Linsay and Mike’s wedding at the Ritz Charles

Linsay and Mike’s light and lovely wedding day at the Ritz Charles is filled with florals, fruit and beautifully edited choices that come together to highlight the lush beauty of the garden setting. Meg Catherine Flowers‘ mad skills shine in the scene-stealing florals—a stunning bridal bouquet with just the right amount of color and vintage-inspired centerpieces on tablescapes highlighted with figs and organic-inspired paper pieces from Smitten on Paper. Cory & Jackie Wedding Photographers were on hand to capture all these details and more and we’re excited to share the day in the images below. 

What made the wedding special and unique? 

When we began the search for our venue, my mom recommended the Ritz Charles in Carmel, about halfway between both of our home towns. I initially wrote it off as we were more interested in a venue in downtown Indianapolis, but when we saw the venue my vision for a romantic, garden-themed wedding came to life. I loved the lush green that surrounded the venue in the trees and shrubbery and the glass building that, to me, resembled a greenhouse with tons of natural light. Not to mention, the adorable chapel right next to the garden pavilion seemed to be the cherry on top. We knew it would be the perfect venue that would be elegant, but not stuffy for our guests.

One of the first things that people say to do when planning is to come up with your color scheme and for me, this was a huge struggle. I knew that I wanted to tie in the natural greens of the venue, but without being too obvious about it. I searched and searched for the perfect bridesmaid dress color to suit this vision. Finally, I found the J Crew bridesmaid dresses in “dusty shale” which is a perfect shade of dusty green; I knew that would be my main color. Again, I didn’t want it to be too overt, so this color was echoed through the greenery in the floral design and on our paper items. Most other accent colors came in through the florals.

Meg Connelly, our floral designer, is unbelievably talented and I knew from the moment I saw her Instagram and website, I had to have her. In our initial meeting, I had mentioned using softer colored blooms in pale pinks and peaches and she suggested adding burgundies as well to add depth to the color palate. The burgundy blooms turned out to be one my favorite features of the bouquets. The flowers were a big part of what I have always dreamed about for my wedding day and I knew she would nail it. That proved to me how valuable it is to work with vendors whose style and aesthetic you trust entirely. I’m still dreaming about my incredible bouquet months later.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal? 

We had several special features, such as our signature cocktails, and photo guest book, but the really special features from the day came from our family. My something old was my grandfather’s cuff link and my something borrowed and blue was a garter that my grandmother, mother, and several cousins have all worn on their wedding days. Additionally, my grandfather left a beautiful pink glass cake plate to my mom when he passed which we used for our wedding cake. My grandmother, who is in her mid-eighties, made several hundred chocolate-cashew candies as favors for the guests. She sends them to all of her grandchildren every holiday and Mike LOVES them. I knew it would be a special way to involve her and our guests raved about the candies afterwards.

My favorite inclusion of family was the dance with my dad. He and I had brainstormed for what song we would dance to and I knew it meant a lot to him. I was surprised when he told me that he had been taking dance lessons and arranged one for us a few days before the wedding. I danced all through my childhood so it was really fun to have a choreographed number for us. Our dance together is a memory that I will always cherish.

What was the most memorable part of the day? 

My favorite part of the day was when I saw Mike for the first time that day during our first look. I had been incredibly nervous the night before and morning of (barely slept and had zero appetite); not about getting married, but about how everything would turn out after months of hard work and planning. The moment I saw Mike though, this wave of calm washed over me. It was the best feeling to realize that no matter what happened the rest of the day, I was marrying the man I love. The day itself turned out perfect. I had wished several times in the months leading up to the big day that I had booked a wedding planner or asked friends to help me with the last minute items, but in the end it was very rewarding to have the day turn out so perfectly from my own vision.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Mike and I met at Purdue University in the fall of our senior year. When we both found jobs in Chicago after graduation, it seemed like fate. He proposed during a walk in Lincoln Park on the first warm spring day in March after a brutal Chicago winter.

Photographer:  Cory & Jackie Wedding Photographers // Floral Designer: Meg Catherine Flowers // Invitation Designer: Smitten on Paper // Venue and Caterer: Ritz Charles Garden Pavilion // Cinema and Video: Higuchi Productions // Bride’s Dress: Weddings 826 // Bridesmaid Dresses: J Crew // Beauty: Kathryn’s Bridal Bar // DJ: DJs Direct // Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Men’s Warehouse // Earrings: Ben-Amun // Film Processing: Richard Photo Lab