Real Midwest Weddings

Real Minnesota Wedding: Jennifer & Adam (Part 2)

Real Midwest Weddings -- August 18th, 2010 -- 9:37 pm

Pure sunshine! More from Jennifer & Adam’s delightful Minneapolis wedding…simply in love with the hand-painted photobooth! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“We wanted a vintage feel, so we used a yellow and gray color palette. We took a lot of inspiration from old postcards from the early 1900s. Our theme was celebration and laughter. We didn’t want anything too formal because it just didn’t feel like us. No tuxedos, no formal wedding party, rather, a ‘wedding gang!’ We also surprised our guests by greeting them when they arrived. We didn’t want to be hidden away while our friends were starting the party so we joined them!”

“For dessert, we offered vanilla cupcakes with butter-cream icing from CUPCAKE in Minneapolis. They were SO delicious! Our wooden Bride and Groom cake toppers
were designed by goosegrease on Etsy.”

“We created the table number cards from vintage Minnesota post cards. We hand cut number stamps and I stamped the back of the post cards. We had to show our out of town guests a good time so Adam designed a map of Minneapolis with all of our favorite haunts, which we included in our welcome bags for our hotel guests. I also wanted to add a personal touch to the wedding so I painted a 5′ x 7′ mural to use as a photo backdrop.”

“We recently moved to Minneapolis from Brooklyn, NY so we really wanted to show off our new city to all of our east coast friends. It was important for us to show them what a great city this is, to help them understand why we made the move. Minneapolis really came through! We now have friends asking us to ship packages of Minnesota snacks (like Nut Goodie Bars and granola from French Meadow Bakery) to them in New York! A few have already made plans to come back to visit (in the summer only!).”

“We knew the night was going well when a friend of my dad’s started a conga line in the middle of dinner—not really the kind of dancing we had in mind but it really got the party going! Adam and I didn’t want to do a ‘first dance’ so we asked the DJ to invite everyone to join us on the dance floor. I expected a few close friends and family to accept the invitation but almost everyone joined in—the dance floor couldn’t hold everyone so people were dancing all over the dinning room. It was a beautiful sight!”

When we asked Jennifer about advice, she told us, “There are so many great ideas to be found in magazines and blogs, that it’s easy to see yourself having many different kinds of weddings! But the best advice we can give is don’t do anything because ‘that’s just what you have to do.’ Relax, have fun planning, and don’t listen to anyone but yourselves! It’s your day and it’s probably the biggest party you’ll ever throw so just have fun!”

Just brilliant! Everything about wedding planning should be a blast, right? Congratulations, Jennifer & Adam—here’s to all the happiness ahead! Many thanks, too, to Kate McGough of Perspective Studio for sharing her lovely photographs with us!

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Real Minnesota Wedding: Jennifer & Adam (Part 1)

Real Midwest Weddings -- August 17th, 2010 -- 8:43 pm

Minneapolis is an amazing place to get married—the artisan possibilities are simply endless! Today’s real wedding is truly a Clover & Bee favorite. Combining this classic downtown venue with all of wedding designer Allison Geiger’s perfect vintage details made for a simply picture-perfect party. Wait until you see these shots from Kate McGough of Perspective Studio—it was love at first sight! All the lush yellow and pink florals, bright blue summer skies, every elegant handmade detail…pure delight!

“Adam and I were married on a hot summer day—July 3, 2010 in Minneapolis, MN. Both the ceremony and reception were held at the Gale Mansion, a beautiful South Minneapolis mansion built in 1912. We loved that the space was full of history, elegant, right in the heart of the city and even close to our house.”

“We tried to keep the day’s schedule simple. We really wanted to just relax and enjoy the day—something everyone told us would be difficult to do! We showed up at the Gale Mansion for a quick run-through at noon. We got dressed at the Gale for pictures at 2 p.m. and we were ready to greet our guests as they arrived at 4 p.m. The ceremony took about 15 minutes and the crowd was begging for ‘one more song!’ at 11 p.m. when we wrapped up the evening.”

“Luke Geiger of Right on Canvas designed our invitations and RSVP cards. We wanted the look of the invitation to be inspired by vintage Minneapolis post cards, and Luke nailed it!”

“Adam’s suit was from JCrew. His yellow checkered tie was purchased from designer J. Barton Strawn on Etsy. My wedding dress was purchased from Saja—an amazing boutique in NYC. They were so helpful and Yoo Lee’s designs were just want I wanted—simple and elegant. Local hair stylist, Lacey D’Apice, is amazing, and did an incredible job styling my hair! She created a natural and elegant style that worked beautifully with my dress, and most importantly I ‘looked and felt like myself’ on my wedding day.”

“We love the spirit and sound of bluegrass music so we hired The High 48s, a bluegrass band from Minneapolis, to play during our ceremony and cocktail hour. They really set the tone for the whole day: laid-back fun. And the crowd loved them! They even learned a few special requests for us.”

“Our photographer Kate McGough of Perspective Studio was great! She was exactly what we wanted in a photographer—personable and professional. She was able
to grab great shots of all the important moments, yet at the same time, we hardly knew she was there!”

“There were so many wonderful moments that it’s hard to pick just a few to mention! One of the most memorable moments was when Adam and I walked down the aisle together. The High 48s learned an instrumental version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Buckets of Rain’ for us and played it as our wedding gang and Adam and I entered. As we turned the corner and made our way down the pathway, our guests started cheering and clapping—our hopes of laughter and celebration realized!”

“We couldn’t have done it without Allison Geiger of Alilu Studios in Willmar, MN. We are very fortunate to have a wedding designer/florist/planner in the family—especially one we would have wanted to hire anyway! Allison guided us through the whole process; she made sure we were doing what we needed to do when we needed to do it. Allison had us come to her studio and we LOVED everything she had to show us. She really made the whole event feel like us. Allison used vintage bottles as flower vases, vintage juice glasses for votive candles, and old canning jars filled with yellow candies and sparklers. It was the 4th of July weekend after all so we went with sparklers as our ‘favor.’”

More from Jennifer & Adam’s unbelievably sweet wedding coming up tomorrow…the party is pure joy! Doesn’t all this sunny yellow make you just melt? So in love with all this style!

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Real Minneapolis Wedding: Sneak Peek!

Real Midwest Weddings -- August 16th, 2010 -- 9:36 pm

One gorgeous DIY wedding at Minneapolis’ Gale Mansion with flowers, flowers, flowers everywhere—there is just so much to be inspired by! Can’t wait to share tomorrow—one of our favorite fêtes of all time!

