Maryland Weddings

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[field title=”Wedding Colors”]Olive Green & Earth Tones with Bright Bold Colorful Summer Flowers[/field]
[field title=”Design / Vibe / Vision”]Our wedding was in June, so we centered our design around a cohesive combination of Luxe Garden Summer Soiree that slowly turned into Old Hollywood Glam by the end of the night. Upon entry, guests were greeted in the Baltimore Country Club garden with cold drinks as they found their seats for the ceremony. The ceremony was atop a hill overlooking a park and framed with a bold & bright statement illusion-arch of florals and matching ombre hand fans in lieu of programs. We leaned into the luxe garden summer soiree design throughout cocktail hour and dinner with unique touches of passed cold lavender hand towels, raw bar atop ice, summer specialty cocktails, and botanical day-of stationary. During this time we carefully melded the two design themes by also incorporating Old Hollywood Glam touches throughout. Our escort display was three large statement gold-framed mirrors with individual custom matchboxes attached noting guests’ names and table numbers with the header “You Light Up Our World”. As cocktail hour ended, we had three percussionists lead guests from the cocktail hour to the dinner room via a Louisiana Second-Line, an ode to Thomas’ alma mater LSU. The dinner was complete with vintage botanical napkins from Stradley Davidson and matching olive green drinkware from Select Event Group. The chairs were a mix of cane-back rounded king-chairs and whimsical wooden natural chairs, both from White Glove Rentals. Thanks to our amazing florist, Sophie Felts, we had massive floral statement pieces on the entryway arches of each room. To top it off, our table numbers were custom made by E Alex Designs and matched our botanical-themed invitations and menus. As dinner ended and dancing begun, we transitioned the design to old Hollywood and really leaned into the original BCC wood-clad club room from 1898. We had a custom champagne tower, espresso martini specialty station, and custom 25’ bar along the arched window line. Our world-class photographer, Audra Wrisley, captured the design, aesthetic, and vibe perfectly. She portrayed the night through a unique combination of soft colorful photography, candid moments where you can feel the movement, and bold black and white raw film. To top it off, she worked seamlessly with our videographer, Lee Russell Films, to create the perfect memory bank of the night that we will have for years to come. After many hours of epic dancing thanks to our amazing band, Night Song, we had our official send off where our percussionist line led us to a speakeasy bowling alley after-party that was themed Studio54 complete with a live DJ, shot-girls carrying Liquid IV shots, custom late-night snacks, duck-pin bowling, and disco-balls everywhere. Thanks to our amazing wedding planner, Jillian Jenkins at Elle Ellinghaus Designs, it truly was a night to remember and one that we will never forget.[/field]
[field title=”Proposal Story”]Our proposal story started in Easton, Maryland on the weekend of July 8th, 2022. Thomas works as a tenant rep at CBRE and often attends sales events with raffles and gifts. Earlier that summer he mentions to me that he won a night at Inn at Perry Cabin, a luxury resort in St. Michael’s Maryland. I was over the moon and ready for a weekend getaway out of the city. Thomas’ aunt lives on the water in Easton so we planned to make a weekend of it, visiting her and boating over to the hotel for a night away. We get on the boat and after about 5 minutes of smooth sailing our boat breaks down…thankfully there is a small sand beach close by that we are able to get to before calling the tow company…little did I know this was all a façade. We decided to kill time while we “waiting for the tow boat” and go for a walk on the beach and right then and there he dropped to a knee and asked me to marry him. He proposed with a beautiful elongated cushion cut ring with a hidden halo and pave diamond band, but the most unique part is the small blue sapphire located on the inside of the ring as “something blue”. The boat was never broken, there was never even a night at the Inn at Perry Cabin! We get back to our dock afterward and both my entire family and his entire family are there to celebrate us which was such an amazing surprise. It was truly one of the best weekends of my life.[/field]
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[section title=”The Fashion”]
[field title=”Wedding Gown”]I wore a custom gown by Eisen Stein that I got at Love Couture in Potomac Maryland after trying on many many many dresses. It was a stunning and unique strapless gown with beautiful boning that faded into soft ruffled tulle. It captured my theme and personality perfectly and even made Thomas tear up on the first look 😊. For the after party I changed into a vintage strapless satin minidress with a bow in the back that went down to the floor, I paired this with a three-layer pearl choker, pearl encrusted tulle opera gloves, and custom jewelled sneakers. [/field]
[field title=”Bridesmaid Dresses”]For my bridesmaid dresses I had them wear the Mira Dress by Amsale in color Jade. They were these stunning olive green satin gowns that fit perfectly with our luxe garden theme. My mother, Suzy Riedel, wore a custom Kelly Chase Couture gown from a boutique in Naples, Florida.[/field]
[field title=”Groomsman Attire”]Groomsman wore classic black tuxes complete with custom silver monogrammed cufflinks provided by the Groom on the day of. Thomas wore a custom black classic tuxedo with suede tuxedo slippers.[/field]
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[section title=”The Details”]
[field title=”Food & Drink”]Baltimore Country Club is notoriously known for their crab cake and filet combo; however, we, like many of the other decisions we made for the wedding, wanted to be different than the classic country club wedding. You can’t have a Maryland wedding without crab, so instead of the classic crabcake, we had this amazing and unique starting course that was a crab and avocado personal tower with roasted summer corn, poblano peppers, and bacon tomato jam. We are both foodies and we wanted something unique and delicious to stand out. We then had a dual entrée course of filet mignon with herb encrusted sea bass with ginger carrot quinoa, purple whipped potatoes, and grilled asparagus. At the cocktail hour we had a custom raw bar as well as passed hors devours including tuna tartar wasabi crisps, mini pork carnitas tacos, cranberry brie mini pastries, jalapeno crab cornbread hush puppies, and more. We had specialty cocktails named after our dogs and brought to life with custom pet bar menu portraits by E Alex Designs. Mine was called The Arthur – a classic Baltimore Southside and Thomas’ was The Riley – a Tequila Soda with a Splash of Lemonade. Our after party late-night snacks were an ode to the McDonalds logo making the B in Brown (our new last name) a sideways “Golden Arches” with the caption “I’m Lovin It” wrapped around some delicious late night food options.[/field]
[field title=”Florals & Decor”]Our florist, Sophie Felts, brought our décor vision to life. I wanted over-the-top floral statement pieces and she executed it beautifully. We were in awe when we saw it in person – the colors, attention to detail, and wow factor that came from the florals was truly a vision. The accompanying décor was also to die for – we had stunning lounge seating, custom stage surrounds, a custom 25’ bar, and champagne towers courtesy of White Glove Rentals, and Jillian Jenkins’ logistical miracle powers to bring everything together on the day of. [/field]
[field title=”Wedding Cake”]I am a huge dessert person so while we had a stunning three-tier botanical cake to cut, we actually had three cake flavors being offered alongside an espresso martini bar and custom dessert station. My favorite was the carrot cake with cream cheese icing. We also had a Ferrero Roche cake with coffee frosting and a classic summer strawberry shortcake. Naturally, we ate all three because the pastry chef at BCC is incredibly talented![/field]
[field title=”Readings, Ceremony Music, Reception Songs”]Our ceremony readings were done by my Aunt Nancy Moffat and Thomas’ Aunt Christine Brown. Deacon Andrew Lacovara at St. Ignatius in Baltimore married us. Our ceremony music was performed by Black White and Steel and they created the perfect ambiance playing the classical string quartet version of current popular songs throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour. Thomas, the groomsmen, and the bridesmaids walked down the aisle to the string quartet version of Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars. I walked down the aisle to the string quartet version of Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years. Fast forwarding to our first dance, Thomas and I chose Cowboy Take Me Away by the Dixie Chicks. My dad and I danced to Rascal Flats’ My Wish, and Thomas and his mom danced to Don’t Blink by Kenny Chesney. My father, George Riedel, kicked off the dinner with a heartfelt speech about my ambitious and aspiring spirit melding perfectly with Thomas’ outgoing and thoughtful personality. My two sisters, Madison Riedel and Megan Litz, were my Maid and Matron of Honor and they gave an incredible speech together that made the crowd both laugh and cry. This was then followed by a lively speech by Thomas’ co-best men, Gillin Smith and Kent Knaus, his two best friends from childhood and college. The rest of the night was filled with amazing live music courtesy of Nightsong, our 10-person incredible band that went all night. Then to top it off, we had DJ Kenny Der “The Buddha” play a late night set at the after party until the wee hours of the morning.

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[field title=”Special Detail #1″]One of the most unique details that we did at the wedding was handwrite a custom note to every guest using it as their name card at their place setting. Having a wedding of 240 people, we wanted to ensure that everyone felt loved, cared for, and knew how much we loved having them there to help celebrate us on our big day. The day goes by so fast and there are so many people to talk to so while we may have carpel tunnel after writing all those cards, it was 10000% worth every second to see our guests’ reactions.

We wanted to kick off our wedding with a bang, our save the dates were custom cookies made by the BCC Pastry Chef and packaged in a box titled as “Savor the Date” and a small card with details to get them excited for what is to come. [/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #2″] The cold lavender hand towels at the ceremony and cocktail hour were such a hit because it was a hot Baltimore day and keeping guests cool was a priority.[/field]
[field title=”Special Detail #3″]We had an incredible live painter, J Lawrence Art Studio, that completed a 24×36” oil painting live throughout the entire reception. She caught the perfect moment of Thomas and I as we poured champagne into the coupe tower. She painted us so realistically I was completely blown away, and it was a huge hit among the crowd, not to mention the amazing custom oil painting we have now of hanging on our wall.

