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Home • Weddings

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan

The moment Dayna locked eyes with Ryan at a friend’s party, she couldn't resist walking over to say hello. Little did she know, she was actually introducing herself to her future husband. He proposed at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens two years later, and their unique museum wedding is a must see!
By Charli Penn · Updated October 27, 2020
01
Home For the Holidays

“When I took Ryan home with me for Thanksgiving for the first time, I knew he was the one,” spills Dayna. “The way he interacted with my family, but most importantly with my Dad, was just an amazing sight.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
02
A Fantastic Find

For her ceremony gown, lovely bride Dayna chose this pretty A-line Wtoo style with a ruffled skirt. She admits to traveling to at least four or five different bridal gown shops and trying on quite a few gowns before uncovering this fantastic find. “It was by far the most difficult decision to make regarding the wedding,” she tells us. “I just wanted to be sure that Ryan would fall in love with the dress as much as I did.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
03
Flowers For the Fellas

Dapper groom Ryan and his boys wore orchid boutonnieres.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
04
When Two Become One

“I always knew I wanted to get married in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia,” says Dayna. “The moment Ryan and I started talking about what our wedding day would be like, we knew we didn’t want traditional venues.” The modern couple settled on the Edgar Allen Poe Museum for their ceremony and the Main Street Train Station for their reception.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
05
In Loving Memory

Dayna carried a large bouquet of lush white peonies with a sprig of lilac in remembrance of her grandmother. “We worked with an awesome florist. They’re called Black Iris, based out of Virginia Beach,” she adds. Ryan wore a honey bee lapel pin in remembrance of his close cosuin “Honey.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
06
Fancy, Fancy

Fancy shoes for a fancy bride. We love these!

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
07
Merry Maids

Dayna’s bridesmaids found their gowns at Amsale. “I knew I wanted an earth tone that would complement all shades,” she explains. “I let my girls choose which design they wanted.” (And, they look all the merrier for it!)

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
08
Dapper Is As Dapper Does

Ryan and his groomsmen wore tuxedo styles by Vera Wang for Men’s Warehouse. “Ryan just wanted a classic look, and he only wears bow ties, so he had to make sure his was special,” says Dayna. “We bought his from Barneys.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
09
Love Line Up

Speaking of dapper, the fellas even coordinated their socks to add a touch of style. What a chic bunch!

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
10
Closer than Close

Athough they couldn’t see each other before the ceremony, Dayna and Ryan found unique ways to stay close.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
11
Gather Round, Girls!

On her wedding day, Dayna had her entire support system by her side which included her sister Shajuana, who was her matron of honor, her niece Hailey, cousin China, sister-in-law Akilah, and besties Tonika, Megan and Ebony.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
12
Three Times the Fun

Dayna and Ryan’s three nieces, Sydney, Kaylin and Kamrin were happy to serve as the flower girls for their ceremony. (Just look at those adorable little dresses and matching smiles!) We adore everything about this picture.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
13
Small Pleasures

The happy couple’s nephew, Elijah, was the ring bearer for the day. In lieu of a pillow he carried this custom plate.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
14
Nature Lovers

“Because our ceremony was in a garden, we let the outdoors speak for itself,” says Dayna. “The only additional décor elements we added were rose petals along the aisle.” They placed charming, traditional southern fans on each chair in case the summer heat got to any of their guests.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
15
Here Come the Little Ones

The smallest bridal party members made their way down the aisle in preparation for the bride’s big moment.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
16
A Beautiful Surprise

“I cried looking at my dad before we even started walking down the aisle,” says Dayna. She came down the aisle to India.Arie’s “Beautiful Surprise” sung by her best friend with a little help from an acoustic guitarist.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
17
All Choked Up

“Ryan cried as I walked down the aisle,” Dayna admits. They were both overwhelmed by the magic and the emotion of the day.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
18
So Much In Love

Dayna and Ryan wrote their own wedding vows to share with each other. “Looking into his eyes at the altar was heart-stopping,” says the bride. “I saw our present and our future in that moment. I have never felt so much in love before in my life.” The happy groom felt the same way. “It was the most amazing feeling in the world,” he adds. “My heart skipped a beat.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
19
A Family Affair

Dayna’s aunt had the pleasure of officiating the couple’s ceremony. “I remember when I was around 17, and she was first ordained, I said to her, ‘Aunt Gayle, when that day comes for me, you’re going to marry me,'” she shares.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
20
Hooray for Love

