Jasmine and Michael's Elegant Garden Wedding in Memphis -Munaluchi Bride

Cupid’s arrow flew true when it struck the hearts of Jasmine and Michael. Having first connected over social media those feelings of attraction only magnified after their first meeting. It was all downhill from there and soon Michael was planning their perfect proposal. Recreating the events of their first date, the moment came towards the end of the evening when following a park stroll Michael handed Jasmine a letter of love, detailing how much she means to him. Jasmine looked up to find him on one knee, ring in hand, asking her to spend the rest of their lives together as husband and wife…

Read all about Jasmine & Michael’s love story, proposal, and experiences in their elegant garden wedding in Memphis.

Bride & Groom: Jasmine & Michael
Occupations: Digital Communications/Marketing Specialist & High School Math Teacher
Wedding date: June 9, 2018
Wedding location: Memphis Botanic Garden in Memphis, TN

How did you meet? We met online on June 25, 2016 through the dating app OKCupid. I paid to see who had liked my profile, and Michael was on the list. I checked his profile out, and thought he seemed really nice. I didn’t send him a message, but I liked his profile back, and he sent me a message the next day.

Tell us your proposal story: We got engaged on June 28, 2017 on our one-year anniversary, and we did a recreation of our first date by going to a minor league baseball game and then walking around downtown. Michael proposed to me in front of the fountain in Court Square, a park off Main Street in Memphis. I was anticipating it even though Michael told me that he wasn’t going to do it on our anniversary. We had actually been looking for engagement rings for months prior, and I knew he had bought a ring. He just can’t keep secrets from me. But the proposal was still so special. The park was surprisingly quiet and he sat me on a bench in front of the fountain and gave me a handwritten letter saying how much he loved me and how the past year of us dating had been the best of his life. He signed the letter as “Your future hubby” and when I finished reading, he was already down on one knee asking me to marry him. We didn’t have a photographer there or a videographer like some couples do, but I appreciated not having all eyes on me. It’s a moment I will remember forever.

What was the wedding shopping experience like for you? I wanted our wedding to be elegant and romantic. I’ve always wanted to get married at a garden, so it was between Memphis Botanic Garden and Dixon Gallery and Gardens, and the Botanic was the most affordable for us. It also was bigger to accommodate our guests, which ended up being about 150 people.
For wedding gown shopping, I am a simple person. I don’t really like to shop around, so I knew that whenever I went looking for a wedding dress, I would probably do it quickly. I went to a small bridal boutique in Memphis called The Barefoot Bride two months after getting engaged and it was wonderful. The Barefoot Bride shuts down the entire store for bridal appointments, and you get a consultant who focuses entirely on you for the full hour. I think I tried on about 10 different dresses, and the last one ended up being the one for me. I wanted my dress to be romantic, and I knew the mermaid shape would best suit my body, but I kept an open mind about everything else. My dress was simple but elegant and romantic, which was what I was going for.
Michael is also the same about shopping. He just wants to get in and out. He really wanted to wear a full suit, and it took us a while to figure out what color would work best with the bridesmaids dresses. We ended up choosing a light gray suit from Jos. A. Bank, and Michael got a custom-made vest, so that his suit stood out from his groomsmen.

Wedding party gifts: For my bridesmaids, I got them little gifts all from Naturallife.com. They have some cute prayer boxes and mugs with initials on them. Michael got his groomsmen gift cards and personalized gifts from groomsshop.com.
Gifts for each other: I got Michael some silver Chicago Cubs cuff links that he wore the day of the wedding. He’s a huge Cubs fan. Michael technically didn’t get me anything as a gift for our wedding day, but we bought a house and were able to go on a honeymoon to the Dominican, so that was more than enough for me.
Ceremony entrance song:  “Just the Way You Are” by The Piano Guys
First dance song: “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones

What is your best memory from your wedding?  Michael and I both agree the best memory was our first look before the ceremony started. It was a beautiful moment with just us before taking wedding party photos and I liked the fact that we got to have a little bit of time together before the ceremony. Michael says his favorite moment during the first look was when he turned around and saw me in my bridal gown.

What is the best wedding advice you can give to engaged couples? Just relax and have fun. The actual wedding day goes by quickly, so try to enjoy each moment as it comes. Also, don’t stress out about family members who seem to nick pick about wedding details. It’s YOUR wedding, so do what you want, and let go of everything else.