BreAnna Jeffery met at a house gathering in December of 2013. They shared pleasantries but it was not until after the holidays, and another meeting that they engaged in a deeper conversation. Social media played a role in “reconnecting” them if you will. A few exchanges on Instagram and Facebook resulted in an exchange of phone numbers and eventually a date. They dated exclusively for 8 months before making it “official.” Counting their full courtship, they had been together for two and a half years when they became engaged, and two months shy of four years when they married. Check out BreAnna and Jeffery’s beautiful destination wedding in Cancun, Mexico, captured by Kristina of Diptych Studio.
Bride’s full name, age, and occupation: BreAnna Davis Tribble, 31, Senior Evaluation Associate in Early-Ed
Groom’s full name, age, and occupation: Jeffery Tribble Jr., 31, Executive Director of a Music Education Non-profit
Place of residence: Silver Spring, Maryland
Wedding date: November 4, 2017
Wedding location: Royalton Riviera Cancun, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Wedding theme: Travel x Nature
Honeymoon Destination: Bali, Indonesia
Engagement story:
I headed to Spain to celebrate a friend’s 30th birthday and Jeff saw it as a perfect way to surprise me with a proposal. He planned to show up on my last day there, and nailed down all the details: the perfect location, a local photographer and he even bought a dress for me to wear (with the help of an inside mole who convinced me to wear it). My girls and I toured the Parc de la Ciutadella. We had our photos taken by a random “tourist” who was actually the hired photographer. Jeff suddenly photobombed with the ring-in-pocket and a mission on his mind. He said, “In the words of the great Marshawn Lynch, you know why I’m here.” And my response was simply, “Yes!”
From the Bride:
Planning a destination wedding came with a lot of unknowns and stressors. There were some things we could decide upon from afar, while there were other things that we could not finalize until the literal day before the wedding. We also wanted to keep costs low, so it was stressful to get ceremony and reception materials to Mexico safely, on top of clothes, and the most important piece- my dress.
The process wasn’t perfect but all was in place the night before the wedding, and I started to enjoy all the festivities. Reality set in each time we’d run into friends and family around the resort. I thought to myself, “Wow, I can’t believe the time has come and all these people came out here to celebrate us!” It felt great to receive so much love at our rehearsal dinner. And the loving continued, as I had some girl time with my ladies. I found it to be very emotional for me; they had all been such great supporters for me throughout the important parts of my life, including my relationship with Jeff, and the duration of the wedding planning process.
The morning of the big day, I woke up only partially refreshed, as I had woken up a few times in anticipation of all of the festivities. For the majority of the planning process, I was levelheaded. Anxiety peaked a bit a few weeks before the wedding but it dissipated as final items were checked off. However, on this morning – the anxiety came back. I remember being really antsy, and not having an appetite before my mom and I left the resort to get our makeup done. Turns out leaving the resort was good for me. My MUA was pleasant, and with R&B oldies playing in the background, I was able to calm down and enjoy the morning.
Everything began to blur after we got back to the resort. Before I knew it, the guys were knocking on our door, wondering if we were ready to the do the “First Touch” – where a bride and groom can touch, but not see each other before the ceremony. When Jeff arrived, my Maid and Matron of Honor escorted me outside, and Jeff and I connected. We let out happy sighs and prayed together. And then the party headed out to The Chapel. Walking down the aisle with my father, Jeff waiting for me at the “altar” alongside his father who presided over the ceremony, and seeing family and friends, it was a bit surreal. This carried on through the evening, to the reception. We enjoyed a fantastic meal with the moon shining behind us while the ocean waves hit the beach.
Everyone was full of joy, sharing their happiness and excitement for us. It was all incredibly affirming.
From the Groom:
Going into my wedding day, I didn’t have any expectations. In fact, I tend to shy away from celebrations. Yet, somehow on the day of our wedding, I woke up knowing that it was the most special day of my life. Despite my inclination to not be as celebratory as many of my peers, the entire day was absolutely amazing! The ceremony was beautiful, intimate, and to the point. And I was thrilled that the weather was perfect and that I was surrounded by loved ones as I made one of the best decisions I have ever made. We weathered the post-ceremony photo shoot, and enjoyed a lit reception full of fun and good cheer!
What makes your love special?
Our love is special for a number of reasons. While we are certainly different people, there are times we are very in-sync. Many times, we will dress alike without having discussed it, or we will be in conversation with someone and reply the same way at the same moment. Our love has allowed for us to understand each other more, and as a result, there are moments like these that are we able to function like we are one.
We also really enjoy each other’s company and it is easy to have a good time together. Having shared interests in music, movies, and travel definitely helps and make it easy to structure our quality time. We have similar values on religion, parenting, asp
irations for generational wealth and socio-political issues that affect our society- so we engage in a lot of thoughtful conversations that push us to lead intentional and fulfilled lives, as individuals and as a couple.
