Maryland Weddings

One thing that never, ever goes out of style is elegance. Pure and Simple. And Ritzy Bee Events knows how to craft that understated beauty and make it shine throughout an affair. It’s the type of wedding that would get the Jackie O style stamp of approval with layers of florals by Holly Heider Chapple Flowers so gorgeous they belong in a royal wedding and a real life, way too pretty to eat Maggie Austin Cake. Now add friends and family that know how to enjoy the heck out of a cocktail hour and this elegant Baltimore wedding has been skyrocketed to a whole new level of cool. Kate Headley Photography snapped everything from those beautiful lace runners right on through to the clinking of glasses. It’s a cheersy bunch and we whole heartedly adore it. See it all here.

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From the Bride… We met in Washington, DC through mutual friends. We started dating in January 2007 and got engaged in July 2009 after Rob’s first year of law school, but we wanted to wait until he graduated for the wedding. The long engagement worked out well because our life was pretty hectic. I moved out to Iowa with Rob for his second and third years of law school. After his graduation, during the four-month period before our wedding, we moved back to DC, Rob studied for and took the Virginia Bar Exam, we both applied for and were thankfully offered jobs and finalized the details of the wedding. But we survived! A big thanks goes to our wedding planners, Maria and Kelly of Ritzy Bee Events for keeping a handle on everything!

Since we were living in the Midwest during our wedding planning time, we would take periodic trips back to the east coast for marathon wedding planning appointments. I got my gown about a year prior to our wedding date during one of those wild trips. I have to preface this by saying that I absolutely loved my gown and the shop where I got it (Hitched in DC) was wonderful. But to me, the dress was just something I was going to wear; it was just an article of clothing. I felt weird that I wasn’t one of those girls who cry or have this huge moment, but I really just cared about marrying my best friend. To me, that was the most important thing. The only jewelry I wore (besides my engagement ring) were my earrings, which were my “something borrowed” from my mom. When my mom and dad got married, they didn’t have much money and my mom couldn’t afford to purchase a wedding gown, so she borrowed one. She did however buy her veil, and she kept it preserved for thirty years. That veil had one of those early ’80s-inspired hats, so I removed that, had it fastened to a comb and wore it on my wedding day as my “something old.” My veil was my favorite part of my ensemble. Also, in lieu of doing a bouquet toss, I surprised my mom by giving her my bouquet in honor of my parents’ wedding anniversary (which was the day after ours).

Our venue really fits our taste — classic, elegant, and simple. Our wedding programs were calligraphed with each guest’s name and doubled as an escort card. (A little card with the table assignment was inside a small envelope on the inside of the program.) We hoped these could be saved as a little keepsake. Rob enjoys cigars occasionally, so cigars were passed out during cocktail hour. In terms of décor, we tried to stay with things that were classic and avoid anything that was too trendy.

Wedding Photography: Kate Headley Photography / Wedding Venue: Evergreen Museum & Library in Baltimore, Maryland / Event Design + Planning: Ritzy Bee Events / Floral Design: Holly Heider Chapple Flowers / Wedding Super8 Cinematography: Kate Headley Photography / Paper Goods: SIMPLESONG Design / Calligraphy: Meant to Be Calligraphy / Catering: Chef’s Expression / Wedding Cake: Maggie Austin Cake / Entertainment: Nation / Lighting: Frost DC / Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau via Hitched Salon / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo via Hitched Maids / Makeup: Amie Decker Beauty

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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Amie Decker Beauty

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As a huge fan of the best wedding movie ever (Father of the Bride, as if you even need to ask) I always love a hometown wedding. When two people come home to shower their childhood haunts with hugs, kisses, bridesmaids, bouquets, and centerpieces, the butterflies are always soaring. Especially when those bouquets and centerpieces are from a team so lovely, like Romance of Flowers. David Mielcarek understands the undeniable draw of the hometown wedding, which is why he’s gone and captured ALL the details so wonderfully!

Will and I, both born and raised less than a one mile apart in Baltimore, didn’t actually meet until high school. At first we were just friends, but the summer after my freshman year at Stanford (and before his first year at Yale), we embarked on a summer romance that turned into two and a half years years of really long distance (California to Connecticut), one year of semi-long distance (New York to Connecticut) and finally three wonderful years a mere 10 city blocks apart in Manhattan.

