The love story of our featured couple today is one of the sweetest one I’ve heard and trust me, I’ve read a lot of romance novels. I love their transition from friends, best friends, to soon-to-be Mr & Mrs.
Danny Zuko (Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Newton-John) of Grease, the people they were trying to portray in their engagement shoot, has nothing on how in love our couple is. I even think Savanna and Neil are better dressed than them. The only thing they have similar with the movie loveteam is that they both fell in love with each other on the beach. Cute! So without further ado, here are the pictures from their engagement. Enjoy the bride-to-be’s stories too! Congratulations (advanced) Savanna and Neil!
Bride:
What is your story as a couple, how did you meet & fall in love?
As scandalous as it may sound Neil was dating my roommate in college when we met. No, nothing you would see on 90210. He was dating my roommate, I had a boyfriend and he immediately was place in the “friend-zone!” My hometown boyfriend and I didn’t make it very far into the semester and neither did they. Neil and I were both finance majors and had a lot of classes together so we naturally started becoming really close friends. He got me a job at the restaurant he worked at, we became study buddies and eventually discovered that we were and are both beach bums at heart. For about six months, we were really good friends. We dated other people
and even played wing (wo)man for each other from time to time in class and on the beach. On the beach, Clearwater beach, is really where we started to fall in love. We had these great conversations; we discussed the past, the future, our goals, dreams and deepest desires. We started to form business plans together, we were heading “Straight to the Top!” It was clear that we would be a part of each other’s lives for a very long time.
The turning point in our relationship happened one night when my best friend from childhood came to visit me at school. We were all out together when she pulled me into the bathroom to grill me on this guy she always heard me talking about, was hanging out every time she came to visit and was going out of his way then and there to make sure we had a good time. That night she opened not only my eyes but she opened his. I found out later that she was having similar conversations with Neil when I wasn’t around! By the end of the night Neil and I looked at each other a different way and we haven’t looked back since!
What makes the two of you a perfect match?
This question makes me laugh, because I don’t think there is such a thing as a perfect match. We work at it! Relationships are not always fairytales; they can be messy at times. Neil and I have been together for over six years now. We committed a long time ago to be open communicators and to be open to growing and changing together. We decided that we would be friends and partners as well as lovers in life.
How did he (or you) propose?
Around November 2012 Neil and I started discussing taking a trip between Christmas and New Years. Ideally, Neil wanted to go snowboarding in Colorado. However after I incurred a football-season “war wound” that dream became neigh unrealistic… Typical Savvy! Neil and I decided on Northern California to experience Wine Country, the San Francisco Bay and the Redwood Forest.
We left for Cali on December 26 and landed in San Francisco around 10:30pm local time (3:30am EST). After an hour drive to Napa, Neil informed me that I needed to be ready to leave the hotel the next morning for the first festivity by 6:00am. Yes, the first day of our romantic get away. This guy.Soaring, more like floating over Napa, I was entranced… More like crazy inquisitive! The poor pilot, poor Neil really I grilled the pilot about everything from steering the balloon, to crash landing, to starting a vineyard. Amazing! After about twenty minutes in flight Neil started acting odd. He was trying to snuggle and distract me from learning everything possible about ballooning in Napa. I was 100% clueless! When Neil flipped me toward him and got on one knee in the basket, I was dumbfounded and confused – “what was he doing?” Then it happened, his voice cracked and that’s when I knew. I finally understood what was happening. Neil asked me to be his partner in life. And I said yes! After landing it became apparent that I was the only person who didn’t have a clue what was happening! Thank you Neil for making that moment so special!
How long was the planning process? Did you think it was enough time?
We have been engaged since December 27th 2012 and our wedding date is March, 28th 2015. We have had plenty of time for planning. We chose to purchase a home last year and then focus on the wedding. Really there was only so much planning we could do the first year, there is only so far out vendors will let you book out. It gave us a lot of time to really research what it was we wanted out of wedding, it also gave us a lot time to enjoy the planning process.
What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding?
We have been engaged since December 27th 2012 and our wedding date is March, 28th 2015. We have had plenty of time for planning. We chose to purchase a home last year and then focus on the wedding. Really there was only so much planning we could do the first year, there is only so far out vendors will let you book out. It gave us a lot of time to really research what it was we wanted out of wedding, it also gave us a lot time to enjoy the planning process.
What tips & tricks (can we use “hacks”?) can you share future brides that you yourself have learned during and after your wedding?
I am completely OCD so the best thing I ever did was create a single spreadsheet that I could keep everything in. It has my budget, schedule, project list, shopping list, guest list, etc.It is so all encompassing that I have two other brides using my template.
What were some challenges you faced planning your wedding & what would you have done differently to avoid them?
Being that I am so OCD, I have struggled with letting the little, minuet details bother me. I have to continuously remind myself that people are going to remember how mine and Neil’s love made them feel and that they had a blast at the reception, they will not remember the paper towels in the restroom or the personalized napkins and matches at the bar.
What inspired your wedding décor? Why did you choose the things that you did?
We want to make sure the wedding feels distinctly Neil and Savanna and we want to make sure our story is told. We started with our colors, Wine and Champaign to incorporate his proposal. We chose to have the ceremony and reception at the Hilton Clearwater Beach, to bring it back to where it all started. Neil and I both have old souls and want to make sure our wedding incorporates vintage aspects while maintaining a timeless feel. We will be taking a musical journey throughout the evening starting with the 30s and 40s. Music is a very important part of mine and Neil’s lives so we wanted make sure the décor kept a vintage feel to help tie in this concept. We will be using our floral and aesthetic design to incorporate elements of a rustic Napa Valley. I am remaining a little
vague since we are still in the middle of the planning process.
What was the wedding budget?
$30,000
Where did you save the most money?
Even though I work in Finance, I am a pretty creative person! I have saved on the little things. I purchased our outfits for the engagement photos at thrift shops. The majority of the décor items were DIY projects that I completed with my bridesmaids. I also tracked coupons and sales. Since we have had two seasons to plan through I was able to purchase items when they went on clearance.
What was the biggest expense?
The venue; we are using the Hilton for our rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception. It may be the biggest expense however it is one I am very comfortable with as a bride. The team at the Hilton has really been amazing throughout the planning process. The have been responsive, helpful and upfront every step of the way. I really could not have asked for a better experience.
How many guests were invited in your wedding and what was the final guest count?
Our guest list is currently at 138 guests. I’ll have to get back to you on the final number!
How did you narrow down your list?
We want to make sure the people we are inviting are a genuine part of our current life or journey. It is easy to get wrapped up in the politics at work or even within our families when it comes to who will make the guest list or not. It all comes down to there is a budget and anyone we invite needs to be a valuable part of our story.
Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We are going to the Sandals in Saint Lucia for 10 days!
What are you most excited about for the future?
I am excited to be the next, in a long line of Mother Effers! My Fiancés name is Neil Effer! I am looking forward to sharing eternity with my husband, partner and best friend
Do you have advice for couples still in the planning process?
I am still in the process but I would say to just remember to not get too caught up in the wedding itself. There is also a marriage that goes along with the wedding. The wedding is one day and the marriage is a lifetime commitment and deserves just as much attention if not more.
What would you say, the overall story for this album?
For the engagement photos I wanted to keep with the vintage feel of our wedding. As I started to play with different scenes and ideas I started to get fixated on the Summer Nights’ scene from Grease. Neil and I really started out as a summer romance at the beach and I wanted to make sure these photos tied back to our story and the décor for the wedding.
Vendors
Photographer: Robin Reiss Photography
(Wedding) Reception Venue: Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort