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Real Weddings:

Jillian and Tim’s wedding at The Cleveland Museum of Art

photography by Lauren Gabrielle

Jillian had this to say about her wedding to Tim at The Cleveland Museum of Art,”It was a place that I always went to as a little girl and being able to marry the man of my dreams there was inexplicably unique and special.” It was also exceptionally gorgeous! Planning, design and coordination was by Kirkbrides, with voluminous florals and greens by HeatherLily, stationery by Blue Envelope Boutique and cake by Luna Bakery. Jillian’s Monique Lhuillier could not have been more fitting for both the bride, and the event, but it’s her gigantic smile that’s the winning feature. Lauren Gabrielle‘s images perfectly capture the joyous day and we’re thrilled to share them!

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What made the wedding special and unique?  

Our wedding day was phenomenal – filled with so much joy and love. Being able to have our wedding at the Museum was a dream come true. Celebrating in a place that hosts some of the world’s most treasured pieces of art felt surreal. It was a place that I always went to as a little girl and being able to marry the man of my dreams there was inexplicably unique and special. For our guests, we wanted them to feel transported, like they were somewhere completely outside of Cleveland.

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it! 

My gown! One of the great loves of my life! I had seen a very beautiful bride wear the gown with a tulle skirt overlay. I was in love with how ornate the beading was, but without too much glitter or sparkle. I hunted it down and identified it as the Gwyneth by Monique Lhuillier. We went to the boutique in New York City and tried on about 5 different gowns, the Gwyneth being the first. All of them were stunning, but nothing seemed to compare to the first one. I really and truly believe it was meant to be. I wanted a dress that was timeless and whimsical, but still modern and showed some curves (I knew my husband would appreciate that as well). I couldn’t have been more thrilled with how it came out. It was a dream.

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?  

Tim and I wanted everyone to be connected during the ceremony (our Cantor kindly asked for everyone to put away their cell phones, nothing irritates me more!) and let loose during the reception. We knew from the start that we wanted black tie (the venue almost demands that given its imposing nature), but we wanted the opposite of a stuffy, formal affair. We brought in an amazing vendor to string the dance floor with bistro lights to create a truly romantic ambiance as the sun went down; outside, but inside was a common mantra. Plus, it was a perfect alternative to a stark dance floor. Instead of flowers during the cocktail hour our florist created huge, gorgeous urns of olive branches and eucalyptus to create a more modern, Tuscan feel. Those were centered on the charcuterie and cheese displays. I also brought in vintage compotes in a deep amber color and requested the Museum recreate our favorite bar nuts from a whisky and rye bar where we live in Washington, D.C. These were the centerpieces on the cocktail tables, a little something different than bud vases.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

The ceremony, 100%. I will never forget the smell and sounds during our ceremony. I’m a firm believer in signs and serendipitous moments. While Tim was reading his vows he recited a poem by George Gershwin: “Birds love and bees love and whispering trees love/And that’s what we both should do”. A honey bee came into the Chuppah at the exact same moment that Tim said that line. Since a Chuppah symbolizes the four corners of our home that we will create together, I firmly believe the bee was coming to bring sweetness into our home, our marriage. I guess I’m a bit sappy like that.

Tell us how you met and became engaged. 

We met on Tinder! We went on our first date to a pizza place outside of Washington, D.C. in a quaint neighborhood called Old Town Alexandria. I ate nearly all of the pizza. I think Tim was too nervous. We fell in love about 5 months later. Tim proposed 3 years later at the same restaurant. He had a HUGE bouquet of my favorite flowers (lilies) on the same table where we sat during our first date. He got down on one knee and after regaining my composure, I realized that our parents were watching us from the steps up to the second level of the restaurant. I almost fainted…I was completely in shock, utter disbelief. It is one of the greatest days of my life to date.

