Let’s talk about fairytales for a moment. Fairytales are a huge part of our youths and as we become older, a part of who we are as adults. We dream about finding our Prince Charming or marrying a beautiful maiden in the woods and dancing to orchestral music while woodland creatures frolic about.
At least–some of us do. Whether you were a die hard Disney fan or perhaps a more moderate frequenter of the happy fairytales that lined our youth, I think we can all agree that fairytales, at least, at the ending, are some of the happiest stories we know.
But not every fairytale has a happy beginning.
Snow White has an evil stepmother, Alice has an existential crisis while taking a summer nap, and Ana and Elsa lose their parents to a shipwreck. Fairytales have happy endings but our heroes and heroines have to overcome hardships. It has been absolutely no different for Cara and Tyler, who went to school with a mutually close friend, Jake. Jake, unfortunately passed away a few years ago from cystic fibrosis. While Cara and Tyler knew one another from high school and their college years, they were not remotely interested in one another until Jake’s passing which drew them both together. Through their sadness, something new was born. Out of loss, new hope and love. Five years later, Cara and Tyler are still together, planning their wedding and building a future with one another.
Cara and Tyler are both life champions. What is a life champion? I’m not exactly sure since I just made it up, but if I were to define it, it would be someone who overcomes many different obstacles, takes on new challenges, and faces adversity head one and succeeds time and time again. Tyler works in emergency services and has been sent out to different states to help those in need and to save lives countless times. He also works as a local realtor and has a down to earth goodness about him that anyone would be happy to confide in. Cara is a #bossbride taking total charge of planning and organizing her wedding in a way that only a wedding planner could do. She has budgeted time, resources, and so many different organization life hacks that I don’t even know where to begin. But she is absolutely amazing at it. Cara has a “get it done” attitude with the means and knowhow to plan and execute a beautiful engagement and wedding next April.
We started the evening at DT Kirby’s in Lafayette with the two sharing a blood mary. The blood mary dates back to the days of their friend, Jake, and how he used to love drinking them. So they shared a bloody mary, and then Tyler ordered his own, and then we ventured off into the Indiana heat. Our travels took us to the pedestrian bridge, we were serenaded by the Lafayette Citizen’s Band, and we finally ended our evening at Ross Camp. Ross Camp was especially important during our evening because Tyler’s parents were married in the very chapel you’ll see Cara and Tyler in front of just over 30 years ago. We ended the evening with a spark and some sparklers thanks to our friend, Kelcie, who was kind enough to lend us a few from her wedding last year.
Cara and Tyler’s fairytale wedding is next April and while most of the details and vendors are planned and booked, it won’t mean the end of their fairytale life together. However, every fairytale couple I know weathers the storm, slays the dragon, and continues loving one another until the end of their days. Cara shared with me that during the tradition of the dollar dance, the money collected from the dances will go to benefit Cystic Fibrosis research and Cancer Research to honor Jake and Cara’s grandfather who passed away from cancer. Keep an eye out for their wedding next Spring. It’s sure to be in your heart now and forever more.
I absolutely loved Cara’s dress so here is a link over to where you can find the designer.
Lauren Conrad Boutique
New Adventure Productions is owned by Nate Dale, a Lafayette, Indiana wedding and elopement photographer. We travel nation and worldwide to capture beautiful and intimate weddings and elopements while providing a guidance, love, help along the way.
He is married to the love of his life, Felicia with their two doggies, Pika and Princess.