When she walked into a popular alfresco lounge, Meghan Engler had no idea she’d catch the eye of someone that would change her life. Brennan Vance noticed her immediately and worked up the courage to ask her if she wanted a drink. “I said yes and he handed me his credit card and said, ‘Get me one too.’ I was surprised he was so trusting and then realized, Hey, I thought you were going to get me a drink!” and with that, the tall, dark, and handsome stranger had her attention. 

They hit it off with remarkable ease, so much so that they eventually left their respective friends’ birthday celebrations to enjoy their very first date. “It was the best date of my life,” confirms Meghan. Brennan remembers the moment he saw Meghan. “The sun was peeking through the clouds as if it was only shining on her,” he illustrates. “I thought she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.” When she agreed to dinner, Brennan quickly texted a friend of a friend who hosted at a very popular new restaurant. “I said, ‘I have a huge favor to ask. I just met my future wife, and I need a table for two,’” he remembers. 

As fate would have it, Meghan said yes a second time. Brennan arranged for a private teppanyaki dinner where their families would meet for the first time. As the chef was flipping food and showing his tricks, spinning around and such, he spun around one last time, presenting a ring box on his spatula. “Brennan grabbed it and got down on one knee,” tells the bride-to-be, who admits she bawled with happiness the remainder of the evening. 

Their search for a venue took a little longer than anticipated, and with luck still on their side, their favored venue – that was fully booked years in advance – called them with an opening. They secured the seaside site and began the coordination of all the other details alongside Kathryn Barron of Tessa Lyn Events. “I would honestly have been lost without her,” says Meghan of their wedding planner. “She’s an angel.” The groom further agrees: “Hiring an experienced wedding planner is more like an investment than a cost.” 

“Hiring an experienced wedding planner is more like an investment than a cost.”

The bride desired a neutral-hued palette, so a crisp-white aisle facing the ocean was lined with lush arrangements of florals in shades of ivory, vanilla, and crème brûlée, and a structure completely adorned in pale-colored blooms and plenty of fresh verdure marked the spot for the “I dos.” 

The romantic scene was ideal for their heartfelt ceremony, which included a candle lighting to honor the bride’s late grandmother, in addition to a moment of silence before the vow exchange, where the couple’s favorite pastor encouraged them to take a moment to be present and take in the scenic view and gorgeous sunset. “I loved this part,” confides Meghan. 

The newlyweds playfully walked up the aisle to the string quartet playing a Taylor Swift song of the bride’s choosing. Her strapless gown featuring a frothy trumpet skirt and a feminine cathedral veil danced in the wind, making Meghan nothing shy of picture perfect, as the twosome led their loved ones to the cocktail hour and indoor reception areas. 

Both long wood tables and round tables bedecked in silky cream linens were decorated with creative floral masterpieces in varying heights to create depth, while sheer draping and additional flower arrangements were suspended overhead. “It looked very magical and dreamlike,” shares the bride. 

Whereas the bride was delighted with the décor, the groom was elated with their choice in live entertainment and the smart decision to have enough bars available for guests to avoid long lines. “It was incredibly important to me to have our guests on the dance floor having fun,” says the groom. And they did just that into the late hours of the night. “It’s a moment in time that I will never forget,” reveals the new Mrs. “My best advice is don’t try to play to other people’s expectations. Make it meaningful to you!”

This real wedding was originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of Inside Weddings magazine. 

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