Real Weddings: Kelly + Josh

There’s only one word befitting Temmy and Wayne’s Edmonton wedding: exquisite! Held at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, a landmark building fashioned after a castle, their intimate event was truly out of a fairy tale. It was love at first sight for the couple, and after six years and two children, saying “I Do” couldn’t have been easier. Working with Samantha of J’Adore Design & Events, they designed an enchanted wonderland of flowers, from topiaries lining the aisle and dressing the altar of their rooftop ceremony to elegant reception tables with shimmering pink linens, gilded accents, and patterned stone chargers. The final perfect detail? A something blue settee for two at the head table. We are mesmerized by this gorgeous family and all of the incredible images captured on film by Justine Milton!

If we had to choose but one word to describe Paul and Vida’s wedding, it would be sublime. With Vancouver’s Hycroft Manor as the setting and Coco Events & Weddings at the helm, the couple celebrated their autumn nuptials in front of their nearest and dearest on a gorgeous October day. The graceful interior of the manor created an intimate backdrop for the lush florals by Celsia Floral. A gorgeous ceremony arbor was matched in beauty only by Vida, breathtaking in her gown from Blush Bridal. We are suckers for vintage transportation and adore the 1930s Cadillac from Ritz Limousines, its regal elegance befitting the venue. Each and every image from Kirill Bordon Photography is exquisite!

Colleen and Mark’s Chicago wedding is indescribably elegant. At no time is the city more beautiful than in the summer, and the gorgeous day was a perfect complement to the gorgeous couple and their wedding party. Colleen is resplendent in a lace Ines Di Santo gown from Dimitras Bridal Couture, and her maids donned chic champagne Jenny Yoo Social Collection gowns. The extraordinary Preston Bradley room of the Chicago Cultural Center was the setting for their July nuptials, and the architectural gem’s Tiffany Dome was incorporated into the custom stationery by Magnificent Milestones. A mix of lush teacup florals and elegant garland-style centerpieces with a sea of candles by Exquisite Designs adorned the tables. The fabulous Lori Stephenson of LOLA Event Productions went above and beyond to both curate the details of the day and insure the event with off without a hitch, right down to duct taping the floor when the jubilant reception dancing literally cracked it open! We adore each of these soft and lovely images from Annie Parish Photography!

Jacqueline and Trebor’s wedding in Italy was a surprise to everyone, who thought they were simply participating in a styled shoot until the night before when guests received gorgeous watercolor invitations from Signora e Mare. We are swooning over this stunning romantic fete they held at Villa Bertolami in Rome! These breathtaking images from Buffy Dekmar make us feel as though we were there—almost—and we’re so happy to share the details with you. Puffy pink and green blooms in loose arrangements and Jacqueline’s amazing oversize bouquet are from Bo Boutique Flowers, and we’ve never seen anything quite as lovely. They are the perfect complement to Jacqueline’s bespoke vintage-style gown from LWD Couture. To help pull off this surprise affair, Jacqueline and Trebor asked Fine & Fleurie to help coordinate the peach and turquoise details, from the garden setting of the reception to Jacqueline’s beautiful colorful coat to the intricate cake put together by Natalizi. We just can’t get enough of this fabulous wedding!

If Diana and Danny’s everyday lives are even half as chic as their Southern California wedding, they’re definitely some of the most stylish people ever! This beautiful couple was married at the Cravens Estate in Pasadena surrounded by friends and family from all over. There are many details about their wedding that I love (like Diana’s amazing shoes and accessories) but once I saw their colorful florals I was smitten! Rooted Harmony blended rich textures and colors to create bright and elegant arrangements that include peonies, roses, wax flower, astilbe, eucalyptus, and even succulents! What a gorgeous wedding with gorgeous photos by Connie Lyu Photography!

Leslie and Randy were married on a gorgeous, sunny September afternoon on the lawn overlooking the bay at the Chebeague Island Inn off the coast of Yarmouth, Maine. The evening before the wedding, guests were treated to a traditional Maine lobster bake, and those who stayed on the Island enjoyed using vintage bicycles for day trips to the various area beaches.  If you can believe it, all of the lovely florals were created by the bride and her friends; centerpieces feature lovely garden roses, peonies, ranunculus, and anemones purchased from Fifty Flowers and placed in antique glassware collected by the couple, including several given to Randy by his grandmother. This wedding is one of my favorites, and after seeing all of the gorgeous images from Michele M. Waite, I know you’ll feel the same!

With any outdoor wedding ceremony in Florida you have to have a rain plan, which was the case for Taylor and Jacob’s Alfond Inn wedding. What was meant to be a garden style ceremony on the lawn, was moved into the atrium due to weather. But, that didn’t stop the garden vibes.

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.

Lindsey grew up in Northern Michigan and met her now husband Richard in Leland where they worked at a local lodge in the summer. When they fell in love and were engaged, they knew that Northern Michigan had to be the location for their wedding.