You might be wondering, and trust me, many people asked, how did you do it?! My answer to this question was always that while dating long distance was incredibly hard, life without Will in it at all would be much much worse. After three and a half years of long distance, we were ecstatic to be both be living in Manhattan. On New Years Eve 2009, upon returning home from a friend’s party, Will made it official as he got down on one knee while our song played in the background (David Lee Murphy’s “Inspiration”). We danced our first dance together as husband and wife to that very same song almost 11 months later.

Having our wedding in our home town of Baltimore was a no brainer. Our parents live less than a mile apart from one another and we both had fond childhood memories growing up in the lovely neighborhood of Roland Park. Although I grew up playing sports and was a Division I athlete in college, I have always been a girly girly. As a child, every Halloween I had to be a princess and in kindergarden I was convinced that if I didn’t wear dresses everyday that the boys wouldn’t play with me. Therefore, it is no surprise that I wanted my wedding to be a fairytale, albeit a grown up and chic rendition of one. And what better place in Baltimore for a dream wedding than the Baltimore Country Club? The Club is elegant in an old world kind of way and many of my fondest childhood memories took place within its walls.

Of all of my wedding decisions, picking the florist was the easiest decision of them all (well after the groom I suppose). My mother has worked with Victoria Clausen of Romance of Flowers for years, so I was already very familiar with her unbelievable creativity and uncanny ability to cater her designs to the unique styles of her brides. Victoria understands the ambiance you want to create, and then takes it to a whole new level. Since I have attended countless events and dinners at BCC, I wanted to enhance the timeless beauty of the club, but at the same time transform it into something very different. In essence, I wanted to combine the best parts of my childhood home with some newer elements of my life with Will in Manhattan. For the color palette I wanted to stick mostly to white, with pops of pink and green to tie in the girl’s bridesmaids dresses and bouquets. Even though I had high expectations, the end result was beyond my wildest dreams. Victoria transformed the club into an absolute wonderland.

I would be absolutely remiss if I didn’t also thank my mom! Without her, the day would not have been as exquisite and personal as it was. Many of my favorite touches were the details she stayed up nights laboring over; the emblem on the invitation that she designed and effortlessly wove throughout the entire weekend, the scalloped bottom layer of our wedding cake, the magenta felt panels hung in the porch to echo the Tord Boontje paper used to cover the lamp shades, and the K&W logo shining down on the foyer – setting the stage for a wedding that was so obviously planned and designed with love. These little details are what made the wedding and I have her to thank for those.

David Melcarek did an absolutely amazing job with the photography; capturing both the sweet and tender moments as well as the hilarious and ridiculous ones. Debbie Federico and Dean Krapf worked wonders on my make up and hair, and Mia at Garnish boutique was a delight to work with in picking out and ordering the bridesmaids dresses.

As I wrote on the chalkboard in my parent’s kitchen that night, as we quickly changed from our wedding attire before taking off for Vietnam, it truly was “the best day ever.”

Photographer: David Mielcarek / Florals and event design: VIctoria Clausen of Romance of Flowers / Linens: Table Toppers / Venue and caterer: Baltimore Country Club / Band: Marquise from Andy Kushner / Lighting: Mike Blondell / Save the Date artwork: Designs by Robyn Love / Wedding Dress: Rivini from Betsy Robinson’s / Ceremony: St. David’s Episcopal Church / Invitation: Design by bride’s mother, engraving by First Impressions / Calligraphy: Claudia Engle / Program: Design by bride’s mother / Bridesmaid Dresses: Garnish Boutique / Makeup: Debbie Federico / Hair: Dean Krapf

Up next is this gorgeously elegant, yet super fun and festive Baltimore wedding. I love how they juxtaposed the seriousness of the dark wood and drama of the inside with the fun and playful bright pops of color in the flowers by Crimson and Clover Florals. There to capture all the unique details of the day was Andrew Reilly and my favorite part, hands down, is that amazing dining room. It’s beyond gorgeous. Find your favorite part here in the gallery!

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From the Bride…When Mike proposed to me I was thrilled!!!! We had been together for four years and were living together in New York City. I was super ready to take the next step and spend the rest of my life with him. I was so excited to start wedding planning although I had no idea where to begin. I have to admit, I am not the most creative person! I began by reading different wedding blogs and became obsessed with SMP. I started to get different ideas, but had no clue how I was going to execute my vision. But I must say, planning this wedding became a labor of love!

