March 8th, 2025
Ayla and Collin have known each other since they were just kids. Their moms were best friends, which naturally brought the two of them together. From the very beginning, Collin had the sweetest little crush on Ayla.
As time went on, life pulled them in different directions. They went to separate schools and followed their own paths. After high school, Ayla moved to Myrtle Beach for a few years. Eventually, she felt it was time to come home and returned to Richmond, just in time to celebrate her 20th birthday.
The very next day, her phone lit up with a text from Collin wishing her a happy belated birthday. And just like that, something shifted. As soon as he found out she was back in town, he didn’t waste a moment. Collin was all in. He knew what he wanted, and he made sure she knew it too.
One of the most touching parts of their story happened long before that moment. After a brief encounter with Ayla years earlier, Collin said to his mom, “I’m going to marry that girl one day.” Now here they are, married, raising a beautiful daughter, and living a life they never could have predicted but somehow always felt meant for them. Love has a funny way of showing up at just the right time.
When it came to the wedding, Ayla, a lover of all things moody and cozy, pictured a celebration that felt vintage, romantic, and comfortable. They chose a barn setting and designed the day with intention, hoping it would feel warm and meaningful for everyone who attended. Both she and Collin wanted the wedding to be more than a party. After the year they had all been through, and the loss of loved ones, it felt important to create a space where people could pause, reconnect, and simply enjoy being together.
Ayla shares, “When the big day finally arrives, let yourself fully be in the moment. You’ve spent so much time and energy planning every detail. Take a deep breath, let go of the stress, and truly soak it all in. The day goes by in the blink of an eye, and it’s the little moments, laughing with your friends, locking eyes with your partner, dancing with the people you love, that you’ll carry with you forever. Give yourself permission to be present, embrace the joy, and feel every second of it. You deserve it.”
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