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Photography: Audra Wrisley Photography | Event Planning: Jillian with Elle Ellinghaus | Floral Design: Sophie Felts Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Eisen Stein Bridal | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Venue: Baltimore Country Club | Live Painter: J Lawrence Art Studio | Mother of the Bride's Dress: Kelly Chase Couture | Mother of the Groom's Dress: Alexander by Daymor | Rentals: Select Event Group | Rentals: White Glove Rentals | Stationery & Paper: EAlexDesigns (myself) | Video: Lee Russell Films

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Photography

Audra Wrisley Photography

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This coastal chic wedding spectacularly celebrates love.  Officiated by none other than Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s granddaughter, Clara Spera, the day was as meaningful as it was stylish.  Adriana Marie Events planned the dream day, accented by cool shades of blue, and Floral and Bloom brought the event to life with fabulous floral styling.  Rebecca Theresa Photography perfectly captured the joy and happiness of the day in her artful imagery.  Visit the full gallery for a closer look at all the lovely.

From Rebecca Theresa Photography… Paige and Danielle met on hinge while Paige was in Baltimore for medical school and Danielle was working in DC. They had an instant connection and the conversation was easy. Danielle was so anxious, that she forgot her keys at the restaurant and couldn’t find them for over an hour. Unfortunately for Paige, she was on her surgery rotation and would have to wake up at 4 am the next day, so Danielle ordered her an Uber while her search for her keys continued. Little did they know, keys would become a tradition for the two of them; as they place locks on bridges in every city they visit. They featured this tradition in their seating chart, placing their guest’s names and lock on a gate for them to take as a souvenir! Paige then matched for residency in DC at a pediatric hospital. They got engaged in May of last year in Hawaii (check out our wedding site LoveKennWin. Com for the full story!). Paige proposed with a spa day and walk through a stunning jungle, then set up a picnic on these beautiful cliffs and showed Danielle a slideshow with some surprise celebrity cameos! Danielle proposed the next day by setting up a scavenger hunt throughout Maui with clues and prizes along the way, ending with a sunset and moon rise proposal!

The brides opted for a coastal chic themed wedding on the water at the historic Whitehall Estate. Whitehall stands proudly along the banks of Meredith Creek, Whitehall Creek and Whitehall Bay. The grounds consist of 135 acres of sprawling lawns and fields. This beautifully and lovingly restored National Historic Landmark offers an unparalleled backdrop for your one-of-a-kind meetings, weddings, corporate receptions, and private celebrations. Designed by the same architect who designed the iconic Maryland State House, Whitehall stands as the finest example of Palladian architecture in the country and was the first National Historic Landmark to be designated in the state of Maryland. The house showcases a collection of museum-caliber artwork and antiques. After enlisting the help of luxury wedding planner extraordinaire Adriana Marie Events events, they started planning out their blue, seafoam green, and coastal toned celebration. Officiating their wedding was Clara Spera, the granddaughter of the late honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg. While it, unfortunately, rained for most of the day and forced their ceremony to be under their plan B tent, their floral design by Floral and Bloom provided a romantic and relaxed aesthetic for their guests which was perfect for their waterside nuptials. Guests were wowed by their white circle bar, reception design, light display by White Glove Rentals, and beautiful linens by BBJ La Tavola and Stradley Davidson Linen Collective. They were also blown away with a delicious custom rainbow jello shot by Edibles Incredibles upon the brides’ grand entrance to their reception. The brides shared a dance with their moms, cut their cake, and danced the night away under their magical tented reception space.

From the brides Danielle and Paige… We chose to work with Adriana of Adriana Marie Events because she is a wonderful human who cares so deeply about the couples she works with. What made her stand out from the rest was her attention to detail, her coastal chic style, and most importantly, that she emphasized her desire to craft a wedding that was personalized and unique; a wedding that couldn’t possibly be anyone else’s. These personalized touches were a hit at the wedding, and something we will never forget. We were honored to have Clara Spera, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s granddaughter, as our wedding officiant. Justice Ginsburg was a friend of Danielle’s grandparents and Danielle’s role model. She had hoped to one day officiate this wedding. We were unbelievably grateful that Clara filled Justice Ginsburg’s shoes and gave the most thoughtful, personal, heartfelt ceremony based off of her grandmother’s prior wedding ceremony readings. For our wedding toast, we passed around rainbow jello shots as opposed to the traditional champagne flutes to highlight our passion for “love is love” while also capturing our reputation of making themed jello shots for every festivity! Adriana helped us create an escort display that included an array of locks on a gate with guests’ names and table numbers to symbolize our tradition of placing love locks in every foreign city we have traveled to together as well as our obsession with escape rooms. Our adored pups were our flower girl and ring bearer, and they were also the theme of our signature cocktails – “Penny’s Punch” and “Jackson’s Juice!” We incorporated loved ones that had passed away by placing charms on our bouquets. The appetizers we chose were a combination of our favorite foods displayed in a unique way – spaghetti and vodka sauce twirled on a fork, bulgogi tacos resting on a lime wedge, and more! As Nutella enthusiasts, we had no choice but to have a Nutella wedding cake!

Paige proposed first in West Maui! She brought Danielle to a surprise outdoor couples massage and spa first, then she led her to a jungle where she got down on one knee in front of a large, stunning tree to pop the question! The photographer was hiding behind a different tree to capture the moment. Paige then led Danielle to a cliff’s edge along the water where a blanket, pillows, and their favorite white wine (Moscato) were waiting for them. Paige made Danielle a slideshow video with tons of pictures of the two of them (and Jackson and Penny, of course) and cameos of two of her favorite celebrities asking her to say yes! One of the celebrities in the video was Jake Scott, the singer of their favorite song, “Tuesdays.” Danielle started her proposal with their favorite nerdy date night activity, an escape room! The final clue of the escape room had a QR code leading Paige to a personalized website with password-protected video clues from Danielle’s mom and Paige’s parents and brother. Paige searched each location that the video clues led her to for items that represented inside jokes the two share, and those items gave her the passwords to open more videos. Danielle then proposed on a natural coral pier when the sun was setting on one side and the moon was rising on the other. Their favorite quote from the song Tuesdays was framed at the proposal spot. It’s obvious that Danielle and Paige are soul mates – two of the locations Danielle picked for her scavenger hunt were right next to the tree and cliff from Paige’s proposal. They also incorporated the same song, Tuesdays, into their proposals! Our wedding day was so magical in every way that even the pouring rain during the ceremony couldn’t ruin it! By the time we made it to the reception, the bottom of our dresses were beautifully decorated by Whitehall’s finest dirt and grass! Despite the rain, Rebecca and Alex managed to capture every detail perfectly and were such a pleasure to work with!

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Photography: Rebecca Theresa Photography | Videography: Clayton Film Co. | Event Planning: Adriana Marie Events | Florist: Floral & Bloom Designs | Catering: Spilled Milk Catering | Officiant: Clara Spera | Wedding Venue: White Hall | Bartending: Mixing Maryland | Beauty: Behind The Veil | Dog Care: Furever & Fur Always | Getting Ready Location: Annapolis Marriott | Linens: Stradley Davidson Linen Collective | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Rainbow Jello Shot: Edibles Incredibles | Rentals: Honeywood Rentals+Design | Rentals: White Glove Rentals

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BBJ La Tavola

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This Bridgerton meets grandmillennial-inspired wedding is beautiful enough for the Duke and Dutchess themselves.  SRS Events planned and designed the pastel-filled day with carefully curated details like a chic Aperol Spritz Bar adorned with fresh oranges.  Endlessly romantic florals designed by Love Bloom make every vignette magical, and every moment was artfully captured in the elegant imagery by Ashley Boyan Photography.  You can take a closer look at all the lovely in the full gallery.

From SRS Events… This styled shoot marries Bridgerton-inspiration with Grand Millennial vibes! From the stately neo-classical architecture of the manor, to the pale blue chinoiserie wall paper in the sitting parlors, it is a beautiful locale inside and out. The invitation suite incorporated the pastel florals into the couple’s crest, and a hand-drawn illustration of the venue. The wallpaper was subtly infused into the envelope liner, as well as the petal toss cones. Hand calligraphy and a blue ribbon were the finishing touches on the invitation suite.

The couple selected a multi-tier wedding cake, along with individual cakelets at each guest’s place setting. A dawn blue linen with a floral design allowed the gold leaf charger plates and gorgeous floral runner to be the table showstoppers. The couple also added fun touches by welcoming guests with a champagne bubbles cart, Aperol spritz signature drinks, and a champagne tower. Their sweetheart table sat in front of the lush floral blooms on the fireplace mantle, and a sheer sequin overlay on their table glistened in the candlelight.

As a memento of their wedding day, they commissioned a live painter to draw them having their first kiss under the stunning arch. Colorful pastel spring blooms encompassed the floral design, including garden roses, ranunculus, sweet pea, spray roses, and lisianthus. A stunning floral arch served as the ceremony’s focal point, and then lush florals adorning the fireplace mantle, sweetheart table, and long guest table filled the room with lovely scents. Guests were welcomed to Annapolis, Maryland with a tote bag with the couple’s crest on it, lush hydrangeas, a mini bottle of Moet, rose’, lemon macarons, and a lavender candle, and chinoiserie designed cookies.

Photography: Ashley Boyan Photography | Cinematography: Kirsten Beatley Films | Event Design: SRS Events | Event Planning: SRS Events | Floral Design: Love Blooms | Wedding Dress: Stesha Ho | Cake: Cake Doctor Aimee | Invitations: Sara Lane Design | Reception Venue: Whitehall Estate | Reception Venue: IMPACT Collective | Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Revelry | Tux: The Black Tux | Accessories: The Loved One | Banner Sign: Coffee & Calligraphy | Bar Cart: Tiny Bubbles Bar Cart | Beauty: Kristen C. Artistry | Live Painter: Elena Fay | Model: Sarah | Models: Rachel & Chris | Rentals: The Collection By Courtney Inghram | Rentals: Nuage Designs | Rentals: Pretty Little Wedding Co

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Can you create wedding magic in 45 days? If you’re Rebecca Rose Events and a talented team of vendors the answer is an astounding- yes! After the pandemic changed Danielle and Anthony’s plans from a 400 person wedding in Italy to an intimate celebration on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, the entire planning and design process was started again by scratch. A unique color palette filled with amber, toffee, and cinnamon tones with gold details, natural greenery, and the perfect punch of blue was the perfect complement to the newly chosen scenery. From the looks of the utterly elegant imagery by Corbin Gurkin Photography you would never know the plans for this picture-perfect day had been pulled together so quickly. You can see how it all came together seamlessly in the full gallery.

