Real Weddings: Laurel + Darren, Part II

Today’s wedding, brought to us by the uber-talented Michèle M. Waite, is so lovely.  I fell for the details the moment I laid eyes on it!

Sugar, spice, and everything really nice sums up Jamie and Casey’s South Carolina shindig. The Charlotte couple wanted something more quintessentially southern, so they traveled a bit further south into Charleston and fell in love with The Governor Thomas Bennett House. They were spellbound by its classic look; white exterior with black shutters, and its all-in-one manicured garden perfect for the ceremony and reception. This accommodating setup can go with any style or color palette, but we are totally fawning over the soft pastel wedding aesthetic that Ashley Wenz with Boutique Planning made come to life. Reception tables were kept light and airy with dove gray and blush linens from Snyder Rentals. To add some oomph, weathered farmhouse tables sans linens were the ideal complement to add some texture to the space. Before we go on and on, we’re just going to let Ava Moore Photography do the rest of the storytelling about this beautiful day.

For their Massachusetts wedding day, Alex and Chris wanted nothing but everyone to have a splendid time, good food, good drinks, and good memories being passed around. All captured through the lens of The Light and Color Wedding Photography, the Ipswich couple chose to have a traditional wedding day. Alex chose a classic A-line Hayley Paige beauty and the cherry on top of her trousseau was her mom’s veil that she donned for her day. Their ceremony was held at St. John’s Prep (fun fact: Alex is a dentist and St. John’s Prep was the same school where Alex’s boss and Chris’s dad went. The guys are still good friends!), Chris’s high school alma mater. For their wedding reception, they dressed up The Hellenic Center in shades of soft blues and pinks, and organic-style blooms designed by Chris’s sister-in-law, Teresa. Weddings like these that are centered around family and steeped in tradition always leave such a feel-good warmth to our day.

When you fall in love with your wedding venue, you just know, no matter what your plans originally were. Amanda and Vlad planned for a Colorado wedding, but they never knew what hit them as they stepped foot onto Bella Collina’s stunning grounds in Florida. Reminiscent of the Tuscan countryside, it was love at first sight for the duo and it just jived so well with their romantic wedding vision that we get to fawn over thanks to Kristen Weaver Photography‘s epic photos. The white florals and greenery by Lee James Floral looked resplendent against the venue’s landscape, but no matter how glorious the blooms looked, it just couldn’t compare to Amanda and Vlad looking like a million bucks. They stole the show, for sure!

After having their day postponed from Covid, Rhea’Lynn and Christian were finally able to celebrate their wedding day at One Eleven East. With a mid-century meets organic design it was absolutely breathtaking.

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.

Like many couples of 2020, Anjali and Sam had to get creative with their wedding planning because of COVID. For the safety of their guests, they decided to have their wedding ceremony in the bride’s aunt’s garden at sunset for an intimate and romantic celebration. The ceremony arch by Ellamah Floral was the star of the show and the perfect backdrop for the backyard nuptials. It was a whole family effort, with the groom’s uncle officiated the touching ceremony. Scroll to see all the sweetness captured by Elizabeth Burgi.

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!

When you find out that Christine and Michael’s guest list consisted of family from 19 different states, you’ll wonder like us how they accommodated every single one of them. They happened upon Morristown, New Jersey because of its proximity to major airports and train stations: a huge plus. What they really lucked out on was The Madison Hotel-Conservatory. Cassi Claire Photography captured the breathtaking venue and its high glass walls, stark white interior with a slight industrial vibe, and the abundance of flowers already perched inside. The couple wanted to keep their colors simple, so they opted for a classic color palette so as not to detract from the conservatory itself. Apple Blossom Flower Shop created pieces with white flowers front and center and heaps of greenery strewn throughout, from the bouquets to the centerpieces. Check out local conservatories for their wedding availability; they are usually decked out in impressive flora and fauna already and are such a unique option for wedding venues.

Gina and Joe’s story begins like so many others in this generation: via a dating app and an awkward first date. Despite the fact Joe was not a Francophile and “avoided all of the French words” at the French restaurant they ate at, the pair met up again and the rest was history. Before they knew it, they were planning a wedding in Temecula’s wine country with Ashley Bee Photography documenting their day. Purple was common favorite color between the two of them, yet they wanted to break up the hues with various shades. Mauve, gold, and the deep brown wood interior at Wiens Family Cellar created a classic and rustic feel. Gina and Joe are fond of the outdoors, yet due to the weather and the season, they opted to stay warm and cozy inside. Despite this, they wanted to extract those aspects of the outdoors they love and add them into their indoor venue. Long, wooden tables mostly exposed with Sweet Flowers’ wildflower-esque creations gave this nature-loving couple exactly the motif they wanted, and it’s a treat for us all too!

