It’s always nice to see a beautiful example of a perfectly intimate wedding: Jaclyn and Dennis were wed on the shore of Lake Michigan, with eight of their closest friends and family to celebrate the day.
Jaclyn wore a gorgeous vintage-inspired gown from BHLDN.
Doesn’t this shot look like something straight out of a Virginia Woolf novel?
The table was decorated with blue, purple and white flowers, candles, and a blue toile runner.
Little wreaths in purple and white flowers added something special to the chairs of the bride and groom.
Why did you choose this location for your wedding?We choose to have the wedding at this location because we got engaged while on vacation in Michigan. Since I had visited the Inn at Bay Harbor before, I knew it would be the perfect location for a Michigan wedding.
What was your favorite moment or part of the day?My favorite moment of the day was at the reception. Everything was over, the stress was gone, and I finally got to relax. I think the whole family felt it too. We ended the day laughing and smiling while reliving the moments of the day.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding?One important tradition that we included in our wedding ceremony was adding an excerpt from ‘The Prophet’ by Khalil Gabran. It was spoken at my parent’s wedding so I wanted to include this passage in our wedding.
What was the best advice you received as a bride?The best advice I received as a bride is to always be honest with each other. Trust is key to great marriage.
What advice do you have for other brides?The three pieces of advice I have for other brides is to plan for their marriage too, not just the wedding; keep the wedding about you (the couple); and don’t spend a fortune on the wedding.
Do you have any budget tips for other brides?At first you’ll think to yourself, “A dress, suit, and cake…how much could that be?” But depending on the wedding you want, these details can really add up. All in all, the wedding is only one day, so be careful how much you spend. Remember: $20,000 is a great starting point for a down payment on a house! Also, check out Cost of Wedding to help you plan.
Today let’s escape to the Florida Keys for a romantic beach wedding…
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Playful stationery invited guests to this destination wedding.
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ceremony programs doubled as hand fans to keep guests cool. The ring bearer looked dapper in classic seersucker. Pink ombre rose petals lined the aisle.
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Ozzy Garcia
Vintage postcards (embellished with fun little banners!) acted as table numbers.
When thinking about their summer wedding, Martha’s Vineyard was an obvious choice for Hans and Meghan. Says the bride, “Hans grew up on Martha’s Vineyard, and after college we moved there for the summer and worked at his parents’ bed and breakfast. That summer we decided if we ever got married, we would have the wedding on the island.”
Jocelyn Filley
Meghan wore a veil made by her sister, and chose flowers for their meanings: “The bridesmaids carried pale pink roses, which symbolize joy. I had an all white bouquet composed of lily-of-the-valley (purity), ivy (fidelity), stock (happy life), and gardenias (hospitality; they are also my grandmother’s favorite).”
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Says Meghan, “We focused on creating an atmosphere that would bring all of our friends and relatives together. As many of our guest had to travel a long way to get to the Vineyard, many made a mini vacation out of it. We arranged to have bonfires, dinners, trips to the beach, and boat rides in the days leading up to the wedding. This gave everyone a chance to get to know each other long before the wedding. By the time the big day rolled around, everyone knew everyone else and it was a great big party.”
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Navy blue and white striped tablecloths fit the setting perfectly!
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
Jocelyn Filley
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding?There were two guiding principles: First, we wanted a wedding with details that were symbolic, not only of what we hoped for in the future but of all of the wonderful experiences that we have already had as a couple. Second, and most importantly, we wanted the emphasis to be on having everyone we loved together. As a result, we had a very simple wedding, but every detail we incorporated was special. I chose the flowers for their meanings and received help from my wonderful aunts in arranging them. We also wanted the menu to reflect some of the places we had been, so we had mini fried shrimp po’ boys (we did Teach for America in New Orleans) for the cocktail hour and paella (a nod to my time studying abroad in Spain). The groomsmen were all given ties from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland (where Hans and I met), and I walked down the aisle to “Loch Lomond” (a song about Scotland that my mom used to sing to me).
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? I was unexpectedly nervous right before I had to walk down the aisle, however, once the doors opened and I saw Hans standing at the top of the alter, smiling at me, all of the fear melted away and I was filled with the most intense sense of joy and calm.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding?We used the Bible verses that my mother and father used at their wedding and I carried gardenias in my bouquet as a tribute to my grandmother’s favorite flower.
What was the best advice you received as a bride?Every 30 minutes try to stop, look around, and take in the scene. I have so many wonderful mental pictures from the day because of this advice!
What advice do you have for other brides?Pick a few things that you want to make really meaningful and focus on those. We put a lot of thought into how to incorporate the things we care about into the flowers, music, and events leading up to the wedding.
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of the day?My dad thought that he was going to wear one of the St. Andrew’s ties for the wedding and didn’t pack a spare. When he realized (the morning of the wedding!) that there were only enough ties for the groomsmen, he decided to go for a run, thinking to himself, “I really have to get this tie situation worked out.” We were 30 minutes from the nearest store so he decided to stand at the entrance to a private road and wait until someone pulled up. When a car finally turned into the drive, he flagged them down. When they stopped and tentatively rolled down the window my dad said: “This is going to sound crazy, but my daughter is getting married in two hours and I forgot a tie. Do you have one I could borrow?” The man turned to his wife in the passenger seat and said: “What kind of guy doesn’t bring a tie to his own daughter’s wedding.” Without missing a beat his wife said: “You.” Turns out that the guy had forgotten a tie for his daughter’s wedding and had to borrow one from a waiter. My mom told the story to our guests at the reception and the tie my dad borrowed from that neighbor became the joke of the whole wedding.