Planning Design and Coordination: Kirkbrides // Photography: Lauren Gabrielle // Floral Décor: HeatherLily // Stationery: Blue Envelope Boutique // Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Cleveland Museum of Art // Bridal Dress Designer: Monique Lhuillier // Hair/Makeup: Cleveland Makeup Artistry Karin Dodge // Cake: Luna Bakery // Lighting: Rock the House // Linens: L’Nique // Videography: Just Hitched Wedding Films // Band Cocktail Hour Music: TCB through Cleveland Music Group  // Transportation (guest shuttles): A1 Mr. Limo // Transportation (bridal party): LED Luxury Line

 

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Real Weddings:

Jill and Ryan’s Georgia Wedding

featuring The Happy Bloom

Jill and Ryan’s Georgia wedding celebration took place at Villa Ospo at Jekyll Island. The bride is a NYC resident, but Southern-at-heart and imagined her reception as a ” big, intimate, garden dinner party.” With the help of Straton Hall Events, Jill got perfectly Southern wedding she hoped for —a historic setting, Spanish moss, subtle vintage details and a laid back island feel. The bride even designed all the whimsical paper pieces including the custom-illustrated playing cards. Lucky for us, The Happy Bloom was on hand to capture all the many gorgeous details in these lovely photographs.

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How was your wedding perfectly “Southern”?

Even though I live in New York, I’m from North Florida and truly Southern at heart. From the intimate, welcoming u-shaped seating arrangement and southern food to the Spanish moss, handcrafted favors and laid back feel of the island…our wedding was perfectly Southern and I wouldn’t change a thing!

What was your vision for your wedding day? What made you choose certain colors or decor?

I wanted a wedding that was going to feel like a big intimate garden dinner party. Nothing too stuffy or overly designed, but also classic and a little vintage at the same time to fit in with the historic surroundings. I don’t like it when things feel too “matchy matchy” so I decided to use a combination of Fall jewel tones as opposed to sticking to one or two colors.

You are so talented! Talk to us about your vision with the paper goods and playing cards!

Thank you! I wanted to incorporate the flora/fauna of the area and all the other unique elements that make up Jekyll Island including some of our venues, croquet and of course, Georgia peaches. I’m very sentimental so I wanted it to be truly unique to us and where we got married. I used gold foil accents and gold calligraphy as a nod to the “Golden Isles” and the millionaires that originally founded the Jekyll Club. The playing cards were a true labor of love. I was aiming for a truly stand out wedding favor that was personal to us as a couple but that everyone would remember and also hopefully use! There are 14 illustrations in total.

What is the moment you remember most about your wedding day?

I remember a lot of moments very clearly but probably the First Look. I’m so glad we were able to do that because it took a lot of the anxiety out of the rest of the day.

What’s next for you and your husband?

We eventually plan on starting a family, buying a house and I would love to be able to grow my illustration and stationery business into my full time job.

Photography: The Happy Bloom // Reception Planning + Florals + Catering: Straton Hall Events // Day of Coordination: Island Weddings // Invitation + All Paper Goods: Jill Delavan (the bride!) // Venue: Villa Ospo at Jekyll Island, GA // Hair + Makeup: Fantasy Hair + Makeup // Bride’s Dress: Watters // Shoes: Sole Society // DJ: Island Sound DJs // Rentals: Beachview Event Rentals // Suits: Charley Tyrhitt // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box

 

Real Weddings:

Kristen and Michael’s wedding at Country Club of Rochester

Kristen and Michael’s wedding day at Country Club of Rochester was “organic and natural with a luxe edge.” As always, we love to see a fresh point-of-view and Kristen’s vision for her day was definitely that. The mix of wood, grasses and greenery with brass metallics and dripping black candles makes for a complete twist on the typical country club affair. Lush, graphic florals and greens are by Arena’s, with invitations by Papery & Cakery and coordination by Events By Jen. Lucky for us, Alexandra Elise Photography was on hand to capture all the cool details is these lovely fine art images.

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What made the wedding special and unique? 