One of the first things we did was hire a wedding planner. She helped me organize our ideas, choose vendors, and offered a great deal of support along the way. While we had many professionals involved in the planning and execution, we also had a nice combination of DIY projects (believe it or not) and personal family touches.

Picking the venue was not easy. We had a hard time finding a place that was not a hotel and not outside (Baltimore weather is very unpredictable). The Engineers Club was the last place we went, and we fell in love with it. We knew right away that we wanted to have the ceremony in the Atrium and use long picnic style tables in the main ball room. For the decorations, we wanted it to be fun and colorful and informal. We wanted small flower arrangements in vintage bottles and a non-traditional wedding cake. Everything came out perfect!!!

Wedding Photography: Andrew Riley Photography / Cinematography: Black Tie Video / Flowers: Crimson and Clover Floral Design, Inc. / Event Planning: Kate Beck Events / Location: Engineer’s Club / Wedding Invitations: We Heart Paper / Wedding Dress: Cymbaline / Linens: Table Toppers / Wedding Cake: Sugarbakers / Groom’s Suit: Hugo Boss / Bridesmaid Dress: JCrew

I love this next wedding because it’s simple and classic but with a twist of fun, bright pops of color in the yellow flowers and blue bridesmaid dresses. And I’m secretly dying over the bride’s shoes. How stinking cute are they?! Sent into us by the amazing folks at Jubilee Photography this wedding is a cross cultural experience like no other. And I’m now officially obsessed with finding out more about the Thai water ceremony in which older guests pour water over the bride and groom’s hands while dispelling marital love advice. How cool is that? See all that and more here in the gallery!

Click here to see entire image gallery!

From Jubilee Photography: College sweethearts Alyssa & Seth live and work in gorgeous San Francisco, but when it came time to plan their multi-cultural wedding, Alyssa had her heart set on her hometown of Baltimore. The couple, who are as sweet as they are low key, opted for a casual elegant affair with a touch of whimsy at the breathtaking Evergreen Museum & Library in Baltimore, Maryland.

Rain was a present threat the entire week, with forecasters predicting torrential rains like the weekend before, but the clouds parted and the sun came out just in time for the couple, who had really wanted a breezy, outdoor ceremony. Alyssa chose a bright and fresh color palette of Daffodil Yellow, Turquoise and Grass Green. The tables were decorated with freshly cut bouquets of Yellow Spring Flowers-Hyacinth, Daffodils, Tulips, and other pretty florals nestled in mix and match glass jars & vases.

The ceremony was a combination of cultures and  faiths, with the first part adhering to Seth’s Jewish background, followed by an incredible Thai Water Pouring Ceremony honoring Alyssa’s heritage. The Chuppah was hand-made of Bamboo and Ferns, and held up by family and friends, and after the Jewish Rite, Alyssa & Seth were greeted by all their guests who took part in the tradition. the pouring of water is the most important part of the Thai wedding ceremony as it signifies the couple officially becoming husband and wife. Traditionally, this was all that was required to validate the marriage.

During the ceremony, the bride and groom kneel together, and a holy string is draped from one head to the other, forming a circle and connecting the couple. This symbolizes their spiritual union. They then ” Wai ” by clasping their palms together in the traditional prayer-like gesture while one by one, guests walk up and pour a conch shell full of sacred water over the couple’s hands while offering a blessing or marital advice. The water ceremony is usually performed by all guests older than the couple, with the grandparents and parents proceeding first, followed by relatives and friends of the family.

Everyone retired to the carriage house for amazing food, served in stations, so that guests could mingle and eat, and followed by the first dance, everyone participated in Ramwong, a Thai Folk dance literally meaning to Dance in a Circle! Guests enjoyed a variety of cupcakes and candy, as well as a signature strawberry cocktail served in a Mason Jar.

