Annie and Jake’s Cincinnati Wedding

San Francisco couple Annie and Jake were married just six short post-proposal, two-thousand miles away in the city where they first met—Cincinnati. The couple dubbed their wedding theme “relaxed romantic” and enlisted the help of very talented friends to implement their vision at Carnegie​ ​Center​ ​of​ ​Columbia​ ​Tusculum​. Literally, from the photographer, to the band—and every vendor in between—was a personal friend of the couple. Depp, moody florals are by Katie’s​ ​Blooms​, and the bride wore BHLDN​ gown and shoes while her best friend Folchi​ ​Photography​ captured all her joy on her big day.

From the bride: Jake​ ​and​ ​I​ ​got​ ​married​ ​in​ ​May,​ ​just​ ​six​ ​months​ ​after​ ​he​ ​proposed.​ ​We​ ​simply​ ​couldn’t​ ​wait​ ​to​ ​to​ ​start our​ ​life​ ​together!​ ​Because​ ​of​ ​our​ ​short​ ​engagement,​ ​I​ ​think​ ​our​ ​wedding​ ​ended​ ​up​ ​really​ ​reflecting​ ​the two​ ​of​ ​us.​ ​We​ ​didn’t​ ​have​ ​the​ ​time​ ​or​ ​funds​ ​to​ ​go​ ​too​ ​crazy.​ ​Ha!

If​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​theme,​ ​I’d​ ​call​ ​it​ ​”relaxed​ ​romantic.”​ ​We​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​things​ ​as​ ​simple​ ​and​ ​fun​ ​as possible​ ​for​ ​our​ ​guests​ ​–​ ​that’s​ ​where​ ​things​ ​like​ ​the​ ​food​ ​stations,​ ​cocktail​ ​tables​ ​and​ ​sparse​ ​seating, open​ ​bar​ ​featuring​ ​our​ ​favorite​ ​drinks,​ ​lawn​ ​games,​ ​and​ ​donut​ ​bar​ ​came​ ​into​ ​play​ ​–​ ​while​ ​still​ ​feeling beautiful​ ​and​ ​meaningful​ ​to​ ​us.

Jake​ ​and​ ​I​ ​are​ ​extremely​ ​lucky​ ​to​ ​be​ ​surrounded​ ​by​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​talented​ ​people​ ​in​ ​our​ ​life.​ ​They​ ​all contributed​ ​their​ ​talents​ ​to​ ​our​ ​special​ ​day.​ ​My​ ​little​ ​sister​ ​did​ ​all​ ​of​ ​our​ ​stationery,​ ​my​ ​best​ ​friend​ ​took our​ ​photos,​ ​another​ ​best​ ​friend​ ​made​ ​our​ ​video,​ ​our​ ​band​ ​are​ ​actually​ ​close​ ​college​ ​friends​ ​of​ ​my husband’s,​ ​my​ ​cousin​ ​cantored,​ ​my​ ​sisters​ ​and​ ​soon-to-be​ ​sisters​ ​decorated​ ​the​ ​reception​ ​space​ ​(with the​ ​blooms​ ​by​ ​the​ ​box​ ​flowers!)​ ​and​ ​made​ ​our​ ​boutonnieres,​ ​the​ ​cake​ ​was​ ​a​ ​creation​ ​of​ ​a​ ​local​ ​baker who​ ​I​ ​met​ ​years​ ​ago,​ ​when​ ​she​ ​was​ ​just​ ​getting​ ​started.​ ​Countless​ numbers ​of​ ​our​ ​friends​ ​had​ ​”jobs”​ ​and “responsibilities”​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​our​ ​day​ ​moving​ ​along;​ ​even​ ​our​ ​priest​ ​was​ ​the​ ​man​ ​who​ ​baptized​ ​me​ ​26​ ​years ago​ ​(and​ ​was​ ​also​ ​my​ ​dad’s​ ​former​ ​principal​ ​40​ ​years​ ​ago)!
I​ ​was​ ​a​ ​little​ ​worried​ ​about​ ​planning​ ​the​ ​wedding​ ​from​ ​2000​ ​miles​ ​away​ ​(we​ ​live​ ​in​ ​San​ ​Francisco,​ ​and got​ ​married​ ​in​ ​the​ ​neighborhood​ ​where​ ​we​ ​met​ ​in​ ​Cincinnati),​ ​but​ ​having​ ​so​ ​many​ ​amazing​ ​friends​ ​and family​ ​made​ ​it​ ​easy.