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Real Chicago Wedding: Jessica & Robert (Part 2)

Real Midwest Weddings -- July 30th, 2010 -- 9:28 am

More from Jessica & Robert’s Chicago wedding at the spectacular historic Murphy Auditorium Resort…wait til you see these brilliant DIY details! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“Rob and I have both lived in Chicago for several years, and the best part about getting married in this beautiful city was being able to share what we love about our new hometown with our family and friends. We love to walk everywhere in the city, so we purposely planned for all of the weekend’s events to be within close proximity to each other. We provided our guests with homemade pocket schedules of the day’s events and a hand-drawn downtown map of Chicago that featured some of favorite places to see in the city. Chicago has so much history and wonderful architecture, and both of our venues provided the perfect backdrop for our dream wedding in our favorite city.”

“I had so much fun adding our own personal touches throughout the wedding, from all of the paper products to the lavender bundles on top of each menu, to the homemade jam that my mother lovingly made for us. Our wedding really felt like us. Some of my favorite details included the table letters (yes, not numbers!) which were vintage French alphabet flash cards—fitting, since I am a kindergarten teacher. For our chair swag I decoupaged our initials using sheet music from my grandfather, and I added some fabric flowers to dress them up. Instead of using escort cards, we decided to use votives that I wrapped in paper with each guest’s name on a label. All of these DIY projects turned out to be so much fun and added a really personal touch to our wedding.”

“Our cake was created by Amy Beck Cake Design. Amy was enthusiastic about putting our personal monogram on the cake and even using one of our birdcages as a cake topper! With alternating layers of carrot cake and almond cake, it was just as delicious as it was pretty.”

“We loved our DJ, Max from Style Matters. He was able to read the dance floor and please all of our guests, as well as incorporating many of our favorite songs into the mix. One of our favorite musical moments from the night was Max’s willingness and artistic ability to blend ‘Bookends’ by Simon & Garfunkel with our first dance song, ‘First Day of My Life’ by Bright Eyes. It was a special moment that made our first dance even more personal!”

“Our videographer was Louis from I Do Films—a boutique studio that specializes in creating modern wedding films with a distinct vintage flair. We are anxious to see the results because these folks are so incredibly talented!”

“We were so lucky to work with Jennifer Vahle from Food For Thought, who helped us put together a menu that wowed our guests. Jennifer worked with me for months on the practical aspects of putting the wedding together. Many of our guests told us that our spinach stuffed chicken and filet duo were the best wedding food they had ever tasted! We especially enjoyed the cheesecake lollipops that were passed around as a late-night treat.”

“Although many brides describe their wedding days as a blur, I remember many little details from the wedding as only a DIY bride can! On the day of our wedding I was able to step back and appreciate how all of our months of planning came together—thanks to our supportive families and friends, and our incredible vendors. As a teacher, I was able to devote the previous summer to scouring the internet and wedding magazine to find vendors who fit our style, ideas and budget, and, most importantly, who we connected with. In such a big city, it was a time consuming process, but we ended up being able to work with some of the most artistic, enthusiastic people we have ever met.”

Oh, yes! I love this thought from Jessica: handcrafting aspects of your wedding and working with local artisan vendors makes your day all the more memorable. This is the design philosophy we just adore here at C&B. Warmest congratulations, Jessica & Robert, on your beautiful, beautiful day! We wish you all the very best. Thanks, too, to Lizz Sisson of Orange 2 Photography—wonderful work as always!

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Real Chicago Wedding: Jessica & Robert (Part 1)

Real Midwest Weddings -- July 28th, 2010 -- 11:19 am

Today’s wedding is just stunning—I’m so delighted to finally get to share! We’ve been having some technical difficulties behind the scenes here and I’ve been on the edge of my seat, ready to show you this amazing wedding! Once you see for yourself, you’ll know why we jumped at the chance to feature Jessica & Robert’s gorgeous downtown Chicago wedding: the venues, the dress, the flowers, the bowties and all the amazing heirloom and handcrafted details—there’s beauty in every moment of the day! Jessica’s planning is impeccable—so thoughtful and with such a light and lovely touch! Many thanks, as always, to Lizz Sisson of Orange 2 Photography for sharing with us!

“Robert and I were married on June 26, 2010, in the heart of downtown Chicago. We knew that the city would be the perfect backdrop for the romantic wedding we envisioned. Incidentally, Chicago is a nice halfway point for our families, who are from Michigan (to our east) and Missouri (to our west).”

“After months of searching, I found my dream dress at Weddings 826—a great boutique that sells “off-the-rack” wedding gowns. I knew that I wanted my dress to have a vintage feel, and I immediately loved the bow details on the front and back. The dress was strapless initially, but the talented seamstresses at Weddings 826 created the perfect halter for me. I had a hard time choosing my veil, but I felt instantly at ease at The Left Bank—a Parisian-inspired wedding accessories boutique—where I was able to design my custom birdcage veil.”

“The bridesmaids wore two different colors of J.Crew’s Juliette dress—deep rose and light shell. These beautiful blush tones reflected our color palette and looked perfect for our summer wedding. The girls also carried adorable clutches in two different fabrics that I ordered from Gracey Bags on etsy.com.”

“Our flowers were done by Mark Weber at Kloeckner Preferred Flowers, who was able to turn my strong ideas into an amazing reality! Mark embraced my ideas and color palette and was really able to bring our “French country” vibe alive in the flowers.”

“The girls and I had our hair and make-up done at Charles Ifergan Salon on Oak Street. The salon went out of their way to make us comfortable and even set up a room where we could have breakfast and relax! It was such a great way to spend time with the girls before the ceremony, and on such a warm day, we all appreciated their wonderful airbrushed make-up!”

“Our invitations were made by Sarah Parrott of Parrott Design Studio. She designed and letter-pressed a unique invitation suite for us that matched our aesthetics to a tee. We carried this lovebird/birdcage theme throughout our wedding!”

“Our ceremony took place at The Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, which is located on the city’s main entertainment artery, Michigan Avenue. Our reception was just blocks away at the breathtaking Murphy Auditorium. My husband and I have always admired the architecture of these two incredible buildings, and it was exciting to see the reactions on the faces of our family and friends as they marveled at these beautiful venues.”

“Rob purchased his Tommy Hilfiger tuxedo at Macy’s and finished his look with a custom estate shirt from Ralph Lauren and a matching mini-gingham bowtie and pocket square from Carrot and Gibbs. The groomsmen wore Joseph Abboud tuxes with traditional black solid bow ties provided by Formally Modern Tuxedo. For a twist (and added distinction) the groomsmen wore bright orange argyle socks from Brooks Brothers, a color which complemented the dresses of the bridesmaids.”

