars for the reception! Our music has been selected. This part was fairly easy because our relationship has been marked with special moments and perfect songs. I feel like I've always known that Ryan is one of a kind, but he may have sealed the deal when he asked me to dance one evening in my kitchen. Flowers are being taken care of by a dear friend from work! I have jar donations from many people for candles! Another friend has helped to get glassware and reception lights!  I am so lucky to have such wonderful people in my life willing to help me out.

Big things coming up:

Next weekend all my bridesmaids are going to be in town for our dress fitting!! I'm so excited to have them all together, get them all dressed up, and have a girly "I'm getting married!" type of day!  After the girls have dresses picked out, then it's on to the boys attire!! 

We've been looking into honeymoon ideas lately so that's also on our to-do list! March will be a busy time and I'm soooooooo excited! 4 months!! 

So to comment on the above post:

 Ryan and I went through some old messages from 2005 and read each one. It made me realize that I've loved this man since I met him and I was never giving up. I even faked a movie critique personality to have something to talk to him about. We laughed about how I was hinting to go on a date and that he never picked up on it.  However, in the long run after meeting tons of people in college, I still came back to the very first boy I met in my very first ever monday morning class! Ryan is my best friend and  I fall more in love with him every day. When I read the above post I cried and then made fun of his gramatical mistakes (Journalism major!).  

We have a chalk board in our pantry... I wrote the top message and he responded! 

CHEESY!!!

More to Come!

Ryan's Turn

Since Danny has done a great job of keeping you up to date of things going during the last year in the wedding planning process, I thought it would be fitting for me to share a little about how this all started. So with that said, here is the story of how I found the love of my life.

It was my first class, on the first day, in the first semester, of my first year of college that I met Danny. That’s right. Out of the hundreds of people that I met during my time at Marshall, Danny was the first. It was 9 a.m. Monday morning, and I didn’t know what to expect as I walked in to my first college class. The class was Communications 103 – Fundamentals of Speech and Communication. I nervously chose my seat. I don’t remember the exact point that we spoke our first words to each other, but I do know that before that first class was over, I already knew I had just met an amazing person.

As the semester went on, somehow my seat in class had migrated from the back to the front, which put me directly in front of Danny. We soon became partners on our speeches, and had to critique each other. As I recall, Danny was pretty tough on me. I don’t know if that was her way of flirting or her way of getting back at me for being a total suck up to the teacher.

By October of that first semester, we had stared sending facebook messages back and forth. The messages started out about class, but evolved to the topic of movies and life in general.

When the class ended, we continued to keep in touch through facebook. Occasionally we would run in to each other on campus. I remember seeing her eating lunch at a table by the fountain one day on my way to class. I walked over to say hey, and ended up skipping class to sit and hangout. I didn’t want to leave.The messages and chance encounters became fewer and further between. We still kept in touch, but we would sometimes go 2-3 months without writing.

In March of 2008, I was helping my friend Derek look for apartments. He had a meeting to see a house on 6 avenue. I went with him to look at the place, and while we were waiting on the porch, Danny and her roommate Ginny drove by. I was so excited to see her, as it had been several months since our last random encounter. I practically ran down the alley to meet her as she got out of her car. We then just stood in the alley and talked forever. I don’t remember what we talked about, but I do remember it was during this conversation that we exchanged telephone numbers. I also remember leaving with Derek and telling him “dude, she is the coolest girl I have ever met.”

In the next few days, we texted back and forth a little bit, and started talking in the evenings on an instant messenger. One night, while talking, she said that she and some friends were going to walk around campus. She extended an invitation. I was at her house 10 minutes later. As we walked around campus, we kind of broke away from her friends and just walked and talked by ourselves.

I spent several evenings in the following weeks at her house just talking. We would sit and talk for hours.(Something that after four years, we can still do for hours) I don’t remember everything we talked about, but I do remember feeling like we were meant for each other. There wasn’t an official start date to our relationship, we just both agreed in May of 2008 that we were perfect together so we tagged April as our beginning.

That first summer was great. Two of the greatest moments I remember are: 1). Danny and her roommate Sarah randomly showed up to my apartment one night challenging Tyler and I to a water balloon fight in Ritter Park. I don’t think Tyler or Sarah enjoyed nearly as much as we did, but we had fun, and that’s all that matters. 2). Danny got a bike for her birthday that year, so the next day, I went to Walmart and bought a bike. We went on a ride through Huntington looking at houses, buildings, the river, and the park. We just kept riding because it was great to be together. I went back and traced our route and map and figured up that we rode about 15 miles that day.

 We’ve been through a lot together since that summer. From us laying in the floor crying together, to uncontrollable laughter that would not stop. From going on random adventures to Louisville to being bored together but loving ever minute of it. Ups, downs, sadness and loss to some of the biggest accomplishments in both of our lives, the last 4 years of my life have been the best because of her. I’m so excited to live the rest of my years with her. I love you Danielle Bray.

514 - Can't wait to make you my wife!!!

Making the little Things Count!

Countdown!!! 8 months!

October 30th!

