Brace yourselves, because you are in for quite the pretty experience this Friday morning thanks to Caryn Azure Photography. Because this wedding is the type of fête that will have you doing high kicks in your office chair. The bride’s necklace, fish-tail braid and worthy-of-a-royal veil? All deserving of the highest of high kicks. And that is just the tip of all the pretty to be had, so be sure to stretch your high-kicking legs before heading over to the full gallery for more!
Click here to see the entire gallery of images!
From the Bride…At the beginning of the wedding planning process I was a mess! I change my mind constantly and it seemed torturous to make decisions about an event that was over a year away!!! Every day I wanted to be a different bride (bohemian, classic, modern!) or choose a different color scheme (jewel tones, black and white, gray and yellow!). But the first decision was the hardest…the venue. We visited all of the traditional venues and while they were all very beautiful, none felt comfortable or warm or familiar…until a very good friend suggested The Succop Conservancy. When we saw the Conservancy and that beautiful willow tree, everything else just fell into place. After that, I didn’t doubt a decision and in the end, I never even picked “wedding colors” or a “theme”. It was an organic planning and design process and everything just seemed to click.
We came across Caryn Azure’s photography website and immediately called and booked her without talking to any other photographers. As soon as I saw her work I knew we spoke the same language. The same goes for our florist. The minute I stepped foot into the gorgeous, circa 1860’s Italianate house where Jim runs his shop, I didn’t even think about looking elsewhere! I explained what I wanted and he simply looked at me and said, “Yep, that’s what we do here”. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that those flowers would be breathtaking.
Brian and I talked about our idea of the perfect wedding day and we came to a simple conclusion. It’s a day that is free from stress and negativity. It’s a day where we can enjoy each other and all of our best friends and families without worrying about a thing or thinking a negative thought. And that’s exactly what happened. We got married outside on September 2 and it was the happiest day of my life thus far (Bonus= no rain!). After the short and sweet ceremony our guests went inside the beautiful Succop Mansion for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and live music. The reception followed in a covered pavilion right outside the mansion where we had an amazing dinner fresh from the grill! After dinner came one of my all time favorite things, cake! But this cake was very special to both Brian and I. It was made by Brian’s father and decorated by his grandfather at their family bakery. When I first saw the cake it literally took my breath away, it’s a moment and feeling that I will never forget. After dancing the night away under the gorgeous string lights and having a blast in the photobooth, our guests left with 2 goodie bags! One filled with cookies from the amazing cookie table (what’s a Pittsburgh wedding without the cookie table?!), and a second bag filled with goodies from our candy table! My best friend Anne, who knows I’m a candy monster, assembled a MASSIVE candy table with all of our favorites!
My favorite part of the planning process was the DIY stuff! I truly enjoyed making our table numbers, and I think the methodical process of printmaking helped to relieve any stress I was feeling. Art has always been a huge release for me and I think that becomes very important because planning a wedding is not an easy or stress free task! The moms collected wedding pictures from both sides of the family and my mom and I went antique shopping for vintage frames to display each picture. We had a blast and I am now completely obsessed with antiquing!! My mom assembled and beautifully labeled all the photos and sprinkled them around the mansion to make it feel like home! My dad helped me assemble the programs that I made and we turned them into fans…which worked out wonderfully because it was a toasty day! My Uncle and Grandma collected the centerpiece jars from Auctions and flea markets and they were absolutely perfect. Knowing that our families were so involved in the process made it very special.
Brian and I are very lucky. We both have amazing families that helped and supported us through every single step, bump, and decision leading up the our wedding day and we couldn’t have done it without them.
Venue: The Succop Conservancy / Ceremony Dress, Reception Dress + Necklace: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka (heels) + Vera Wang (flats) / Floral Design: Cuttings / Wedding Photography: Caryn Azure Photography / DJ: Magic Moments / Lighting: Benack Sound Productions Inc. / Caterer: Medures / Photobooth: Shutterbooth / Wedding Cake: Schorr Bakery / Guitarist (Cocktail Hour + Ceremony): Jamie Wright