“We also carried/wore many special mementos on our wedding day. It was very important to me to “carry” both of my grandmothers with me so I wore a ring from my maternal grandmother and a bracelet from my paternal grandmother. My pearl drop earrings were a birthday gift from Rob from Tiffany’s. On the day of the wedding I gave Rob cufflinks made from coins from 1944 and an embroidered handkerchief with our initials and wedding date. I highly recommend utilizing all of the wonderful sellers on etsy.com for your special wedding mementos! From my garter, to our ceramic ring dish, and many other items, etsy was a wonderful resource for our wedding purchases.”

“There were so many special and touching moments throughout the day. Rob and I both agree that one moment that we will never forget occurred at the end of the ceremony when our pastor had us turn around to face our friends and family, and our bagpiper, George Sims, started his procession down the aisle. He then led us out of the church as husband and wife. It was such a dramatic, beautiful and emotion filled moment that we will never forget! If your church or venue offers a bagpiper option, we highly recommend it!”

“After months of searching for the ‘right’ photographer, we were lucky to meet Lizz Sisson from Orange 2 Photography. We felt instantly at ease with Lizz, and we had a blast shooting in some unique and memorable locations, including our engagement shoot in a field in Chinatown and literally in Lake Michigan on our wedding day! We have been amazed at the way that she manages to capture the tiniest details in the most artful ways. We will cherish her photographs of our special day for the rest of our lives!”

“The most important piece of advice I have for future brides is to take time to decide what your sense of style is and stick to it! It’s so easy to get bogged down by reading blogs and seeing all of the wonderful ideas that other brides have had but remember that your wedding should represent you and your fiancé. When we started planning, Rob and I both wanted a wedding that had a vintage vibe with touches of French accents thrown in. I really didn’t have one or two ‘colors’—instead I chose many different blush tones, as well as plenty of ivory and gold. Even though our wedding took place in the heart of Chicago, we wanted our wedding to have a cozy, yet elegant feel. Luckily, our venues both matched our ideas perfectly, and all of the vendors we worked with made sure that this aesthetic shone through.”

Such a beautiful aesthetic! The reception party is coming up and you won’t want to miss all that’s in store—the cake, the to-die-for venue, the perfect end to an unbelievable wedding day. Definitely one of our favorite weddings all time!

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Real Chicago Wedding: Sneak Peek!

Real Midwest Weddings -- July 26th, 2010 -- 10:25 am

The shore of Lake Michigan in the summertime—what’s not to love! We’ve got one wonderful heirloom wedding coming up—stay tuned for all the details!

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Real Indiana Wedding: Amanda & Roger (Part 2)

Real Midwest Weddings -- June 29th, 2010 -- 10:15 pm

More from Amanda & Roger’s Indiana wedding at the stunning French Lick Resort…! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“We chose black bridesmaid dresses and tuxedos for their simplicity and pure elegance. Our color palette was very soft and full of cream, and medium to light pinks. The overall look that we wanted to capture on our wedding day can be described as ’shabby chic,’ soft and pretty. Our hope was that our sense of style would create a very inviting and comfortable atmosphere for our family and friends.”

“As a couple, our favorite memory from the day was when Roger took my hand during dinner and said, ‘How can we make this moment last forever?’ On our wedding day you could truly feel the Lord’s presence and the abundance of love, compassion and energy from all of our family and friends.”

“The best thing about getting married in Indiana is the true beauty of the state, especially the area we chose to be married. We found that nothing compared to the shear beauty of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church combined with a reception at French Lick Resort. We feel they may be among the state’s best kept secrets due to the distance from major cities, airports and interstates.” Too true!

Amanda’s advice for all you ladies planning out there: “Where do I start? The two most important pieces of advice that we give all of our family and friends planning a wedding are: One, once you make a decision stick with it. Go with your gut feeling and don’t look back. Two, be sure to take time on your wedding day to slow down, breathe and take it all in. It is overwhelming to see how many people are there just for the two of you, but it is absolutely the best feeling in the entire world.”

Oh, that last piece of advice is so sweet, just priceless, love it! Really, what greater joy is there than being surrounded by everyone you love? Congrats, Amanda & Roger! We wish you all the very best for your new life together! Many thanks to Cathy & David Photographers, too, for sharing the gorgeous shots with us!

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Real Indiana Wedding: Amanda & Roger (Part 1)

Real Midwest Weddings -- June 28th, 2010 -- 4:19 pm

Pretty in pink! Amanda & Roger’s wedding is the kind we just love—a light touch and beautiful space make for incredible sophistication. We feel so lucky to have the chance to share the pictures from Cathy & David Photographers with you!

“We were married on Saturday, May 22. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny spring day. The day began with a leisurely cup of coffee and many smiles and hugs from some of my best girlfriends. The comfortable and relaxed atmosphere continued through out the day.”

“Our ceremony took place at the beautiful St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Jasper, Indiana (built in 1837) and the reception at French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana. Our family, friends and vendors put their heart and soul into every detail making each one very special. Our flowers were breathtaking. Marcia Lindauer of Jasper, Indiana really put her heart into every arrangement. The results were stunning. The rosary on my bouquet was my great-grandmother’s, my namesake. It stood for all of our family and friends who are no longer with us but were still present on the most important day in our lives.”

“We chose our photographers, Cathy and David, of Bloomington, Indiana because we were drawn to their style of candid photography and their talent to capture the true love and emotion of your wedding day. Our style as a couple is simple yet comfortable and elegant. We limited the number of flower arrangements and decorations because we really wanted the true beauty of our church and reception venue to shine. Cathy & David captured every detail.”

“My dress was from the Crystal Bride in Geneva, Illinois. You know you love your dress when every morning you wake up wishing you could put it on again. All of the girls had their hair and makeup done by Stacey Mayo of Indianapolis, Indiana. Stacey and her team worked their magic and really made everyone feel like a princess. Their work is flawless.”

One of Amanda’s favorite moments from the day: “Our bridal party was making their entrance into the church as I was standing outside waiting for my dad. The sun was shining bright and very warm on my face. I had anticipated this moment for most of my life. Seeing my dad walk through the large church doors filled me with so many wonderful emotions I could hardly breathe. In his face I saw so much love and pride. It was the beginning to the most beautiful afternoon of our lives.”

Stay tuned for more from Amanda & Roger’s Indiana wedding coming up soon…just gorgeous!

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Real Indiana Wedding: Sneak Peek!

Real Midwest Weddings -- June 28th, 2010 -- 3:37 pm

Now, if you know Indiana, you know that French Lick is one incredible place for weddings. Have we got a gorgeous fête to share with you—stay tuned for Amanda & Roger’s day!