Photography: Jubilee Photography / Dress and Shoes: J.Crew / Ring Bearer Bowl: Paloma’s Nest / Hair and Makeup: Nicole Gentile and Nicole Crumpler Studio 921/ Flowers: Ellen Frost, Local Color Flowers / Catering: Melanie Brzozowski, Chef’s Expressions / Cupcakes: Georgetown Cupcakes / Rentals: Select Event Rentals / DJ:Absolute Entertainment – Jason Wallace / Ceremony and Reception: Evergreen Museum and  Library / Event Coordinator : Sky Blue Events

Sometimes it’s a perfect detail that really gets me. Other times it’s a fabulous dress, a gorgeous photograph or the most lovely cake on the planet. But today, it’s the story. It’s a tear jerker for sure but one that I think we can all learn from. Plus, it’s one of the sweetest, prettiest weddings we’ve seen and is overflowing with steal-worthy deets. Pink, peony filled, totally girly steal worthy-deets. Click here to see so much more.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

It’s hard to describe our wedding without first talking a bit about our past. Paul and I met one summer day over a decade ago.  We were neighbors in a small neighborhood in MD, met through a mutual friend and started a romance in high school that seemed like it would last forever (you know how young love can be!).  But, it didn’t…..college happened, Paul moved to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon and I went to D.C. to go to Georgetown.  We remained friends, but also started lives of our own and moved on.

Fast forward 6 years and 3,000 miles to the California coast and it’s where Paul and I reconnected.  He had moved there for graduate school at Stanford and I had gotten a job out here after finishing my Masters program.  We met for a date, he cooked me dinner, and 11 months later of our “Round 2” as we call it, we were engaged!  It was Christmas morning 2008, and it was a bittersweet holiday that year. My mother had just been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and was about to start chemotherapy treatment New Years morning. The engagement was both a surprise (happy one of course) and a much needed source of joy for our families.  My mother was so incredibly happy for us and having seen how much Paul and I had grown up since the days when we were young 14-year olds in love, she was excited for our future and for the wedding. Sadly, she died 4 months after she was diagnosed in April 2009 after a brave and strong fight.

Needless to say I was devastated after my mother’s death, but wedding planning seemed to provide a happy distraction and a time to really show how love can conquer all- something my mother really believed in.  We had a tight budget, but I was determined to design a wedding on my own that really reflected Paul and my personalities- young, vibrant, and full of love. Planning a MD wedding (where most of our family and friends live) from CA proved to be a difficult task, but in the end the wedding was everything we could have hoped for.  It was a casual, yet elegant summer wedding- filled with love and emotion and of course homage to both of my parents who could not be there that day (my father passed away when I was 5).  I knew I wanted an outdoor ceremony so likely an evening wedding- East coast heat in June is the worst- so we set out to look for places that had outdoor space and fell in love with Grey Rock Mansion.  They provided a beautiful garden area that was perfect for the ceremony and since Paul and I are not very religious, we asked a good friend from Stanford, Linus, to marry us and he did an amazing job.  The ceremony included reflections of our past, our present and just the right amount of humor.  One of my favorite moments about it though was when my brother walked me down the aisle. It was so special to have him there with me when our father couldn’t be, and when he whispered “I love you” when we got to the end of the aisle and I saw Paul, I knew everything was going to be all right.

Other details of the day and wedding include invitations designed by my amazing cousin, a graphic designer, and letter-pressed by a local company I found tucked away in Chinatown in San Francisco. We also got a photobooth for our guests to use for our guestbook –everyone had a blast with it!  I designed the centerpieces myself by getting these whimsical table squares off Etsy and my sister spray painted wood numbers we also got off Etsy.  I collected milk vases for the whole year and a half we were engaged- getting them from Ebay, Craigslist, flea markets, and anywhere else I could find them. My florist- a friend of one of my bridesmaids and who so generously did the work for free- filled the vases with all my favorite flowers: peonies, dahlias, spider mums, roses, etc!  We stuck to the soft palette of light pinks, ivory, yellow, and peach and placed 3-4 vases on each table.  I choose homemade caramels from Mouth Party (a local Baltimore company that donates some of it’s proceeds to cancer research) as the favors and stuck hand stamped cards on each box that let guests know we also donated to the American Cancer Society in their name in honor of my mother.  The place cards were hand calligraphied by an amazing vendor on Etsy on these fun paisley cards I bought from Wedding Paper Divas, which I custom colored to match the lime green and pink color palette of the wedding.  My amazing college friends hung all the lanterns I had collected over the last year in the tent and made it look so dreamy inside!  My favorite detail though was a antique locket I tied around my bouquet that had a picture of both my mother and father in it. Having a part of them with me that day calmed me and gave me a great sense of peace.

