Jillian, 28, a sales associate, and Ryan, 27, who plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, met on the dance floor at a nightclub in Atlanta. She was celebrating with friends and he was visiting the city with his teammates. They started flirting via text, fell in love and dated for two years long distance before Ryan popped the question. On April 28, 2011 they tied the knot in Pittsburgh. Share their love!
Jillian selected this stunning Anne Barge tiered ball gown to wear as she met her prince charming at the altar — and it was a great pick — she couldn’t have looked more amazing in all those layers of luxurious tulle and embellishments.
Jillian’s ‘something new’ was her wedding gown, her ‘something old’ was a handkerchief, her ‘something borrowed’ was her mom’s tennis bracelet and her ‘something blue’ was her garter belt.
Handsome groom Ryan plays safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A stunning portrait of bride-to-be Jillian as she prepares to meet her dream guy at the altar.
“The bridesmaids’ gowns were by D’Zage,” says Jillian. “It was extremely difficult finding a gown that would compliment 10 different sized women. Thank goodness my husband’s sisters took on multiple bridal store trips and tried on dozens of gowns until we found the best one.”
Beautiful bride-to-be Jillian looks angelic as she takes a moment to reflect on the many blessings in her life on the morning of her wedding day.
We love everything about this picture — especially the little guy who steals the show. Absolutely adorable. Let’s hear it for the fellas.
Jillian and her proud papa head to the church together — the perfect father daughter bonding moment.
“We loved the traditional architecture and stained glass at the church,” says Jillian. “It really complemented our theme.”
Jillian refused to let a little rain — which is actually said to mean good luck on your wedding day — stop her from meeting Ryan at the church with a smile.
When a bride is juggling budgets, contracts and deadlines she can find herself overwhelmed and too tired to focus on details. Luckily Jillian had help from Shayla Hawkins of SHE Events (Shayla Hawkins Events) on our team to help make dreamy, fun ideas like this one come true.
We went nuts over Jillian and Ryan’s decision to have the little guys come down the aisle with these sweet, fun signs. Can you guess who’s coming next?
How adorable is this? We’re gushing and grinning over here. Bring on baby girl!
Sweetest wedding moment? When you see one little princess escort another down the aisle. Bet you can guess who she has in the carriage.
Jillian and Ryan’s precious baby girl, Ryan-Taylor Mundy, made a grand entrance into the church with a little help from the flower girl.
Jillian is a vision of beauty with her stunning gown and her classic all-white bouquet. She bows her head in appreciation as she journeys down the aisle with her father. “My dad kept me calm and steady as we walked down the aisle,” she admits.
“Exchanging vows with Ryan was one of my favorite parts of our wedding day,” says Jillian. What a lovely pair.
“We planned the important aspects of our wedding together,” says Jillian. “At times it was challenging, but we usually see eye-to-eye on most things, and those times that we differed, we compromised.”
“We invited everyone for a mix and mingle with the bride and groom the night before the wedding at a local lounge called The Savoy,” says Jillian.
The bridesmaids waste no time getting into character after all of the official photo ops are out of the way. We love this shot!
Ryan’s dapper groomsman headed to Men’s Warehouse to rent their tuxedos.
“Our day went off without a single hitch,” says Jillian. “It was in large part due to our fabulous wedding planner.”
April at Mocha Rose Floral Designs helped to make Jillian’s floral dreams come true. There’s something about a white bouquet that’s just so romantic and regal.
The new Mr. and Mrs. Mundy make their way into their reception party, holding hands as husband and wife for the first time — and obviously loving it.
Jillian and Ryan did an excellent job establishing a modern and elegant vibe for their reception party. The lounge furniture around the dance floor is the perfect touch.
“I wanted a clean modern look to our reception,” explains Jillian, who chose to go with all white decor for the party. “The white flowers and amber lighting provided this look.”
“The white dance floor and candlelit windows created a more romantic space,” says Jillian.
Their lovely cascading flower wedding cake was also designed in all white and made up of two delicious flavors — chocolate fudge and white sponge.
Jillian’s father holds her close as they sway during their sweet father daughter dance moment.
Ryan and Jillian get a little help from their daughter, Ryan-Taylor, when it comes time to cut the cake.
The women crowd behind Jillian hoping for a shot at grasping her lovely bouquet.
Ryan delicately removes his new wife’s garter belt (her something blue) before lining up the fellas to see who’ll be next to jump the broom.
Ryan takes his new daughter for a spin on the dance floor. So precious.
At their wedding, Jillian and Ryan really kept the sweet treats coming. Check out their magnificent candy bar spread.
Jillian and Ryan took advantage of three great locations — the church, the Pittsburgh Convention Center and the Fairmont hotel — to diversify their wedding photos.
All brides are budget conscious, but things don’t always go as planned when it’s time to tally up the totals. “We were tying to stay within a certain number,” admits Jillian. “But, we definitely exceeded it.”
If there’s one area Jillian and Ryan refused to skimp on it was the entertainment. “We had a pianist, vocalist and magician during the cocktail hour,” says Jillian. “A DJ played tunes during the reception and we also had a photo booth running during the cocktail hour and reception.”
“We offered brunch for our out-of-town guests the morning after the wedding in the restaurant of the hotel where our reception was held,” Jillian says.
The couple hired a caricature artist to work during their reception party — a unique way to keep guests entertained and ensure they leave with a memorable keepsake.
Join us in wishing Jillian and Ryan a lifetime of joy and many blessings. Leave your well wishes for the happy couple below. See more photos from their wedding day over at The Bride’s Cafe. Want to see your wedding featured on Bridal Bliss? Email us now!