Time is already seeming to fly by. My to-do list is getting overwhelming (not in a bad way, more of a Oh man this is really happening way)

I'm getting really crafty lately!! Ryan and I have always talked about how we wanted to be a part of  each detail about our wedding! He has been so creative and supportive and this truly is a journey I will never forget!

Crafts I'm currently working on for the wedding include candle jars to hang around for the wedding. Recycled Jars! (Pickle jars are the best) Some friends have donated some jars as well!

They will be hanging EVERYWHERE hopefully!

I spy game cards that will go on the tables along with a disposable camera. I bought 10 of them to put around the room!These will be in vintage looking (meaning bought from goodwill haha) Picture frames!

Hopefully people will Play!

I bought some Lanterns for the reception! I love them!

I've been working on the drift wood signs that will be placed around the whole venue!

I still have a lot to go for these!!!

This weekend I started the Farewell Sparklers project! Here's how I made them:

First, I collected boxes from different things around the kitchen and cut them up! (RECYCLE!)

 

I cut them into book mark shapes!

Then I printed on them (This wedding is making me learn Photo Shop!!)

Next I stamped a recycled symbol and a "created by recycled bits and pieces" stamp on the cardboard!

                               

 

Next I cut a place to put the gold sparklers.

Then I stapled a book of matches to each. They can be taken off to light the sparklers!!

THE FINAL PROJECT!!!!

 

So this is an update!! Still working on figuring out table clothes, dresses, and grooms ware! 

 November I have my first dress appointment!! 

PS.. Must share that last week Ryan and I planned a date night. Typical Dinner and a movie type of night. I got called to the office and a vase of a wildflower mix was delivered for me with a card that said, "Looking forward to our date night, 514"  I fall more and more in love with this man. I'm so excited to become his wife!

More to come about The Day I say I DO!

Decor- Unique finds and Natures beauty!

We found these candle holders at an antique shop outside of Beckley! We bought like 12!!!!

I'm making some candle holders from drift wood!

Ring Bearer will carry this down the isle!

Mom and I are collecting unique candy dishes from thrift stores and antique shops!! Each one is soooooo cheap!

Just some things we're gathering up!!! Starting to get crafty!!! I'm super excited!


Click OLDER POSTS TO KEEP READING!!! -------------------->

Location, Location, Location!

After LOTS of research and budget debate, WE FOUND OUR LOCATION!

I've dreamed of an outdoor wedding, with a lodge-rustic-cabinish style building to hold the reception. We're going for a very natural wedding with drift wood, trees, greens, browns etc. So when we viewed this place everything just clicked. I could not stop smiling. I could see our first dance in the ballroom!

We will be getting married at Camp Washington Carver- Clifftop WV

Courtyard!

Above- The ballroom- Also a beautiful setting if it needs to be moved inside!                         Left- The Dinning room is huge- we have access to the entire upstairs and kitchen!  

 We will be married between these trees in the field above!!!!

Picking a place has made the process so much more real!! I love this place the price was unbelievable and I could visualize our wedding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Next step- Catering!

So lucky!!

Just an update!!! We celebrated a year engagement in January. Febuary the girls of the wedding are all coming in for a dress fitting. Everyday I feel extremly blessed. I get to marry my favorite person in the world. I cant imagine my life any other way. Today he went with me to a middle schools girls basketball game, we had a ball. He makes everything perfect!! This is one of those overwhelmingly cheesy posts but as the countdown starts to dwindle, we are both realizing how special what we have is.

Who will be celebrating with us!?

As we've been planning, we've both been thinking a lot about who we want to be included in this special day. I am so blessed with so many great people in my life and multiple best friends so I knew ahead of time this would not be a small event. I may be simple but I sure do have a lot of friends and family. At first I tossed back and forth about weather I should set a certain number but then I decided (not based with budget in mind ahaha) that I want everyone I love to be with us and celebrate to the max. So big wedding here we come!


The past week we've been working on a guest list and bridal party! Both are in progress.

I have picked eight bridesmaids!!!! I've decided to make it formal so  I'm proposing the idea to each of them to share in our event. I hand made ear-rings for each of them. (You'll soon see my theme and crafty-ness revealed).

1. I wanted to make them something special to keep in memory of my wedding.
2. I wanted to formally ask them because each of them represents a special part of my life and I want them to know how special it would mean to stand with me on that day.
3. I wanted us all to wear pearls, which is the national symbol of lung cancer. Together we will all honor my mom and how amazingly strong she is. I could not imagine this day without her and because of her faith and strength I'm am no longer in fear of this.

I boxed them up and wrote individualized letters to each of them.

 

I've cried with each of them!! They are each wonderful women

and I am truly honored to call them my friends!

Ryan is in the process of asking his guy friends to be a part of his wedding and he's doing it in his own special way- taking some golfing, out to eat, softball etc. We both just wanted to make sure we expressed how much it would mean to us that day.

As for our guest list for that day-I created a google doc (I'm so 21st century!) and Ryan's mom filled in his side and I'm working on my side. It's really coming along.

HOWEVER!!!!

If you're reading this and you want to help me out and let me double check our info on you please scroll to the bottom of this page and fill out the form and hit submit!

Thanks!!!

Update!