We danced the night away with our guests and our amazing photographer, Meaghan Elliott, captured every moment so beautifully (at 6 months pregnant I might add!). From getting ready to the sparkler exit her pictures reflected how much joy and love there was that night.

Our wedding was magical.  It showcased so much of who Paul and I are and how far we’ve come.  And, my closest friends kept telling me how “me” the wedding design was from the dress to the details.  In my speech to our guests I said:

“Tonight is about celebrating love and my mother would have been the first person to tell you that we aren’t anyone in this world without the people who we love and who love us back.  So, this is a very personal thank you from me to all of your– thank you for being there for me this past year, for comforting me and grieving with me, but most importantly for loving me.”

Our wedding was certainly about love and I can honestly say I married the love of my life!

Wedding Photography: Meaghan Elliott Photography / Flowers: Kathy McCormick / Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Grey Rock Mansion / Catering: Simply Elegant Catering / Wedding Invitation Design & Paper Goods: Vincent Lee, Cousin of the Bride / Wedding Invitation Printing: Culture Lite Printing / Bride’s Shoes: Nina / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet / Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Bridesmaid Dresses: Priscilla of Boston + Alfred Sung + Watters & Watters + David’s Bridal / Favors: Mouth Party Caramels / Photobooth: Party Booths / Wedding Cake: Artistic Desserts / Calligraphy: Dancing Pen Calligraphy / Bridal Bouquet: Crimson and Clover Floral Design, Inc. / Place Cards: Wedding Paper Divas / Table Squares: Darling Damask / Wooden Table Numbers: Blue Mountain Crafts / Bride’s Shoe Clips: B. Poetic / Bride’s Hair Flower: xoxoDesigns / Jewelry: J.Brown Jewelers

So lovely. That is really the best way to wrap up this, well…lovely, affair by Sea Studio Photography. The gorgeous waterside Washington backdrop and the traditional, yet personal, vibe make for absolutely stunning images that make my heart flutter a bit. And we all know there is nothing better than a little heart fluttering, so be sure to check out the lovely full gallery of images for even more.

click here for the full wedding gallery!

The last thing I expected during a September trip to Victoria B.C. for Brandon’s birthday was for him to pop the big question! The true romantic and planner that he is couldn’t have made it any more perfect – on a bridge at sunset, on his birthday.  His proposal set the tone for our wedding the following August. We wanted an outdoor waterside venue where we could fill the space with personalized touches and where our guests could have a fantastic time. Brandon found a venue before he proposed that he thought we both might like. On our first visit to The Inn at Port Ludlow we fell in love with it.  Located about an hour outside of Seattle by ferry, the Inn sits on the water and has views of both mountain ranges. In addition, the staff was fantastic and was more than happy to help us achieve our dream wedding.

Our wedding weekend began with golf for the guys and an outdoor catered BBQ under a tent for our guests who had come from all over the globe (Alaska, Washington, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Canada, and Spain). The night was filled with lots of laughter, stories, smores, banana boats (secret family recipe), food, and drinks.The next day we were treated to clear skies – a pleasant surprise since it had rained the day before.  After a full day of getting ready and lots of photos on the golf course it was time to head back for the ceremony. I remember taking a moment before walking down the isle with my dad to look around at the reception tent and setting. It was beyond gorgeous. Every detail was perfect from the chandelier and table numbers to the lavender hydrangea centerpieces surrounded by candlelight and candy buffet. To me it screamed romantic. It was everything Brandon and I wanted.

The setting was beautiful but we decided to add special personalized touches to make it more us. Personalized water bottled and wine were placed in guest’s rooms. Wood signs from Etsy with Mr. and Mrs. on one side and thank and you on the other were used for our thank you cards and placed on our seats at our table for two. Our wonderful photographers created a guest book for us with our engagement photos and I added ‘B’ and ‘K’ mugs with flowers and silver letters from Anthropologie to the guest book table. Inspired by our photographers we added more initial mugs with flowers to our candy buffet that spelled out SWEETS. Our candy buffet had every purple candy I could find and was put together by our wedding planner. My mom also created kits for kids to keep them entertained with silly bands, slinkys and coloring supplies. I added my Boppa’s Bronze Star to my bouquet to make sure he was there with us that day and carried a handkerchief with my initials during the ceremony. My maids gifts were initial necklaces with a lavender bead from Etsy. I also added a lavender sash to my dress to match Brandon’s tie. It was very important to us to include family and friends in our ceremony and therefore we asked a close friend to marry us and my cousin to recite I Carry Your Heart With Me by E.E. Cummings. The ceremony was very memorable – we laughed, we cried and passing boats honked in celebration.

