In the tapestry of life’s celebrations, few threads are as richly woven as those that tie us to the past while leading us into the future. Black and White Magic – A Classic Elegant Event Adorned with Tulips is more than just the story of Madeline Reece and Taylor Stinson’s enchanting wedding day; it’s a narrative steeped in deep familial bonds, longstanding friendships, and the kind of serendipity that seems almost magical. The amazing planner, Nora Sheils founder of Bridal Bliss has a connection to Madeline’s family that stretches back generations, a shared history that brought an added layer of joy to planning her sister Jacqueline’s wedding in 2016 and later, to orchestrating Madeline and Taylor’s own nuptials. Known to their family not just as the bride-to-be but as the cherished babysitter who won over her son’s heart (much to his chagrin), Madeline has always been a beacon of happiness and simplicity. Their wedding, a classic and elegant affair set against a backdrop of black and white elegance, punctuated by the gentle charm of tulips, was a true reflection of their easy-going and sweet nature. Join us as we recount the magic of their special day, a celebration that was not only a testament to their love but a reminder of the beautiful intricacies of life’s interwoven relationships.
How did you meet?
Taylor and I met in a tutoring session at University of Oregon. Taylor was a football student athlete and myself a lacrosse student athlete. When Taylor needed to make up a tutoring session and he walked in to my session, the rest was history.
What is your proposal story?
Taylor surprised me by getting down on one knee in the backyard of our new house that we were waiting to close on. He lured me in by telling me progress had been made on the house and when I arrived in the backyard there was a beautiful set up made special for us. Following the proposal, Taylor had organized a family BBQ back at my parents with a sweet surprise of 3 of my college best friends flying in to be in attendance!
Tell us a little a bit about your wedding
Classic, Elegant, Black Tie, and Tulips, Tulips, Tulips! I knew I wanted a sleek and elegant black & white wedding and the pop of fern green really brought my vision of spring elegance to life. With having an Oregon wedding in the spring, you never know what kind of weather you are going to get(and that proved to be true on our wedding day – we got snow, hail, rain, and bright blue skies). With that being said, we knew we had to have an inside venue and Oregon Golf Club provides a great space that is large, airy, and gives you a bit of an outdoor feel while being inside. Our ceremony site of Our Lady of the Lake was a no brainer as our family has celebrated seven family weddings in our hometown church spanning over half a century.
Tell us about your attire choices
Madelines dress -I wanted a clean and simple, yet memorable dress. After initially choosing a Pronovias one-shoulder dress I started to second guess my decision as I had always envisioned myself in a strapless dress. Thanks to the amazing Anna & Katie @ Annas Bridal, they were able to think outside the box and make the one shoulder detachable giving me the best of both worlds. Taylors Tux – The Black Tux provided the mens rentals and after seeing Kevin Love’s wedding photos Taylor really loved the all white dinner jacket look.
What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?
Madeline – my dress! Taylor – the people! Being surrounded by those that love and support us was really important. Having our wedding local to our families and friends that watched our relationship grow over the last 8 years was most important to me.
Tell us about your wedding flowers
Tulips, Tulips, Tulips. I am not much of a flower person however, I have always loved a tulip. I figured solely having tulips would help tie in the spring vibes especially with the fern green stems :) Nearly 2,000 white tulips later – featured in the bouquets, hanging from the chandelier in the reception space and in boxes on the table. They were absolutely beautiful!