Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that weddings as stunning as this actually exist, but I am here to tell you, loves… it’s so, so true. It’s the masterful stylings + florals of Modern Day Floral And Events joining forces with crazy cool La Tavola linens, fab paper goods from William Arthur and one crazy gorgeous moment after another captured by Kai Heeringa Photography. Lose your breath in the full gallery.
And a sweeter than sweet look at the day from Coastline Studios… You’re welcome.
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From Modern Day Floral and Events… When I first met Katherine and Patrick, they simply had a fleeting vision and palpable excitement for their wedding day. What ensued was months upon months of collaborative brain-storming, selecting perfectly-hued blooms, drooling over textured linens, and meticulously arranging floor plans. Katherine, her mother and I spent over 15 months together planning this special day. Our business relationship quickly grew into a warm friendship, which I will forever cherish.
Katherine and Patrick’s color palette featured soft peach and blush pink, creamy ivories, and lush greenery. We wanted the floral arrangements to have that loose and vintage romance aesthetic. The floral pieces featured fluffy white hydrangea, peach Juliet garden roses, lush ivory and blush peony, ranunculus, local flowering dogwood branches, and playful anemone. Clusters of blush pink hobnail glass, silver mercury glass, and pottery pieces were put together to create an eclectic, yet elegantly styled look to each table.
The most important design aspects for this wedding were the little, but impactful and adorable details. French baguettes with hand calligraphed place cards tied in twine at each place setting. Custom display flags for all of the gourmet cheeses and desserts. Frames with calligraphed menu details at each food station. Bride and groom’s chair signage adorned with draping greenery and lush blooms. A vintage globe for guests to sign, rather than the traditional book. A local Lebanese pastries and sweets station to reflect the bride’s heritage. Multi-layered and textured draping ribbons on the bride’s bouquet handle. A coral flip flop station for guests to get comfortable and dance in… The details were endless and the effect clearly showed. It really is all about making the guest experience truly remarkable!
As a professional, there comes a time in this industry when you find a client that you wish all your clients were like. Katherine and Patrick never lost sight of what was really important – their upcoming marriage, and making their guests’ experience absolutely outstanding. This wedding not only brought us lifelong clients, but also lifelong friends – what a bonus! I can’t wait to watch this couple grow in their marriage, and I hope to be a part of their life for many more years and events to come!
From the Bride… To say our wedding day was pure magic is a complete understatement. Patrick and I are eternally grateful for all of the vendors that truly made our day the most spectacular day of our lives to date. While designing the look and feel of our wedding, our number one goal was to create a night that reflected not only the love that surrounded us, but also accurately expressed our love and appreciation for everyone who was there. We tried to think of each detail of the wedding from the perspective of our guests. We knew we would have the time of our lives, but we also wanted our guests to have the time of their lives.
It was also really important to us to include as many personal touches as possible. Patrick wore my late father’s cuff links, and I wore a diamond and sapphire bracelet that was given to my great grandmother by my great grandfather on their wedding day 85 years earlier. Jenn from Modern Day Floral and I connected right away – especially with our love of the little details, and she and her team immediately set to work on working out every detail of the day and evening.
Picking the venue was a bit challenging as I was really set on having the reception outdoors. The outdoor feel more accurately reflected our vision than any of the indoor venues in Grand Rapids. We decided on a venue that came full circle for us – we met at Blythefield Country Club four years earlier and thought it would be the perfect place for our reception as well. Blythefield has a beautiful outdoor grove and we could just imagine it as the perfect backdrop for our tented wedding reception.
The ceremony was held at the oldest church in Grand Rapids – St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. It was also the same church my grandma and grandpa were married in 58 years earlier. As soon as the ceremony ended, guests arrived at Blythefield and entered the most exquisite fabric draped tent with sparkling chandeliers. At each place setting was an individual baguette that served as a place card. I am in love with all types of paper products and lettering, and I was so excited that Molly Jacques was able to create so many beautiful pieces for our day.
In keeping with our overall goal of showing our love and appreciation for our guests, we wanted them to enjoy several different types of food instead of one plated meal. We had a carving station, a risotto station, and a Lebanese station which is a nod to my heritage. For dessert, guests enjoyed vanilla peach champagne wedding cake and an assortment of desserts that included chocolate eclaires (Patrick’s favorite), mini cherry and pecan pies, and orange madeleines (my favorite).
We danced the night away to an eleven-piece band and enjoyed mini grilled cheese, fries, and root beer floats as the night came to a close. Patrick and I loved planning out each detail with Jenn and look back at our wedding with pure awe and happiness. Our love for each other and the love that surrounded us that day were perfectly captured through our beyond talented photographers and cinematographers. Patrick and I are so blessed and look forward to what our future holds together!
Photography: Kai Heeringa Photography | Videography: Coastline Studios | Wedding Cake: Leo's Restaurant | Ceremony: St. Mark's Episcopal Church | Reception: Blythefield Country Club | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaid Dresses: Ivy And Aster | Makeup Artist: Julie Strating | Hair Stylist: Hair By Kayley Heeringa | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Transportation: Gail Andrus Travel | Accommodations: Amway Grand Plaza Hotel | Additional Desserts: Osta's Lebanese Cuisine | Bride's Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Calligraphy & Signage: Molly Jacques Illustration | Catering & Beverages: Blythefield Country Club | Floral & Rentals: Modern Day Floral and Event Design | Invitations & Stationery: Crane & Co. | Linen Rentals: BBJ La Tavola | Planning & Design: Modern Day Floral and Event Design | Reception Music: Sway Chicago | Tent & Rentals: Special Events Rental