Meredith Adams & Ryan Pettigrew
July 2, 2011 • First Christian Church, Fayetteville
Photos by Rachel Blackwell Photography

While enjoying a concert with her friends, Meredith met Ryan on a very special day -- leap day. After that night, they shared their first date and continued to see each other after that.

After two years, Ryan proposed. He made the couple’s favorite dish, sushi, from scratch for the two of them. After dinner, he told Meredith he made two desserts for them to enjoy. The first was her ultimate favorite dessert, creme brulee. She told him she was too full to eat the second but reluctantly agreed. Ryan had Meredith close her eyes. When he instructed her to open them she saw a plate of roses and an engagement ring sitting in front of her. Ryan then took Meredith to a surprise party where he had gathered the couple’s families and her closest friends who lived all over the country at that time.

How They Customized

The bride’s grandfather co-officiated the ceremony. “He has done all of my cousin’s weddings so it was an honor for him to be a part of my wedding,” Meredith said. “I have [also] had several people in my life pass away, including my mother and my cousin. My mother died when I was 5 so to honor her, I wore her veil she wore at her wedding. Ryan’s grandmother was able to restore it for me and it looked beautiful. To honor my cousin, I had a pink tulip, her favorite, placed in the alter [floral] arrangement.”

Unplanned Events

“About 30 minutes before the ceremony, a random hail storm hit and we had to delay the ceremony for 15 minutes.”

Favorite Favors

The couple decided to make a donation to the Fayetteville Animal Shelter because both of their dogs were adopted from there. To tell the guests, they had a picture of their dogs wearing thank you signs and had a bowl of dog treats with a note on them telling about the donation.

The Details