Real Weddings: Ali + Evan

Morgan and Matt’s outdoor wedding at Bella Luna Farms was as rustic and charming as it was pretty and timeless. The lovely images from one of Michele M. Waite Photography‘s favorite weddings of this year showcase bold blooms in arrangements and bouquets, as well as Morgan’s classic column-style gown. Sweet farm animals meandered around the grounds as guests enjoyed first a ceremony—where the couple took vows beneath a traditional chuppah festooned with a floral garland—and then a reception inside a barn strung with lights. We think Chambers and Company did a fabulous job with the design of this fun and fabulous affair!

Everything’s bigger in Texas—and from the looks of these photos from Kelly Hornberger Photography, everything’s better there, too! Lindsay and Jonathan planned a down-home, sophisticated affair for their country nuptials, and they didn’t miss a single detail. We’re loving the ombre-like bridesmaids’ dresses in hues of blush and blue—a touch that’s carried over to the ruffled wedding cake from Classic Cakes by Lori—and the bride’s shoe choices: jeweled Bagdley Mischka heels and a pair of monogrammed cowboy boots. Friends and family lent their talents for things like a custom logo and program, and Lindsay made the guest book herself with family recipes, photos, and blank pages for signing. The Kali Kate event pavilion in Buda offered the perfect mix of farm and fabulous, where guests two-stepped to tunes from DJ Barrington Miles under a Lone Star sky. Personal and perfect, y’all!

Maggie and Greg’s laid-back country wedding is sweeter than sweet tea! In fact, their wedding was a tribute to their Southern roots and had two main priorities: good food and good fun for all their family and friends. They had quite a few DIY details including the beautiful doily table runner, the design for their wedding invitations, and the two homebrews the couple created for their big day. We’re crazy about their gorgeous flowers by Amy Osaba and all the sweet photos by Heidi Geldhauser of Our Labor of Love!

Anna and Jonathan were married under a large tree at Sonnet House in Leeds, Alabama. So fabulously Southern, wouldn’t you agree? Well, the Southern touches didn’t end there. There were mason jars, burlap, cigar boxes and Southern foods galore, but in addition to all of the rustic and casual details, Anna and Jonathan’s wedding was also artistic and vibrant with lots of colorful snapdragons, hydrangea, and garden roses in unique containers by Proper Measures. I love the laid-back, easy Southern charm in these lovely images from Crimson & Clover Photography!

Lauren and Ian’s wedding was spread out over 3 days at Ian’s beautiful family home in Grove City, Pennsylvania. They wanted their wedding to feel like a backyard party, something very handmade and festive, and created a stunning overhead display in their reception tent with hundreds of colorful tissue poms. I’m in love with the bouquet and boutonniere by The Tinker’s Dam! The flowers are so pretty and stand out on their own without competing with the colors of the rest of the event. A gorgeous day with beautiful photos from Birchtree Photography!

This is one of my uber-favorite weddings that I have ever featured on EAD! I posted it way back in 2008, but I just had to pull it out of the archives for aqua week. Lyndsey is the owner of Bellingham, WA antique store Penny Lane Antiques, and she filled her aqua and red wedding with all sorts of vintage, kitschy goodness! The tent at Semiahmoo Resort was transformed into a whimsical wonderland with the help of Steven Moore Designs – complete with seashells, fish centerpieces, vintage curiosities, and a fabulous red chandelier. One of my favorite photographers, Michele Waite, captured the all of the lovely images and Michelle Engvall flawlessly coordinated the event.

Christina and William’s wedding is chock-full of DIY cuteness!   A true handmade wedding in every sense of the word, Christina created all of the fun decor and letterpressed her wedding invitations, and friends handmade her gown and pulled together all of the floral arrangements.   I love the punchy red and blue color palette, and Sarah K. Chen‘s images are absolute perfection!

Only two days left in 2010 and we’re going to close out the year right!  Today’s favorite wedding, from the fabulous duo of Whitney and Jesse of Our Labor of Love, is that of Max and Margaux.  All you really need to hear to know that their two day backyard celebration is knock-your-socks-off amazing is that the awesome crew of The Flashdance came together to produce it!

Rob and Hayley’s DC wedding has so many sweet details.  With the gorgeous setting of Smokey Glen Farm, and beautiful photographs by Rebekah J Murray Photography, you know it’s bound to be lovely!  Oh, and there’s pie.  You can’t beat pie.

Polly and Dave are such an adorable couple with a very creative theme for their Tiverton, Rhode Island wedding.  1000 handmade origami cranes decorated every aspect of their celebration, photographed by the ultra-talented Gwyneth Colleen!

In Part 1, I mentioned the aqua and poppy color scheme… but what I didn’t mention was the a-mazing way it was carried out. Semiahmoo’s tent was transformed by Steven Moore Designs into a veritable whimsical paradise. Check out the FISH in their centerpieces, the gorgeous tent, and the blue lanterns!

You are just not going to believe the cuteness that is Lyndsey and Matt’s Washington wedding.  The awe-inspiring Michele Waite, per usual, did a fantastic job photographing the event and was kind enough to share with the EAD readers!