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Real Wisconsin Wedding: Erin & Steve (Part 2)

Real Midwest Weddings -- June 19th, 2010 -- 3:21 pm

More from Erin & Steve’s beautiful Wisconsin barn wedding…! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“The Enchanted Barn was the perfect venue for a wedding. I couldn’t recommend it more. Every little detail was pulled together…from horses roaming in the background to the hanging candles being lit all night long. The owner, Lorin, and the staff worked hard the whole day to change the upper level from ceremony to dinner reception to dance, all while guests mingled, had cocktails, appetizers, and cake.”

“Jan’s Custom Cakes out of Turtle Lake was recommended through the Enchanted Barn. We went in for a taste testing and Jan made some of the most amazing cake we had ever tried. She made a simple and beautiful cake that was exactly what we imagined. With all of the varieties of flavors (we chose chocolate with Bavarian crème, pink champagne with raspberry filling, and Bailey’s Irish Cream with chocolate filling), it was hard to leave one out they were so good! We only had about 10 pieces of cake left over…it was a hit!”

“I fretted the most and longest about what our favors would be…it would keep me up at night! I racked my brain thinking of favors I had received from weddings I had attended and searched and searched Google for hours looking for unique ideas. I wanted something for my guests to remember the day, something they would want to keep, something that was personal to them, and (of course!) something I made myself. My emphasis in school was ceramics and I really started to think I wanted to make something out of clay but couldn’t figure out exactly what. One night, probably at about 3:30 AM as I lie awake thinking about everything that still needed to be done, the idea of personalized magnets hit me and that was it! I used vintage pendants to press into clay to make impressions and patterns and also used initial stamps so everyone would get a magnet with their last initial on it. It was one of the projects that took the most time, but one of the things I was most proud of.”

“We decided to have a wishing tree instead of a traditional wedding book for guests to sign. This way, they could send us a personal note to remember from the day and hang it on the tree! It was really fun to read all of the notes on the plane to our honeymoon! Some notes were sweet, some funny, and some so genuine and sincere. Plus, the tree was a fun decoration in the barn!!”

“Our DJ, Ben from Blooms and Tunes, exceeded every expectation I ever had of a DJ. Since he was also a referral from the barn, he had worked there many times and knew what the flow of a wedding there consisted of. If we would have picked anyone else, a lot of little details and consistency of the wedding would have been left out. He helped lead and direct guests to and from the buffet, made sure missed candles were lit, made sure parents and the head table were served, and made small announcements about personal things like wedding favors and our wishing tree. He was wonderful to work with and a genuinely nice person to be around. Anyone who would choose the barn for their wedding would be missing out if they didn’t hire Ben as their DJ.”

When we asked Erin the best thing about getting married in Wisconsin, she said, “The barn was literally in the middle of nowhere surrounded by cornfields and cows! Where else could you do this!? Also, I feel like the barn gave our day a feeling of nostalgia and comfort. Most people have some sort of memory or connection…we are the state known for our cows and cheese!”

Erin’s advice for all the brides-to-be, “Be true to your style and don’t be afraid to look around to find what you want at the price you want. I spent a lot of extra time and stress trying to find that combination with every vendor or detail decided on. It may have created a lot of stress before the wedding, but on the actual wedding day, I had complete confidence and trust in everyone involved and it made my day so relaxing and stress free. It was a great feeling to have. Everyone else around me was more nervous than I was! As much as I wanted other people’s opinions, I really always knew exactly what I wanted and what was true to my style and vision for the day. Though its nice to involve friends and family, make sure your decisions are truly yours.”

So thrilled for you, Erin & Steve! Here’s to all the happiness and joy ahead of you! To find out more about Dani Stephenson Photography, drop by her blog and say hello. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

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Real Wisconsin Wedding: Erin & Steve (Part 1)

Real Midwest Weddings -- June 18th, 2010 -- 2:44 pm

Yellow, white and grey—beautiful! Is there a more perfect color palette for a spring farm wedding? A couple weeks ago Dani Stephenson dropped us a note telling us about this lovely Wisconsin wedding she had just shot. When we heard the story from Erin we learned just how special—she’s such a gorgeous bride, inside and out. This day is just so sweet and meaningful—read on for the picture perfect details!

“We got married on May 15th, 2010. We were originally thinking a winter wedding, but after finding The Enchanted Barn in Hillside, WI, we grabbed one of the last open dates available! With it being such a warm spring, the barn was beautiful and in bloom and I couldn’t imagine having the wedding any other season.

“The days schedule was low key! I woke up and we had the hairdressers come to our hotel, so we spend the morning eating, drinking coffee, talking, and relaxing…all while getting pretty! Once we got to the barn, it was still pretty laid back. I felt I did a lot of sitting around and waiting, enjoying company of everyone around me. The barn set everything up for us the whole night so all we had to do was show up and the day moved on around us! Having everything in the same venue created a nice flow and atmosphere. It was also nice to have everything back to back so guests were never sitting around for long periods of time. The day went by so fast, but it was never hectic!”

“When I first arrived at the barn with my bridesmaids, it was overwhelming (in a very, very good way). The weather was sunny and warm, horses were roaming in the field behind the barn, lights lit up the downstairs and upstairs of the barn, music was being played by the DJ through the walls opened up on the side of the barn, and the flowers and cake were set up…it was the first moment I got to see everything come together and it was a moment of pure happiness. I had so much trust in everyone on my wedding day that I felt completely stress free and had no worries.”

“Our photographer, Dani Stephenson, was amazing. I had followed her blog for a long time and knew I’d want her for my wedding someday. Since we had such a short time for planning, we almost missed out on her, but after a little persuasion with the Enchanted Barn website, we luckily snagged her and it was the decision we could have ever made!”

“Planning for the day, the first decision we made was the color palette, because I felt like I couldn’t make any decisions without that nailed down. I knew I wanted something a little different then black tuxes and Steve came up with the brilliant idea of grey and I loved it! From there it was trying to decide what color would compliment grey…yellow or pink? With our short timeline, only certain dresses could be ordered in time and certain colors and yellow, or canary, was the final decision. Though at first I wasn’t sure I could imagine having all yellow bridesmaids, the dresses were subtle, elegant, and flattering on all of my beautiful bridesmaids.”

“Allure Premiere Event Florists through Lakeview Floral in Menomonie, WI arranged our incredible flowers. After two personal meetings with the owner, Lacy, I walked out feeling I knew exactly what I was going to have on my wedding day and at a reasonable price. The day of the wedding the flowers were more beautiful than I could have imagined and fit the feel of the day perfectly. It was amazing to see all of the separate decisions we made come together to form the day we had envisioned.”

