Maybe I’m just a sucker for a man in a tuxedo, but there’s something so lovely about a black tie wedding, especially in a charming setting like Coral Gables. Says Veronica, the bride, “I wanted a venue that was romantic, timeless, and elegant. I love historic buildings, and the history that surrounds Coral Gables, so when I saw Comber Hall I knew it would be perfect for an intimate wedding.”

Elegant invitations set the tone for the event.

Says the bride, “One of my favorite moments of the day was walking into the church. My father and I were waiting behind the church doors and there was a beautiful light shining through since the sun was setting. I heard “Canon in D” begin to play, the doors flew open, and all of my favorite people were smiling at me. At the end of the aisle I saw my soon to be husband looking at me, and everything felt perfect.”

Some details from Veronica…

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  The architecture, colors, and landscaping in Coral Gables. Once we chose the venue, we let the building inspire me. Comber Hall has an old world elegance to it – it’s not the type of venue you try turning into something else; you go with its natural beauty. I chose light pink and peach colors for my flowers, since they reminded me of the color of Comber Hall.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Don’t feel obligated to do every tradition or thing you see on wedding blogs that other brides are doing. Realize that not everything will go perfectly, and try not to take it all so seriously – my dad kept  telling me, “It’s really just a party.” When you look at it, it’s a party to celebrate your new life together, and what makes a good party? Good food, good drink, fun music. Don’t over think it.

Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day?  Tyler and I met in college and began dating when we were 20. We have a lot of history together.  Pretty much everyone at our wedding knew us as a couple, since we had dated for nine years. I think it was the fact that so many of our guests have been there along our journey, that made it feel like there was such true love and joy in the room for us.

 

Vendors

Photography: Ozzy Garcia / Hotel: The Biltmore in Coral Gables, Florida / Ceremony venue: Church of The Little Flower / Reception venue: Comber Hall / Planner, floral design: Sylvia Viyella / Bride’s dress: Monique Lhuillier / Sash: Maria Elena / Shoes: Fendi / Hair, makeup: Ashley Mandy / Bridesmaid dresses: Jim Hjelm / Groom’s tuxedo: Hugo Boss / Stationery: The Invitation Place / Cake: Edda’s Cake Designs / Reception music: DJ Ubi


Remember Blaire and Dave’s fabulously retro engagement shoot? Well today we have their sweet retro-inspired wedding! Even the guests got in on the fun, dressing in vintage styles that fit with the rest of the event. Chudleigh Weddings‘ gorgeous images captured both the aesthetic and the emotion of the day (you may remember this first shot from a Sunday Edition awhile back)…

All of the bridesmaid dresses were vintage finds that the bride collected from Decades in Salt Lake City and various Etsy sellers, that she then dyed in blush tones.

Blaire rented vintage cream and taupe umbrellas from Bella Umbrella for guests to hold at the ceremony.

“I am close to both my dad and “my assistant dad” (stepfather),” says Blaire. “So my dad walked me down the aisle, and my assistant dad married us.” Both the bride and groom said their favorite part of the day was exchanging the vows they wrote. “We were laughing and crying,” says the bride. “It really was the best ten minutes of my life!” And from Dave, “I thought I would be nervous and wouldn’t take them in, but they really stuck with me and I know they will forever.”

We brewed our 5 different types of own beer and root beer- they were tasty! Dave designed labels that matched our invitations to go on them that read “D&B Say I Do Brew” like it was our very own brand.

Keeping with the retro theme, Blaire and Dave rented a photobooth that took only black and white photos. Says Blaire, “We collected vintage props for months (1940′s glasses, hats, fasteners, boas, fans) and I actually used a lot of my grandmother’s and great-grandfather’s hats, which was a fun way to include them in the wedding.”

The dessert table included various cakes and sweets, such as French macarons, cupcakes, molasses taffy, lace cookies, meringues, and tiramisu, as well as the couple’s favorite tres leches cake from Tarahumara.

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  The design of the home is very Frank Lloyd Wright, so it went with our 1950′s theme. But we mostly selected this home because of its incredible views of the entire city – simply breathtaking.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?  My grandmother’s jewelry and clothing that have been passed down to me. I have always loved playing in her vintage fancy clothes and just feel like maybe I was supposed to be born in a different era. I didn’t want the wedding to be shabby-chic or rustic as you see a lot these days, but more classic.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  We probably did the opposite… Dave was pretty adamant that we don’t have to do anything we don’t want to and convinced me that it would make the whole day more personal. And it did. We did, however, get talked into cutting the cake – and the most popular picture that came out of our wedding was me with an evil laugh on my face, and Dave with cake all over his.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Learn to let go of the small stuff and accept help. I tried not to burden anyone with anything, but people are willing to help, so let them! Ask interested parties (family and good friends) to help with the wedding early on so they know your vision and what you are trying to accomplish.

What were some DIY elements in your wedding?  My cousin Rylan set up all the sound with his speakers and iPad and got a list of music we wanted played – he did an amazing job! We made an arbor out of doilies to perform the marriage ceremony under, and we made confetti out of doilies to throw after the ceremony. We made string ball decorations and hung them high above the dance floor, which created a fun and ethereal atmosphere.

