Pennsylvania Weddings- Interview With A Bride: Morgan

Planning a wedding can be challenging, especially when you add a pandemic, inflation, and limited vendor availability to the mix! While we’re here to help make the process easier by providing vendors and inspiration, we reached out to Pittsburgh native Morgan Durkacz to share her planning journey with other brides. She opens up about planning her August 2023 wedding, what she’s most excited about, and how to not get too caught up in what you see on social media when planning your wedding day.

PA Weddings: Let’s get to know you! How did you and your fiancé Ray meet?

Morgan: Ray and I met in 2018 at a music festival in Baltimore, Maryland, through mutual friends. Shortly after that, our paths crossed once again. Ray was attending Robert Morris University, which was close to my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. We saw each other more often at sporting events, and our relationship blossomed. We bonded over our mutual love for Pittsburgh and hockey, as we are both Pittsburgh Penguin fans. In the fall of 2019, we relocated to Annapolis, Maryland, for career opportunities.

PA Weddings: Tell us all about the proposal!

Morgan: Ray proposed at Great Frogs Winery in Annapolis, Maryland. It is one of our favorite weekend spots we often frequent to enjoy a glass of Pinot Grigio and “un- wined” from a busy work week. This particular day, however, was to be an intimate birthday celebration with some close friends. Upon arrival, I saved a table while Ray went to get some wine. He returned with a spectacular bouquet of roses and a bottle of Pinot with a custom label “Will you Marry Me?” on it. In a traditional chivalrous manner, Ray kneeled on one knee, pulled out the ring of my dreams, and asked me to share a lifetime together. A bit weak in the knees, totally surprised, and of course over the moon elated, I said YES to forever as the future Mrs. Rose. A mutual photography friend captured the candid shots of this fairy tale day.

PA Weddings: How has your planning experience been? The good, the bad, and everything in between.

Morgan: I have experienced some good and bad throughout the planning process. I am very fortunate to have ascertained an incredible team of vendors in Pittsburgh to help bring my inspiration and vision to fruition of a perfect wedding day. All have been easy to communicate with, provide recommendations, and help guide and coordinate through the process. I am also blessed with an amazing family support system. My parents, sister (Matron of Honor), and bridesmaids have been with me every step of the process. As for the bad, the pandemic has impacted venue and vendor availability making it more challenging to finalize dates and locations for my event. Despite the ebbs and flows of these limitations, having family, friends, and a fantastic vendor team has dissipated the anxiety brides can often experience in the planning phase.

PA Weddings: What are you most excited about for the wedding day?

Morgan: Aside from marrying the man of my dreams, I am excited to have my family, friends, and wedding party to celebrate with. I hope every part of the day will be breathtaking, and I want to be totally present in all of the day’s happenings. If I have to pick one aspect that is most thrilling to me, it is the florals. My fiancé’s last name is “Rose,” and I chose to incorporate a white rose theme throughout our wedding ceremony and reception space. I selected all-white florals to display timeless and elegant aesthetics to the event.

PA Weddings: What advice can you give other brides starting their planning journey?

Morgan: The best advice I can give any bride is to do what YOU want. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime day that tells the story of who you are and what you envisioned. It should describe the story of two people, their love story, and their fairy tale day. It depicts your happily ever after. So put yourselves first and do what you both want! Don’t let others influence your wedding day decisions. Nowadays, we often get so caught up and swayed by the social media version of that perfect day and what’s trending that we tend to lose sight of who we are. Just because someone says, “this is the top wedding trend of 2023,” doesn’t mean it’s right for you. It is also completely okay if your wedding vision changes from when you were engaged. During my planning, what I thought I wanted for our wedding, based on what I’d seen on social media, turned out not to be the best option for us. When you find your wedding aesthetic, it will feel right and be right.