The tone of the wedding was an organic/natural feel with a luxe edge. Natural to me means elements produced by nature such as fire, wood, light, grasses and greenery. Luxe says sumptuous, lavish, subtle yet extraordinary. The black candlesticks give off the fire element yet at the same time the black color gives off that subtle yet bold luxurious feel. The farmhouse head tables comply with the wood element. The clear top tent brings in the natural light element. The combination of greenery and floral were an absolute dream come true; a phenomenal work of art by Charles Arena and crew at Arena’s Florist. Greenery with accents of white orchids, chocolate sunflowers, menthe roses, dahlias, jasmine, and anemone. Also, tying in gold dipped branches, decorative pheasant feathers, and mini cactus’. We decided to do a tent wedding because it acts as a clean slate. You are able to incorporate your own design and style without having to cover up the style of an already decorated ballroom or country club. Design and decorating has always been a passion of mine. Since I was a little girl I always wanted to be an interior decorator. It was a dream come true to design a space from scratch as we did here.

For the dessert portion of the night we decided to go big! Being an owner of an Italian bakery we naturally had to have a huge display of pastries, Italian cookies, and of course a 5-tier wedding cake. We went with a slightly different theme in the dessert tent as we did in the main tent. We had bistro lighting strung from the top of the tent and small bistro tables to give off that Italian bistro feel. Pastries including cannolis, cream puffs, sfogliatelle, mini cheese cakes, mini pies, tiramisu, napoleon, eclairs, and more. Cookies including cuccidati, neopolitan, almond paste, Italian meatball cookies, tea cookies, biscotti, etc. Coffee and tea were also served in the tent. During the ceremony we did a butterfly release dedicated to our deceased family members.

Words of wisdom:

Don’t stress! Everyone told me leading up to the big day that it comes and goes in the blink of an eye. It is something that stuck with me throughout the process. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every moment of the planning process even when things wouldn’t go as planned. I wanted to remember what each part of the process and big day felt like, even the most dreadful parts like the seating arrangements. Does anyone enjoy that? On the big day I would recommend to all bride and grooms to take a couple minutes, just the two of you, and step out of the spotlight. Look around the room and take this moment for it all to sink in – enjoy the company of your new husband or wife. Tell each other how much they mean to you and acknowledge the love that is surrounding you from friends and family. It truly is the most amazing day of your life. You want to be able to feel what that feels like in the moment, not just afterwards.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Mikey and I met in Chicago, IL back in 2012. I had lived there at the time and he was in town visiting his sister who lived in Springfield, IL. My sister was friends with him and told him to call me and get together for lunch. So we did just that. It wasn’t until Christmas of 2012 that I ran into him again at the restaurant that he had just opened. He and my sister, being close friends, hung out a lot. She would go to his restaurant and drag me there while I was home over Christmas break. He told my sister “I am going to marry your sister someday” and my sister Lisa’s response was “Yeah, okay Mikey!” Telling him she isn’t going to put up with you – being the protective sister that us sisters are.

I head back to Chicago and every now and then I would get a call from him (confused at why he was calling me because I barely knew him). A couple months had passed and at the end of March my sister, cousin, mom, aunt and I went down to Florida for a girls’ trip. Mikey happened to be there the same weekend with one of his friends who is ironically someone I’ve known since childhood; all planned on his behalf I’m sure. The boys picked me up from the airport and brought me to my family. I had just gotten out of a 4-year relationship so I wasn’t really looking to date again anytime soon. I guess it’s true that love happens when you least expect it. The whole week we were there it was like I had known him forever. He was always a gentleman, I will say that. On the last night we were heading home from the bar we were at and he asked, “when will I be seeing you again?” I replied without thinking that he would be as persistent as he was and said” I’m sure I’ll run into you back at home in NY.” That must not have been good enough because a few weeks later he had booked a flight to Chicago to see me. It quickly escalated into a relationship and a lot of trips back and forth from New York to Chicago. It took about 8 months of a long-distance relationship to realize that we didn’t want to be without each other. I always knew I was going to end up back in my hometown of Rochester, New York but I had never anticipated that soon.

The proposal took place on April 9th, 2017, which also happened to be my 27th birthday. The night before he proposed we went to dinner with my parents at Louie Bossi in Fort Lauderdale, FL. We were sitting at dinner and I said all I want for my birthday this year is for dad to come to yoga with me. I was trying to get him to hop on the yoga train. Shockingly my dad agreed. Little did he know that Mikey had planned a proposal for the next morning. He now had to change his plan.

