emily + derek | river center dsm
1. How did you and your husband meet?Derek and I met at The University of Iowa College of Dentistry, where we were accepted into the same dental class. Our dental pods were organized alphabetically, and since my last name was Flesner and his was Furrow, we were basically together all the time!
2. How did he pop the question? Derek popped the question in Iowa City in front of the dental school, where we met. We were back in town to celebrate a friend's graduation from her residency program, but little did I know, Derek and my friends had a trick up their sleeves! He proposed, our friends pulled some prosecco (my drink of choice) out of a cooler that was hidden in the trunk, we popped bottles, and then went to dinner at The Iowa Chop House, where our families were waiting to surprise me. It was the best day!
3. What do you two like to do for fun?Derek and I love going out to eat and trying new restaurants! You can't go wrong with yummy food/drinks and good company! We also enjoy spending time with family and friends, playing with our new puppy, spending time at the lake, and working out!
4. Tell us about your wedding planning experience! What did you love? Was your favorite part of it?Since we were a 2020 couple, our wedding planning experience was definitely unexpected and had its ups and downs. I am a type-A person who plans to a T and loves being organized. I have been thinking about my wedding for as long as I can remember, but I never thought a worldwide pandemic would be part of the picture! haha. I loved everything about the planning process, besides the uncertainties and limitations that COVID brought our way. I would say that my favorite part of wedding planning was the beginning! Being freshly engaged is so exciting! We loved booking the venue, picking the date, securing our photographer, and saying yes to the dress. They were all such fun and exciting experiences!
5. What personal touches did you include into your wedding day?For the ceremony, we said traditional vows; however, we wanted to do something more intimate and special between the two of us. The day before the wedding, we each wrote a letter to each other. On the wedding day, we each read the personal notes/vows in private, prior to seeing each other for our first look. It was a sweet way to share all of our thoughts and vows with one another, and a special keepsake for the future. We will read our notes again on our 1 Year Anniversary, and we will also write new ones. We want to continue this tradition throughout our marriage!
6. Tell us about the wedding dress! How did you choose it?I purchased my wedding dress from a bridal boutique in Alexandria, MN. Derek and I had only been engaged for 2 weeks when we went on my family's annual lake vacation to Alexandria. Both of my grandmas were there, so I thought it would be nice to try on dresses with them present. I had no intentions of purchasing a dress that day, but I guess it was meant to be! I tried on around 15-20 dresses that day, but ended up saying yes to the very first dress I tried on! My dress was a beautiful, lace Justin Alexander gown.
7. Tell us about the decor and floral. How did you decide?
Our wedding flowers were gorgeous! We used The English Rose and Clare did an amazing job! I love simplistic beauty, so I decided to have our floral arrangements that consisted of lots of greenery and white flowers, with blush accents. We incorporated a lot of eucalyptus, garden roses, and hydrangeas, but Clare also added in some more unique flowers as well! I wanted the decor to follow the simplistic elegance look, so we used lots of white, gold, and wooden decor.
8. What advice do you have for couple engaged?
Enjoy the process! Make it fun and celebrate each big wedding decision with your favorite drink, meal, or dessert! You don't get these experiences back, so cherish them; and like everyone says, it goes so fast!