 

Vendors

Photography: Chudleigh Weddings/ Venue: private residence in Salt Lake City / Bride’s custom dress: Cydni Oda Design, 801-694-6660 / Groom’s attire: Hugo Boss / Planner and floral design: Freebird Weddings / Catering: Brian Casson Catering, 801-347-3950 / Rentals: Diamond Rentals / Vintage parasol rentals: Bella Umbrella

 

Congratulations Blaire and Dave! Thank you for sharing your beautiful wedding with us! And readers, if you ever find yourselves in Park City, Utah, check out Blaire’s clothing shop, Flight Boutique!

Photographer: Chudleigh Weddings
Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Freebird Weddings
Parasol Rental: Bella Umbrella

by Rebecca Marshall via WPJA


A couple years ago, I met the sweet and talented Heather Ann Thomas at the A Bryan Photo workshop in Birmingham, and today I finally get to feature her beautiful work. She takes utterly frame-worthy photos that I imagine any couple would be pleased to have as wedding keepsakes. But I’ll let the images speak for themselves…

Some details from the bride and groom:

Why did you choose this location for your wedding?  Ben and I had a weekend getaway to Blackberry Farm two years prior and absolutely fell in love with its charm and tranquil setting.

What was your favorite moment of the day?  Ben and I planned all photography to take place before the ceremony so we could maximize our time with guests who traveled to be with us on our special day. We wanted out “first look” to be a lasting memory, so I stood in the Blackberry Farm garden in my wedding dress and Ben saw me for the first time and brought me my bridal bouquet. We had a very intimate moment before everything started that afternoon.

What advice do you have for other brides?  Of course, enjoy every moment! It goes by so quickly and what details may seem significant during the planning period won’t be in the end. You will remember your happy moments and all of your friends and family sharing in your wedding day.

 

Vendors

Photography: Heather Ann Thomas of Beall + Thomas Photography / Venue: Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee / Bride’s dress: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s attire: Brioni / Bridesmaid dresses: J.Crew 

Photographer: Beall + Thomas
Bride’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston
Groom’s Attire: Brioni
Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew

Beth and Jay live in Australia, and had always wanted to visit San Francisco, so they decided on an intimate destination wedding there. Laurel at Esla Events and Emily at Gem Photo helped to create a memorable day for the couple and their guests.

Sunnyside Conservatory was the perfect venue for the ceremony: small enough for an intimate group, but open and full of light.

After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed some sandwiches and donuts, then hopped on a trolley for a tour of the city. Says Beth, “We wanted the day to be about everybody having fun, especially since they had all traveled from Australia. So the trolley tour of San Francisco was our way of making sure we got to spend time with everybody as well as enjoying the sights and tastes of San Francisco.”

Hot chocolate at Ghirardelli Square was a highlight, says the bride.

From Beth:

What was your favorite moment or part of the day?  The entire day was fun, so it’s hard to narrow down. The ceremony was very special. So was getting to relax with our guests on a tour of San Francisco. The dinner reception was also fantastic, and when we returned to our room, the hotel had provided us with a bottle of champagne and chocolate coated strawberries, which was such a sweet and thoughtful surprise.

Did you include any traditions in your wedding?  Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue was probably the only wedding tradition that we followed. My grandmother gave me a locket that my grandfather gave her in 1937, and the neighbor I grew up with gave me the lace horseshoe she had at her wedding 50 years ago. The something blue was the plastic blue “engagement ring” that Jay proposed with, and something new was really everything else.

What advice do you have for other brides?  The best advice is just to relax and enjoy the day, and remember what it is about, which is you and your partner – the rest is just icing. Don’t take anything, including yourself too seriously. Making sure you get great vendors who you trust and who understand what you want makes life a lot easier. Planning the wedding from Australia, it was great to be able to rely on Laurel and Emily for advice and direction, and they did a great job.

Do you have any budget tips for other brides?  We got married in the middle of the week and outside of peak wedding season, which helped. I purchased a lot of items off Etsy and found that sellers were always very helpful in getting me what I needed on time, and for a reasonable price. Potted lemon trees at the ceremony (as opposed to full floral arrangements) saved some money, but still gave a great effect.

 

Vendors

Photography: Gem Photo / Ceremony venue: Sunnyside Conservatory in San Francisco, California / Dinner venue: Twenty Five Lusk / Planner, designer: Esla Events / Officiant: Rick Kaplowitz / Bride’s dress: White by Vera Wang / Veil: Bella Bridal Veils / Pearl jewelry: Pearl Accessory / Bride’s custom mittens: Crafty Little Critters / Hair, makeup: Eliza Desch / Groom’s suit: Lan’s Formal Wear, (415) 921-2615 / Flowers: Crimson Horticulture Rarities / Vintage rentals: One True Love / Post-ceremony snacks: Dynamo Donuts, La Boulange / Cable car rental: EventsWest / Fabric garlands: Two Green Olive Trees / Just Married banner: Victorian Station /

Photographer: Gem Photo
Ceremony Venue: Sunnyside Conservatory
Bride’s Dress: White by Vera Wang
Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Esla Events
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