Introducing the new Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. The couple donned matching smiles as guests cheered them along.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
21
You Are My Everything

“Ryan is my best friend,” shares Dayna. “We laugh together, we cry together and we share our deepest thoughts. He is my everything.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
22
I’ll Give You the World

“Dayna was the first woman that I ever dated who treated me like a king,” says Ryan. “She helps me to be a better man and pushes me to grow into a better human being. Her actions make me want to give her the world.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
23
A Ray of Sunshine

“I love Dayna’s heart,” says Ryan. “She can always put a smile on my face, even in my darkest moments.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
24
We’re All Here

The bridal party poses on the grounds for a gorgeous photo opp.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
25
You Brighten My World

“I love Ryan’s sense of humor,” Dayna shares. “He can always find a way to make me smile and to bring me out of any kind of slump. Whether it’s a funny face or a joke, he always brightens my day.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
26
The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me

“I knew I’d find true love, but I didn’t know when or where,” says Ryan. “Before Dayna came into my life, I was focusing on my acting career. During that point in my life, I thought a woman would only slow me down, but Dayna has been the best part of my life. Within my growth, I have been able to upgrade my acting career, my personal life and my spiritual life.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
27
Back In the Day

The Main Street Station, where the couple hosted their reception, was just a few short blocks away from the museum. “We really wanted to make sure it felt like a party atmosphere and not a boring seated dinner,” says Dayna. The reception tables were decorated with silver linens, roses and ostrich feather centerpieces. “We drew inspiration from the Harlem Renaissance era.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
28
His and Hers

Custom “bride” and “groom” signs hung on the couple’s chairs. A cute touch that instantly upgraded their table style.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
29
Vintage Love

Instead of going with a traditional guestbook, Dayna and Ryan setup a typewriter guestbook station to allow their guests to type their well wishes. This is, by far, the most unique alternative guestbook idea Bridal Bliss has ever seen.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
30
Just What We Wanted

African drummers played during the couple’s cocktail hour. Dayna’s sister found the drummers on a college campus. Hiring local college students to entertain guests helped the couple save money without sacrificing any of the details they’d always dreamed of.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
31
Drink Up!

Dayna and Ryan created a signature cocktail to serve their cherished guests.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
32
Bright Delight

“We decided to stray away from a traditional wedding cake,” Dayna explains. “We had our baker, Mixing Bowl of Richmond, create a beautiful orange cake with white sugar flowers.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
33
The Dress Switch

When it was time to party with their guests, Dayna swapped out her ceremony gown and slipped into this elegant Nicole Miller dress. “I felt like a true bride in my first dress and a sexy bride ready to party in my second one,” admits Dayna.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
34
The Point Of It All

As the Johnsons enjoyed their very first dance as husband and wife, the soothing, romantic sounds of Anthony Hamilton’s “The Point Of It All” played in the background.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
35
So Unbelievable

“Being a bride was all that I dreamed about and more,” says Dayna. “To have everyone around you happy and cheering for you on your special day is such an unbelievable feeling.”

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
36
A Slice of Heaven

It’s cake cutting time!

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
37
Style File

Diva bride Dayna even swapped out her shoes for her reception party. We love her style!

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
38
Sweet Treats for All

Milk and cookies, anyone?

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
39
More Sweets!

Um, and did we mention there was even a candy bar for guests to enjoy after dinner? Boy, do we wish we’d received an invitation to this fabulous wedding celebration.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
40
Precious Moments

The couple decorated their reception with special memories from their life together. A sweet touch that only made their day more romantic.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
41
Smile For Me

“As a groom, I felt like the luckiest man in the world,” insists Ryan, and his smile shows it.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
42
Dance With Me

Dayna, Ryan and their wedding guests danced the night away.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
43
A Love to Last a Lifetime

The couple made a grand exit to be remembered as guests cheered for the newlyweds and waved their sparklers. Ryan and Dayna share the same wedding anniversary as her parents, who celebrated 39 years of blissful marriage on the couple’s wedding day.

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
44
One Moment In Time

If you enjoyed sharing in Ryan and Dayna’s wedding joy as much as we did, please leave the newlyweds a little comment love below. (And tell us all about your favorite details from the wedding!) Want to see your wedding featured in Bridal Bliss? Email us now!

Bridal Bliss: Dayna and Ryan
Sincerely, Liz
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