From Rebecca Rose Events… After the pandemic forced Daniella and Anthony to cancel their 400+ guest, 5-day destination wedding in a seaside city in Italy, we had 45 days to reimagine, relocate, plan, design, and produce a more intimate celebration on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

Daniella’s fashion inspired the creation and selection of every artistic detail from the graphic design elements to the linen selection, to the fresh vines that adorned the interior of the tent. They honored their Italian heritage with a traditional Catholic ceremony that morning. Additional guests joined the families later in the evening for an alfresco celebration.

Daniella and Anthony blended their Italian culinary preferences with local Maryland cuisine to include a beautiful antipasto spread, four-course plated dinner service, late-night espresso bar, and Italian confetti candies in personalized custom tins for each guest. Daniella and Anthony immediately embraced a unique color palette, and we blended amber, toffee, and cinnamon tones with gold details, natural greenery, and the perfect punch of blue. All these colors danced together so beautifully against the sunset over the water.

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Photography: Corbin Gurkin Photography | Cinematography: Clayton Film Co. | Event Design: Rebecca Rose Events | Event Planning: Rebecca Rose Events | Floral Design: Rebecca Rose Events | Wedding Dress: Mira Zwillinger | Cake: Susan Gage | Invitations: Rebecca Rose Events | Ceremony Venue: St. John Neumann Catholic Church | Reception Venue: White Hall | Shoes: Alexandre Birman | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Susan Gage | Band: Elan Artists | Groom's Attire: Tom Ford | Transportation: Z Best | Transportation: Charm Cars | Rentals: Sugarplum Tents | Rentals: White Glove Rentals | Rentals: Nuage Designs

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Rebecca Rose Events

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When one couple’s dream Tuscan wedding plans came to a screeching halt all thanks to COVID, they enlisted the help of SRS Events to bring their Italian celebration to life – just much closer to home. Classic Italian cuisine, a gelato cart, a chateau-esque venue along with a yellow and blue color scheme, all came together beautifully to bring the romance of Tuscany to Maryland. Love Blooms created heavenly arrangements that could have been foraged from a garden in the countryside! Head on over to the full gallery to see every last detail – taken by Rebecca Theresa Photography!

From the photographer, Rebecca Theresa Photography… Elise and Adam were originally set to marry in Tuscany in May… The dreamy Italian wedding they had always wanted. However, due to Covid, their travel and wedding plans came crashing to a halt. 

Determined not to let Covid stop them from marrying, they hired a local wedding planner to help bring the Italian charm to their homestate of Maryland. When they toured Strong Mansion up in the mountains in Dickerson, Maryland, they fell in love with the gorgeous grounds and grey chateau-esque venue. 

They brought in similar designs and ideas that they were originally planning to have at their Italian wedding, such as a gelato cart, olive oil tasting, and limoncello! 

Their stationery designer re-designed their invitation to reflect their new venue, but they still used their original crest throughout the stationery designs. A delicious meal of ravioli, fish, and caprese and lots of limoncello signature drinks rounded out a beautiful wedding day.

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Photography: Rebecca Theresa Photography | Event Design: SRS Events | Floral Design: Love Blooms | Dress: Willowby by Watters | Cake: Jisoo Cake Design | Shoes: Bella Belle | Hair & Makeup: Carla Pressley Hair & Make-up | Tux: Friar Tux | Bridal Gown: Rosalin's Bridal | Crest Design & Stationery: Chez La Mariee | Linen Signs: Kimberly George Art | Location: Strong Mansion | Mirror Calligraphy: Leah Letters | Rentals: White Glove Rentals

In case you’re not one of those people who believe rain on your wedding day actually does mean good luck, then allow this gorgeous wedding to remind you of another thing that rain might bring – a beautiful sparkling rainbow! That’s right, can you think of anything more romantic than saying your “I do’s” under a gorgeous rainbow – ’cause we sure can’t! Beside from that, there are so many other incredible moments from today’s Oxon Hill Manor wedding planned by Legendary Events. Don’t miss out on all the pretty at the full gallery, captured by du soleil photographie!

From du soleil photographie… Macey, the Bride, together with her sister-in-law, Taryn Schumacher, created the invitation suite which included an illustration of the venue and a personalized crest, as well as a vellum overlay emblazoned with their favorite engagement photo. Speaking about their wedding details, Macey shared, “My shoes were another favorite accessory. I randomly came across them online the day I got my wedding dress and ended up ordering them the same day. I loved the Tiffany-blue accent on the bottom and the gorgeous satin and bead detailing; they went perfectly with my gown.”

Her wedding gown was exclusively designed for the boutique she purchased it from, so it was truly one of a kind. “I fell in love with the hand-crafted beading and the statement the dress made, overall,” Macey says. “I had never seen something so elegant and timeless, modern, yet classic—with just the perfect amount of drama. The way Macey came across this gown sounded like something that was meant to be: She just happened to walk in the boutique on the only day that the dress was in the shop before it got transported to trunk shows for the following six months! “My incredible stylist Maria had pulled it for me, and it was the one dress I tried on that made my Mom cry.”

For the ceremony, Macey chose to have two large floral urns on ivory columns. She and her Mom had painted the columns themselves to create an European feel for the space. Macey shared, “The formal English gardens made it feel like you were swept away in some European fairytale,”

The bride was accompanied down the aisle with both of her parents. It was an extremely emotional moment as both the bride and groom started tearing up as she approached the ceremony. Shortly after the ceremony started, a storm started sweeping through. However, the inclement weather didn’t stop the bride and groom from saying their vows to each other. They were committed to giving each other their personal vows regardless of the downpour. The bride shares, “It started raining while we were reading our personal vows and our officiant stopped us at one point to see if we wanted to go inside. I peered out into the crowd and was very nonchalantly like, ‘I’m good if you all are!'”

For the reception, the family all worked together to create the beautiful details. Macey’s father created the calligraphy on the welcome sign – an antique mirror curated and painted by the bride and her mother. The marble table numbers were another family DIY: Macey and her mom teamed up again to source the marble and paint the gold table numbers. During the reception, besides the traditional father-daughter, mother-son dances, the guests were all moved by Macey’s emotional dance with her mom. “I’m extremely close with my mom and it was really important that we had a special dance together. She picked out this song and it was incredible to be able to have that moment with her,” Macey says.

How Joshua asked Macey to be his girlfriend:

From the Bride… So one Sunday in April of 2016 without me knowing, Joshua drove 7 hours roundtrip from Liberty University to Northern, VA to take my Mom out to dinner and share where his heart was at with wanting to pursue me and asking her permission for us to date (my heart still melts knowing that he did all of this to just date me, and this is the same man I now get to marry)!! And just a week after that on April 16, 2016 Joshua planned a whole day for us in Washington, D. C. That started out with visiting Buredo and eating our sushi roles outside the Air and Space Museum. We then walked and sat on the back lawn of the National Monument facing the Lincoln Memorial where we talked about our friendship and shared the first time we knew we loved each other. Then Joshua had us walk to the Lincoln Memorial and right in front of the biggest oak tree he told me to turn around for a few seconds as he rummaged through his backpack to pull something out. When I turned back around he handed me a small treasure chest he had painted white and then wrote our initials “J&M” separated in-between by a sunflower (my favorite flower) on. He then told me that the box was a physical representation of our potentially new dating relationship, and that in the box were rocks that had different words on them, and the ones that I didn’t want to be in our relationship I should toss out into the reflecting pool. As I foraged through the box, one by one I began to throw out all of the rocks, for I noticed that they all had words like “lust, selfishness, pride” etc., all things I obviously didn’t want to have in a relationship. Once I was finally done emptying out the box I stood there somewhat confused about what would happen next. But quickly he began to pull out rocks in his jacket pocket that had words like “love, respect, leadership, Christ-centered” etc. On them that as he placed into my empty box, he promised to carry out and fulfill in our relationship. Tears began streaming down my face and when he put the final rock in the box, he asked me to be his girlfriend. So excited and overjoyed, I couldn’t stop smiling to the point where when he asked if he could kiss me (we decided not to kiss or hold hands until we started dating), I was still cheesing so hard that he kissed my teeth!! HAHA talk about an awkward first kiss, but it’s seriously my favorite and we still laugh about it today. He then took my hand and we sat under that big oak tree and prayed over our relationship…

Proposal Story:

After spending nearly a perfect week in LA, Joshua and I were approaching our last full day of our trip. Throughout our time, he had been very adamant about the fact that he had a surprise day planned for us on May 29, and that I had to wear something that I felt really cute and comfortable in. So of course the morning of I made sure to take the time to really do my hair and makeup. I figured that regardless of what he had planned we would definitely be taking pictures of my outfit for my Instagram and blog. We spent the beginning of the morning eating at an adorable new spot we had passed a few times that we were really eager to try. Then we hopped in the car and drove to Trader Joe’s where Joshua revealed that we’d be having a light little picnic on a beach in Malibu, and encouraged me to pick out anything that looked/sounded good to eat, in addition to any bouquet of flowers that I really loved. Fast forward to when we finally got settled on the beach and started snacking on the little treats we had picked up, Joshua began asking me about some of my favorite moments from out trip so far and what I was excited for about our future together. In the process of sharing what I loved about our trip this time around, I had a wave of panic and anxiousness hit me like a bag of bricks. The reality that we would not only have to continue doing distance, but be 10 hours a part from each other with no foreseeable end made me so upset that I began to cry. And I’m not talking about a few tears, I mean REALLY cry to the point where it was turning into sobbing and I started just becoming overwhelmed with everything that was going on in the moment…