Sarah and Scott originally had a large celebration planned, but like many other brides, COVID changed that. In a cautious manner they decided to move forward with their wedding with just their 12 closest family and friends. Despite the small guest count, the design aspect was large. Their outdoor ceremony took place surrounded by banyan trees under the most stunning Chuppah. Reception was followed with the most divine tent with flowing florals and hints of citrus.

Sarah & Benjamin wanted guests to feel like they were entering a magical world when they arrived at their wedding and the day was full of awe-inspiring details which made that vision a reality. From getting married at the castle-like Wonderland Cluj Resort, to the horse-drawn carriage fit for royalty, to the show-stopping, jaw-droppingly lush, floor-to-ceiling florals by Elena Bodea – Las Floristas that filled both the ceremony and reception, guests were transported into a fairy tale for the day. Add to that that these two look like they walked out of a magazine themselves, and this may be one of the most dreamy weddings ever! The gallery is full of more incredible photos by Ioana Porav Photography, from the stunning rose petal seals on the stationery by Invogue Art, to Sarah’s romantic Milla Nova wedding gown (a nod to her Hispanic roots), to even more photos of their unbelievable florals, and trust us, you absolutely want to see them all!

Almost instantly, a wedding in Washington, DC has visions of ultimate grandeur. Jen and Nick wed in the early spring at the Four Seasons and they left no stone unturned when it came to the ins and outs of their wedding design. Jen’s favorite blooms are the ever-stunning and lush magnolias and with that color inspiration as their jumping point, they coveted a white/ivory and green wedding with gold accents. Florist Amy from Amy Lauren Floral Designs expressed and continued the color palette by using sumptuous white peonies and white roses along with the glossy magnolia leaves. This wedding has too many impeccable elements to it, both in design and in personality. We’re just glad that Kristen Gardner captured all the splendor in full!

Let’s all take a moment (or two) out of our day to check out this bliss-inducing Janita Mestre wedding. It’s delightfully in the desert, so of course you’re going to spot a few cacti at Galway Downs, but you’re going to see such a dreamy color palette too. Being so close to Valentine’s Day, Stephanie and Alex wanted to evoke love all throughout, so they picked pink as their go-to hue. Big and bright blush and ivory florals by Events by Floral Sensations complemented the eye-catching David’s Bridal mauve bridesmaids’ dresses, and we loved this idea, too. Instead of continuing the soft tones everywhere, shake up the colors like Stephanie and Alex and throw a deep hue in the same color family somewhere that will be seen. Adding it to the bridesmaids’ dresses was a clever touch without overwhelming the couple’s desire to have an airy feel to their wedding day.

We couldn’t think of a more fitting way to celebrate Independence Day than with Elizabeth and Jeff’s classic Americana wedding at the Daughters of the American Revolution National Headquarters! Not only is this wedding chock full of red, white, and blue details designed by Cheers Darling Events, but Elizabeth and Jeff are so incredibly fun, and their quirky. personal additions make this wedding one for the books. Elizabeth subtly incorporated her love for cats with kitty flats perfect for dancing the night away, and Jeff’s childhood of raising and showing goats as a 4H member gave way to the “Granby Goat” cocktail, a nod to his hometown and hobby. As if that weren’t cute enough, topping their Buttercream Bakeshop confection was a topper with a cat bride and goat groom. More importantly, Elizabeth and Jeff made sure to honor their family and guests too. Elizabeth’s grandmother handpainted the invitation envelope liners, and each place setting at the reception was customized with an individual note to that guest, sharing memories and thanks for their love and support. We’re celebrating the 4th with these spectacular images from Lisa Blume Photography!

Jared and Lauren’s wedding was a self-described “giant garden party” at the stunning Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Though the Florida weather can be temperamental, the couple was greeted with gorgeous, sunny skies for their outdoor soiree. Jared is Jewish and Lauren Latin Catholic, so their ceremony—officiated by Lauren’s Godparents—was entirely customized to include traditions from both. The couple said their vows beneath a beautiful chuppah from Ever After Floral Design, played Ave Maria during the mantilla ritual, and broke the glass before their first kiss. The whimsical reception featured an eclectic seating area with settees and chairs from The Salvage Snob, a honey cake with rosewater buttercream frosting from Bake Bar, and a bourbon bar and cigar roller, a must-have in Cuban culture. Every moment is magical in the images from Merari Photography!

There simply isn’t one single thing we don’t adore about Jen and Jesse’s modern Brooklyn wedding. Rather than a formal dinner, the couple chose to enjoy a progressive cocktail party with their guests, a perfect mix of formality and casualness. Liberty Warehouse set the perfect scene with its industrial aesthetic. The organic greenery from Violet and Verde highlighted the brick, wood, and metal throughout the venue. As if their locale couldn’t get more breathtaking, Jen’s father created a wooden altar from scratch that, paired with Violet and Verde‘s floral, made an exquisite and personal ceremony backdrop. Jen is a vision in her Blush by Hayley Paige dress from The White Gown and the bridesmaids’ dresses add just the right pop of color. Even their choice of wedding date is perfection—they were married on Loving Day, the anniversary of the overturning of the criminalization of interracial marriage in the US. We know that you’ll join with us in falling head over heels for every sweet moment as captured by Kat Harris Photography!