Brides & Weddings Magazine
Tell us your story. Include how you met, your engagement, etc.
It was a Sunday afternoon in Scottsdale, Arizona in February 2019 with beautiful spring weather when Hannah and Michael’s story began!
We met on this Sunday afternoon in February in Old Town Scottsdale at an outside patio bar, just a couple short months after Hannah moved to Arizona. We were introduced to each other through a group of people, and started talking. It also helped that Mikes late dog, Baccio, who was such a good boy, was with Mike and helped lure Hannah in (haha!) From there we knew that we were both dog lovers. On this afternoon we got to talking more, a few drinks later and exchanged numbers to continue getting to know each other.
The next weekend we were going out on our first date! We enjoyed thin crust pizza and wine at La Grande Orange Grocery and Pizzeria, which is in the Arcadia neighborhood in Phoenix. Mike was excited to take Hannah here, and within a couple weeks of knowing each other, Hannah was already catching on to Mike’s pizza obsession and Mike quickly learned of Hannah’s love of wine. Then, of course somewhere in the mix of our journey Hannah’s dog Dane was introduced to Mike, and Dane quickly fell in love with his future roommate/dog dad. Dane is very much a big part of our relationship; bringing our little family together with love, walks, cuddles, licks, snack breaks, and laughs.
From Spring 2019, we were pretty much inseparable. We grew our relationship together and were dating for multiple weeks and then months, but held off on any “labels” for awhile. Mike would say it took Hannah a little longer to open up her heart, but once she did, the floodgates were opened (whatever that means? Haha!) In late March 2019, we attended a wine tasting event that was at Scottsdale Talking Stick baseball field, which was the start of many more wine tasting events we did together to come, as well as visits to baseball fields for games (Go Cubs!) By early May 2019, we were celebrating Hannah’s birthday together, and going on a weekend getaway to the Cottonwood/Cornville area which is a couple hours north of Phoenix (but just south of Sedona) for a winery exploring weekend. Our weekend couples getaways turned into one of our favorite things to do together!
The rest is pretty much history in our love story.. Starting from 2019, we enjoyed various experiences together: trips, weekend getaways, events with friends, spending time with our families, trying new restaurants, Mike’s amazing cooking, going to concerts, etc. We had both found the person we love that makes us happy, constant laughter, a mutual appreciation of sarcasm and joking around, a support system, and best friend in one another. After a year of knowing each other/dating, COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. We continued to be pretty much inseparable through 2020, and 2021… In early December 2020 we decided to move in together to a new place (Dane was ecstatic!). Then in late December 2021, the last week of the year we both took off work for that week. On Tuesday, December 28 we went to the Desert Botanical Gardens and this is where Michael proposed to Hannah! This was also the day before Mike’s birthday, so we we spent the rest of the week celebrating our love and soaking in our engagement! We are so excited to start this next chapter of our lives together and for our future – we can’t wait to get married!
What was your theme? What inspired you to pick that theme?
Whimsical, dreamy, boho – we like natural colors and love the Arizona outdoors, which we wanted to incorporate the background of the mountains into the setting.
Describe the dress you chose and the moment you knew it was the one.
Eddy K Bridal wedding dress, Dream collection. I knew I wanted a dress that had lace and off-white colors, with some floral lace, with off the shoulders. I tried on so many dresses and when I tried on the dress I couldn’t stop smiling and went back to try it on after we went to a different store because I couldn’t stop thinking about it! I went to New York City for a wedding dress trip and was so happy to find my wedding dress 1 year before our wedding and I love the dress so much!
Describe the first dance.
We took 7 dance lessons to help with our dancing, a slow fox-trot. We danced to ‘Long Haul – Stripped version’ by Ian Munsick. We enjoy country/acoustic/alternative music and it was great song talking about how the person is it in for the ‘long haul’ in their relationship.
What local vendors did you use?
BTO Events Planning, Chelsey Michelle Co Photography, Micah Reimer Films, Desert Poppy Floral, Bella Bridal Beauty, Cakes by Kenna, Bigelow Limousine, All Pro DJs
Any advice for other brides?
Find ways to incorporate special and meaningful moments and details for you and the Groom – Take a pause to soak it all in! You remember all of that the most!