Here we were on a beach with a lot of other people (including girls in thong bikinis getting professional pics taken), which is not at all what we both envisioned. I knew that Joshua was trying to re-create the experience of when we first went to Malibu and had the most perfect day on a secluded beach with just the two of us laughing at nothing, talking about anything and everything, and soaking up the sun. But this just wasn’t that. But ALSO, here I was complaining about the smallest most insignificant details of the day when my best friend was taking the time to try and bless me. I felt like I was completely ruining the moment and couldn’t get out of this bad attitude I trapped myself in. But throughout this sudden mental and emotional breakdown that I was going through, Joshua held me and continued to remind me that not only was everything going to be okay, but that he loved me unconditionally regardless of how I was feeling in the moment. With such a drastic and dramatic turn of events (and a sudden need to pee really bad), I quickly trekked up to the top of the beach to relieve myself and take a moment to breath. By the time I got back, Joshua was standing there smiling really big and directed me to just sit on the blanket he had laid out and take a few minutes to just enjoy the ocean, and after a few minutes he would return. I sat there, closed my eyes, and just prayed that God would give me peace and help me relax and enjoy the rest of the day with my best friend. It was so perfect to just take a moment to myself with the sound of waves crashing in the background and enjoying the stillness of the beach. When Joshua came back he giddily handed me his headphones and told me to to watch the video on his phone in it’s entirety before turning around…At this point I was excited but definitely skeptical of what was happening, and the moment I put those headphones in and started the video which began with pictures of us over the last few years with our favorite songs playing in the background, I knew what was going on. As the video continued, each of Joshua’s family members in separate videos shared how much they loved me, loved us, and how they were so ecstatic to welcome me (officially) into their family. I’m a pretty emotional person (if you haven’t already been able to tell HAHA), but when Joshua’s Dad began promising me how he’d fight for me and love me like his own daughter, I really lost it and started crying SO hard. The last video in the sequence was of my Mom, and after she told me about how much she loved Joshua and was so proud of me for finding such an incredible man, she told me that I should turn around now…

And there on one knee was my best friend.

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This sweet first birthday party combines traditional heritage with all things pretty! We can’t get enough of the personal details and color palette, and what a cool way to celebrate!

Charlotte’s 1st birthday party was just about as sweet as you can imagine. The celebration was a traditional Korean Dohl – the milestone celebration of a child’s first year of life.

The event included prayers for Charlotte and traditional Dohl elements including Korean rice cakes, gold jewelry and a Doljabi ceremony. The design for Charlotte’s Dohl started with her hanbok (the traditional Korean dress) that was brought back from Seoul by a family friend. Charlotte’s event designer mom used the colors of the hanbok as the jumping off point for the decor.

From the backdrop in the perfect shade of pale pink to the floral installations to the desserts, a color palette of pink, cream and touches of gold and green were carried throughout.

Charlotte spent most of her first year donning bows (hair will come later in her life) and with her favorite Cuddle and Kind doll so those two elements played another important role in the celebration. Naomi commissioned illustrations of Charlotte with her doll that graced the invites, signage and guest tables and bows made their way into the day on the cake, Charlotte’s party dress and the petit fors.

The celebration was rounded out with a fun guessing game of what Charlotte would choose during the Doljabi (a traditional Korean custom where it is believed that the object the child selects will represent the child’s future) and a showstopping 3-tiered birthday cake with bas-relief sugar flowers tied with Charlotte’s signature bow. The perfect day for a sweet girl to celebrate the rest of her life.

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@letterstou

Photography: Bonnie Sen | Event Design and Planning: Naomi Pak | Florals: Floral & Bloom Designs | Calligraphy and Invitations: Peach + Paperie | Cakes and Macarons: Buttercream Bakeshop | Cookies: Paperlattes | Custom Illustrations and Signs: MLK Studio | Custom Name Sign: Letters To You | Linens: BBJ La Tavola

Prepare yourself for pretty as far as the eye can see. Michael Burton, RB for the Washington Redskins, and his childhood sweetheart Kristen had an al fresco Maryland wedding that will have your heart singing. Kirsten worked closely with East Made Co to design a wedding as beautiful as their life-long love story, with family-style tables swathed in linen and silk all set against a backdrop of rolling hills. Michael And Carina Photography lovingly snapped all the swoon-worthy pics, see all the beautiful details in the full gallery.

From Michael And Carina Photography…In a love story seemingly out of a fairytale, in a world where only 2% of new marriages in the US are between couples who started dating in high school, Michael and Kirsten began dating in eighth grade and haven’t looked back since. They first met in sixth grade, as students attending the same middle school in Long Valley, New Jersey. Once they began dating “officially” two years later, their lives and families became forever intertwined. Spending their free time in high school with friends, at Michael’s football games, and on dates to the local candy shop, the couple continued their relationship when they both attended college together at Rutgers.

After college, Kirsten became a teacher through Teach for America and Michael was drafted into the NFL as a fullback for the Detroit Lions. Following two seasons with the Lions and two seasons with the Chicago Bears, Michael now plays for the Washington Redskins, and Kirsten has supported his career the entire way. The pair are no strangers to long distance love, keeping a home base in Maryland, where Kirsten’s family now resides. Spending so much of the past four years apart made their wedding weekend at Foxfire, a private horse farm estate in Monkton, Maryland, that much more special for all involved.

Always having envisioned an al fresco, family style, dinner under twinkle lights, Kirsten worked closely with Maryland wedding planner East Made Co to design a warm, intimate-feeling wedding, inspired by subtle textured fabrics like linen and silk, and a color palette of complex neutrals. Although the wedding was designed to evoke an outdoor California wine country feel, Maryland’s unpredictable summer weather kept everyone on their toes leading into the evening, with thunderstorms popping up all around the area. Luckily, not a drop of rain fell on Kirstenand Michael’s celebration; instead, guests enjoyed an impressive rainbow seen beyond the rolling hills of Monkton. What better symbol of good luck and happiness to commemorate this absolutely meaningful day?

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Photography: Michael And Carina Photography | Cinematography: Cord 3 Films | Floral Design: Steel Cut Floral Co | Catering: Copper Kitchen | Hair and Makeup: Caitlyn Meyer | Lighting: Loane Brothers | Band: East Coast Entertainment | Wedding Venue: Foxfire | Dress Salon: L'Fay Bridal | Film Lab: Richard Photo Lab | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Planning, Design, Styling: East Made Co | Rentals: White Glove Rentals | Stationary and Calligraphy: Shotgunning for Love | Wedding Dress Designer: Calla Blanche

It’s official, Punxsutawney Phil didn’t see his shadow which means an early Spring is upon us! Well, at least we hope so!!  We just can’t wait to see tulips in full bloom at every turn and smell that fresh Spring air again. But until then, we’ll just be staring at this stunning inspiration shoot from Renee Hollingshead that satisfies all our Spring cravings. Emma Job from the Petal Report and Adriana Marie Events designed every inch of this gorgeous shoot, giving brides a modern yet ethereal take on the typical Spring wedding look.

From Emma Job from The Petal Report… This intimate and inspirational editorial was focused to create a vision for couples that want to incorporate modern details mixed with an ethereal and refined authenticity for their nearest and dearest. Ambiance was crucial for the setting to show off the true feeling behind this vibe.

Crimson & Clover incorporated a mixture of tall candlesticks as well as pillar candles to add to the lighting throughout the space and popped some of their go-to spring blooms to soften the tablescape. The spring season was picked for this look as it to inspire those getting married in the year to come.

The spring season was picked for this look as it to inspire those getting married in the year to come. Our blushing bride, instead of having just a “something blue” we decided to incorporate the hue throughout her day. From the details within the paper goods, the delicate napkin tied across the dinner plates, to the tiny flowers popped in throughout the day, there was not a moment untouched by the shade. The modern paper touches are one of our favorite parts, paired with the soft edges of the china and natural linen textures throughout the space. A bit of personality from the “couple” in the ceremony runner to tell their full story, paired with the abundant greenery to fill the all white space of Prism for interested.

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Photography: Renee Hollingshead Photography | Event Design: Cayleigh Hopkins | Event Design: Adriana Marie Events | Floral Design: Crimson and Clover Floral Design, Inc. | Cake: Catherine George Cakes | Stationery: Kelsey Malie Calligraphy | Hair and Makeup: Vintage Veils | Wedding Venue: Prism | Bridal Gown: Wren Bridal | Model : Cate Thompson | Rentals: White Glove Rentals

We know that you hear us say, “This is one of the most beautiful weddings [dot dot dot]…” on a pretty regular basis, but believe me when I say that Lauren and Harrison’s classic wedding at Brittland Estates IS the proverbial “all that and more!” With an inherent love for eastern-shore weddings, the talented team at Eastmade Event Company assured that this lovely couple would have a day that would create memories of a lifetime! With a dreamy bridal bouquet like this one from Sophie Felts Floral Design, you know it’s going to be spectacular….

The main reason we wanted to share Lauren and Harrison’s wedding pics from Rachel May Photography (other than the fact that the florals from Sophie Felts are just so-darned-awesome) is because when we opened the folder and saw the (more than 200) images, we seriously weren’t sure whether we could do it justice! I, personally, fell in love with their love — their fathers, their mothers, friends & family ~ as well as the emotion that our lives are all about! Thank goodness Rachel May and Josh Gooden Cinema were there to capture!