We woke up on Saturday, my birthday, and headed to yoga. Mikey told my dad he was going to propose to me after yoga back at our condo. He had asked my dad for my hand in marriage a few months back. Now, not only is my dad nervous about doing a 110 degree power vinyasa class for the first time in his life but is now panicked thinking he is going to have a heart attack from the heat and ruin this special day. Needless to say, my dad finishes the 1 hr. and 15 minute class like a champ – he heads to his house and Mikey and I head to ours. We get home, very quickly, we drop our stuff at our lobby front desk and head out to our uncle’s yacht that is docked at our place on the intercoastal. He tells me, “come out to Jimmy’s boat. I want to say hi to them before they head out for the day.” Now, mind you, we just finished hot yoga- if you’ve ever done heated yoga before you know you come out of there nothing shy of drenched. I asked, “can we please just get out of these wet clothes before we step on his beautiful boat?” The answer was no. So, we got out to the boat and there were these huge vases with gorgeous white flowers, which happen to be my favorite. It still didn’t register what was about to happen. I stepped on the boat and stopped to admire the flowers thinking that the crew is setting up for the day at sea. In hindsight, why there would be vases of flowers set up before a boat ride is beyond me. I walked inside the boat where his parents and some of the crew were. He tells me to come outside on the sundeck. I walked out to where the flowers were, admiring them again and I turn around and he is on one knee with a gorgeous serving platter with the diamond ring in the middle. I was so in shock! I had no idea that was coming. It still to this day gives me butterflies!

 

Photography: Alexandra Elise Photography // Event Coordinator: Events By Jen // Florist: Arena’s // Invitations: Papery & Cakery // Programs & Stationery: Anna Marino // Venue: Country Club of Rochester // Dress Designer: Berta // Bridal Boutique: Chic Parisian // Bakery: Savoia Pastry Shoppe // Hair Stylist: PCK Salon // Makeup Artist: Scott Miller Salon // Tent Rental: LT Rentals // Custom Lighting & Rentals: RES Exhibits // Accent Decor Rental: Warehouse 127 // Linen, Chairs, & Drapery Rentals: Hank Parker// Videographer: Kraig Adams // DJ: Breakthrough Entertainment // Sax player: Danny Win // Pianist: Giovanni Fazio // Quartet: Felice String Quartet

 

Real Weddings:

Ryan and Dylan’s wedding at Hotel El Ganzo

featuring Ana and Jerome Photography

Bride Ryan described her wedding day to Dylan as “special, unique, exciting, fun, sweaty and filled with endless love, margaritas and churros.” Fun, right?! The couple’s San Jose del Cabo wedding day was also incredibly gorgeous. Planned by Amy Abbott Events, the event was held at the art-centric Hotel El Ganzo with a ceremony on the lawn and an open air reception with stellar views. Florals by Pina Hernandez are spectacular and include an over-the-top chuppa and bold, coral and pink hued table arrangements. Ryan and Dylan enlisted the skills of Ana and Jerome Photography to capture their love, joy and the super beautiful party that celebrated it all.

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Who proposed? When and how? February 4th started out like any normal day. Ryan and Dylan woke up, had their coffee and headed to the gym. They then had plans to meet friends at Firehouse, their favorite local breakfast spot. Their standard walking route takes them through the beautiful Venice Canals, where they always dream of living one day. Due to their obsession with the neighborhood, Ryan follows a blogger who lives there and on this morning Dylan was convinced he knew the location of her home. As Ryan started following him in a different direction they both noticed a bridge that they had never seen before. There was a big sign hanging that read: “No Regrets. No Bad Days”. As they both repeated the words Dylan continued talking…. When Rya noticed that he had stopped walking she turned around and he was on one knee. To say she was in shock is understatement. She was so overwhelmed with emotion that she couldn’t even see the ring, nor respond to his question. He stood up and hugged her and then the waterworks began. Once Ryan got her head on straight and realized she was being proposed to she politely ask that he do it again. Dylan being the most patient and kind man, he graciously did, and this time she said YES!