After the ceremony the string trio continued to play throughout the cocktail hour where drinks and appetizers were served. Guests were then escorted into the tent for dinner and dancing. The evening ended with an exit through sparklers and an after hours indoor dance party, featuring my husband’s famous dancing! Our wedding was far better than either of us could have imagined. We can’t thank our amazing guests and vendors enough for helping to make our special day an experience we’ll never forget.

For all the brides on a budget out there, here is a wedding that is just as budget friendly as it is beautiful. Full of fun DIY projects, contributions from friends and family, and a Modern Trousseau dress the bride found at a consignment shop (someone needs to tell me just where that consignment shop is!) – this wedding just goes to show just how far a little creativity will go. Not to mention the bride’s talented friend, Rebecca of Hales Studio, gave the bride the gift of timeless images – all of which you can see in the full gallery.

click here for more adorable DIY images!

From Rebecca of Hales Studio…Angela and I went to College together so when I heard she was engaged I couldn’t resist offering to photograph her wedding. It was a great day and so lovely to be a part of such a special day in a friends life. Angela and Chris’ Baltimore wedding was filled with do it yourself ideas. Angela wasn’t going to spend a lot of money on her dress but couldn’t refuse the Modern Trousseau dress she found in a consignment shop! It needed no alterations as if it was made for her.

Every detail was done on a budget right down to her flowers. Angela had a friend do all the flowers for her wedding. All the succulents were from her Maid of Honors garden in California and the grooms parents garden! They were carefully dug up, packed and shipped to Baltimore. They were put into beautiful center pieces which Angela found all the glassware at Thrift Stores. The delicious sangria was made by her maid of honor and brought in for the reception! Even their cake was something special. The baker donates all her profits to a DC nonprofit that fights human trafficking! This wedding was so lovely and just proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a gorgeous wedding.

Dress: Modern Trousseau / Bridesmaids Dresses: J. Crew / Photography: Hales Studio / Cake: Olivia Doherty, ojdoherty@gmail.com / DJ: Karl with C & J Entertainment / Venue: Overhills Mansion, catered and owned by Whitehouse Caterers / Flowers: Designed by Christine Sohns, chrissysohns@yahoo.com purchased from Potomac Floral / Officiant: Rev. Laura Cannon / Wedding Coordinator: Kristina Lynn Wedding and Events / B&B: Wayside Inn

We are going full on weekend warrior status in the SMP clan and we are so glad you are along for the ride. So cozy up in your Sunday best because we have a few weddings to share and each one is just as delightful as the last. I am particularly smitten with this next wedding, photographed by Lindsay MacDonald, because it is a complete ode to individuality and really making your wedding day unique. Abby, the Bride, wasn’t a traditional wedding dress kind of gal so she turned to Jill Andrews Gowns to make her wedding dreams come to fruition. And that they did! Not only is Abby’s gown unique and gorgeous but it also happens to be made of upcycled materials. Love it. You can see more of the pretty dress and of course, the beautiful celebration, in the gallery.

see the full wedding here!

From Jill Andrews Gowns:

There are few times in your life where so much importance is placed on one article of clothing. For many brides, the wedding gown is the most important thing next to selecting a groom! But what is a girl to do when her dream has never included a traditional wedding dress? After shopping for a gown in the regular bridal shops, Abby Maloney was disappointed in how she felt when she put on sample dresses. She turned to us at Jill Andrews Gowns to create a one-of-a-kind custom gown that was true to her personality. We first met Abby in February of 2010 and started working on a custom design that would be perfect for her and her wedding. After talking for about an hour, we felt like Abby was an old friend coming over for a cocktail! She told us that she really likes eclectic designs, that she is vegan and an activist who works hard to make Baltimore a better place to live. We love Abby! Having a custom gown fit her desire to buy locally and reduce her impact on the environment by using upcycled materials.