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Your wedding day won’t just happen. It will take hours and hours of planning and a pretty significant amount of work. Lauren and Harrison did their due diligence and chose East Made to help orchestrate the process. How on earth else could they have looked so incredibly calm and enjoy the significance of the day?!? ( a quick ps… we don’t often see the bride & groom at the Cocktail Hour!) Time-lines and Time-Alone are so important. With the right kind of planning, though, you can enjoy schmoozing with your guests! And you’ll even get to taste a few of those yummy appetizers plus your signature cocktail!

I’ve never written a post like Lauren & Harrison’s! So I do have to take a moment to say how much I’ve enjoyed it! Seeing the images that so clearly show their love, the joy of the day and the new family dynamics that will be with them – from this day forward – has been an honor.

Our best wishes for a lifetime of love to Lauren, Harrison and their family & friends! And a huge thank-you to all of the wedding professionals who helped make this day an incredible success. See all 207 of Rachel May’s pics from the day in the full SMP gallery!

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More from Rachel May Photography…Lauren & Harrison were married on the most perfect Summer day at Brittland Manor this past June. As if the sunshine itself was not enough of a light, the pure joy and love from the couple and their family and friends brought a luminescent light of its own to the day. East Made Event Co executed a perfect event for them, featuring warm neutrals and lush florals from Sophie Felts Floral Design.

Harrison and Lauren first met during freshman year at Franklin & Marshall College. Harrison knocked on the door of Lauren’s friend’s dorm room wearing a Captain American costume – Lauren was not amused. Eventually their friendship grew and the two took a quick trip to New York to attend a concert together. The rest was history!

Harrison and Lauren dated throughout college and senior year got their beloved yellow lab, Gibson. After college Lauren moved to DC for two years and Harrison to New York. In 2015, Lauren moved to New York to live with Harrison. They created a weekend tradition of attending Central Park off-leash hours with Gibson. On November 5, 2016, Lauren was so excited to share the special tradition with her sister and brother-in-law that were visiting from Maryland. When they got to their favorite spot in the park, Harrison dropped down on one knee and popped the question! Afterwards, Harrison surprised Lauren with a brunch with the couple’s family.

Lauren and Harrison saw what felt like endless wedding venues in Maryland and New York. Finally, when the couple saw Brittland Manor, they immediately fell in love. The couple’s planner, Elizabeth Gopal, created the theme of ‘Casual Elegance’. They wanted to play off of the natural beauty of the venue and for the décor to reflect their laid back personalities. Their amazing team helped create the perfect day!

Photography: Rachel May Photography | Wedding Planning: East Made Event Company | Floral Design: Sophie Felts Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Mikaella Bridal | Cake: Sugar Bakers Cakes | Invitations: Ruby The Fox | Bridesmaids Dresses: Joanna August | Catering: Rouge Fine Catering | Hair & Makeup: Ariel Lewis | Calligraphy: Shotgunning for Love Letters | Band: Bachelor Boys Band | Tent: Eastern Shore Tents And Events | Ceremony & Reception Venue: Brittland Estates | Menswear: The Black Tux | Strings: Chesapeake Strings | Video: Josh Gooden Cinematography

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Amy and Ben’s wedding day was the equivalent of a scoop of your favorite ice cream on a warm summer day: just right. This outdoor, brilliantly colorful, and maritime-themed wedding at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in Maryland boasted pops of bright magenta and the prettiest orange. What’s more is the newlywed couple, with the help of talented wedding planner and designer Kari Rider Events, included details with an ode to their profession as teachers like gold paper clips for the escort cards and (the most chic) clipboards for their seating arrangement. Enjoy this ridiculously happy couple and the beautiful photos from Renee Hollingshead Photography.

From Kari Rider Events… Nothing says “summer wedding” like a palette of coastal blues, colorful blooms, hand-dipped ice cream, and endless sailboat views. That was the scene at Amy and Ben’s waterfront celebration at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland.

With both the bride and groom working as principals at schools in D. C., we wanted to incorporate some subtle nods to their careers in education—coming in the form of adorable white “clipboard” menus with the cutest little gold clips.

We carried that theme into the escort display, as well, using wooden clipboards to create contrast with the white board, blue lettering and vibrant blooms. 

The maritime setting inspired the rest of the décor—layers of coastal blues, scalloped gold-rimmed chargers, a fun self-service beer boat, and a gorgeous sailcloth tent, to name a few details.

The result was a relaxed and intimate celebration with perfect personalization and even more perfect weather (80 and sunny with a fabulous breeze!).

Thank you so very much to the adorable Amy & Ben for sharing their absolutely beautiful, charm filled day with us. We love every, last wildly person detail that you infused!

Best parts from our sweet seats? The polkadot linens paired with the poppy, oh-so-happy colors of the coral charm peonies. The gold flatware upped the on-trend game and the ice cream surprise is one that we hope to see at every wedding reception from now until forever.

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Photography: Renee Hollingshead Photography | Event Design + Planning: Kari Rider Events | Floral Design: Monteray Farms | Cake: Bay Country Bakery | Stationery: Susan Wilson Designs | Catering: Gourmet By The Bay | Makeup: Allison of Natural Makeup Chic | Hair: PSC Hair Artistry | DJ: Mixing Maryland | Ceremony Music: Bay Strings | Transportation: Extraordinar Limousine | Wedding Venue: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum | Ice Cream: The Scottish Highland Creamery | Rentals: DC Rental | Tent + Rentals: Eastern Shore Tents and Events

Classic. It’s a word that has so many meanings. Rooted in tradition. Built around etiquette. Ceremony. Simplicity. Having written about and been a part of the wedding industry for the better part of 15 years though, the word classic has assumed a far different, far more broad intention than ever before. We feature whimsical, personality infused “classic” weddings all the time with the true definition simply tucked into the culture and ceremony that the wedding is inspired by. That said, for those of you that want a truly “classic” (think Grace Kelly or Kate Middleton) vibe, these are the blueprints you need…with a little history lesson baked in and a stunning, illustrative shoot from Joy Michelle Photography, Floret and Vine, Social Graces and the gorgeous White Hall Manor. Plus a beautiful film by Monachetti.

THE CLASSIC STYLED BRIDE

A classic bride is simple. She is elegant. She is refined. She is careful about the details and always looks at the whole AND  the individual pieces of her look. The main element for a classic bride to consider, is the color of the fabric she chooses. White became a popular option in 1840, when Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Apparently, paying attention to the royal fashions (ahem, Kate & Meghan) was pretty major. Since then, white has dominated as the color of choice for the classic bride. Alternative classic hues would include eggshell and ivory, although we believe whole-heartedly that blush will soon land on that list.

Next, she considers her silhouette. A-Line & Ballgown are the two cuts that are most commonly used in trad weddings (though there a dozen other stunning cuts that can still capture the timeless wedding vibe you are going for).  Satin, Silk and Charmeuse are generally the foundational fabrics, while lace, tulle and Chiffon are common overlay fabrics and give the bride that romantic, feminine vibe that a traditionally styled bride is after.

Beauty should be simple and clean. Natural inspired make-up just amped up a wee bit. Hair in a classic up do (a chignon, a french twist, a bun) or kept neat but free flowing. Jewelry can be anything that doesn’t distract from the overall look – a simple strand of pearls or a solitaire diamond on the neck, diamond, pearl or jewel studs. And a beautiful veil to finish the look.

Bottom line for a classic bride is to go for simple, understated elegance that will stand the test of time.

THE CLASSIC STYLED GROOM

A classic groom will be dressed in black tie. The color palette of his tuxedo can vary depending on the time of day and the formality of the wedding. However, for the most traditional grooms, it is important that they pay attention to etiquette when choosing what to wear. We found a pretty spot-on chart that will take all of the guess work out of choosing your menswear – something that should 100% NOT be an afterthought to the bride, but should elevate her look while still be ravishing on its own.

THE CLASSIC WEDDING INVITATION

Traditionally, black engraved calligraphy on white cotton paper and a wax seal defined the classic wedding invitation. Now, “classic” encapsulates that very foundational style but has permission to play with colors of paper and ink, calligraphic styles and methods of printing.

Classic on a budget, usually requires flat (no texture) or thermography printing (meant to mimic the look of engraving). Stick with white, the palest of grays or ivories and go with a darker ink on the primary pieces. Your best bet if you have elaborate classic invitation dreams but a kinko’s budget is to go with a larger printing house that specializes in wedding invitations like Minted or work with a local stationer that can tailor a home-printed invitation for you while staying inside your financial restraints.

If you have more of a budget, you can work with an artisanal or couture stationer like Pluma Palomino (I mean how amazing are the invitations above that she crafted!?) to really infuse your personality into your invitation while still retaining that classic style. Hand torn cotton papers, white ink, personalized wax seals, slips of the most delicate tissue paper ever (which was normally meant to protect the hand drawn ink). You can use embellishments like silk dyed ribbon, gorgeous envelope liners, various soft luxury hues in paper and authentic calligraphy to address the invitations. Depending on your overall spend, you can look at the above printing methods, along with calligraphy, engraving and letterpress.

THE CLASSIC WEDDING CAKE

One of the earliest traditions that we know of when it comes to the wedding cake is rooted in Ancient Rome where a cake of wheat or barley was broken over the bride’s head to bring good fortune to the couple. The cake was considered a luxury and the larger it was, the more wealth you seemingly had. 

Wedding cakes in early America were traditionally fruit cakes topped with marzipan and icing with tiers (sound familiar?) and the “cutting of the cake” was a focal point of the reception. White icing was a symbol of money and social importance so a white cake was the desired look – purely refined white sugar was a costly ingredient that only wealthy could afford. The concept that the color white represents purity in a wedding came about when Queen Victoria wed Prince Albert in 1840.

To capture the “classic” wedding cake on any budget – stick with a white or lemon flavored cake and vanilla buttercream or fondant (or both) with a raspberry, vanilla or lemon filling. Simple decor – from delicate sugar flowers, to silk ribbon or a classic cake topper are a must.