How did you choose your wedding venue? I knew I wanted it in San Jose since we frequent there for vacations and feel at peace there. Then it was a question of where. My mom is a travel agent and remembered visiting El Ganzo. She told Dylan and I about the venue and we just fell in love. We though it was so unique and beautiful.

Who designed your rings? Mine – We designed together with a jeweler in downtown Los Angeles. His – Cartier Love Ring.

What were some things that made the wedding special and unique?

1. Every bridesmaid chose their own gown. Robes were purchased on Etsy.

2. My necklace was recently given to me by mom. The center is a diamond from my grandma’s old necklace and my mom had a Pacific Palisades jewelry designer recreate a more modern look by drilling a rose gold chain through the center. It’s very special to me since it comes from my mom and grandma.

3. My parents were huge contributors to the event. My dad took care of all food and alcohol arrangements, since cooking is his passion. My mom went on every appointment and checked in with me everyday regarding wedding details. They also traveled with Dylan and I to San Jose to meet with every vendor.

What was your biggest splurge of the day? Biggest splurge were probably the outfits. I purchased a dress that I was not intending to spend that much money on, pricey shoes and earrings, and then I bought a jumpsuit for an outfit change. All worth it!

Please describe 3 personal touches:

1. Our guestbook. I assigned Dylan the task of creating our guest book. He used old photos throughout our relationship and it came out so beautifully.

2. The tallit that was wrapped around Dylan and I during the ceremony was my grandfather’s. He had just passed away a few months ago so this was a very special moment for us and our family.

3. The kiddush cups we drank from during the ceremony were from my parents’ wedding.

Please describe 3 favorite moments:

1. I love my husband so much and our first look was beautiful, but I have to say, the first look with my dad was extremely emotional. He was the first man in my life and has always been the most important man. Growing up I really admired him. This was a big moment for us and there was so much love in the room. It was really special.

2. My first favorite moment was getting on the boat with my parents to go to the ceremony site. I remember being so present and excited. I just kept thinking to myself…”how many girls get to arrive to their ceremony site by boat!?”

3. My second favorite moment was when we were all standing at the altar and the public beach across the way was blasting music. I kept telling myself to not be upset because years from now I will look back and laugh. At that moment, the Rabbi said “well, having music like this across the way is definitely a wedding first for me” and it completely broke the ice and made the crowd laugh.

What did you learn from the experience?

I learned that planning a wedding is the most stressful thing ever and having an amazing wedding planning team is key! You also need a great support team around you for the days that are extra stressful. Family and friends that can also help you make important decisions is extremely helpful. I also learned that there are just some things you have no control over, no matter how much you plan and plan…sometimes you just have to suck it up and move on. That’s life!

If you could sum up your wedding day in one sentence, how would you describe it? My wedding day was special, unique, exciting, fun, sweaty and filled with endless love, margaritas and churros.

Photography: Ana and Jerome Photography // Coordination: Ximena Perez for Amy Abbott Events // Flowers: Pina Hernandez // Signage and Printed Items: Serendipity // Venue: Hotel El Ganzo // Hair and Makeup: Blanc Bridal Salon // Dress: Leanne Marshall // Rentals: Warehouse

 

Real Weddings:

Carlie and Mike’s Classic Hometown wedding

Carlie and Mike were married in the bride’s hometown of Pittsburg. The bridal party got ready at the house the bride grew up in, the ceremony took place at St. Bede Parish where the bride’s grandfather sand in the choir throughout her youth and they danced the night away a The Pennsylvanian, an old train station with spectacular views of the city. A neutral palette of oyster, black and white was incorporated into all the details including florals by The Farmer’s Daughter and invitations by The Little Blue Chair. We’re loving Carlie’s high-neck and low back crepe Paloma Blanca gown and Lauren Renee Photography captures it beautifully—along with all the special moments of the day—in these lovely images.

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What made the wedding special and unique?

