This lovely bride literally fell head over heels for her sweet, sweet groom and the love story that followed was one that could produce a wedding so chic and beautiful it will never be forgotten. The two teamed up with Jubilee Events to create the romantic soiree and made the second most important decision of their wedding (first being the “She said yes!” moment) when they hired the talent that is Robert & Kathleen Photographers to capture their big day. Who just so happened to fill a gallery with hundreds of pretty moments – so enjoy!
Click here to see the full image gallery!
If you’re dying for a little more of this sweet, sweet soiree, grab the tissues and take a peek at Vintage Cinema’s view.
Our story began in Civil Procedure class during our first semester of law school when I literally fell head over heels for my future husband. But, instead of sitting behind me laughing at the colossal klutz I had just proved myself to be, Ben quickly jumped out of his chair and picked me up. And, well, he’s been picking me up and carrying me ever since.
We always joke that we did things just a little backwards. We started dating in 2008, moved in together in 2009, and by 2010 we were geographically separated and engaged. Now, we are married and currently living across the world from one another due to my commitment with the Air Force. So, in those moments when I turn over in my bed and wish he was here, I can relive this incredible wedding day where I made a promise for a lifetime thanks to these genius photos from Robert & Kathleen and video from Jim Altieri.
Being a geographically separated couple, it was virtually impossible for us to plan a wedding without help. Enter the amazing talents of Diana from Jubilee Events. She quickly signed up for the difficult job of being our eyes and ears and developed a plan to reflect us—a New York couple who met by way of Arizona via Colorado and Virginia now living on two separate continents. She introduced us to some seriously incredible vendors, including the gorgeously skilled Nichole of Coral Pheasant, who created our wedding paper. We had the idea of naming our tables after places in the world that meant something to both of us and telling our story on each table card, so our friends and family could get to know us better. Nichole did an incredible job of bringing these stories to life.
One vendor we knew we had to incorporate was the chocolatiers of Lilly’s Homemade Chocolate in Tremont, OH, who we met while we lived in Cleveland. Ben and I spent many weekends in this underrated city sipping our favorite drinks, mine a French 77 and Ben’s an Old Fashioned, while devouring Lilly’s mouthwatering chocolate confections. So, we elicited the help of Lilly’s to create epically delicious treats inspired by both signature drinks for all of our guests to enjoy.
Probably one of the most important touches of our wedding involved the handiwork of Ben’s step-father, who handcrafted the base for our cake and our escort card holder out of reclaimed wood from a 200 year old barn on his parents’ property. It was a gorgeous, rustic touch all the way from upstate New York, where Ben was born and raised. Also, Ben’s mom provided my something old and borrowed—an incredible vintage necklace from the 1800s given as a wedding gift to Ben’s great-grandmother, and she handmade all of the fascinators my bridesmaids and I wore.
Additionally, some of our photos were taken in places I fondly remember from my childhood. My family is an avid supporter of the local fire department. My father, uncle, and brother are all members, totaling over 75 years of service, so my family knew it would be the best place to welcome Ben to our family, and he spent his morning before the wedding with his groomsmen and parents at the local department, while my bridesmaids and I spent our time just down the road in my childhood home.
In the end, Ben and I wanted to make sure we never lost sight of the purpose of this day. So five months before our wedding, on Christmas Day, instead of exchanging presents, we exchanged our wedding vows. We were preparing a traditional Catholic ceremony, including traditional vows, but we wanted to make sure to also personalize our messages to each other. Also being a traditional couple, we decided not to see each other before the ceremony. So we wanted to make our personal promises to each other in private, and before we embarked on this incredible journey together. We decided on Christmas, and in the quiet of our little home, we read our vows out loud to each other. We displayed them at our reception, as a reminder of the promises we made to each other months before. And, I’ve carried those same vows across the world, even if I couldn’t carry him with me.
Photographer: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Videography: Vintage Cinema / Wedding Gown: Kenneth Pool / Bridal Salon: Kleinfeld Bridal /Bridesmaid’s Dresses: JLM Occasions / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Hair: Diane Cuomo / Hair Pieces: Handmade by the Groom’s mother / Make-up: Andrea Gamble from Lola Loves Makeup / Event Planning & Design: Diana Chouinard from Jubilee Events / Flowers: Rountree Flowers / Paper: Coral Pheasant / Ceremony Location: St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Syosset, New York / Reception Location: Fox Hollow / Linens: La Tavola / Band: The Elements