The best thing about a wedding cake is that you can really play and still retain that classic look and feel, depending on how you style the cake. More popular flavors are hazelnut, banana, red velvet, chocolate and coconut. A few of our favorite flavor combos?

• Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate
• Banana cake with chocolate buttercream
• White cake with lemon buttercream and fresh raspberry jam
• Italian Cream Cake & Cream Cheese Buttercream
• Champagne Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

CLASSIC WEDDING FLOWERS

While the reasoning behind wedding flowers has taken many a twist and turns – let’s sum it up like this. Flowers, herbs and plants have been used in wedding celebrations for as long as anyone can remember. They have been a status of wealth, they have been rooted in meaning and luck, they have been used simply to make a room feel beautiful.

The most classic hues of wedding florals is generally considered white and green. Thus, the type of flower is rooted in the color options available. White roses, hydrangeas, Stephanotis, lilies and orchids have always been considered the most traditional. Now, “classic” includes many, many more varieties, the most popular being Peonies, Ranunculus, Anemones, Garden and Vintage Roses.

On a budget but still want a classic look? You can sub in just about any flower that comes in white – try to find flowers that are in season as they look richer and they are far less expensive than sourcing a peony in December. Not on a budget, well the sky is clearly the limit.

Most classic wedding flowers include a bridal bouquet, smaller bridesmaids bouquets, boutonniere for the men, petals for flower girls, ceremony decor (often two arrangements flanking the top and bottom of the aisle), corsages for the important women (moms, grandmas, etc) and reception pieces. The reception can feature long, draped garlands, low but full centerpieces, tall and towering arrangements or any combination of those elements.

THE CLASSIC WEDDING VENUE

Well, if we’re looking at our most recent history, weddings generally take place in a church with the reception either in that same church hall or an event space nearby. As wedding budgets have grown, wedding venues have taken on a myriad of shapes and sizes. Now considered most classic are hotel ballrooms, country clubs, garden, homes, barns and event spaces.

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Photography: Joy Michelle Photography | Videography: Monachetti | Floral Design: Floret and Vine | Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero | Wedding Dress: TLC Bridal Boutique | Cake: Catherine George Cakes | Engagement Ring: By Angeline | Tuxedo: The Black Tux | Wedding Venue: White Hall | Hair and Makeup Artist: Beauty by Brittany & Kristen Browne | Invitation Suite and Calligraphy: Pluma Palomino | Planning: Social Graces Events | Rentals: White Glove Rentals | Ribbon: Jefferson Lane

Really being successful in defining a classic look for your wedding comes down to a few key elements: Simplicity, Refinement and Elegance. Stick with an all white color palette, choose modest, formal attire and choose florals that feel “rich” no matter what your budget. Let ceremony take center stage and find the grace and elegance in tradition that has been built upon hundreds of years of intention.

But want to know the single most important element to hosting a classic wedding? Love. REAL love. TRUE love. The kid that of love that makes everyone forget about the room entirely, forget about the color of the flowers or the flavor of the cake. And focus on the reason that we are having a wedding in the first place. Love. That’s it.

From Hannah Lane Photography… Ainsley and Michael’s proposal was one of the most captivating, love-filled and joyful days that we’ve ever had the pleasure of being a part of. Set up like an editorial shoot, our “bride” had absolutely no idea that this day was made for her. Leading up to the big day, we spent countless hours plotting with Michael…

We talked dates, details, locations… we set up everything perfectly behind the scenes, meanwhile talking to them both on the side, asking if they would “model” for us for an upcoming shoot. The most difficult aspect of the entire project was Michael’s schedule. He is an active-duty US Army Soldier and was off on a duty-assignment for the majority of the planning phase. Believe it or not, most of this proposal was planned in just two weeks!

We wanted to make sure that the details were not just beautiful, but uniquely them. With Ainsley’s background in architecture we included geometric accents and materials like wood, marble, metal and glass.

Also incorporated were the couple’s love of donuts, along with blue and purples, their favorite colors! We wanted them to look back on this day and not see it as a styled shoot that ended in a proposal, but THEIR styled shoot, specifically crafted for THEIR proposal.

Watching Ainsley and Michael interact all day was magical! Their love for each other is so clearly displayed in the way that they interact; holding hands every chance they get, stealing kisses and looking at one another in that “lovey-eyed” way, as Ainsley refers to it. This shoot is filled with love. It’s filled with beautiful flowers and personalized details. But most importantly, it’s filled with the promise of forever.

All of our amazing vendors showed up in a way that we couldn’t have dreamt of. All to make sure that this couple, who has spent years navigating different time zones and budgeting for plane tickets, had an amazingly special proposal that they would never forget!

Watch the surprise proposal unfold in this short film from Ivory Tree Weddings…

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A little bit more about Michael and Ainsley and their surprise proposal…

Q: So, this proposal?!

A: Michael: It was terrifying. I always tell Ainsley she terrifies me and she has no idea what I could be talking about but that day, it was on full display. My heart was pounding from the moment we woke up. I hardly remember the drive to Swan Harbor. I dang near forgot to take my shorts off before putting the suit on. But it was better than I had ever imagined. All I could focus on was memorizing every detail of her face when she turned around so I can go back to that moment in my mind. She was as beautiful as ever. Truth be told, I don’t actually remember her saying “yes” but the ring was on her finger and she still came home with me!
A: Ainsley: I always told him I’d cry. I’m surprised I didn’t! But I think it was because it took me so long to process what was happening. Since I had JUST taken the fake wedding bands off my finger, and this was a fake wedding photoshoot, I turned around and saw him on the ground on one knee and just assumed he was holding Hannah’s ring as part of the photo. Why that made sense in my head, I don’t know. Why would he be proposing if we had just gotten married? Beats me. But once I realized he had a different ring I was pretty excited. He told me he had something to ask me and I felt like I was going to faint so I was like “well ya better hurry up and ask it, before I fall over!” and he proposed. At this point I had already had my hand out like “why are you even asking just put it on already”. I don’t even remember saying yes. I just remember him putting it on my finger and being too gentle to push it over my knuckle so I had to fix it. Then everyone cheered. Strangely enough, it was kind of a blur. Thankfully we have it on tape!

Q: What was your favorite part, other than being engaged of course?

A: Ainsley: The absolute entire thing! I’ve just wanted to make him mine for a while now, so the fact that I know that is actually happening is the best feeling. I guess my favorite part would either be that it really was a surprise or that it happened when I was playing bride. Given that we both knew this day would come eventually, I was truly hoping he would actually take me by surprise and that I wouldn’t see it coming. He did.
A: Michael: The donuts…. I mean how happy Ainsley was the entire time. Before the proposal she was just so excited for the photo shoot. I’m glad I could take that excitement higher. She was beaming the whole time, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. And the donuts.

Q: You’re engaged! Do you have any plans yet?

A: Michael: We had a long drive back to Kansas after the proposal where we kinda talked over some rough details but mostly I think we’re just enjoying each other’s company. I just got back from deployment about a month before the shoot and we have a lot of time to make up for.
A: Ainsley: We don’t yet. We pretty much know who we want in our Bridal party. We think the ceremony should be early summer or fall because I get cold easily and he gets hot easily so we’re trying to find a happy medium where I won’t be shivering and he won’t be sweating. We think we want a military wedding. I know I want some lavender in there. That’s about it!

Q: Anything else you want to share with us?

A: Ainsley: I want to thank thank thank thank everyone who made that day super special. And I want to thank him for being so invested in our relationship. For knowing me well enough to know what would have made me the most happy that day. For listening to me and believing in us even when our constant distance made everyone else lose faith.
A: Michael: I can’t thank you guys, Hannah and everyone else for helping put this together. It’s certainly one of those memories we will have for a lifetime.

Photography: Hannah L Photography | Videography: Ivory Tree Weddings | Floral Design: Maryland Bay Blossoms | Wedding Dress: Elite Secrets | Invitations: Dear Darling Design Studio | Engagement Ring: Zales | Groom's Attire: SuitShop | Wedding Venue: Swan Harbor Farm | Cake + Donuts: Cake by Jason | Cake Topper: Bash & Co | Ceremony Arch: Lorinda Lukenbach | Chair Signs: Letters To You | Hair/Makeup: Behind The Veil | Jewelry Dish: Love Style Happiness | Linens: Zeffert and Gold from Let's Do Linens | Place Settings: Something Vintage Rentals | Planning: Lorinda Lukenbach | Silk Ribbon: Adorn Company | Table Number + Donut Topper: Z Create Design

This is what summer weddings are all about my friends. Braids and beach waves, flowy Jenny Yoo bridesmaids, sunsets that warm the soul, al fresco dining… and smiles for days. Just for starters. Kari Rider Events crafted a day that suits these two to a T. I don’t even know them, but I know that their day was uniquely them based on their utter joy that pours from Elizabeth Fogarty‘s imagery. Join me in the gallery for more summery sweetness!

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From Kari Rider Events… University of Maryland grads Meg and Matt wanted to keep things cool and casual for their waterfront Eastern Shore wedding. So we got to work creating a scene that was equal parts modern, rustic and elegant at the picturesque Great Oak Manor in Chestertown. Wood farm tables juxtaposed by clear ghost chairs set the perfect tone inside the sailcloth reception tent, where layers of marble chargers, tile place cards and acrylic signs completed the look. Pops of dusty blue in the flowers and bridesmaids dresses gave a subtle nod to the waterfront venue, where guests enjoyed not one but four signature drinks from this fun-loving couple. A stunning acrylic seating chart proved an attraction in and of itself, as did the adorable cheese wheel cake and the ever-inspiring band Millenium, who kept the dance floor full all night.