“We both knew we wanted something different then a traditional church wedding in a reception hall, so our search for something different started. My parents were married in their front yard and had the reception in their barn, and I loved the airy, low-key and laid-back feel the pictures gave off. I had heard of a barn in the area that was renovated only for weddings, we found it, snagged one of the last dates available, and never looked back. It was something different, unique, elegant, rustic, and somehow modern…perfect.”

“I really wanted to create a wedding dress from my mother’s. With time running out and a huge list on the do it myself planner, I decided to look around at dresses. I ended up finding the perfect dress, but still wanted to find a way to incorporate the fabric from my mom’s dress in the wedding somehow. I ended up wrapping my flowers in a strip of lace from her dress and we also accented the throwing garter with the same lace. My parents’ wedding was more of an inspiration in my planning than I really realized at first, but ours was really just a modern recreation of theirs!”

I just love this twist on tradition! There are so many possibilities—not just wearing a dress across the generations but places, heirlooms, all the meaningful, poetic details. More soon from Erin & Steve’s day!

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Real Wisconsin Wedding: Christine & Eric

Real Midwest Weddings -- June 11th, 2010 -- 11:25 am

There are just some weddings that get right to the heart of what the day’s about: being together in love. When Katy Gray, a Best of Midwest Weddings favorite, sent us images of Christine & Eric’s wedding we fell right away for the simple elegance, the lovely light touch in the day’s design. Perfect dress, perfect lakeside venue, perfectly beautiful heirloom portraits—we think you’ll agree!

“Our ceremony was at a traditional Catholic cathedral, Holy Name Catholic Church, and our reception was held at Pine Hills Country Club, a private golf course. The day was pretty laid-back in terms of scheduling and was a modest size at around 100 guests. Our goal in planning the wedding was to have a simple, classic and celebratory day while being reasonable with costs and not stressing out excessively about details. We didn’t have a set schedule. The ceremony started mid-afternoon and cocktails at 5, with pictures in between.”

“After the traditional wedding party pictures at the church, just Eric and I went with our photographer to the lakefront in Sheboygan, for pictures of just the two of us at the Blue Harbor Resort. We chose our photographer, Katy Gray Photography, because we had seen her work and really liked all of her candid pictures she captured. We didn’t want a ton of formal pictures, and she was great at capturing all the emotions of the day through candid shots.”

“I think the best part of the day for us was the simple act of being able to share one of the most important days of our lives with our close friends and family, and not worry about anything else. We wanted to have a day that we would always remember.”

“For me, my favorite thing about getting married in Wisconsin is that it is home. I am from there. Wisconsin evokes feelings of familiarity, simplicity and family. Eric enjoyed the scenery offered at the country club and, of course, Lake Michigan. Sheboygan was an ideal location for our wedding.”

What a gorgeous venue! I never get over the beauty of those sandy Lake Michigan beaches. Congrats, Christine & Eric, on your upcoming anniversary! Wishing you lots of luck in love!

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Real Wisconsin Wedding: Krista & Ray (Part 2)

Real Midwest Weddings -- April 20th, 2010 -- 10:00 pm

More from Krista & Ray’s Wisconsin home wedding…tell me, how gorgeous are these flowers? The profusion of Queen Anne’s lace, hydrangea, roses—garden elegance! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“We were inspired by the colors we used in the interior design of our home—burgundy, tan, cream and black. Our theme really started with our invitations which contained a swirl pattern that looked like vines or branches. This theme and the colors were then used throughout the entire wedding. The mood we hoped to have was elegant outdoors. While the wedding wasn’t formal, it also wasn’t a backyard barbecue. I wanted the formality of a traditional ceremony and ornate reception but outdoors.”

“We spent most of our time designing the smaller details of the day and people really commented about how personal the day was. For example, our wedding program and dinner menus explained why a certain song was played or why a certain entree was chosen so guests could understand the personal nature of our selections. For favors, we ended up making chocolate turtles and putting them in pint paint cans and included an explanation behind the favors with each one. I worked at a candy store for many years and had learned how to make handmade turtles and Ray works for a national paint company so the design elements worked well together and making 400 homemade turtles was worth it at the end of the day. Usually, not many people take the favors but when we cleaned up the day after there was not a single turtle left!”

“We created a guestbook table that the wedding pictures of our relatives with a little card stating how they were related to us. Some of the pictures went back 200+ years. People spent a lot of time looking at these pictures and talking about them. To us it signified all of the family that had made the same commitment we did on our wedding day and we wanted to recognize that without their commitment we wouldn’t be here.”

When we asked Krista the best thing about getting married in Wisconsin, she said, “Having an outdoor ceremony in August with perfect weather and no bugs. Plus, polka dancing at the reception, of course!”

Such a beautiful day—timeless, really. Congrats, Krista & Ray! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness! Warmest of thank-yous to Molly Michel of m three studio, too, for sharing these lovely photographs with us!

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Real Wisconsin Wedding: Krista & Ray (Part 1)

Real Midwest Weddings -- April 20th, 2010 -- 4:22 pm

Oh, Wisconsin, we love a lush and woodsy wedding! Krista & Ray’s day has all the special touches we adore: elegant linens, poetic florals, a touch of glamour in the bride’s fashion and—most importantly—a special venue (in this case, very special!). Many thanks to Molly Michel for sharing the incredible photographs!

“Our wedding date was August 8, 2009. We got engaged in December of 2007 and wanted to have a full year and a half to plan our wedding. We originally thought about getting married in April of 2009, but decided we wanted a highly personalized wedding that shared a lot of the details about who we are, how we met, and why we were getting married with our guests. I had managed a wedding banquet facility during college and had seen many receptions. I knew that I wanted a continuous flow to my day—I didn’t want long periods of downtime for our guests waiting between the ceremony and reception. After much discussion, we realized there was only one venue that would allow us to accomplish these two goals for the wedding…our house!”

“Since we live in Wisconsin we knew we needed to schedule the wedding when it would be warm so we decided on our August date. Our home is surrounded by woods so we had this amazing green background to work against and the weather on the day itself didn’t disappoint either. It actually rained very hard the morning of the wedding but by the time everything was getting started we had clear blue skies, so the rain actually made everything even greener and brighter.”

How lovely are the hanging ribbons & flowers to frame the ceremony space? Pure poetry!

“The great thing about the schedule was that I woke up that morning and never had to go anywhere and so I didn’t have to worry about getting here or there on time. The women of the bridal party arrived at the house in the morning and we had our hair done and make-up done. While there was a flurry of activity going on outside, everything was calm inside. Once the wedding started, it was so nice to go immediately from the ceremony into the cocktail hour around our pool and then have guests simply walk to the reception tent in the front yard.”