Jill didn’t take long to conceive of the perfect dress for Abby. She immediately thought of all of the beautiful fabrics left over from twenty years of making wedding gowns that she has kept for no particular reason – until now! She envisioned a flowing, ethereal dress full of interest with layers, applique, pleating and soft colors. The wedding was at Red Emma’s 2630 Space, a beautiful deconstructed church in Baltimore city that now functions as community space. We added subtle frayed seams to pay homage to the setting and topped it all off with a 100 year old velvet ribbon at the waist.

Abby and Brian were married on June 16, 2010 on a gorgeous day in Baltimore! Their photographer, Lindsay MacDonald, took amazing pictures in several locations including the Baltimore Museum of Art, Wyman Park and of course, the church. Lindsay captured just how in love these two are in every picture she took. The vegan menu was catered by Dionysus’ Kitchen and the cake by a friend of the couple. Fleur de Lis provided beautiful flowers that were simple and elegant. And, perhaps the best part for many was the traditional Irish music by The Magic Square! The pictures tell the tale the great party and a fabulous couple who are a testament to the fact that you should always keep true to yourself and each other.

Photography: Lindsay MacDonald Weddings / Second Photographer: Jacqueline Schlossman / Dress: Jill Andrews Gowns / Venue: Red Emma’s 2640 Space / Catering: Dionysus’ Kitchen / Cake by a friend of the couple, Lanie Thomas / Flowers: Fleur de Lis / Musicians: The Magic Square

This next little number is DIY done SO right. And the couple is one of those pairs that you know you would want to be friends with just by looking at them. Photographed by the always wonderful Kristen Marie, this wedding is the epitome of a perfect day…where the pure love and the unabashed joy took center stage. I only wish I had been there to get in on all of the fun! Click here to see even more.

{click here to see the full wedding}

Meredith and Tommy met in grade school and once they were engaged in Paris, Meredith started planning with the help of bridal blogs. She actually found me through a feature on SMP! Her dress was custom made, with many jcrew details. The venue was at a small country golf house outside of Baltimore, MD, built in the 20s, where Meredith walked downt he aisle to “Penelope’s Theme” from The Brother’s Bloom (edited by their friends Matt and Tim). All DIY details, the centerpiece flower boxes hand made by Meredith and her father. Flowers put together by Mother and Tommy’s aunt, and included paper flowers in the arrangement as well. Thrifted vases and bottles, and vintage display pieces.  Gifts were placed in wheelbarrows covered in old quilts.

As an added bonus, Monachetti captured the day on film…

Wedding Photography: Kristen Marie / Wedding Video: Monachetti / Dress: Lex Bridal. Annapolis, MD / Sash:  J.Crew / Jewelry: Earrings from JcPenny,  Bracelet was a gift from grandfather / Shoes: J.Crew / Suits: Groom, Hugo Boss. Groomsmen, own finds / Flowers: DIY by Tommy’s mother and aunt / Venue: Sherwood Forest Clubhouse / Centerpieces: Wooden flower boxes made by Meredith and her father + Tissue flowers, real flowers, vintage bottles and vases  / Catering: Paul’s Homewood Cafe / Cake: Fiona’s Cakes

Our first wedding today ~ from the fabulous designers at Romance of Flowers, was held at an amazing art museum ~ The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. According to Victoria, it was a designer’s dream come true! We think, it was a magnificent melding of modern + romantic, sleek + sassy, somber + playful. Take a look and tell us what you think!

We have tons of gorgeous shots from the day. We’ve combined the beautiful images from Holger Thoss Photography along with some great detail shots from Kakki at Romance of Flowers.  We’ve combined all of the photos in their photo gallery. Enjoy the “romance” of the day!

from the bride …

Although we live in New York City, both of us grew up in Baltimore, where most of our family still lives, so having our wedding in our beloved hometown proper was a no-brainer. We decided to have our wedding at the American Visionary Art Museum because it is such a unique place in Baltimore.

The look and feel of our wedding was an amalgamation of different sources. We wanted a whimsical yet elegant feel for our wedding. For the color palette, we took inspiration from the groom’s collection of vintage Hawaiian shirts to reflect his love of color. We paired the colors tangerine orange with fuchsia based on an Indian sari of mine. Finally, the mirrored garlands and accents came from the AVAM itself, which has a mosaic made of pieces of mirrors and mirrored garlands outside the museum.