Kristen and Daniel’s wedding day was filled to the brim with festivities and honored each of their family’s cultures with two separate wedding ceremonies! The celebration began with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony where the bride and groom served tea to each set of parents to show their respect and gratitude. Later in the day, Kristen changed from her vibrant red gown to a romantic lace BHLDN gown for a Jewish ceremony under a stunning chuppah decorated with blush, peach, and ivory roses and peonies by Holly Chapple Flowers. They ended the evening with dinner, dancing, and even a sparker send-off filled with cheers from all their closest friends and family. There is so much beauty and love in this wedding so make sure you view the whole gallery below for even more photos from Jessica Green Photography!

Sarah and Fred envisioned a chic wedding with natural touches to soften the industrial vibe of their historic venue The Foundry at Puritan Mill. The florals by Rittenhouse Designs incorporated lush greenery into the centerpieces, table runners, and beautiful ceremony arch, and the bouquets of roses, ranunculus, and lisianthus were just the perfect touch of color against the dusty pink and mauve bridesmaids dresses. Sarah knew she wanted a simple yet elegant dress, and when she found this stunning low back gown from The White Magnolia Bridal Collection, she knew it was the one! Tenth & Grace beautifully captured each and every detail of this chic and romantic day, so make sure you check out the entire gallery!

College of Charleston alumni Chanel and Alex returned to their old stomping grounds to profess their forevers to each other in downtown Charleston, South Carolina and they certainly did it to the nines. Aaron and Jillian Photography captured the opulence and southern charm of their big day and those wine and blush shades are calling our name. Deep jewel-toned colors were the supreme winners for the day, with the bridesmaids in luxe berry Hayley Paige gowns, exquisite burgundy florals by Petaloso, and a merlot wedding invitation suite with hints of gold. Rich colors and romance reign supreme in this Charleston affair planned to perfection by Pure Luxe Bride!

Patrice and Nick met in one of the most unique ways we’ve heard of: the pair were production assistants on former TV sitcom “The New Adventures of Old Christine”. They started out as friends and their relationship bloomed from there, ultimately with an inventive engagement proposal that involved Patrice’s boss (read more below about that fun tale). They wanted a wedding that drew in their love for California, Patrice’s Filipino heritage, and an overwhelming elegance and thoughtfulness. Sabine Scherer Photography captured their wedding, from the stunning ceremony at Patrice’s family church, St. Dominic Catholic Church to their Bently Reserve reception. Their reception venue is hailed for its opulence, so to add balance, Mango Muse Events and Violetta Flowers pulled in live trees, organic asymmetrical elements and garlands, and added meaningful orchids and roses (as an homage to family that had passed on). Of course, fun had to be had, so to kick off their reception, the newlyweds partnered up to do a medley dance that ended with hip hop. We love all of the injections of Patrice and Nick’s fun personalities and fascinating lives all throughout their big day.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Art will forever be inspirational subjects, but even the artist is put on display and ultimately, veer towards becoming artistic components themselves. Cue the illustrious Frida Kahlo. The woman was a pioneer for her time and thanks to her ingenuity, we were graced with many surrealist self-portraits and homages to her native Mexico. In this delightful shoot by Heirloom Rose Photography, Montserrat Salgado wanted to channel Frida, but steer her style towards a light and airy aesthetic. Frida was a paragon for her own brand of femininity, and a bold bridal gown by Esteé Couture with lace details and off-the-shoulder sleeves proclaims that brand of womanhood. Vendors like Haute Poppies and Perch Event Decor fully embraced the inspo. Pink and gold details are forever timeless and the florals were showstoppers; large, organic bundles of blush and peach blooms and without a doubt, that big and beautiful floral crown was the main event. Frida, no doubt, would wear that beauty proudly.

One gaze at this wedding and it would be hard to imagine that Leah and Andy wanted a laid-back fête to reflect their easygoing selves because their wedding is dripping with classic elements. To say the least, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is an old world vision that Renee Lemaire Photography certainly captured at the Porter’s big day. Every aspect of the grounds exudes romance and the whole place looks like it was plucked out of a fairytale. Leah recalls going to Stan Hywet often as a little girl, so she knew it was THE place and after showing Andy, they were both hooked and began dreaming up their wedding. Their September wedding day consisted of a delicate cream and ivory palette with dabs of blush, expert florals by The Budding Tree, and ending the night twirling away underneath the trees and the stars.

Tori and Jon’s Milwaukee wedding is nothing short of fabulous. Tori says “once we saw the Grain Exchange there was no question that it fit perfectly!” and we couldn’t agree more. This spectacular venue is equal parts elegant and glamorous. and Evenement Planning created a beautiful ambiance with a color palette of gold, dusty blue, peach, gold, and pinks. Every detail from the cocktail hour to the late night snacks was accounted for! Sparkling sequin linens and tall centerpieces by Impressions by Esther graced the tables, and a custom bar by Barlotta’s added a finishing touch. Each moment is beautifully captured by the incredible Kelsy and Butch of The McCartneys Photography!