You guys, this adorable couple first met when they were just four years old…I mean, how incredibly sweet is that?! Fast forward 25 years later and these toddlers are now totally in love and married in one of the prettiest ceremonies ever. With Eva Lin Photography behind the lens capturing every moment to share, we invite you to witness their new beginning in The Vault!
From The Bride…Would you believe me if I told you that the first time I met my husband is when I was 4 years old? Neither would my 4 year old self! But, fast forward 25 years and here we are…married! RK and I grew up together hanging out at our swimming club in the summer. Between pool games like running bases, sharks and minnows and red rover, we’d see each other from time to time at the club until we were 15…then our lives took different routes. I went to public school, he went to private school. I went to PSU for college, he played lacrosse at Hobart, I lived in Austin after graduating, he moved back to Pittsburgh. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I saw a picture of him at an old friend’s wedding and decided to reach out. A few weeks later, we met at a bar (I took my sister and brother-in-law for in-case-of-emergency-backup) and we ended up having a blast! From that moment on, I realized RK was incredibly special. He’s thoughtful, smart, funny, and his dapper looks definitely don’t hurt either. I truly felt happy being around him and I realized that I never wanted to lose that feeling…or him.
A few months (yes months!) RK and I were sitting on a beach in Cape Cod. He proposed on Little Beach, my favorite spot in the entire world and that day was something I’ll never forget. The sun was out, our emotions were high and he surprised me by flying our family and closest friends to Chatham for an engagement party! We laughed, drank and celebrated the day away and decided that May 14, 2016 would be our wedding date.
I’d like to think of myself as romantic with a healthy dose of flower child so for our wedding I wanted to create a theme that felt feminine, elegant, earthy and traditional. We picked Longue Vue Country Club for the ceremony and reception. Something about the drive through the lush and windy road that led to a beautiful stone building on top of a hill spoke to me. The mossy stone, the perfectly constructed archways, the beautiful blooming dogwood trees…it felt so right for the theme that we wanted to create. For my gown, I chose a silk chiffon skirt made my Antonio Gual and a custom halter top created by Jen Rocket studio. Because the skirt was such a standout piece, I wanted to create an elegant and classic silhouette for the top and decided to go with a low back halter. Jen saw my vision perfectly and produced a beautiful piece to wear. We kept the colors of the bridal party traditional with black Aubrey Hepburn-inspired Alfred Sung dresses and black suits for the men. Then, for pops of color I included pinks and golds to create a softer look. Flowers for my bridesmaids were leafy green floral with hints of white. My bouquet was bursting with parrot tulips, Iceland poppies, coral charm peonies, anemones, hydrangeas and soft trailing greenery. My flower crown was mostly greenery with hints of baby’s breath throughout. I kept my hair half up but incorporated lots of braids for texture adding a bohemian touch. The juxtaposition of traditional, feminine and bohemian detailing was what created the look that I was going for.
The ceremony was supposed to take place on a stone patio outside but as Pittsburgh weather goes, it rained so we said “I Do” inside the ballroom. We placed giant urns (two at the beginning of the aisle and two at the altar) filled with flowers similar to my bouquet and transformed the dining area into a beautiful floral space. Gold Chiavari chairs lined either side of the aisle and a sturdy gold chandelier hung above us. Music is a big part of my family so for the ceremony, I recorded and walked down to “When The Right One Comes Along” by Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio with my father. I remember feeling so nervous and excited as my bridesmaids headed towards the alter one by one. Seeing RK standing there was the best thing and reminded me how lucky I was at that very moment to be marrying such an amazing guy.
To create a more personal feel, I enlisted the help of Jessi Evans from Orchard Made to design a flag that emulated the monogram on our invitations and hung at the archway where our guests were greeted. Inside, she also created a floral photo backdrop, a banner with one of our favorite quotes and two “here comes the bride” pennants for the ring bearers. These additional pieces truly transformed the space into that soft, romantic and bohemian feel that I was going for.
RK and I decided to do the tradition of cutting our 4 tiered cake before the first dance. The cake itself was stunning! Each butternut cream layer was given a different texture to produce a unique vision for our guests to enjoy. To add something a little extra we placed mini gold and white donuts around the cake. I have a thing for donuts so really this was just a personal request for me to enjoy even more sugar on the big day. Ha!
As the night went on, toasts were given by my father, Max, RK’s best man and my amazing MOH and sister Callie. One of my favorite parts of the speeches were how heartfelt each one was. Love is an amazing feeling and to celebrate with the people you care about most is something so special! As a gift, my father, a talented singer and songwriter wrote me my very own song…it was magical!
After guests enjoyed their meals, our band Jason Kendall Productions got the dance floor moving! I loved laughing, singing and generally having a great time with my best friends, RK and family. My skirt was perfect for dancing, so most of the night I was making myself dizzy by spinning it around!
After hours of fun, it was time to go. Our guests lined up under the stone archway and lit sparklers as we walked to our getaway car, a Rolls Royce Phantom. An overwhelming sense of joy and love filled my entire body as we said goodbye to our closest family and friends. Our wedding was a fairytale and although it was one of the best days of my life, I know there will be many more with my amazing husband RK.
To all of you future brides out there. Enjoy every second of your wedding day! It’s a reminder of how lucky we are to know what it feels like to love and to be loved.
Photography: Eva Lin Photography | Cinematography: ShoFilms | Floral Design: The Farmers Daughter | Cake: Vanilla Pastry Studio | Invitations: Nota Bene | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Alfred Sung | Makeup: Hannah Conard Beauty | Hair: Studio Booth | Band: Jason Kendall Productions | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Venue: Longue Vue Country Club | Bridal Boutique: Glitter & Grit | Calligraphy + Signage: Jessi Evans Orchard Made | Donuts: Bella Christie & LiL’ Z’s Sweet Boutique | Halter Top: Jen Rocket | Silk Chiffon Skirt: Glitter & Grit