Fall evokes the dreamiest of color palettes and also some of the most innovative pairings, we think. Brittany and Adam married near the tail-end of the fall season where society’s color palette has started gravitating away from oranges and bright reds into deeper tones. Darker reds and moodier colors like their choice of burgundy and navy blue are spot on for this time of year. We love how Elle and Jaye Events transformed JW Marriott Las Vegas into a romantic, fall wonderland with burgundy, gold, and navy blue woven together. With Susie and Will and all of the vendors strutting their best stuff for Brittany and Adam’s wedding, the result was exceptionally beautiful.

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!

Audrey and David had the absolute privilege at marrying at a beautiful French chateau and with the smiles on both of their faces in various photos from Romain Vaucher, their day was beyond joyful and seeped out everywhere. After a proposal in Japan, the two found Chateau de Razay to call their wedding venue. Japan is near and dear to them, so they wanted to bring the colors of a Japanese spring to their wedding, using white and green with blush pink peppered across their decor. Their ceremony was steeped in Madagascan traditions in homage to David’s heritage. The groomsmen wore Malagasy hats and the service was conducted under the Madagascan church. For motif, we love they went simple with their colors; a chateau almost never needs any excessive decor and allowing the chateau’s present decor shine like Audrey and David did will create such a memorable experience.

Janine and Mike chose Woodbridge Township’s stunning Ariana’s Grand for their reception venue, and the venue was perfect for their clean and ethereal wedding vision! To keep their wedding timeless, Flowers by Bernard filled their reception with swaths of greenery and mixed metals, accented by succulents and acrylic elements for a modern touch. Janine’s late grandmother was named Rosalie, and they honored her by sprinkling roses throughout the arrangements. We are swooning over every gorgeous images from Stephanie Sunderland, and the spectacular wedding day video from NST Pictures!

We love this absolutely classic féte hailing from an illustrious museum in our nation’s capital today. This Washington DC wedding was photographed by one of our favorites, Lisa Blume, and it is elegant and so special and timeless. According to Kelly, she couldn’t take her mind off of the National Museum of Women in the Arts’s design and sweetly, how she could picture traipsing down the staircase to meet her dear dad at the bottom to walk her down the aisle to her beau Jamie (tears!). Speaking of tears, we had to mention this touching detail. Kelly needed to have her grandmothers there in some way, so to commemorate these wonderful women in her life, she shipped in two paintings from North Carolina of them and had her grandmother’s tea cup in her bridal suite. Endearingly, the teacup was a gift her grandmother gave to her sister for her wedding.

When you have a sublime location like Norman Farms ready to utilize at your fingertips, taking advantage of it and all of its natural delights are at the top of the list. Illustrious vendors like Fiona Louise Design and Something Minted had a blast foraging around the massive 28-acre property to beautifully bring this farm-to-table inspired shoot together. The art of table setting was a large inspiration for the day; for shoot designer and venue owner Fiona, welcoming loved ones meant breaking out the nicest wares and florals and setting up a grand table for gathering. For this shoot, an herb bouquet with mint and rosemary, blackberries, quince, pears, and apples were shared fresh from the grounds. A hearty loaf of sourdough bread and golden blossom honey was the centerpiece amidst the taper candles and antiquated English wares. Save a seat for us at this table; we would definitely want to break bread here among friends.

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.

If you could imagine what a down home southern wedding would look like with a healthy serving of sophistication, we think it’s Shannon and Christian’s wedding, hands down. Our hats are off to Molliner Photography for capturing the sumptuous images we get to share with all of you. This Jekyll Island fête is one for the Pinterest boards (and don’t be afraid to add all of the images!). It’s draped in neutrals galore; set against the couple’s picture-perfect venue, Crane Cottage; and the blooms by Straton Hall Events are stellar. We can just imagine dancing the night away under the mesh of the palmetto and oak trees. It’s giving us all the heart eyes, y’all!

Valerie and Ken’s Tower Hill Botanical Garden wedding was like walking into another time. Every corner was filled with gorgeous flowers and art, every detail simple in its elegance. The greenhouses and gardens at Tower Hill inspired the color and style for their wedding. Julie Lapham Designs created arrangements with succulents and airplants, roses, eucalyptus, and anemone, and many of the succulents are now growing in the couple’s home! Seeded paper escort cards doubled as favors, a Jenga game served as the guest book, and colorful tabletops graced the Orangerie. We’re simply in love with every moment captured by Arielle Doneson Photography!

On the day of Katie and Alan’s wedding, Dallas decided to unleash a massive storm, so the couple and their wedding planner, Sarah of Keestone Events, moved their planned outdoor ceremony inside the gorgeous ballroom of Arlington Hall. And while we wouldn’t call a monsoon on your wedding day ideal, we have to say that the stunning indoor celebration may just have been a blessing in disguise! The golden ballroom made a beautiful ceremony and reception setting, and the elegant floral arch by Moss Floral Design did double duty as ceremony altar and a lovely backdrop for the reception! For the reception, white and gold centerpieces enhanced the golden beauty of the ballroom, while a pop of purple echoed the bridesmaids flowing dresses. The result is timeless perfection, beautifully captured by Dyan Kethley Photography!