Planning your wedding creates so many new memories and pretty often, so many new friendships. You work side by side with your vendors – usually for months – and as Ana, the principal event planner at TwoFoot Creative will tell you, when the sun sets and the day is done, it’s often a bittersweet moment. Such is the case of Ariana & John’s classic Ann Arbor wedding. Seeing all of your clever collaborations come to life is a breathtaking moment that few planners – or couples ever forget. Brides around the globe will agree that the day goes by way too quickly – but these knock-your-socks off images from A Girl In Love do a phenomenal job of conveying this couple’s story – from first look to closing bell. Join us in the gallery for a tasty macaron from Sweet Heather Anne and the museum wedding reception!
From Ana of TwoFoot Creative… Ariana & John were married on May 12th, 2012 in the Pendleton room at the Michigan Union in Ann Arbor, MI. I worked with them for the past year and it was bittersweet to see all their amazing details come to life – I am going to miss talking to them all the time! I arrived with Zingerman’s bagels and coffee in hand at 11am to the Bell Tower to make sure the ladies were getting off to a good start that day. Imagine Three did an amazing job with their hair and makeup, and then everyone got dressed and ready to go! Ariana & John had their first look at Ingalls Mall. Before the ceremony, as Ariana & John signed their ketubah downstairs in the Tappan room, guests began to arrive. They were given non-alcoholic welcome drinks with gold and white twisted straws that Ariana had imported from New Zealand. A quartet that her brother Jason organized played music in the background.
Immediately after the ceremony, guests were ushered downstairs for a group photo on the steps of the Michigan Union. We flipped the room for cocktail hour, and when they came back up, they were served drinks and appetizers for over an hour while all the details for the reception were finished. At 7pm on the dot, guests began their walk across the street to the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA)! Ariana & John greeted guests as they entered the Museum. Guests found their seats via escort cards tied to champagne glasses. Once seated, they were greeted by a platter of Zingerman’s crudités (just in case they were still hungry after cocktail hour). After the couple’s grand entrance, we heard a few toasts and then dinner began!
Bill Hamilton Designs did an amazing job with all the decor for Ariana & John. A friend of hers (Sloane Harmony Design) created all the beautiful paper products. Zingerman’s served salad and a third course, and then the band (the amazing Killer Flamingos) came on for their first set. Almost everyone got out of their seats to dance! After a 30 minute dance set, guests sat back down to enjoy the third course which was followed by chocolate éclairs and coffee. The party really got started with the hora – and it was non-stop from there!
From the bride… We met in Ann Arbor, Michigan while going there to graduate school. We decided almost immediately after getting engaged that it would be the perfect destination for our wedding since I am from New York, John is from Wisconsin, and our family and friends are scattered throughout the country. We loved the beautiful atrium of the University of Michigan Museum of Art for the reception, but decided to hold the ceremony in the Michigan Union. John and I wanted the ceremony to be intimate, personal, and a real celebration of our relationship. One of our best memories was the letters that we wrote to each other that were read during the ceremony. My brother, a violinist, arranged all of the instrumental music for the ceremony, processional, and cocktail hour. We also invited a number of our close friends to participate in our ceremony, and we loved hearing their wishes for us.
Since the wedding would take place in two different venues, we decided that the ceremony décor would be natural, rustic, and capture John’s love of the outdoors, and the reception would have a more modern, romantic feel. We entered a room flooded with candles, walked down an aisle lined with floating lights and flowers, and were married under a chuppah constructed from branches.
After the ceremony and cocktail hour, we proceeded across the street to the reception. Since the museum is elegant and airy, we did not want to compete with the beauty of the space. Rather, we tried to complement it with neutral colors, burlap linens, simple table design, and gorgeous white and blush flower arrangements. After we had difficulty finding the perfect tables, our event planner, Bill Hamilton, built by hand long wooden farm tables, which became one of our favorite touches. We did add a little brightness to the space with a colorful photo booth backdrop, created with my mother’s help and a lot of crafting glue on the floor of our hotel room in the days leading up to the wedding.
John and I agreed that the most important aspects of the wedding were those that directly contributed to the enjoyment of our friends and family. We wanted our guests to have an endless amount of food, champagne, and delicious desserts. We hoped to encourage a dance party throughout the evening, so we both felt that live music was crucial. Although the day went by far too quickly, it was everything we hoped it would be, and we had such an incredible day with all of our favorite people.
Wedding Photography: A Girl In Love / Wedding Ceremony: Michigan Union / Wedding Reception: University of Michigan Museum of Art / Wedding Planning: TwoFoot Creative / Floral Design & Decor: Bill Hamilton Designs / Wedding Cinematography: Owen Video / Catering: Zingerman’s Catering / Cake: Zingerman’s Bakehouse / Macaron Favors: Sweet Heather Anne / Wedding Dress: Anne Barge / Rentals: Chair Covers & Linens / Band: Killer Flamingos / Paper Products: Sloane Harmony Design / Hair & Makeup: Imagine Three