Real Brides: Hayley

James and Hayley met in the lounge of Hayley's dorm building, Seabrook Hall, at Westminster Choir College, pretty early on in her time there. They would hang out whenever they saw each other, make jokes, and hug. Every once and awhile, they'd head into town or the cafeteria for some food, go to the same party, or attend the same course. They'd laugh it up and come up with nicknames for each other and try to find more excuses to spend some extra time together. Hayley bought James Swedish Fish every year on his birthday. During Hayley's Junior year, they attended one school dance together. And another Friday evening, James kissed her on the quad. Once. And then never mentioned it again. The closest he came to asking her out was saying, "What would happen if I asked you out one day?" Hayley giggled and walked away. "That's just James. He flirts like that with everybody." 

Life took James and Hayley in different directions until 2021, when the global pandemic changed everything pretty drastically. They had stayed in touch as friends, Hayley popping in to his bar when she was back in Princeton, James reaching out occasionally on social media. But they never forgot how they made each other feel. In the spring of that year, they found each other sharing songs back and forth that they liked or that spoke to how they were feeling about the other, Hayley in New York, James in New Jersey. Eventually, it became clear they were feeling the same way. So, through Twitter DM, Hayley asked James, "Are we going to keep going until we share every song we've ever heard, or are we going to talk about this?" And talk they did over 30,000 steps from the tip of Manhattan down to Penn Station, then over text, voice notes, dinners out, drinks, Doordash, Mets and Phillies games. By date two they said "I love you" and just a few months in, James traveled to Michigan and met Hayley's entire family. In the first year, they had amazing travels, countless trips over the Verrazano Bridge, and lazy days in Hayley's Brooklyn apartment with two of her best friends. And food. Lots of good food. 

At the beginning of year two, when Hayley called James during his break at Whole Foods and asked, "Do you want to buy a house with me? In Michigan?" he replied, "Sure." They prepped a 1000 mile move, found new jobs, and navigated the very crazy world of first-time homebuyerdom. They fixed their fixer upper in a week, settled in, and learned how to live together in a new place, a place of their own. Well, the two of them, a grumpy older cat, and a brand new pitbull puppy. 

Less than a year later, James got down on one knee at the Old Mission Lighthouse on a Saturday date night and asked Hayley to marry him. She said yes! Well, after stuttering for a very long time. And now, they are planning this big party to be surrounded by their loved ones, committing themselves to always being each other's favorite person and teammate. 

Their relationship has felt special to them from the start, almost fated. In some of their first dates, strangers would come up to them and tell them how cute they were together, older couples would send them drinks from across the room with a smile, waiters comped their meals, all while their friends would playfully roll their eyes. It was like the answer to the question of what happens when the one that got a way... actually... didn't? And they can't wait to keep discovering the answer to that question.

I went shopping with only my mom at Lakeside Bridal in Traverse City, Michigan. I told the owner, Kendra, that I was looking for an A-line dress that was not too poofy, but that would hide the lower half of my body as I had some insecurities about it. She let me look through her excellent but curated collection of gowns and I picked out several to try that were similar to what I envisioned, and Kendra selected a few she just wanted to see me try. After trying several gowns I thought I would love and not feeling wowed by them, I tried on a fit and flare Moonlight Bridal gown Kendra had chosen that was nothing like what I asked for. I loved it from the front, but was really excited how it looked in the back. Even though it was more fitted that I expected to like, it showed off my curves in a way that made me feel confident and I knew my fiancé would love, as well! I ultimately knew this was the style I was going for when my mom started to cry. I saw the dress I actually ended up choosing on the rack and it was in the same silhouette as the one that got tears, but was in an ivory crepe satin that looked perfect with a veil I had been gifted, had an illusion inset in the top I adored, and had a floral lace train that was perfect for the garden theme of our wedding, and I knew that was the one I had to order, even though they didn’t have it in a size I could fit in stock. I took a risk and it paid off big time - when I came in for the first fitting, it took me by surprise how much I truly loved it even though I had purchased it without being able to try it on and it got even better after some tailoring to my body. Even after the wedding I still open it up and just look at it… I wish I could wear it all the time!

Photo Credits: Studio SK Photography

Bridal Store: Lakeside Bridal