Real Wedding Wednesdays: Brittany Porter and Patrick Moonan

Photo credit: Aperture Photography

Brittany and Patrick Moonan, avid lovers of music and nature, first met in November 2012 at an Ohio State vs. Michigan game viewing party. "We talked all day and shared our first kiss that night," Brittany says. "We were in constant contact from that day forward.

Almost exactly two years later, Patrick popped the question by presenting Brittany with a series of bracelet boxes containing jewelry she'd had her eye on. In the last box, an engagement ring sat in place of a bracelet. After Brittany said yes, Patrick whisked her away to Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, where a pre-ordered dinner was already on the table, waiting for the newly engaged couple. They then went to a live show by one of their favorite bands, Fitz and the Tantrums.

Nine months later, the two were wed in a "boho chic, casual elegance, nature-meets-industry" ceremony, as Brittany describes it. Decorations at Strongwater Food & Spirits included greenery and wildflowers, and tables were set with single bud vases, white candles and wood and stone elements. "When it came to our wedding, we wanted to stay true to who we were as a couple," says Brittany. "We wanted our guests, especially those who aren't around us very often, to get the best representation of us."

Brittany says the various reception elements-from their favorite food (pizza) to the live band to the nature elements to the venue itself-all helped achieve that mission. The couple eschewed a traditional wedding cake in favor of an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen!

One unforgettable aspect of the wedding actually took place the day before, says Brittany. "Patrick and I had planned to stay apart that night, but after the rehearsal dinner most of the wedding party and a few other close friends ended up coming back to our condo," she explains. "We all hung out the whole night until almost 3 a.m. We played Jenga, cards and just sat around reminiscing. It was so much fun and even though we were up so late and had to wake up early, there's no other way we would have wanted to spend the night."

The Details

Wedding date: Aug. 15, 2015

Wedding colors: Gray, beige, white and green

Attendants: Four bridesmaids and four groomsmen

Bride wore: Stella York gown and a veil from Elegant Bride, shoes from Macy's and jewelry from Nordstrom

Hair and makeup: Nurtur Salon

Groom wore: A suit from Express

Rings: Bride's set from Diamond Cellar; groom's band from Wedgewood Rings on Etsy

Rehearsal dinner: The Boat House at Confluence Park

Ceremony: Strongwater Food & Spirits

Reception: Strongwater Food & Spirits

Caterer: Mikey's Late Night Slice and Sidecar Global Catering

Cake: Dairy Queen

Florist: Sunny Meadow Flower Farm

Photographer: Aperture Photography

Photo booth: Aperture Photography

Invitations: Designed by local designer Brandon Boston, printed via Minted.com

Reception tunes: The Wet Bandits

First dance: A Ryan Thompson cover of the Black Keys song "Everlasting Light"

Registry: Bed Bath and Beyond

Favorite gift: Plane ticket to Seattle

Guests stayed at: Red Roof Plus+ Columbus Downtown – Convention Center

Honeymoon: Seattle, Washington, and Olympic National Forest