Ethan and Alyssa's North Carolina Vizcaya Villa Dream Wedding! #McKenziefrenzy2019

November 09, 2019

Ethan and Alyssa's North Carolina Vizcaya Villa Dream Wedding! #McKenziefrenzy2019

Usually, when I'm going to write a blog post, I never have trouble finding the words or thoughts on what I want to say. But today, I'm struggling - not because I don't have enough words but, because I have too many. There is only so much I can write about this very special couple before we tune out and just want to look at photos (I know, I do it too lol)! Now when I say special, you have no idea how very special they both are. When you think of the sweetest couple, the most caring of people, those who don't think twice about putting others before themselves, who are loved by everyone, you think of Ethan and Alyssa. And what's nice about this pair finding each other, is that they are all these things and they are also very quirky and funny too, and so perfectly made for each other. There is no way you can be around them and not be smiling and having a fun time, I mean a bride who loves sloths, come on you guys!! We are very lucky that they have shared some of their own beautiful story with us, and I can't think of a better story teller than them. So sit back and enjoy one of the most beautiful and sweetest weddings and love story, but first . . . .

A little about this beautiful affair! Alyssa's wedding inspiration starts with a rustic style highlighting a travel theme in beautiful shades of plum & grey, accented with gold and maroon. Her preparations began at the beautiful Marriott Towne Place in Fayetteville, with hair, make-up and lots of fun, while her dress, shoes and flowers waited for her at the gorgeous dressing room of the Vizcaya Villa. Personalized details filled every part of their special day, which included a beautiful invitation suite, their adored kitty 'Lima", her beautiful hand-made wooden bouquets and boutonnieres, and her fun American flag send off (one of my favorite parts of the day!) This is just to name a few! She did a sweet first look with Ethan at the alter. Ethan kept his back turned while she walked up the aisle and he did not see her until she arrived right in front of him at the alter. Their first look was witnessed in front of all their family and guests - what a special and amazing moment! For me, it just couldn't get any better! So lets let the fun begin as I post only a small snippet of this most amazing and wonderful day. Ethan and Alyssa - thank you for letting me share and be a part of this most special occasion! I can't wait to see all the blessings that will soon be coming your way as you start this beautiful trip as husband and wife, 'Oh, the places you will go'!!
xoxoxoxo - Susie

"Ethan proposed to me at the Stennis Space Center Marathon finish line, November 25, 2017. He invited close friends from all over to be there at the finish line. They were there the entire race, holding signs & dressed in T-Rex costumes and I had no idea! Talk about being on cloud nine and not coming down for a while! I didn’t just say yes, I said heck yeah!"

~Alyssa

"If I could make Alyssa's dreams come true, I would buy a sloth. I would give that sloth to Carrie Underwood. Then I would take Alyssa to meet the sloth and Carrie!"

~ Ethan

"Our first Valentine’s Day together he told me that he wanted to make dinner for me and take me to see a sunset on the Causeway in Clearwater. We were ready to leave and while I was watching him load up the car, I noticed that he hadn’t put any food in the car! I was a little concerned because I was starving but I didn’t say anything. He gave me a giant box of chocolates that I held in my lap all the way to the Causeway. I had been flipping the chocolates upside-down to see the different flavors listed on the back. We pulled up to the beach and he started to unload the car and I followed behind him. I sat down on the blanket waiting for him to miraculously make food appear (because at this point, I hadn’t even smelled the slightest of anything in that car) when he asked me where the box of chocolates that he gave me was at. I looked at him stunned that he was already worried about dessert and we had not had anything to eat yet. I told him I left them in the car and he made me go get them! When I brought them back to the blanket, he told me to open them and I told him I wasn’t hungry for chocolate, but for food. Much to my surprise, once I opened the box, all of the chocolates had been removed and he had replaced them with sushi he had made at home!! To top it off, in the middle of the sushi was a beautiful purple butterfly necklace!"

~Alyssa

"I love the way he loves people and how selfless he is! He will go out of his way to be the hands and feet of Jesus any given day of the week. He also adores my family and friends, just as I adore them. He is so quick to put others before himself."

~Alyssa

"In college, while we were long distance, I was going through a tough time in rescue swimmer school in North Carolina. I had called her and told her I didn’t think I was going to make it and that I was having some leg seizures in the pool. After this conversation, without me knowing, Alyssa had booked a flight for the very next day to surprise me and give me the pick-me-up I really needed. I felt whole because she picked me up in the EXACT moment I needed it most."

~Ethan

"Her random one liners! Always make me laugh!"

~Ethan

"He loves to give our cat a voice narrating her expressions and actions. He also calls every stray cat that we see, Mittens!"

~Alyssa

"That little mole he has above his mouth, next to his nose. I hope that one day our kids inherit that."

~Alyssa

"My favorite feature are her big, rosy cheeks! When she smiles, they’re so big that they push her eyes closed."

~Ethan

"I am most proud of Ethan's perseverance and ability to always work hard for the things he desires in this life. He doesn’t take anything for granted and will gladly give the shirt off of his back to a stranger in need."

~Alyssa

"We met at Relay for Life 2013 at USF track; he was MCing the event and I was a team captain. A few days later we talked for hours over a package of oreos and he won me over with this shark stories!"

~Alyssa

"She flew stand by from Tampa, got bumped from 19 flights and was there for 14 hours waiting to take off. She was supposed to arrive around 1PM that day but didn’t get in until after midnight. At around 10PM, I was getting ready to head back to the barracks after being at a friends house when she told me not to leave. I had noticed a lot of background noise while talking to her and she just told me she was having a girls night, unbeknownst to me, trying to make an excuse for the commotion at the airport. I asked her why she didn’t want me to head back to the barracks and she had to ruin her surprise to tell me that she was at the Atlanta airport and in route to me!"

~Ethan

"For our proposal, my parents drove all the way from Phoenix (they told me they were coming for Thanksgiving) and it was the first race of mine that my dad ever attended. He also ran a mile with me! Ethan made a banner of pictures that everyone held and played the song “Carolina” by Parmalee (which is our song) when I was running toward the finish line. Then he tried to put my finishers medal around my neck and it all started to make sense to me, so I nearly collapsed (not sure if it was from exhaustion of running 26.2 miles or the fact that the love of my life was proposing) and after he finally got to put the medal around my neck, he proposed!"

~Alyssa