We Picked A Day!!!

We have finally decided on a day!! After nearly 5 months of plan

free engagement we have started the planning process!

Ryan and I sat down and looked at a calendar and the potential days.

We discussed possibilities and ended up laughing at funny ideas 

and patterns with numbers but  before we knew it we had agreed.

We will be celebrating our love with our family and friends on...

June 23rd 2012

Mark it down and start planning to share with us in our special day... cause it's finally OFFICIAL!!!

Just an Update- May 4th

An update!

We have decided (and we did this back in March!) that we want to wait for the wedding to be next summer. This decision was because of work, money, and time. It's my first year teaching and planning a wedding on top of figuring out how to teach would be a lot to handle so we are waiting until next summer. Not exactly sure the date yet! But this will give us more time to save up for the wedding, more time for me to get into the wedding dress shape I dream of, and more time to enjoy this WONDERFUL engagement.

I will say I'm falling in love more and more EVERY day. I cannot believe how incredibly lucky I am to have found my best friend and the man I will marry! Every time we talk about the Wedding I get butterflies!

I'll update more later! Only 5 weeks until we can start the planning process!

The Proposal!

How he proposed!

January 13th 2011

(Danny)- Bare with me as I tell you the details of the day I said yes!

 

SNOW DAY! Ryan and I are both teachers at the moment so when old man winter comes to town that means a day off work for the both of us! If it's bad outside we  usually stay in, watch movies, or just lay around! But this particulare day the weather was not horrible so we actually went out and about to some thrift stores! (Ryan and I like to go to the Habitat Restore and such places to find odd and unusual things to turn into projects) When we went into Goodwill I spotted a large jar with a spout. Big deal right? Well a year or so ago I was reading a DIY blog where a lady would write about projects she was doing. She had pictures of different things she had decorated and at a wedding, she had served lemonade to everyone and used large jars for displays. If I find the link I will insert it here.  I showed Ryan and explained how exciting it was to find it only to see his reaction be of less excitement. His comment was that we shouldn't buy it becuase we would never find others to match ...(If you know me you know I don't care about things specifically matching) and that what if a wedding wasn't in the summer... SAD FACE!! So we left without my dream jar..

Silly I know but keep reading...

Next-the silly argument...

On the drive home I explained how the point was to support the idea of having such a dream together not finding specifics yet. He sat silently. This is the extent of our 'fights'. 

The evening went on with dinner, tv, and some homework. Ryan received a 'phone call' that his friend Derek's car needed a jump , so he left for a bit. ( This is not something out of the ordinary either due to Derek's wonderful luck with cars and frequent forgetfulness.) 

When Ryan returned, I was in the kitchen making a Peanut butter and jelly... at this point I know you're thinking that this is a very ordinary day where's the good part!! However, It was perfect because I truly was not expecting what was about to happen.

When I turned around (pb&j in hand) the lights were off in the living room... I walked in and there were candles lite in my homemade candle log on the coffee table and Ryan and pushing play to a song. He asked me to dance, and I laughed because his sweet timing meant I had to choose between dancing and finishing my sandwich! I chose to dance!!! (Since Ryan and I started dating we have always randomly danced in places; the kitchen, the yard, on the porch, in public!) 

The playlist playing is actually the playlist he created that night! Through the first song we talked about how silly it was to argue about things about our future etc. The song ended and out of no where he had a long stemmed single rose!!! My thoughts were that he was saying "I'm sorry". 

Phone Rings! HAHAHA I talked to my mom for about 20 minutes and sat on the couch. We then watched the Office . I later found out at this point he was freaking out that his plan was ruined and second guessed how to go from there. 

Full steam ahead though he asked me to dance again... this song he said he had another suprise and that he bought me a gift...he then brought me the jar!!! I was shocked and embarrassed thinking that I had been such a brat that he did buy me my "dream jar". He sat the jar on the table and KNEELED beside it... He explained how he wanted it symbolize the beginning of our planning process. I was Shocked and excited and confused because here he is on a knee with a jar!!! Was I supposed to say yes? Was this a proposal? In tear-filled eyes I hugged him but since he was in the floor I took a knee as well... that's when i realized there was a ring and through my "what? I'm confused?!" he had said Danny Bray, will you marry me? 

THEN I LOST IT. Tears in full swing I said yes to both my best friend and the jar!

We laughed about how it just happened, hugged, cried, and then danced again. 

This time we were engaged! IT was beyond perfect.

I know to many it doesn't make sense but one of the many reasons why I know I want to spend my life with this man is because he knows me, and my personality and for us, this was the perfect way to start our journey! 

Below are pics of the rose, the jar and the ring... If I would have thought I would have also captured a picture of the peanut butter and jelly!

The Ring !!!!

The Journey Begins....

Ryan Jeffrey Vance and Danielle Kay Bray

This blog will be a memory book... It will tell our story as it happens.

We decided to do this because  we don't want to forget this special time in our lives and we wanted to document this journey!

WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!.

Ryan popped the question on January 13th 2011!!!!!!

As we VLOG, BLOG, and post we will share our
thoughts and plans for the wedding as well as our life together.

ENJOY!