Maressa and Jared went to all the same schools growing up – elementary through high school – so their memory of first meeting is a bit hazy. For Jared, it was his senior year that everything snaps into focus. “This was definitely at the beginning of my Maressa crush stage,” says Jarred. “I vividly remember walking towards her in the hall. As she was walking towards me, I was expecting her to stop and talk to me, however she just kept walking past, putting her hands up – motioning as if she was saying sorry but she couldn’t stop.” Fortunately for poor teenage Jared, Maressa ended up being just as smitten. For Maressa, it was their weekly outings for ice cream that marks the beginnings of their young, budding romance. “I remember always looking out the window waiting for him to arrive and then running downstairs to put on my mom’s perfume before leaving,” she reminisces. “Every time I would get in his car, I would get butterflies.”
Which quality do you most admire about each other?
Maressa: It’s hard to pick just one quality about Jared that I admire. During the planning process, I relied most heavily on the fact that he was my calm force… He kept me grounded, just like he always does. It’s easy to get caught up in all the details of planning and to lose sight of what the day really represents. Jared always had the ability to bring me back down to reality, reminding me of the big picture: our love.
Jared: I admire how hard Maressa works; it’s really amazing how much time she has spent either in school, studying, or working at hospitals, yet she never complains and is always recognized by everyone she works with for her accomplishments. I also love how she can make me smile without even saying a word, just by looking at me.
What is the most valuable thing that you have learned from one another?
Maressa: How lucky I am to have found true love in my best friend and to have a partner I know I can always rely on for companionship, respect, advice, and most importantly, to have fun with.
Jared: That it’s possible to love someone so much that you cannot even put it into words.
What personalized components did you incorporate into your wedding ceremony?
Maressa: We wanted to make our wedding ceremony very intimate and personalized. We worked very closely with our officiant throughout the year and picked a reading for our ceremony that best represented our love and commitment. We also wrote our own vows, which was incredibly important to both of us. Having the opportunity to declare our love and commitment to each other in front of all our family and friends was nerve-wrecking! I was more nervous about that than anything else! However, when the time came that we were standing in front of each other surrounded by all our friends and family, all we could focus on was each other. We will always cherish the moment.
I remember watching Jared walk towards me in his tuxedo and just being overcome with love for him.
Maressa
What was the best planning advice you received?
Maressa: To stay true to yourself. There are so many trends in the wedding world and it’s so easy to be swayed by what other people recommend. One of my best friends told me to stay true to our values and interests as a couple when wedding planning. I couldn’t be more grateful for that piece of advice. Jared and I incorporated aspects of our personalities into our wedding so that it really reflected us both as individuals and a couple.
Did anything surprise you?
Maressa: As cliché as it may sound, what surprised us the most was how fast the day went! I only have glimpses from our wedding day – first getting ready, putting on my wedding gown, seeing Jared for the first time, dancing with my husband and our family and friends. The day was over in a blink of an eye and we were just left with memories of it – and of course, really incredible photographs and a video that helps us relive each and every single moment.
Describe your day in three words.
Romantic. Non-stop-dancing. Perfection.
I love how she can make me smile without even saying a word, just by looking at me.
Jared
How lucky I am to have found true love in my best friend...
Maressa
What was the first wedding planning decision you made?
To have our wedding outside of New York City. We both get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of New York that we wanted our wedding to be the opposite of the non-stop action that comes with NYC. Plus, we loved the idea of having our family and friends on one big vacation together.
What was the easiest planning decision you made? The most difficult?
I think it is safe to say that we decided on a destination wedding almost immediately. However, another very easy planning decision that we made was to use The Day for photography and filmmaking. After meeting with Adrian and Ira, we felt like we totally meshed with them and that they captured the essence of our being, both as individuals and as a couple. Even more so, we really enjoyed just hanging out with both of them. We are so fortunate that they were able to capture our special day.
The most difficult decision was finding the perfect location in Miami. We visited so many incredible venues, but it was ultimately Fisher Island that stole our hearts. Also, coordinating the available venue date with all involved was also challenging. There are a lot of moving parts involved in planning a wedding, but fortunately we had great support in our family, friends, and vendors to make it all work out beautifully!
Is there anything you would do differently?
We wouldn’t do anything differently at all. Everything was absolutely perfect and we wouldn’t change anything about our wedding day! After all, it was the day that we got to marry each other and that, in and of itself, was pure perfection.
What moment from your day stands out the most in your memory?
Maressa: Seeing Jared for the first time on our wedding day. I remember watching Jared walk towards me in his tuxedo and just being overcome with love for him. Also, looking around the dance floor to see all of our friends and family singing and dancing with huge smiles on their faces. I remember a wave of emotion and pure happiness coming over me as I danced with my husband surrounded by all the people we love most in the world.
Jared: People tell you the day flashes by you in an instant, and they’re right. It’s crazy, everything really is such a blur. I guess what stands out most to me is standing with Maressa during the ceremony and being completely locked in on her and trying to just savior that entire moment.
We really brought the club scene to Fisher Island and couldn’t be happier to have continued dancing the night away with our family and friends.
Maressa
I remember a wave of emotion and pure happiness coming over me as I danced with my husband surrounded by all the people we love most in the world.
Maressa
Credits
- Second Shooter Nathan Smith
- Planning Guerdy Abraira
- Cake Ana Paz Cakes
- Catering Fisher Island Club
- Dress Oscar de la Renta
- Floral Design Ocean Flowers & Events
- Hair & Makeup Tatjana Terzic
- Lighting Evoga Events
- Music, Reception Élan Artists
- Stationery Ceci New York
- Venue Fisher Island Club
