Prior to meeting each other, Trey and I were both not looking for a relationship. In fact, when we met, I worked diligently to avoid him. He was a personal trainer where I worked as a lifeguard, and I was so caught up in my own mental netting that I wasn’t prepared to let anyone in to who I was. But as we both clocked in to work every day at 4 am, we unintentionally got to know each other. It’s hard to hide who you are so early in the day, when the rest of the world is asleep and the sun hasn’t even peeked into view. Those dark morning hours allowed us to open up to each other, and months into that routine we realized a relationship was forming that was founded on organic, authentic connection. A type of bond you can’t ignore. I was 22 and Trey was 28. He had just left the house he had worked so hard for to go through a divorce with two daughters, and I was hurting from the split of my band. We were not whole people, but we were energizing each other so much every day that we were beginning to find our footing to heal as individuals. Trey didn’t do the work for me. I put in the time to patch up my heart and grow. What he did do was remind me of the courage and strength that I already had to do so, which made all the difference. He also let me into the world of his daughters, who filled my heart instantaneously with a love I hadn’t experienced before. I didn’t just fall for Trey, but I fell for our family and who we could become. A part of our story that I love to tell is that Trey was struggling with feeling like he was behind. He looked at his age of 28 like he was too far along to restart and find the happiness he deserved. It was hard to convince him of how false that was, and how young 28 really is. So I offered him my age. I told him, “if I’m 22, you’re 22.” and it became our slogan. When things felt difficult, I reminded him that we’re only 22. We have the time. The months following lead to Trey undergoing a major back surgery, adapting as we would say goodbye to his girls every other week, and finding our way as I built up to pursue music solo. We had already been through pain and pure joy, so I knew we could support each other through any major or minor shift life would throw our way. When Trey proposed, my heart screamed a resounding yes. As an indecisive person, marrying him was one decision that I didn’t have to question.
The Wedding
June 22, 2019 in Twin Lakes, Colorado set the scene of the wedding of my dreams. I woke up feeling so different that day. A sense of calmness that I wasn’t used to had washed over me, and I was so excited to experience whatever the day delivered. Everything was planned, my family was there to help. We could just soak in everything as it happened. I love looking back on it and remembering just how many memories can be made in one 24 hour period. I promised adaptability to Trey in our vows, not knowing we would exercise it the day of our wedding! The day prior was 80 degrees and sunny, and we had planned for an outdoor mountain view for our ceremony. The day of, the mountain was hidden behind a cloud and the cold brought us inside. I thought I would be a little disheartened when we lost the view, but it actually created a perfectly cozy and intimate setting for our ceremony. Our absolutely incredible photographer, TammiCamp, helped us navigate the changes with ease. She went above and beyond her role and definitely kept the magic flowing even through the chaos. Finding the right photographer was priority to us, and we hit the lottery with Tammi. We will forever be grateful for how beautifully she captured our day!
An especially beautiful part of the day was the fact that Trey and I shared the celebration with his daughters, Mackenzie and Madison. Our marriage wasn’t just uniting us as a couple but officially bringing us together as a family. Our celebrant, Heather, suggested we signify this with a cairn ceremony. It was incredibly powerful to stack our family’s rocks, each representing ourselves individually but that we would always come together to keep our family standing strong. The girls were Trey’s groomsmaids, and walked him down the aisle. They were also our witnesses when we signed our marriage certificate, which made for an emotional moment for all of us. Toward the end of the evening, they surprised their dad with a father/daughter dance to John Mayer’s track Heart of Life. They invited me to join them, and we spun together reflecting on the beauty of the day. Our hearts are so full.
My older brother, a sommelier and chef, catered our entire dinner as his gift to us. It was so special to see him joyfully pour his heart and soul into our first meal as husband and wife. He even gave a lesson on pickling to the bridal party! Trey’s Mom and Oma made our desserts, allowing our guests to indulge in devouring mousse trifles and fruit pies. Trey’s Oma flew over from Germany and it was so special to have her there with us. My parents also crafted our arbor. My dad constructed the wooden frame, and my mom handmade macrame for the windows. She also made a macrame table runner for our head table that I’ll cherish forever. I’m so thankful for our family’s involvement in making our day so special. My focus on our decor was to incorporate subtle textures and let the beauty of the Colorado environment do the rest. Some of our favorite details were our welcome sign and table numbers. I worked with a local embroidery shop in our Missouri hometown to embroider corduroy I had ordered and I was so thrilled with the outcome! Designer Threads, the embroidery shop, absolutely made my texture dreams come true. Another favorite detail came from threading hundreds of wooden beads to accent our bar area and centerpieces. I also added a strand to my bouquet, which my friend Esther made.
Our wedding truly came together because of our friends and family! Our wedding party walked down the aisle to Stupid Deep – Acoustic by Jon Bellion. My processional was You’re Still The One covered by The Maine, and our exit song was Almost (Sweet Music) by Hozier. All three set the perfect mood for the ceremony! As mentioned, the girls danced with Trey to Heart of Life by John Mayer, and I danced with my dad (my mom joined!) to Sweet Melissa by The Allman Brothers which is a song that he showed me years ago. Trey and I had our first dance to Alone With Me by Vance Joy, and tears were shed. Every single one of those songs gives me goosebumps when I hear them now. My advice to couples preparing for their big day is to plan together, plan toward what truly represents you as a couple, and when the day arrives: live it. Everyone isn’t kidding when they say it flies by. Soak in every moment! Trey and I’s bond was beautifully represented by every moment of our wedding day. I’m so lucky to have had that candidly captured to relive whenever I want through the photos Tammi provided to us. If you’re seeking a way to harness the magic of your big day, Tammi‘s a magician.