Your most memorable moment:
BreAnna: I had a lot of favorite moments. It was fun getting ready with my mom, and having her finalize my look before the big day, it’s a special moment I will always treasure. It was exciting to do a “First Touch” with Jeff and check in before the ceremony. But, if I had to choose, I would say the best or most memorable moment was hearing Jeff’s vows. He applied his humor in an unexpected way with the way he structured and delivered his vows. They were lighthearted and endearing causing so much laughter among our group.
Jeff: My most memorable wedding moment was simply people’s warm embrace. Because we did a destination wedding, it was special to see people in a different country on my behalf. You know that people who made the sacrifice to attend are really on your team and really wish you well.
Wedding song:
We chose Major’s “Why I Love You” for the bridal entrance. After sharing with a friend my desire for a contemporary soul song, she forwarded this song. I had never heard of the artist so it was exciting to discover. Jeff and I actually listened to it together for the first time. I explored other songs, but this one stuck with me. As I thought more about the music for the full processional, I felt like the song would be a perfect complement to follow India Arie’s “Beautiful Surprise” for the bridesmaid and groomsmen entrance. Unlike the processional music, we wanted something more classic for our first dance. We weighed a few timeless options and settled on Nat King Cole’s “Unforgettable” because it best communicated the feelings we have for one another.
Favorite wedding detail:
Our favorite wedding detail was the venue. We loved everything about this resort and our spaces for the ceremony and reception. We were surrounded by natural sunlight, blue skies, and crystal blue water. A close runner-up would be our table cards for each guest. They were passports that informed our guests of the country they were to sit at for the reception dinner. Each country was a place that Jeff and I had visited together pre-marriage- a total of eight countries!
What are you most looking forward to as a married couple?
It’s nice to know that the adventure of life will be experienced with a like-minded person. Someone who is kind-hearted and thoughtful, goal-oriented and dependable. We are both looking forward to having a life teammate to battle the rocky times and enjoy all of the amazing moments ahead.
Advice for a Bride and Groom on their wedding day:
There are a few things I’d advise another bride or a couple to consider for their wedding:
1. Choose your bridal party wisely. It shouldn’t just be people you have a good time with, but people who are dependable and hardworking, and willing to put you first. You really come to rely on them, whether they are physically helping you handle to-dos or serving as emotional support. The whole process is much more manageable when you have a team who is willing to fill in the cracks for you.
2. Really take your time to go through the program during the rehearsal time. We approached it from a high level and sort of skimmed through due to a late start with a dinner reservation we needed to make. Practice makes perfect and it helps ensure that all involved leave with the same understanding of how things will go.
3. Whether led by a wedding planner, coordinator or by you and executed by your bridal party; create a wedding day itinerary that outlines all the day’s activities. Really consider how long things will take, and cushion time with buffers. The day goes by so fast and the last thing you need is only one or two people knowing what’s going on. It’s better if everyone has a sense of the day’s activities and can keep each other on track. And make sure to include times to eat! I’ve heard so many times about people not eating late at night after their wedding day is over. It’s a busy day and you really need the energy. So, if possible, plan the main meal to start after you arrive so that you can actually rest and eat (vs sitting after everyone has eaten and being prevented from eating due to the excitement from guests).
Please feel free to include any other interesting anecdotes from your big day!
BreAnna had initially envisioned having a spring or early summer wedding, but the timing of the proposal meant either a very short engagement and shortened planning time or a long engagement. So we decided on somewhere in the Caribbean during the early fall of 2017. If you know anything about the Caribbean during this time of year, you know that its subject to heavy wind, rain and hurricanes. We ended up settling on a November date to better ensure no weather issues during our outside ceremony and reception. The idea of our big day being rained out was a constant worry and a constant topic of discussion in our daily prayers.
As the big day approached, it seemed there might be some rain on our day, so we started to brace for the worse. Well, our big day came, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Sunny skies, the perfect amount of wind, and no rain! As the evening set in, some dark clouds shifted towards us, but they seemed to halt around the periphery of the resort. We enjoyed a clear sky as we celebrated with our friends and family on the rooftop terrace of the resort. It was magical. The next day, it rained. Twice! Once in the morning, and once during the time our reception
would have taken place. We immediately exclaimed praises and thanks to God that it had not happened the night before, and cuddled up under our umbrella as we walked to dinner.
Congratulations to the happy couple! We wish you many years of wedded bliss!
Sources
Diptych Studio|Royalton Riveria Cancun – Chapel|Royalton Riveria Cancun – Royalton Sky Terrace|Watters Cinzia|Capital Custom Clothiers|Dessy Group – Social Bridesmaids|Royalton Riviera Cancun Caterer|DIY passports and mini luggage with bubbles|Susana Alfaro Jimenez of Royalton Riviera Cancun|Royalton Riviera Cancun|Styling Trio|Royalton Riviera Cancun|Canva