I​ ​think​ ​it​ ​was​ ​the​ ​personal​ ​relationships​ ​that​ ​made​ ​our​ ​day​ ​even​ ​more​ ​unforgettable.​ ​In​ ​fact,​ ​when​ ​the doors​ ​to​ ​the​ ​church​ ​opened,​ ​and​ ​I​ ​started​ ​walking​ ​down​ ​the​ ​aisle​ ​with​ ​my​ ​dad,​ ​I​ ​spotted​ ​all​ ​the​ ​most important​ ​people​ ​of​ ​our​ ​life,​ ​gathered​ ​together​ ​to​ ​support​ ​Jake​ ​and​ ​me​ ​in​ ​the​ ​pews​ ​–​ ​and​ ​I​ ​just​ ​started crying. They​ ​were​ ​the​ ​happiest​ ​of​ ​tears.

Other​ ​interesting​ ​things​ ​about​ ​our​ ​wedding:
Lavender​ ​has​ ​always​ ​helped​ ​relax​ ​me,​ ​that’s​ ​why​ ​we​ ​incorporated​ ​it​ ​in​ ​all​ ​the​ ​decor. Our​ ​band​ ​learned​ ​”Blue​ ​Moon”​ ​for​ ​our​ ​first​ ​dance,​ ​because​ ​it’s​ ​only​ ​once​ ​in​ ​a​ ​blue​ ​moon​ ​that people​ ​get​ ​so​ ​lucky​ ​as​ ​we​ ​did​. My​ ​dad​ ​and​ ​I​ ​danced​ ​to​ ​”The​ ​Way​ ​you​ ​Look​ ​Tonight”​ ​by​ ​Frank​ ​Sinatra; we’ve​ ​been​ ​planning that​ ​dance​ ​since​ ​I​ ​was​ ​in​ ​high​ ​school. I​ ​had​ ​five​ ​bridesmaids,​ ​my​ ​three​ ​sisters​ ​and​ ​two​ ​sister-in-laws.​ ​Jake​ ​asked​ ​my​ ​brother​ ​and​ ​his brother​ ​to​ ​be​ ​groomsman,​ ​so​ ​all​ ​of​ ​our​ ​siblings​ ​were​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​wedding​ ​party​ ​which​ ​was really​ ​special. It​ ​was​ ​so​ ​HOT​ ​the​ ​day​ ​we​ ​got​ ​married!​ ​After​ ​all​ ​the​ ​photos​ ​and​ ​before​ ​the​ ​ceremony,​ ​our wedding​ ​party​ ​had​ ​to​ ​stop​ ​by​ ​the​ ​local​ ​bar​ ​to​ ​cool​ ​off​ ​with​ ​a​ ​beer​! The​ ​wedding,​ ​photos​ ​and​ ​reception​ ​were​ ​all​ ​in​ ​the​ ​neighborhood​ ​of​ ​Columbia​ ​Tusculum, where​ ​I​ ​lived​ ​for​ ​two​ ​years​ ​after​ ​college,​ ​and​ ​Jake​ ​and​ ​I​ ​met​ ​four​ ​years​ ​before​ ​our​ ​big​ ​day.

Photographer: Folchi​ ​Photography​ // Floral​ ​Styling: Katie’s​ ​Blooms​ // Flowers: Blooms By The Box​ ​​// Paper​ ​Products: MOO​ ​​// Ceremony​ ​Venue: St.​ ​Stephen’s​ ​Catholic​ ​Church​ // Reception​ ​Venue: Carnegie​ ​Center​ ​of​ ​Columbia​ ​Tusculum​ // Bridal​ ​Shoot​ ​Venue: Queen​ ​City​ ​Vignette​ // Wedding​ ​Dress​ ​+​ ​Shoes Designer:​ ​BHLDN​ // Bridesmaid​ ​Attire: Azazie​ ​// Graphic​ ​Design: Colleen​ ​Butler​ ​Design​ // Cake​ ​Topper Hickory​ ​Twine // Hair: Hannah​ ​Quirk // Makeup: Chelsea​ ​Skurow // Food​ ​+​ ​Beverage: Jeff​ ​Thomas​ ​Catering // Bakery: Canteen​ ​Bakery​ // Videographer: Shane​ ​Harrison​ ​and​ ​Jenna​ ​Heaton // Ceremony​ ​Entertainment: DJ​ ​CEO // Reception​ ​Entertainment: Suede​ ​Jackets​ ​(band) // Grooms​ ​Suit Designer:​ ​Tommy​ ​Hilfiger​ // Tent: The​ ​Alleen​ ​Co​ ​​ ​​