Erika & Tony’s wedding reception with a cake that makes my heart skip a beat…the intricacy of the decoration looks like fine porcelain—pure artistry! (Just in case, you don’t want to miss Part 1 and Part 2!)

“The Schindler Banquet Center was about a five minute walk across campus from the chapel and is where we held our reception immediately following the ceremony. We absolutely loved this elegant room with its tall open arches and ballroom feel. Anna Davis was our event coordinator, and she was absolutely amazing—I would recommend her over and over again!”

“The reception table centerpieces were alternating floral arrangements and small guest-sized cakes. The guest cakes were done by Cakes by Jerri Deeter. The three flavors we chose were dark chocolate, white almond, and spice, with the flavors alternating from table to table. Each cake was topped with real miniature pears brushed in edible gold paint. Jerri also did our wedding cake, and it was perfectly romantic with its delicate lattice pattern and leaf motif which varied in design on each tier and was separated by strings of piped dots. I especially loved the way the combination of satin and lace ribbons tied around the pedestal of the stand mimicked the cake’s intricate detailing.” Isn’t the pear detail so lovely? And the guest cakes, and the wedding cake piping…it’s all so beautiful!

“Another merry moment for us was when we lifted our toasting glasses after cutting the cake, and Tony realized that we were about to drink… milk! He loves milk, and a few months earlier he was lamenting the thought of champagne—he was convinced milk would be a far greater accompaniment with cake. After a few sneaky arrangements made with the wedding coordinator, he got his wish! The toasting glasses were a matching pair of tall antique gold teacups instead of clear glasses, so it wasn’t obvious that they held milk until just before we took a sip. The look on his face was priceless!”

“We asked some of my close friends who weren’t in the bridal party to be a part of the day by serving cake at the reception, and the fabric flower ornaments they wore were made by two very dear friends, Sara Deaton and Kristen Brubaker. The corsages were sewn from various fabrics which were all swatches from the dresses worn by the bridesmaids, little girls, and cake servers. The most special handcrafted fabric corsages were those worn by the mothers of the bride and groom, as they were sewn from the same fabric used for my wedding gown.”

Erika had the most poetic advice: “The details are fun, and for a perfectionist like me, important. However, the moment you sense the details are taking over your planning and are beginning to consume your life—step back, breathe deeply, and remember that planning details wouldn’t be a reality if it wasn’t for the fact that the man you love has asked you to spend a lifetime with him. When the anticipated day comes, the excitement of pledging your vows will overshadow all else.”

“Start as early as possible with your plans, and be sure to enlist the help of friends and family in adding the unique and creative touches—you will be surprised by the hidden talents that many of them have in different areas, and they truly will be delighted to be included in your special day. Above all, as everyone told me over and over again—enjoy it, and have fun! Once in a lifetime moments are beautiful, and flee so quickly into the world of sweet nostalgia.”

Complete sweetness, yes! We’re so grateful, Erika & Tony, to have had the chance to share your wedding—thank you! Warmest wishes for your life together—may every day be as beautiful as this one!

More from Erika & Tony’s Ohio wedding…oh, the ceremony, beautiful! (In case you missed it, find Part 1 here!)

“Our ceremony was held at the Collier Chapel. Built in 1873, the chapel still boasts of the original candle-operated chandeliers (electrified in 1928) and stained-glass windows. We were so excited to vow our hearts to each other in this beautiful little church house!”

“Our ceremony included a thirty minute worship service and a prayer before we pledged our vows, and many of the musical pieces performed by the pianist as well as those sung by the a capella vocalist group were praise songs and old hymns. Later on, toward the end of the reception, just before we dashed out to our get-away car, we had a short, informal devotion time with all the guests gathered around us and giving us a parting blessing on our brand new life together. It was a beautiful day of celebrating our marriage covenant; one that still brings tears to my eyes just recalling it!”

“I cannot say enough of Branton Hoblit Photography. As an old friend, we had a wonderful time hanging out and being completely ourselves, but more importantly as a photographer, he did a phenomenal job working as our eyes to capture not only our own emotion and feeling, but also those of our treasured families and friends. The soul and expression of our photos illustrates a depth that serves as a visual storybook to read for the rest of our lives.”

“I always loved the idea of walking down an aisle covered by flower petals, and wasn’t willing to depend on little flower girls to scatter enough flowers in their few nervous moments down the aisle. Instead, we dubbed the little girls ‘bell ringers,’ and they carried vintage gold bells shaped as pears. It was adorable to see them softly ringing their bells as they held hands with each other, and the aisle swathed in hydrangea petals was perfect!”

We asked Erika about her favorite parts of the day: “Tony and I have talked about this—by far the most meaningful moment for both of us was the moment I walked up the aisle and into his arms. The ambiance of the chapel was poignant, and the tall candle stands created romance and tenderness, but the actual beauty of that small sliver in time when my dad kissed my check and I turned to embrace my groom captures our memories more so than any other aspect of that day.”

The reception is next…more sweet moments to come!

How do we describe Erika & Tony’s beautiful handcrafted heirloom wedding? Delicate, sophisticated, classic, timeless. Every detail is thoughtfully placed—to perfection! Erika’s bouquet alone, amazing! We’re completely charmed and moved. Thank you to Erika and Tony for sharing your story and Branton Hoblit Photography for the lovely images!

“Our wedding was October 3, 2009. It was an evening wedding, which made for a relaxing day—we had all morning to get ready and look forward to the ceremony and party. Photographs started around one o’clock in the afternoon, and from there, all the excitement just culminated into one glorious event!”

“Our color palette was slate blue and marigold with cream and ivory accents. I had always loved the mind pictures I got from reading the classics of Jane Austen’s day with the ladies in their Old English fashionable dresses and the gentlemen in their dapper tweed vests. I tried to mimic this mental picture I had of that era and summed it up by theming our wedding as vintage, but the final outcome of all the little details definitely had a lot of my own personality in the mix—resulting in more of a simple elegance, with a few antique vintage elements thrown in here and there.”"

“Our flowers were beautifully arranged by Wendy Lavy with Consider the Lilies. After I described my vision of a loose, airy, whimsical bouquet, she created the perfect blend of ivory and cream toned flowers with accents of goldenrod resulting in a simple arrangement which complemented the rich texture of the fabric of my wedding dress. One of my favorite things about my bouquet was the long gold, ivory, and slate blue ribbons that fluttered and danced as I carried it. Wendy also did a gorgeous job on both the reception table centerpieces comprised of football mums and cattails among other wildflower pieces, as well as the touches she added to the already charming chapel.”

“My wedding gown was sewn by an aunt of the groom, who did an incredible job creating a dress from practically thin air. I’m still amazed at her ability—I loved it. I showed her pictures of dresses and jumped from one photo to another, asking for this sleeve, this neckline, that skirt style, and that bodice design. She literally merged it all together and gave me the dress of my dreams—feminine in an antique and simple way. The other wedding attire worn by the ladies, including the bridesmaids, little girls, and mothers of the bride and groom, were also handmade, sewn by either themselves or a family member.”

Perfectly lovely! More from Erika & Tony’s wedding in just a bit…!