“We could not have pulled off an outdoor wedding at our home without the help of our wedding coordinator, Monica Rae Gill. She was amazing and took every detail that we had developed and made sure it was executed. Additionally, Molly Michel at m three studio did a great job of capturing all of the detail and the special moments of the day. The production team from Acme Corporation did a great job of pulling all of the lighting and AV details together as well. Having a tented wedding at your home is not for the faint of heart and you need to make sure you have experienced vendors that have done outside weddings in the past. Knowing our vendors had lots of experience was a must for us and it really paid off. They didn’t forget a thing and the wedding went off beautifully!”

Aren’t these burgundy orchids to die for? When we asked Krista about style, she told us, “We are pretty detail-oriented and pretty well organized as a couple. We knew what we wanted the day to look and feel like so we spent a lot of time working on the details. We really wanted to expose people to different aspects of our lives as a couple together that they might not typically know from work or otherwise. With a little thinking ahead, we were able to plan all those finer details. We wanted the day to be memorable to both us and our guests. We wanted our guests to walk away having really enjoyed themselves.”

Krista gave this advice for planning, “Trust your intuition and usually your first choice in things is the best choice. Also, you don’t have to compromise on what you want ‘your day’ to be. You may have to do the work yourself or keep looking until you can find what you can afford but look back on that day with no regrets.”

More from Krista & Ray’s beautiful backyard wedding coming up!

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Real Minneapolis Wedding: Stephanie & Nathan

Real Midwest Weddings -- April 16th, 2010 -- 2:26 pm

Today’s wedding stole our hearts! The sweet simplicity and thoughtfulness…Stephanie & Nathan’s day is one of the most peaceful weddings we’ve ever seen. The photographs from Simply Jessie Photography only add to the tranquility—all those green leaves and the watercolor sky! So much to love about a wedding designed with the details of an international love story!

“Nathan and I met while working with a development organization in Afghanistan. Our relationship had begun and flourished there so we felt it was necessary to put pieces of Afghanistan throughout our wedding ceremony. We decided to choose what we loved and ditched everything else when it came to planning. We took every detail and decided to express who we are and the journey we’ve come on instead of simply going by tradition.”

About the design of the day, Stephanie told us, “Being artists ourselves we put a great deal of value in surrounding ourselves with skilled artisans. Many pieces of our wedding were based on this value. We chose musicians, patisserie chefs, and our photographers based on our relationship with them as well as their amazing skill. We know that this is their training, their passion, so we chose the best and let them have free reign on decisions and style.” Aren’t Stephanie’s dress and the bangles gorgeous together? The frothy tulle, so lovely!

“Both Nathan and I have traveled quite a bit, so our wedding party consisted of our closest friends from many walks of life and many far away places. They traveled from Oregon, Florida, California, Colorado, Washington, Minneapolis and as far as Afghanistan. All amazingly quality people and now many of them continue to stay in touch. We made sure to have plenty of gatherings before the wedding, including a barbecue at my parents’ house the day before the ceremony. Although this can add more effort and stress, we both recommend the time set aside to be with the people you love the most.”

“Every detail in the wedding reflected who we are. We had our ceremony in Irvine Park, near downtown St. Paul. It was quaintly tucked away amongst beautiful houses. We knew from the moment we started planning that we were going to have an outdoor wedding because being outside is such a part of our lives, and we wanted to add a relaxed, picnic feel with family quilts. We were glad to find a beautiful park near downtown. I grew up near Minneapolis and will always feel at home surrounded by skyscrapers. We also included many other aspects of our lives, such as, an Afghan carpet that we chose to be married on, and our guest book was actually three canvases for people to sign, to reflect our love for the arts. Because legacy is important to us, Nathan carried an Irish Peterson pipe with him throughout the day that we will someday pass on to our son to have for his wedding. Our guests were able to see and experience who we really are as they witnessed our promises to be together forever.”

“Photography was number one on our list of importance when planning. We knew we wanted beautiful photographs and lots of them, because when the day is over photographs are all that left. Dedicating those first few hours of our wedding day together brought us joy and a time to relax. Since we clicked well with Jessie and Eric and trusted them to do their thing it was just a fun outing, all dressed up, with the one you love most of all, and its all captured. I highly recommend taking this time during your wedding day. More than the ceremony even, these pictures are my favorite.”

“The ceremony was perfect. The sky had been covered with clouds in the morning to provide beautiful lighting for the photographers and just as the ceremony began the sun shined brightly. Nathan’s father officiated the ceremony which added a wonderful personal touch as he added in stories of us as youngsters. The quilts were spread out around us which made the whole ceremony feel cozy and relaxed.”

“We decided to keep our reception rather simple and short. Since we didn’t add in as many traditions, such as a full meal, dancing, and a bouquet toss, we had much more time to actually spend talking with our guests. We chose a patisserie chef we trusted for our cake, served coffee and everyone had plenty of delicious food. We wanted to relax, and cutting out the details made the day so much easier to breathe through.”

So beautiful! Stephanie & Nathan, congratulations! What a joy to share your wedding on Clover & Bee—sending you warm wishes for your future together! For more from Jessie, visit her C&B Daily guest column here.

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Real St. Louis Wedding: Blair & Nathan (Part 2)

Real Midwest Weddings -- April 13th, 2010 -- 5:38 pm

More form Blair & Nathan’s classic St. Louis wedding! Aren’t these shots below remarkable? I swear Edyta Szyszlo knows all the beautiful places—stunning! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“Before the reception, Edyta, our photographer, drove the two of us out to a soybean field to get some pictures at sunset. There was honestly something magical in the air as Nathan carried me through the field. We also took a picture where Edyta asked us to dance in the middle of the road, and Nathan spontaneously twirled me and pulled me in for a kiss…I think we all had chills at that moment!” If you’re planning your day, definitely consider scheduling some time alone for the two of you and your photographer for amazing candids like these!

How adorable is this little moment of whimsy with Edyta & Vana’s Smitten Sticks? Those paper grins look perfect against the rustic farm backdrop!

After a little photo fun, Blair and Nathan were off to the reception party. About the decor, Blair told us, “I used a lot of candlelight at the ceremony and reception to create a warm and intimate atmosphere. We also chose to sit at a large banquet style table surrounded by all of our guests in order to be more approachable to them.” A brilliant planning decision—it’s all in the details!

“Trish from Elegant Celebrations did an amazing job with flowers, and I loved the lush, romantic feel of the all-ivory flowers at the reception. Some thought all ivory would be dull, but I had so many compliments on our elegant cohesive reception that evening. I originally had a difficult time finding interesting centerpieces, but once I saw the tall candelabras with hydrangeas I thought they were striking and provided a great combination of lush flowers and candlelight.”

