Suzanne & Jordon

July 28

Townsend, Tennessee

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Q & A with the Bride: 

1.     What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

When we visited the gardens before the wedding, we spent over an hour exploring the many areas of the garden. We loved the field of lilies that served as the backdrop for the ceremony site.  The ceremony site gazebo was grand and rustic with a cemented stone aisle and fit perfectly with our vision for a romantic, outdoor wedding.  Our wedding was late in the summer, so we didn’t get the full effect of the spring blooms in the lily field, but it was a beautiful setting nonetheless

2.     Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

1)     The vintage furniture pieces with the photo frame wall Jordon built:  The vintage rental pieces and the photo wall backdrop really helped create the atmosphere for the reception and tied our other elements together with a common theme.  They created a big impact at an affordable price and guests enjoyed the lounge seating area by the dance floor and posing for fun photos. 

2)     The whimsical table centerpieces: each with a different object and a fluttering butterfly in a mason jar.  Jordon and I had fun together shopping for each of the items.  My favorite of the objects was a white resin pig. I don’t know why; I just love him.  He now resides on my mantle.

3)     The men’s boutonnieres: Jordon helped pick out the items to go in them and put them together himself. He did a great job and really tried to make something we would both be happy with even though he nixed the peacock feathers I wanted to incorporate (the blue tiny flowers were a fair compromise). It meant a lot to me that he was involved with the details of the wedding so that it represented us both. 

3. Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

We’ve come to the conclusion that the best moment of the day was when the ceremony was over, and we were announced into the reception pavilion. That was the first time we saw all the projects and planning come together, and we knew we could relax and have some fun and libations. The sangria was especially sweet after all the stress of the day.  (Although, a close second was when I saw my flowers were pink instead of peach.  That was a bridezilla moment.)

Helen & Bob

July 21

New Haven, Vermont

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Q&A with the Bride:

Which three details of your wedding were your favorites?

1. The exact location of the ceremony, which was next to the pond.  We went back and forth several times about the exact location, and the final location was picked the morning of the wedding with the bride’s hair in curlers.
2. The table settings with the flowers that Christine Snell made for the tables and cake. I also loved the cookie favors I had made with embroidery icing.
3. The little rocks we used as place cards. Bob and I had picked them up from the shore of the 100 year old family vacation cottage, on Thompson’s Point, the year before.  We asked guests to say a prayer or wish for us on their rock and return them to the shore. That way our wedding would be part of the family cottage forever.

If you could offer one piece of advice for other couples planning their wedding, what would it be?

After planning, and helping to plan, two weddings, two years in a row [Helen's daughter got married last year] we learned to go with what you love. Don’t second guess yourself. It always comes together in the end.

Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

The moment we saw each other just before the wedding. When Bob turned around, he just let out this big “ohh” with a big smile on his face. It was a really sweet moment.

Jillian & Ryan

June 1

Topsfield, Massachusetts

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Our Q&A with the Bride:

What was the one thing about your venue that made you know it was the one?

We were immediately swept away by the breathtaking garden at the Willowdale Estate. We always knew we wanted an outdoor wedding, and the concept of getting married in a lush garden surrounded by tall pines, butterflies, and hummingbirds took our breath away. The estate’s interior was also perfectly renovated. Despite being a historic venue, it is very polished and sophisticated with carved wood details, gorgeous dressing suites, and a full service kitchen. The staff of the Willowdale was top notch from the moment we first toured the grounds through the day of our wedding.

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

Hand painted cake toppers (done by myself!) in the likeness of my husband and I were a perfect touch to our cake. My husband and I are musicians, so we loved our sheet music guest book that we purchased through Etsy. Also, I became obsessed with my floral/feather/crystal  fascinator; also purchased through Etsy.

If you could offer one piece of advice for other couples planning their wedding, what would it be?

Focus your efforts on three key things that matter most to you on the big day. For us, it was a great music, gorgeous flowers, and an open bar. The other elements will fall into place – so have fun with them, be flexible, don’t sweat the small stuff, and enjoy the planning process!

Give us the one moment in your wedding day you can’t stop thinking about.

I’ll never forget the moment that Ryan saw me for the first time during our first look. The Willowdale has a dreamy boardwalk that wraps around a small lake, and that’s where he was waiting for me facing the water. The walk down the hill to where he was standing was so tranquil and romantic – all I could hear were the birds singing and the rustling of the trees. When he finally turned to me, the look on his face was so touching – the kind of look that only comes once in a lifetime. We’re so happy to have found one another, and lucky to have the wonderful family and friends that shared in our magical day.

Tory & Bobby

July 7

Ottawa, Illinois and LaSalle, Illinois

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Our Q&A with the Bride:

Which three details from your wedding were your favorites?

1.  The ice cream cart that was located outside of the church with homemade popsicles for our guests to enjoy as we made our exit out of the church.
2. Loved the wedding timelines we had.  They let everyone know what was coming and kept the show rolling.  From the photo booth, to the late night snack, to the sparkler send off, we wanted to keep people entertained and engaged throughout the reception.
3. We had a ball with all of the props that we brought for the photo booth and for people to wear on the dance floor.  MUSTACHES were a huge hit and I think at one point everyone was wearing one.  Also had wigs, glasses, glow sticks, and hats.  Everyone had a ball dressing up!

If you could offer one piece of advice for other couples planning their wedding, what would it be?

Make it unique and memorable.  Utilize websites like Pinterest and Etsy to get your ideas.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money to wow people, and you can do things yourself without giving off that cheesy DIY look.

Katie & Mike

May 5

James Island, South Carolina

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From the Photographer: “The wedding was held in the groom’s close friend’s backyard on James Island. Green grass, oak trees, and beautiful city views are just some of the features of this venue – plus, the couple was married on the evening with the largest full moon of the year. For me, the kiss at the ceremony was quite powerful. The officiant had to tell the groom several times “Not yet, Mike!” But once he got approval, Mike lifted Katie up while kissing her.”