From the Bride… We met in college at University of Maryland in greek life, but remained friends until several years post college. Almost exactly 4 years ago, I had a bunch of college friends to my parents’ house to go boating and for a crab feast, and Matt tagged along with some of his frat brothers. A mixture of sun, fun and bud light had sparks flying and we were nearly inseparable from then on! I knew that he was the one when I was ready to upend my life and move to DC after only several months of dating. I’m not one to accept change very well, but I was all in and knew I’d met my match!

Photography: Elizabeth Fogarty | Videography: Just Hitched Wedding Films | Event Planning: Kari Rider Events | Florals: Crimson and Clover Floral Design, Inc. | Wedding Dress: Hayley Paige | Invitations: Stephanie B Design | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Occasions Chestertown | make up: Alison Harper and Company | Band: Millenium Band | Wedding Venue: Great Oak Manor | Tent: Eastern Shore Tents And Events | Bridal Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Paper Goods: Stephanie B Design | Rentals: Select Event Group

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Jenny Yoo

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The most exciting shot of a wedding (and one that I’m sure is intense for most wedding photographers) is the ceremony exit. It’s also one of my favorite moments of a wedding day—and couples like these two, are exactly why. Their pure joy jumps off the page, and Lauren Fair captured that moment with such care. It’s just one little piece of this Big Day, planned by Brielle Davis Events. Make sure to experience the entirety of love right here in the full gallery.

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From Lauren Fair Photography… Chris and Joanne’s elegant, European mansion spring wedding was so dreamy! These two are the sweetest couple, with such a genuine love for each other and for others. The day was complete with lots of peachy tones, the beautiful architecture of Strong Mansion, a lush garden ceremony followed by a tented reception on the mansion grounds, and a surprise choreographed first dance to The Greatest Showman’s “Rewrite the Stars!”

From the bride… Before I was dating my now husband, I heard about this little website called Pinterest. For kicks, I looked through wedding inspiration and there it was! An adorable pink and gold backyard wedding on Style Me Pretty that captured my heart. So began my first Pinterest board. It’s fun to see how my tastes have matured over the last 7 years.

When I was finally engaged and it came time to plan for the real deal, I knew exactly the type of wedding I wanted. An intimate, romantic, light, and ethereal French garden inspired event. Of course being the big nerds we are, I wanted to throw in a dash of our love of video games and movies, and also work my artsy side. Spring was the perfect time and I gave myself a little over two years to plan.

We found our stunning venue at Strong Mansion and it was love at first sight. The beauty of the outdoors, the French Chateau styled mansion, and the history, exceeded our expectations. After we had our venue, everything else started to fall into place and I just had to find my dream team.

One of the best decisions I’ve ever made was hiring Brielle Davis as our wedding planner. She was my sanity and helped me find my top priority vendor, the photographer. I’m an artistic person and finding a creative mind that would capture my inspiration for our big day was crucial. Our photographers, Lauren and Tim Fair, were a dream! They are inspirational people who know their craft and have blown me away time and time again with their work. It was truly an honor getting to be a part of their art!

By the end of this process we felt like each of the vendors were our friends. Our baker Jimin made the most delicious Nutella filled almond cake, our officiant Jeff was such a professional and had everyone laughing and crying. We are that couple that’s always on the dance floor so we had to find the best DJ who could MC and read the crowd, and Mike killed it! Our videographer Dan made us feel like a part of those movies we love so much. The florals, rentals, food, and beauty – all of it – was spot on!

I learned so much from this process and did a great deal of DIY. Being a perfectionist meant my DIY had to look professional and so I threw myself into learning calligraphy for all our invitations, signs, escort mirror, marble name plates, bridal party gifts, and more! I also took macaron lessons so I could make hundreds of French macarons for our favors. It was such a labour of love and I’m opening an Etsy shop so I can make others just as happy on their special day! We even spent months learning a choreography to a number from The Greatest Showman and we blew everyone away with our lift!

Our wedding was pure magic. We were stunned at how amazing and blissful it all felt. Family and friends were all wonderful and my bridesmaids were stunning in their different shades of pink tulle. I felt gorgeous in my Hayley Paige dream dress. Seeing all my time and effort flourish… it was incredible. There wasn’t a single worry except the nerves of finally seeing my soon-to-be husband for our first look. Once I saw the tears running down his face when he turned around, all was right in my world.”

Photography: Lauren Fair Photography | Cinematography: Mike Willis | Planner: Brielle Davis Events | Floral Design: Edge Floral | Wedding Dress: Hayley Paige | Cake: Better Together Cakes | Reception Venue: Strong Mansion | Rings: Mervis Diamond Importers | Bridesmaid Dresses: Revelry | Catering: Carriage House Catering | Hair: JKW Beauty | Hair + Makeup: Makeup By Kevan | Bridal Salon: Love Couture Bridal | Groom's Tux: J. Hillburn | Paper Goods: Minted | Rentals: Select Event Rentals | Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic

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Rustic elegance is the name of the game for this Maryland wedding, planned and designed by Sarah Park Events. The key to bringing that sophisticated vibe to a barn venue is in the luxe linens and rich accents, like gold, hand-calligraphed stationery and dramatic black bridesmaids’ gowns. Trust us, you’ll want notes on how to recreate this look as you scroll through Esther Sun’s photographs, all waiting for you in The Vault.

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From the bride… When we started thinking about planning our wedding, we knew that we wanted to throw an awesome, rustic barn wedding. I love neutral tones and natural light, yet still wanted to play with the season and the venue. Our planner, Sarah Park Events, was able to take our idea of a barn wedding and turn it into a reality. Despite the rainy season, the weather turned out perfect on our wedding day. The location, food, photographer – everything fell in into place. When the day came, I was more nervous than I’d ever been. I wanted everything to be perfect. And it was. From the flowers, to the food, and especially our photographer, the day was better than I could have ever imagined.

Photography: Esther Sun Photography | Event Planning: Sarah Park Events | Floral Design: Sarah Park Events | Wedding Dress: Garnish Boutique | Cake: La Cakerie | Stationery: Custom Crafted | Ceremony Venue: KPCB Church | Reception: Private Barn | Catering: Eleven Courses Catering & Event Co. | Hair + Makeup: Ariel Lewis | DJ: Dave Testerman | Tent : Elite Tent | Hair Accessory: Veiled Beauty | Photo Booth: Lyfe Pix | Rentals: Select Event Group | Ribbon: Tono Co

What were you doing at four years old? How about meeting your soul mate? That’s what these two cuties could cross off their play date to do list and if that’s not the makings of a fairytale romance, then their elegant winter wedding will seal the deal. Planned and styled by East Made Event Company and captured by L Hewitt Photography, this chic indoor celebration makes our hearts melt… and our Pinterest boards shine. See it all right this way!

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From East Made Event Company… On a 14 degree day during Baltimore’s early 2018 winter, 140 lucky guests cozied together in the warm and glowing Baltimore Museum of Art to celebrate the nuptials of Meredith and Michael. Walking up the front museum steps into Fox Court, guests were greeted by a string trio and candlelight, and were surrounded by grand, Ionic columns and some of the world’s most beautiful art.

Meredith and Michael first met when they were just four years old, at a friend’s birthday party in their hometown of Falls Church, Virginia. They knew each other throughout their youth, and started dating during their senior year in high school, when they were both point guards for their respective Varsity basketball teams. After college, both taught public school in New Orleans before moving back to the DC area to attend graduate school; Michael in business, and Meredith in museum studies. With Meredith’s interest in art and the beautiful museums who house it, choosing the Baltimore Museum of Art as their wedding venue made perfect sense.

Meredith was one of our most elegant and fashionable brides, donning her mother’s black velvet, vintage wedding dress, impeccably tailored, for her rehearsal dinner, and then surprising us on her wedding day with emerald green velvet Jimmy Choo heels. The V-shaped peekaboo under-arm cutouts in her Mikaella gown added a modern twist to her classic winter wedding style; the perfect modern compliment to Michael’s black tuxedo.

Our couple’s color palette was inspired by Meredith’s favorite scalloped print, seen most prominently on the envelope liner of the invitation suite by Stephanie B Design. The print colors of blush, grey, and dusty slate blue were woven throughout the wedding along with gold and greenery, and the scalloped arches in the print mimicked both the arched windows of the museum as well as the marble tile place cards at each place setting.

Meredith and Michael also worked with Rouge Catering to build four different menu entrées, unique to each city where they have lived or will honeymoon – Falls Church, New Orleans, Baltimore, and Rome. From crab cakes, to gnocchi, to beignets, guests were transported around the globe, from dinner through dessert. Blush velvet linens on the long tables and ivory shantung on the round tables also added to the luxurious winter feel. All of these personalized details perfectly suited the couple, their venue, and the winter season, making every aspect of this gorgeous wedding elegantly theirs.

Photography: L Hewitt Photography | Floral Design: Sophie Felts Floral Design | Wedding Dress: Mikaella Bridal | Cake: Sugar Bakers Cakes | Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Rouge Fine Catering | Hair + Makeup: Updos For I Dos | Lighting: Event Dynamics | Transportation: A Touch Of Class Limousines | Bridal Boutique: Ellie's Bridal Boutique | Calligraphy + Stationery: Stephanie B Design | Ceremony Musicians: Chesapeake Strings | Event Planning + Styling: East Made Event Company | Linens: Select Event Group | Lounge Furniture: White Glove Rentals | Menswear: The Black Tux | Rentals: Loane Brothers | Valet: Jay's Valet

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Jenny Yoo

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A shared love of golf led these two cuties to Green Spring Valley Hunt Club when planning their wedding day alongside A. Dominick Events. With its crisp color palette, fun geometric linens by La Tavola Fine Linen Rental, classic invitation suite by Cheree Berry Paper, and eye-catching hanging lantern installation, this wedding captured by Abby Jiu Photography is an unforgettable blend between preppy and whimsical – a hole in one in our book!