“We didn’t have many DIY details, but my mom put together all of the favors as a last minute addition. Three days before the wedding she bought a ton of candy apples from Sam’s, bagged and bowed them and poof! I had favors!” Incredible! Aren’t these such a sweet addition? D&D Designs created Blair & Nathan’s paper goods. The beautiful cake was confected by Patty Cakes.

Blair said dancing at the reception was one of the very best parts of the day. “I loved dancing with my grandpa at the reception, and Nathan’s dance with his mom to Josh Groban’s ‘You Raise Me Up’ was emotional for all of us. That song is very special to the both of them, and she had no idea that’s what he had picked. For the last song of my reception, the DJ played ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey and all of my family and friends circled around us as we all sang at the top of our lungs…I teared up at all the love surrounding us from all of our family and best friends. It was a wonderful end to a perfect day!”

Blair’s planning advice: “Take time to enjoy your day! Make a point to look around you several times throughout the day and realize that all of the people surrounding you are there because they love you. Don’t sweat the small stuff! I forgot every detail that day and focused on the main purpose: standing before God and all of our loved ones to commit our lives to each other. Some things did not go as planned and some details forgotten, but none of it mattered because we focused on each other that day. I am typically a very emotional person, but on that day I had never felt so happy. It was truly a wonderful experience!”

Thank you, Blair & Nathan, for sharing your beautiful day with us! So much glamour! We wish you all the best—many, many congrats! For more local wedding ideas, visit our Best of Midwest Weddings Guide Missouri listings.

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Real St. Louis Wedding: Blair & Nathan (Part 1)

Real Midwest Weddings -- April 13th, 2010 -- 11:28 am

Editing Clover & Bee, we see so many wonderful Midwest weddings and the range of style and design never ceases to amaze—from occasions at home to garden parties, from ultra-modern urban affairs to highly sophisticated elegant fetes. When Blair & Nathan’s came across my desk, I fell in love with how they defined their day. Some of the most gorgeous historic parts of St. Louis serve as a backdrop to this couple’s classic taste. Wait til you see the great captures by Edyta Szyszlo Photography…beautiful!

“Nathan and I were married on October 24th and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful days all season. Our day began together in the morning, and after taking our first few waking moments to have some quiet time together we went our separate ways. Nathan and I bought our dream house a few months prior, and we decided to have our moms and all the bridesmaids over in the morning for hair and makeup, breakfast and mimosas. It was wonderful to have my new home buzzing with all of the women closest to me in my life that morning as I got ready. We headed straight from there to the church, then after the ceremony traveled around for pictures. We started at the St. Louis riverfront to take advantage of the absolutely gorgeous foliage, and then headed to an old abandoned silo and soybean field near our home to get some more rustic pictures. Then came the reception and an after party complete with White Castle!”

Blair’s style is just impeccable. I just love how she’s incorporated these heirloom pieces to represent her Spanish heritage. “We love vintage and classic details, and I tried to incorporate that feel as much as possible in my planning and decor. We chose a monochromatic palette of ivory with gold accents to keep with the classic theme. I also chose a dress that I felt had a vintage yet modern look with classic lines and beautiful Alençon lace applique. The hairpiece I wore had feathers and pearls that added to my ‘vintage’ look. My great grandparents immigrated from Spain, and I chose my veil because it looked so much like the beautiful mantillas I would see in old family pictures. I carried my mother’s rosary around my bouquet, and used my mother’s beaded handbag that she wore on her wedding day 30 years before. My mom designed a special keepsake ribbon for my bouquet with my monogram and wedding date embroidered on it.” Blair’s dress is by Christos from Bridal and Formal in Cincinnati, her hair styled by Brianne Sellers and makeup by Sara Young.

“Nathan and I attended the same high school and have many mutual friends and even shared a summer job. He was one year younger than me, and though we had many of the same friends we were just acquaintances. The first time we saw each other after high school was 5 years later at a wedding in which we were both a part of the bridal party. He admitted to me at the time that he had always had a crush on me, but I lived in Chicago at the time nothing ever came of that conversation…until 3 years later when we were celebrating Mardi Gras in St. Louis at a mutual friend’s apartment. He walked in, I got butterflies and we have basically been inseparable since! The next day I actually told one of my future bridesmaids that I was going to marry Nathan!”

“Nathan proposed on his birthday so I would have no clue that he would be proposing. I actually planned out the entire day based on his requests (pretty smart of him, right!). We were scheduled to eat lunch at the Boathouse in Forest Park, and while we were waiting for our reservation we took a walk around the nearby Muny where we both used to work summers in high school. He surprised me by getting down on one knee at a fountain right in front of our old workplace because of our first memories of each other there. I was shocked and then later touched as he thought to have both of our parents waiting for us at the restaurant. It was a perfect day!”

One of Blair’s very favorite moment from the day was walking down the aisle to “Ave Maria.” “I was very close with my grandmother growing up, and this was her favorite song. She passed away years ago and, with this song, her memory was very much alive for me during the ceremony.”

We asked Blair what the best thing about getting married in St. Louis: “The very best thing: we were so happy our family and friends could attend. We had considered a destination wedding, and we are very happy we instead chose to have it in our hometown. Also, we love the places and spaces of the city. Built in 1846, The Shrine of St. Joseph is one of the most beautiful churches I have been to and I feel its artwork and design rival that of some European cathedrals I have seen. The St. Louis riverfront was also beautiful for pictures with its breathtaking fall foliage.”

“Nathan is very romantic, and we would probably best be described as traditional in our tastes. We both love all things classic and elegant, but we also know how to have a good time! Our wedding was the perfect representation of us as a couple. We had a traditional Catholic ceremony followed by a big reception and party for all of the people closest to us. Though we tend to be more private with our relationship, we were adamant about including all of the people important to us in our life to celebrate with all night! My goal for the reception was a warm, intimate and elegant dinner followed by a big party.” The bridesmaids wore Jim Hjelm Occasions—don’t you just love this warm neutral tone? So beautiful with the rose bouquets!

So excited to show you the next set of amazing shots from Blair & Nathan’s day…Edyta Szyszlo has done it again! More soon!

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Real Indiana Wedding: Nicci & Will (Part 3)

Real Midwest Weddings -- March 15th, 2010 -- 4:00 pm

Sometimes color isn’t about palette…wait until you see this night sky—it’s just idyllic! More from Nicci & Will’s Indiana wedding…! (Just in case, you don’t want to miss Part 1 and Part 2!)

“Will was really involved with the wedding planning. He built the stone wall and platform we stood on during the ceremony. He brought all of the rock up from the dry creek bed on the property. It was heavy back-breaking work, but the results were beautiful. His surprise for me was a heart-shaped rock he found and placed on the wall. It was perfect! The rock is now in our living room and a meaningful daily reminder of our wedding.” Is that not the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard? What a story!

