When Taylor Selman and Cody Wilson were just 12 and 13 years old, respectively, they began chatting on MySpace before exchanging phone numbers and meeting in person with friends. Cody texted Taylor asking her to be his girlfriend; however, she politely declined since she wanted him to ask her in person. 

“It was love at first sight and I regretted saying no, so I asked him if we could hang out at the mall the following day,” she remembers. “Cody was way too shy to ask me out in person, but I received a text from him again asking me to be his girlfriend. I said yes, and here we are 12 years later!” 

Though Cody always wanted to propose, he decided to wait until after his first season playing Major League Baseball for the Washington Nationals. When the day arrived, Taylor was presented with a series of instructional love letters over the course of eight hours. She awoke to an alarm with a letter leading her to brunch with her best friends, where the waitress handed her a second card instructing them to visit the spa. 

There, the receptionist presented a third note that led Taylor to a dinner with her family, and then their server shared the final card advising Taylor’s mom to blindfold her before getting into a luxury SUV. When Taylor was guided out of the vehicle, rose petals and candles led her down the bridge to a lakefront gazebo where her beloved was waiting. “Cody got down on one knee, proposed, and without any hesitation, I said yes!” smiles Taylor. 

“I wanted the wedding to feel magical and warm.”

The bride spent the next two years planning her dream wedding. Desiring a wintry theme for their hometown nuptials, she fell in love with a white-and-gold palette with touches of the nearing Christmas holiday. “I wanted the wedding to feel magical and warm,” affirms Taylor. Guests sipped Champagne in the courtyard before entering the ceremony space. 

Lush florals and greenery lined the aisle, which was adorned with a satin white runner “beautifully designed by The Original Runner Company,” adds the bride. Following the processional of the wedding party that included their “flower dogs,” Taylor and Cody exchanged personalized vows. “I worked really hard to perfect my vows to be sure they were written exactly how I wanted to convey my love for Taylor,” shares the groom. 

Once they were pronounced husband and wife, the newlyweds joined their loved ones in a ballroom filled with fragrant florals and glimmering candlelight. Tablescapes were decorated with towering centerpieces comprised of white hydrangeas, roses, and stock accented with greenery, as well as gilt flatware, beaded charger plates, and gold mirror place cards. 

Prior to the sit-down dinner service, Taylor and Cody shared their first dance to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran that was captured on canvas by a live event painter – a gift from the bride’s parents. Guests enjoyed slices of a four-tier monogrammed wedding cake and a surprise baseball-themed groom’s cake, as well as additional desserts including s’mores with monogrammed marshmallows. 

With their hearts full of love and support from their family and friends, Taylor and Cody’s grand exit by horse and carriage complete with cold sparks, which also went off during their first dance, was the perfect ending for the fairy-tale day. “It was so much fun, and I loved every moment of it,” remembers the groom.

This real wedding was originally published in the Winter 2023 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

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