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Wendy and Drew meet in DC when they were out to dinner with mutual friends at one of the bride’s favorite restaurants, Pearl Dive Oyster Bar. They instantly clicked! Almost two quick, fun-filled years after their first introduction, on a beautiful Saturday morning in October, Drew lead Wendy into a garden while they were out on a walk in Princeton. She thought they were on their way to get brunch and was not expecting this detour. A few minutes after entering the garden, Drew got down on one knee and proposed. The bride was completely surprised, and they celebrated their engagement with champagne and dessert at their favorite local restaurant.

The couple decided to have their reception at Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, which holds a special place in both of their hearts. They both love the game of golf and spent their first summer together plying many rounds (Drew still lets Wendy have unlimited mulligans).

If you have ever seen their family dance, it would be obvious they would want the dance floor and band to be the focal point of their wedding. They oriented the layout of the tent to include a large dance area and accented it with a canopy of hanging greenery and lanterns.

Their cake topper belonged to the bride’s great grandmother who had it on her own wedding cake almost 100 years ago.

Photography: Abby Jiu Photography | Event Planning: A. Dominick Events | Floral Design: Victoria Clausen Floral Events | Wedding Dress: Carolina Herrera | Cake: Charm City Cakes | Invitations: Cheree Berry Paper | Ceremony Venue: St. Thomas Episcoal Church | Reception Venue: Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, Owings Mills Maryland | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Catering: Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, Owings Mills Maryland | Hair + Makeup: Karma By Erwin Gomez | Calligraphy: Elizabeth Porcher Jones | Groom's Attire: Brooks Brothers | Groomsmen's Attire: The Black Tux | Bride and Bridal Party/Family personal florals: Alex Secor | Chairs + Blue Glasses: Select Event Group | Chalk Bar Artist: JN Chalk & Co | Rentals: DC Rental | Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Tent + Dance Floor: Loane Brothers

This wedding may have occurred on April Fools’ Day but it’s no laughing matter; instead we have a pretty as can be spring wedding with plenty of pastels and lots of smiles. Eventi Floral & Events spearheaded the design and fabulous florals for this special celebration in Chesapeake Bay and Abby Jiu and Lee Russell Films captured it all from start to finish. All in all, it’s one inspirational island wedding we’re happy to be surprised with!

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From Eventi Floral & Events… When the bride, Melissa, was just a little girl, her parents brought her to Gibson Island to see if she might like living on the island. During a tour of the club, she walked out the back door, looked out over the water and said that she wanted to get married there. Fast forward a few years to a stunning brand new Club and she still had the same wish.

From the Bride… Gibson Island is a small community, 1000 acres on the Chesapeake Bay with roughly 200 homes. Our friends and family on the island hosted guests for us so that everyone was able to stay on the island and have a wonderful relaxing weekend both celebrating and enjoying the space. People were able to rent golf carts to drive around and fully enjoy the island experience.

From Eventi Floral & Events… Once we navigated the housing situation, the only pickle was that the club had recently been rebuilt and was not able to accommodate her 200+ guest count. So, tent it was!

From the Bride… When looking at available dates in April, April Fool’s Day seemed like the perfect fit! We wanted our wedding to feel inviting and welcoming. I am from the east coast and Scott is from Arkansas, so we knew many people would be traveling. We wanted to make sure that they felt taken care of and welcome and understood how grateful we were that they travelled to come celebrate with us. We tried to tie in different elements from our respective families and homes as well. We called the hogs at the wedding (an Arkansas tradition) and everyone cheered with excitement when the band played it!

We thought purposefully about seating arrangements and where to put people so they got to know other great guests. We also had several guests that we knew had something in common or would get along and wanted to create a way to make sure they were able to visit with one another. At dinner, we had something called The Hunger Games – we put little known facts that we thought would bring out conversation, get people talking, or make the small world connections known. It would say something like “Someone at this table…” and then apply to multiple people, a cool story about someone, a connection to the bride/groom etc. We felt it added to the atmosphere of making everyone feel welcome and like a true guest.

From Eventi Floral & Events… We wanted to give Melissa and Scott something they could put up in their home so we opted to have Amanda Day Rose create a watercolor of the club that held their reception and have guests sign around it. We then used the watercolor design throughout the day on the seating chart display, the bar menus and a few other places. It really helped tie everything together. We also has a ring bearer pillow made out of the same map print of the Chesapeake Bay from the invitation envelope liner.

From the Bride… Some of my favorite memories include:

Getting ready with my friends and my mom and taking pictures on our back lawn. The wind made for great photos and it was so relaxing and fun!

I did a first look with my dad and my friends. No one had seen my wedding dress and it was so wonderful to surprise everyone. My dad started crying, which of course made me cry.

Getting ready to walk in, and start the ceremony my bridesmaids and parents were hanging out in a room upstairs. They had a window that looked out onto the entrance and we got to see everyone walk in. That was so much fun seeing all the guests arrive – I could feel the anticipation and excitement.

As the guests approached we had bagpipes playing. That element was super special. My parents had them at their wedding and we are a very Scottish family and my husband’s name is Scott – so it added to the “Scottish” element!

Walking down the aisle and seeing Scott for the first time was very emotional. We decided not to do a first look because he wanted to see me for the first time in that moment and I’m glad we waited. It truly was what you dream about as a kid.

Walking in to see the tent for the first time was amazing. I had not been able to fully imagine how incredible it was going to look and it was really breathtaking. After all that planning, and planning remotely you just trust your wedding planner/designer that it will all work out and she really did more than I could have ever imagined. Getting to see it put to life was underrated. Even for Scott, he had some idea about things but was also in the dark about a few and getting to see his reaction of all the hard work everyone had done was just as wonderful. It was like getting to experience that happiness twice!

Being announced was easily one of my favorite memories and I didn’t anticipate it being that way. The way we walked into the tent we walked through a line of our friends and they were clapping and high fiveing and patting us on the back. We felt the love from everyone that day in a whole new way.

Our first dance and then having everyone come out onto the dance floor was so memorable. It felt like the party was getting started and I could feel how excited and happy people were to be there. I felt very much like a host throughout the whole wedding and wanted to make sure everyone was having a good time and their needs were taken care of, getting the dance party started and dancing with Scott as husband and wife was the BEST.

The confetti during our last dance was AWESOME. It was like being inside a snow globe and was the best way to end the night.

Photography: Abby Jiu Photography | Videography: Lee Russell Films | Event Planning + Design: Eventi Floral & Events | Floral Design: Eventi Floral & Events | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Invitations: mlc designs, llc | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Catering: Gibson Island Club | Hair + Makeup: Behind The Veil | Calligraphy: Shotgunning for Love Letters | Entertainment: DJ Jake Sherman | Band: Infusion By Washington Talent | Men's Attire: Menguin | Transportation: American Limo | Venue: Gibson Island Club | Tent: Loane Brothers | Ceremony Musicians: Washington Talent - Da Vinci Strings | Custom Watercolor: Amanda Day Rose | Dessert: Sugar Bakers Cakes | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Photography - Assistance: Abby Jiu Photography | Rentals: Party Rental LTD | Rentals: Select Event Group | Rentals: Revolution Event Design And Production

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Jenny Yoo

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Clouds couldn’t damper the spirits at this stunning celebration – or this beaming Bride and Groom. Far from it. Their “I do’s” were moved inside but smiles never wavered and that’s the type of attitude we love around here. It’s no surprise that these cuties met as Peace Corp volunteers – their positive approach and love of life is radiant in every one of Elisa Bricker’s pics and throughout the film by Shaking Hands Productions. Kari Rider Events tapped into that fabulous energy and created their romantic, warm wedding that leaves us feeling oh so good; enough with the talk though, let’s dive into the photographic proof right this way!

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From Kari Rider Events… Jaime and Brendan’s love story is something out of a movie. Fresh from the campuses of University Delaware and Georgetown, the couple’s journey began in Miami, where they gathered with 48 other Peace Corps volunteers en route to Paraguay. Looking for nothing more than to make a positive impact on a developing country in need, Jaime and Brendan found so much more over sips of wine, late-night card games and impassioned talks about their dreams for the future during their training time in Cumbarity. Two years, an 8-hour drive between assignments, and many abbreviated phone calls (due to poor reception) later, the couple knew they were in it for the long haul. Their engagement was a true reflection of the journey they’d travel as a couple – a mutual proposal and exchange of rings atop the Mauna Kea Volcano in Hawaii with the promise of forever.

Jaime and Brendan chose to wed at the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Maryland – a nod to Jaime’s roots as an officer in the Navy and the couple’s shared love of the water. Rain prevented the planned waterfront ceremony, but that didn’t put a damper on the festivities. Following cocktails inside the Inn, guests were escorted to the sailcloth reception tent, where layers of white, blue and gold created an atmosphere of relaxed elegance. Lacy white and ocean blue linens were juxtaposed with grey-wash farm tables to add textural interest – all tied together with classic white rounded back chairs. Gold-rimmed swirl chargers, sea-glass blue water glasses, and navy and gold flatware stole the show atop the tables, with subtle nautical accents like knotted napkin folds bringing everything full circle. The rain outside only added to the ambiance inside the tent -an intimate celebration for two warm-hearted newlyweds.

Photography: Elisa Bricker | Videography: Shaking Hands Productions | Event Planning + Design: Kari Rider Events | Wedding Dress: Matthew Christopher | Cake: Steve Konopelski Patissier | Invitations: Cheree Berry Paper | Reception Venue: Inn at Perry Cabin by Belmond | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | Hair + Makeup: Alison Harper and Company | Band: Elan Artists | Transportation: Extraordinar Limousine | Tent: Sugarplum Tents | Day of Paper: Stephanie B Design | Day of Paper: Surcee Calligraphy | Floral Design + Custom Rentals: Amaryllis | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Rentals: Select Event Group | Tabletop Rentals: borrowed BLU