“My favorite part of the day was our first dance to Johnny Cash’s “Rose of My Heart.” For a moment we were the only two people there. Will also hung the lights that stretched across the property. I loved those lights! They were useful (it gets very dark in the country!) and created a beautiful and ambient light to dance under.”

“Will and I love photographs. Since it was an outdoor wedding we couldn’t have a slideshow like other weddings. So we hung pictures from our childhood and our recent travels on the old smokehouse. This was one of the first things people saw when they arrived. We also bought little frames from Ikea and placed 3 or 4 pictures on the tables as our centerpieces.”

“The inspiration, color, all of it came from the gorgeous setting. I wanted the wedding to blend with the surroundings. We wanted the mood to be effortless, personal and heartfelt. Probably no style is our style—there are just certain things we enjoy doing, like camping and hiking. So the wedding had to be outside and it had to be fun. We had a campfire to help keep people warm, and to make s’mores! The kids loved it. It was very important for us to have a relaxed environment that would allow people to enjoy the day as much as we planned to.”

“Most meaningful was how our families help throughout the whole process. Will’s parents worked tirelessly helping with everything from getting the property ready for all of the people, finding the vendors and helping with the set up. We couldn’t have done it without them. My family was so patient, supportive, and did everything I asked of them. The day after the wedding both of our families and wedding party helped with the tear down. The very best thing about getting married in Indiana is that it’s home.”

Thanks so much Nicci & Will for sharing your day with us! Every detail— setting, flowers and gifts—is inspiring. We wish you all the best for many happy days to come. Cheers, too, to Lisa Berry for sending over these lovely images!

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Real Indiana Wedding: Nicci & Will (Part 2)

Real Midwest Weddings -- March 15th, 2010 -- 12:00 pm

More from Nicci & Will’s Indiana woods wedding…cake and fun to come! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“We choose Lisa Berry to be our photographer. It was the best decision we made. She and her assistant were amazing. Will and I wanted the pictures to tell the story of the day, not pictures that were posed or forced. Her pictures are gorgeous. She really knows how to capture light and the emotion of the moment. She is so easy to work with—her enthusiasm just radiated. She quietly went about her work above and beyond of what we asked of her. I even saw her lying on the ground a couple of times to get her picture! She is so dedicated and talented. We have beautiful pictures that we will cherish forever.”

“My surprise to Will was the cake topper. I found a really talented artist on Etsy that made a custom topper from pictures I provided her. It’s really cute. The resemblance is remarkable. She included our dog, Roxie, our cat and a suitcase because we travel constantly. It really does look like us. People are still talking about our cake topper!”

“The cake came from Heavenly Sweets in Noblesville, IN. They make the best cakes. We chose a three-tiered cake. The top and bottom layers were yellow cake with strawberry apricot filling and the middle layer was a chocolate cake with raspberry and white chocolate mousse, and the whole thing was covered with butter cream icing. It was sinful! Our dinner was provided by Rolling Pin Catering in Versailles, IN. It was probably the best wedding food I have ever eaten. The choices were endless. We had to put three tables together to hold it all, not including their dessert table!”

“It was important to us that our guests knew how thankful we were that they came. The bridesmaids and I made welcome boxes that greeted the guests when they checked into their hotel. We filled them with homemade banana bread loaves and caramel apples. For the kids, I hand stamped muslin bags and filled them with snacks, toys and an activity books. It was so cute to see the kids (and groomsmen) wearing the glasses. Making the favors was a family affair. We filled over 300 little muslin bags with mulling spices. The whole house smelled so good for weeks. Nothing says fall like mulled cider.”

“For the bridesmaids I wanted to give them something they could use beyond the wedding, but like the rest of the wedding it had to be personal and from the heart. So I knitted each of them a shawl. It took a year to make all five, but it was worth it. Each was a different design, but they were all in the same color. I think they turned out really pretty.”

“A benefit of doing our own planning and set up was that we were able to choose our favorite vendors regardless of where they were located. The tables and chairs were delivered by Rent n Rave in Louisville, KY two days before the wedding, and Will picked up the cake and flowers the day before the wedding. With a bit of planning and help from friends and family the distance between all of our vendors turned out to be no problem at all and gave us exactly the result we wanted.”

Wait until you see the end of the night…bonfire, cafe lights and deep, dark blue Indiana skies, stunning!

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Real Indiana Wedding: Nicci & Will (Part 1)

Real Midwest Weddings -- March 15th, 2010 -- 10:00 am

One remarkable detail for designing an heirloom wedding: film photography. When we first saw Lisa Berry’s images, we were awed. Every capture was one to keep, one you could imagine, as a bride, gazing at for all time. With her art school background, Lisa has the ability to draw out the grace in simple moments. Add her talent to Nicci & Will’s heartwarming wedding plans and you have one amazing day. So much beauty in the Indiana woods—we love this couple’s carefree elegance in tying the knot!

Nicci told us, “Our wedding was held on October 10 in Madison, Indiana on Will’s parents’ property The Bishop Hill Guest House. They own a couple hundred acres of beautiful southern Indiana countryside with a small civil war era house which they recently restored. The whole setting is beautiful especially in the fall when the leaves are changing. Will and I go there quite a bit to hike, 4wheel and get away from the city. We knew right away that there is no other place that we would rather get married. It’s where we are the happiest and we knew our guests would enjoy the setting—even though they had to travel on some back country and gravel roads! We had about 200 of our closest family and friends there. We are truly thankful and humbled that our guests would travel from near and far to celebrate with us.”

“We are a very laid-back couple. There was very little stress throughout the whole process. The most stressful part was the weather. We really didn’t have a back-up plan in case the weather was bad (not smart I know!). We joked about having the wedding in the pole barn if the weather didn’t cooperate, but that really was our only other option! Will and I checked the Farmers Almanac before we choose the date. It said that the weather for the last 7 years on October 10th was sunny and in the low 70’s. We thought we were pretty safe, but it rained for four straight days before the wedding and it was cold! We must be living right because the day of our wedding was gorgeous. It was sunny and warm. Everyone was amazed at the change in the weather.”

“We actually had a couple of deer that came out from the woods and watched the wedding. We also had two butterflies that were flying around our heads during the ceremony! That was pretty neat. I felt like Snow White.”

“My engagement ring is Will’s grandma’s ring. It’s beautiful and means so much to me. I wore my aunt’s rosary bracelet that was handmade for her, I carried his grandpa’s handkerchief, and his sister gave me a sixpence for my shoe.”

Nicci & Will’s party coming up next—the setting is so lush, so beautiful—you’ll definitely want to come back for more!

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