I could wax on and on about how stunning Big Sur is, but I think today’s bride, Courtney, does a much better job of explaining just why it’s so meaningful for her and Mike: “Big Sur holds a special place in our hearts. It was the first place we ever went camping together, after purchasing a brand new tent only to set it up in the rain and mud. The elements were against us that day, but once the storm lifted, the rest of the trip spurred a love of camping that would lead to a cross-country road trip from Los Angeles to Maine. With stunning coastal cliffs, rocky beaches, majestic Redwood forests, amazing hiking, rich bohemian history, and delicious food, Big Sur is a magical place that we fell in love with upon our first visit. When we got engaged, it was the first place that came to our minds for our wedding location – we couldn’t imagine making this lifelong commitment to each other anywhere else.”
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Pine cones were a theme in both the invitations (designed by the bride) and in the decor, from centerpieces to cake topper. Says Courtney, “We used pine cones that we had collected over many years, from camping trips across the country, and from family and friends.”
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
By choosing a venue that is naturally beautiful, the couple was able to minimize the amount of decor needed at the ceremony site.
Rachel Thurston
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
The wedding was a totally DIY affair, including lots of burlap details like the ring pillow, table runners, and this sign with the couple’s names.
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
I love the sweet floral crown Courtney wore – what a perfect way to accent her romantic bohemian look!
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Says the bride, “Our love of food, and the Big Sur Bakery’s delicious and locally sourced cuisine, easily dictated our reception venue. We are such big fans of the restaurant, Mike even gave me the Big Sur Bakery Cookbook as a gift early on in our relationship. In the end, everything came back around to sharing the things we love with our family and friends.”
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
Rachel Thurston, Twig & Twine
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? We wanted our guests to experience all the natural variety Big Sur has to offer. For that reason our wedding weekend was a combination of our favorite things: a camp cook-out welcome dinner amongst the Redwoods, a ceremony on the coastal bluffs with expansive views of the ocean, and a reception in our favorite warm and cozy restaurant. The theme was simple and rustic, showcasing the natural environment.
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? Seeing my husband-to-be for the first time, and the journey it took to get to him. The most natural and beautiful choice for our “aisle” happened to be a somewhat steep hill, and he was waiting for me at the bottom. My father nervously clutched the train of my dress so that it wouldn’t get dirty, just like we’d practiced. However, this was extremely awkward, and a back-and-forth ensued about whether or not he should hold the dress. As the guests rose to their feet (our signal to start walking), I whispered “drop it, drop it… drop it!” He finally let go and together we made it gracefully down the hill. The Treetop Trio played one of our favorite songs, “Come and Find Me” by Josh Ritter (a surprise for Mike), as I took Mike’s hand. He was smiling, with the blue ocean behind him, and that was my favorite part of the day.
Mike’s favorite parts of the day? Seeing Courtney for the first time that day, glide down the grassy hill, her father at her side; reciting our hand written vows, and later traipsing through the “forest” to take our photos. The gift waiting for me on my door step – a traditional shaving brush and creme, elegantly wrapped and tied with some of the extra sea shells we had collected in Santa Monica for our table numbers. Finally, back at Glen Oaks, eating wedding cake in the outdoor tub, underneath the tall trees and stars at the end of a long night, adjacent fire roaring, my new bride next to me, ready for years of adventures to come.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Although we did not have any ceremonial traditions, we included many heirloom pieces throughout the wedding. The diamond in my engagement ring was passed down from Mike’s great-grandmother, and Mike wore a favorite tie that his father wore when he was Mike’s age. My mother engraved an antique cake server that had belonged to my grandmother, and we used this to cut our wedding cake. It was also nice to have all of the family wedding photos from previous generations displayed at the reception.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? It sounds cliche, but the best advice I received was to stop and take in every moment of the day. You don’t realize how fast it goes by! Another good piece of advice was to expect the unexpected. The day may not happen exactly how you planned, so be prepared to go with the flow. (Mike rose to the occasion and was surprisingly stress free, and that helped me relax and enjoy the moment as well).
Do you have any budget tips for other brides? We were our own wedding planners, so we focused on the the essentials and took anything unnecessary off our list. The natural backdrop of our ceremony site at Rancho Rico was so beautiful, that we accented it with minimal decoration (the only rentals we had were chairs). Similarly, because we had our reception in our favorite restaurant, a lot of things that you would typically need to spend extra money on were already there. We wanted to hand select our own music, so an ipod was fine with us. We made sure to invest our limited budget where it mattered most, and carefully chose talented and reliable vendors to help us realize the wedding we dreamed of. With a lot of hard work and dedication from our families and friends, we were able to do the rest ourselves.
Looking for a totally unique venue? How about an historical ship that now acts as a one-of-a-kind hotel? Bailey and Andy decided to do just that, tying the knot on The Queen Mary in a wedding full of vintage style.
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Wai Reyes Photography
Why did you choose this location? We chose to get married in California because our families are from different areas of the United States, and we wanted to have everyone travel and make a vacation out of it. We chose the Queen Mary in particular because it was so different and the ship itself is incredibly beautiful. The Art Deco décor of the ship makes you feel like you are stepping back in time and we both loved that.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? During the reception my family did a circle dance in memory of my grandfather. It is a family tradition we do whenever we’re together.
What advice do you have for other brides? Don’t sweat the small stuff, everything will work out they way it is supposed to. Also, hire a wedding coordinator. Halleigh Hill at Moment Privé was incredible and did so much organizing for our wedding.
