Fairytale Story of Love: Ryan and Isabel Maris
Beautiful roses lined the path along the crystal blue waters of West Lake Okoboji. Little notes filled with memories and Bible verses lay scattered amongst the red petals. It was a dream come true for Ryan Maris and Isabel Jimenez.
On August 21, 2025, Ryan surprised Izzy with over 500 roses, one rose for every day they had been dating. The sun was shining through the trees, flickering off each vase. It was their special moment.
“The day was perfect! It was so beautiful and I felt like I was living in a dream,” Isabel remembered. “We had talked about marrying and knew it would be soon but didn’t know when. I was so surprised!”
Izzy thought they were going out to eat with Ryan’s parents, so she had rushed over from work.
“It had been a crazy workday so I hadn’t done my hair and had no makeup on,” she said. “Ryan had told me we were going out with his parents for dinner, which wasn’t out of the ordinary. As we walked down to the dock, all of the roses were waiting for me in the shape of a heart.”
What she didn’t know is that Ryan has been planning this momentous occasion for weeks.
Several close friends of theirs, Dawson Ahrenstorff, Cady and Caleb Winebrinner, were nearby capturing all of the special moments. After the official engagement, Ryan and Isabel took their boat ride (which Ryan had also decorated with roses and champagne) around the lake, and they ended their evening with a dinner date at Prime Boji.
How They Met
Ryan and Isabel met in an unexpected way. Ryan had moved back to Spirit Lake in 2022, joining Okoboji Realty as a realtor alongside his mother Amy Maris and friend Mickey Harrington. He was also looking for ways to invest in the community and became CrossWinds Church youth director.
Isabel and her family had moved to the area in 2020.
“I had seen Izzy at church and around town and was looking for small group leaders for youth group,” Ryan said. “I connected with Izzy and she was willing to volunteer. Through youth group and an adult Bible study, we started to get to know each other better.”
Five months later, the two started dating.
“I love how God wrote our story!” Izzy said. “It was also funny how we both would end up working out at the Y generally at the same time!”
Planning For Their Special Day
For many, it would seem impossible to plan a wedding in only two months but Izzy said everything came together in such a special way. As a cosmetologist at Euphoria Salon, she had heard lots of different bridal stories and how stress often played a role in the planning process.
“The Lord brought everything all together, guiding all of the details!” she shared. “Everything came together so beautifully! I never felt stressed.”
Ryan and Isabel used a florist out of Sioux City, Jessica Krohn of Petal and Thorn, who also served as their wedding planner. “She was such a blessing. She understood our vision and exceeded our expectations,” Izzy said.
They decided to go with a formal—classic theme using colors black, gold and brown, which was especially appropriate for an October outdoor wedding.
Izzy found her perfect dress at Elegance in Okoboji, a Stella York gown featuring a modified sweetheart with sheer corset and large-scale embroidered floral lace, as well as a ribbon edge fingertip veil.
“I never imaged that the first dress I tried on would be the dress of my dreams. I went to Elegance with my mom, sisters and grandma, and the first dress I tried on fit like a glove. I didn’t want to take it off!” Isabel remembered. “Since you only get to go wedding dress shopping once I had to try some more on for the fun, but that first dress was the one I knew I wanted to spend the most special day of my life in. It didn’t even need any alternations!”
Ryan got his tux from J.H. & Sons out of Sioux Falls, while the rest of groomsmen wore tuxes or suits they already owned. Isabel’s father Jason found a slim navy Sterling Wedding Suit from Michael Kors at Elegance.
The bridesmaids found beautiful dresses within a color scheme of browns, golds and mauves.
“My sisters loved any chance to go shopping for new dresses,” Izzy said with a laugh.
The Special Day
Two months flies by at any point but especially when planning a wedding. October 11, 2025 arrived quickly and excitement filled the air. Isabel and the girls initially got ready at Ryan’s house, where the couple now resides. Her sister Jessica decorated and brought treats from Spice and Lemon. They did their own hair and makeup and closer to the time shifted the party over to Oakwood Inn.
On the other hand, Ryan went golfing with his guys. He came back to get ready once Izzy had left for the bed and breakfast in Okoboji. “Of course, they didn’t let me win! We played to hang out and really my mind was elsewhere,” Ryan laughed.
Throughout the day, their advice is to soak in every moment because it all goes by so fast. They loved having their wedding at the Oakwood Inn and especially how Innkeepers Bill and Bridget Johnson made everything very special. “Bridget was so helpful and so kind. She did so much to make our day special,” Isabel said.
The air was crisp but not overly cold. The guest list was small and consisted of just their family. “It was really the best day ever,” Isabel remembered. “What stood out to us was the presence of Jesus. He created such a special day filled with so much peace, love, and joy that you couldn’t help but be in awe of Him.”
Pastor Kurt Trucksess of CrossWinds Church officiated their wedding, as the ceremony overlooked the gazebo and the Inn’s gorgeous flower beds. Their photographer Adri from Adri Rose Photography (adri.rosephotos) captured their first look as Isabel walked down the aisle with her father Jason. “Adri did such a fabulous job capturing the whole day. Her kind and calm presence made everything feel so effortless,” Izzy recalled. “We also waited for our first look until I walked down the aisle.”
“And I didn’t think I would cry but I did. Izzy was so beautiful!” Ryan said. “It’s hard to put into words how special our relationship is in life and then in that moment. Izzy follows the Lord and is a reflection of God’s character. I was so overwhelmed by us, the joy and love.”
Ryan’s niece Rosalie Maris was the couple’s flower girl, who walked hand in hand with her father Rick Maris, Ryan’s brother. Adriana Sandbulte was their violinist throughout the ceremony.
Pictures were taken after the ceremony, followed by a cocktail and appetizer hour. The couple’s first dance was to Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” The beautiful fall evening concluded with a dinner catered by Tyson Sanchez with 5th Ave Catering. Desserts by Jolie made a gorgeous vanilla bean caramel cake.
“My favorite part of the day was marrying my best friend and then getting to spend time with our families. Because there wasn’t so many of us, we got to talk with everyone and have small conversations. It was really special,” Isabel added.
The couple had an informal reception a month later, which Ryan’s sister-in-law Anne Maris helped coordinate. Ryan and Isabel continue to get to know each other and enjoy spending time cooking, dancing and laughing together.They also love playing pickleball and working out, but more favorite is the Bible studies they enjoy together.
“He makes me laugh all the time!” Izzy said. “I also love doing Bible studies together; we started reading through the Bible together last January and now we’re in the New Testament. It’s just really special to do with each other.”
The couple continues to reside in the Iowa Great Lakes, where Ryan is a realtor with Okoboji Realty and oversees Okoboji Foundation’s Youth in Philanthropy program, as well as enjoys volunteering with CrossWinds Worship Team. Isabel is a cosmetologist at Euphoria Salon and loves helping her husband out with his different activities.