We were married in my hometown church that I grew up in, which is where my grandfather used to sing in the choir and I received all of my sacraments. We chose the Pennsylvanian as our reception venue, which is an old train station with amazing architecture in downtown Pittsburgh, and had our cocktail hour under the rotunda lined with lights outside. I got ready with my bridesmaids in the house that I grew up in, and we spent the day surrounded by our closest family and friends!

Tell us about the gown and where/how you found it!

My gown is a Mikaella by Paloma Blanca design, which I found at Bridal Beginnings–a bridal boutique outside of Pittsburgh. I initially thought that I wanted a ballgown, but my sister recommended I try on a crepe, more form-fitting dress and I immediately fell in love! I liked how the front of the dress was high to my neckline for a classy and timeless look, but the back of the dress felt dramatically feminine with an open back and large bow from the belt being tied. I also asked the designer to add fabric buttons down the back of the entire dress to add a traditional look that would contrast the trendy, open back. It was the perfect combination!

What were some touches added to make the wedding personal?

My husband and I wanted to make our wedding fun and did not include some parts of the reception that have traditionally been used. We had a customized bar personalized with decals from our wedding stationery and pictures of our engagement session that we placed right off of the dance floor so our guests would stay close to the dance floor all night. Instead of introducing the bridal party, we had our matron of honor and best man introduce us as a couple while all of our guests stood around the dance floor, making an extremely fun entrance for us and our guests. We then went right into our choreographed first dance, which consisted of a mix of 3 songs and ended with a hip-hop dance. My matron of honor, my sister, sang a rap as part of her speech, and our two best men put on a skit for a combined speech. Our guests loved that we created a fun atmosphere with dancing that lasted all night! We also had a traditional “Pittsburgh cookie table”, which consisted of homemade baked goods from family members and friends—one of my favorite parts of any Pittsburgh wedding!

What was the most memorable part of the day?

Definitely the ceremony itself. We chose not to do a first look so seeing each other as I walked down the aisle for the first time was an incredible feeling, and saying our vows was so meaningful! We also loved spending time with our photographer after the ceremony for our portraits where it was just the two of us, and of course dancing the night away with our closest friends and family was a highlight as well!

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

We met in 2012 when we both attended the same graduate school. We were initially really good friends, and started studying together every day. Over the years, our friendship grew into a relationship and survived a year of long distance. After 5 years, he proposed at a restaurant on the Hudson River with the NYC skyline in the background. He surprised me with a new dress and encouraged me to wear it for what I thought was a birthday celebration for his brother. When I arrived at the restaurant, he had decorative lighted bottles guiding a path along the grass to the river where he was standing. He proposed, and to my surprise our families had traveled to New York to celebrate with us! He treated us all to an intimate dinner–it was the best surprise and proposal I could have ever asked for!

// Photography: Lauren Renee Photography // Flowers: The Farmer’s Daughter // Invitations: The Little Blue Chair // Venue: The Pennsylvanian // Church: St. Bede Parish // Wedding Dress: Paloma Blanca from Bridal Beginning // Hair & Makeup: Beauty Justified // Wedding Shoes: Badgley Mischka // Groom’s Attire: Calvin Klein // Reception Shoes: Kate Spade // Favors: The Pretzel Shop // Ring Box: The Mrs. Box // Film Scans: Richard Photo Lab // Catering: Rania’s Catering // Lighting: EF Lighting, LLC // Linens: Lendable Linens // Rentals: All Occasions Party Rentals // Video: Otis Visual Media // DJ: Modern Era Weddings

// photography @laurenreneephoto // flowers @thefarmersdaughterflowers // invitations @thelittlebluechair // wedding dress @palomablancabridal @bridalbeginning

hair & makeup @beautyjustifiedbyjustine // wedding shoes @badgleymischka // groom’s attire @calvinklein // reception shoes @katespadeny // favors @thepretzelshop // ring box @the_mrs_box // film scans @richardphotolab // catering @raniascatering // lighting @eflighting // linens @lendablelinens // rentals @alloccasionspartyrental // dj @moderneraweddings