From Victoria at Romance of Flowers …

We loved, loved loved working on this wedding! All of the ingredients were there for a very special event! The venue, the amazing American Visionary Art Museum, provided an intriguing background. There are only a couple of museums in the world like this, a place where the fresh looks of self taught artists imbue the space with sheer delight, a perfect spot for a celebration of love.

Add to this an adorable couple who wanted to share this special place with their family and friends and also wanted the elements of their wedding to celebrate the unique vision of the museum. Wow, does it get any better for a floral designer? We were able to let our creative juices run.

The ceremony site was in a two-story high exhibit space that houses oversized and highly decorated peddle cars, a hot air balloon, a suspended bi-plane and replicas of the Baltimore row house. We wanted the trees that defined the ceremony space to be appropriate for a wedding but to also reflect the spirit of the room. The orchid covered branches were then festooned with garlands of crystals and mirrored glass. The bride’s bouquet was a cascading group of mostly purple orchids adorned with pearls and silver grass. The bridesmaids’ orange and purple bouquets were seated in cones covered in beads and orange string. And the groom? His bit of bling came from his crutches. He broke his ankle playing rugby during his bachelor party (wasn’t there a movie about that?)!

Like the artists in the museum, we wanted to do the unexpected for the reception. The very talented Chef’s Expressions prepared a masterpiece which rivaled the art in the gallery. When you look at the containers for the table arrangements your eyes are not fooling you, that is galvanized duct work dressed up with silver wire bent to resemble handles or feet to create these unusual tureens. Others containers are that slinky-looking stuff that is used to vent dryers. Home Depot is there when you need them! Instead of an escort table, we had an escort wall where brightly colored letters dangled from the ceiling with seat assignments attached. Ribbon streamers, lines of Gerber daisies, votives, garlands of crystals, and strings of miniature disco balls hung from the ceiling for a festive feeling. And of course we couldn’t resist a disco ball (actually a big ball and a dozen others connected by mirrored garlands) over the dance floor.

Wow! Talk about creativity. Romance of Flowers ~ amazing! See all the photos here!

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Our thanks to Holger Thoss Photography and Romance of Flowers for sharing these moments with us!

More incredible vendors from the day …

Ceremony and Reception Venue: American Visionary Art Museum, Event design and flowers: Romance of Flowers, Photography: Holger Thoss, Caterer: Chef’s Expressions, Lighting: Perkins Event Productions, String Quartet: St. Charles Quartet, Makeup: Debbie Federico, Hair: Padma Salon, Dress: Jenny Packham, Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers, Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie, Veil: Bridal Veil Falls, NYC, Invitations: Cheree Berry Stationery, Rentals: Party Rentals, Additional detail photos: Kakki at Romance of Flowers

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Another wedding from Romance of Flowers coming up!

Anne and Bill Holland of Holland Photo Arts sent us today’s featured wedding because they know we love all things pretty AND because the beautiful bride, Erin, “found” them thru our Little Black Book. We LOVE it when we hear that!

Erin and Steve’s wedding was held on the grounds of Johns Hopkins’ Evergreen Museum and Library. What an amazing venue for a springtime wedding!

After the ceremony, they slipped away for a few of the Holland’s stunning signature portrait shots …

The wedding reception was held at the Carriage House, where “library cards” were laid out in neat little rows, each card with a particular guest’s name. (One of the Holland’s “fab finds” !) On the back was a note stating that ‘in lieu of favors, a donation was being made in their guests’ name toward Reading is Fundamental. You can see more photos of these on the Holland’s blog.

These lovely wedding flowers were designed by Radebaugh Florists.

How sweet are these gingham ribbons on the wedding programs? This wedding is a such a great example of how to infuse real personality and fun into an otherwise formal and elegant affair!

VERY cute groom’s attire!

We really thank Holland Photo Arts for these fantastic photographs of Erin and Steve’s glorious wedding day! You’ve managed to capture the festive mood as well as the seriousness of the moments in one fell swoop!! Although we know you don’t need to be “found” … we hope that many, many, many more brides “find” you via Style Me Pretty!!

to see the full gallery, click here!

Congratulations, Erin & Steve from all of us here at SMP!!