Real Wedding: Brenda & Scott

19 comments posted SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

Kate Headley is one of my favorite photographers out there right now, so I’m just delighted to share Brenda and Scott’s beautiful wedding photos with you. Just a handful of guests joined the couple for a weekend at the Inn at Perry Cabin, and the whole event makes me wonder what could be as charming and sweet as a simply intimate wedding. From the bride:

After considering a large wedding, Scott and I decided we wouldn’t be comfortable with all the attention. Instead, we decided to simplify and have an intimate wedding where we could spend dedicated time with each of our guests, and we are so glad that we did. The result was a beautiful garden ceremony and elegant luncheon reception for our fifteen closest family and friends near Scott’s hometown in St. Michaels, Maryland. The wedding was a perfect reflection of our personal minimalist style and the eastern shore’s relaxed sensibility.

Scott and I met in art school — he is a designer and I’m a photographer — so we knew from the beginning that paper and photography would be the two details we would emphasize in our wedding. Scott designed a 10 x 16 poster for the invitation, and we screen printed it by hand, along with the reply cards and envelopes. It was a lot of work, but it was work we loved doing.

We didn’t have a traditional wedding party, so there was no procession of bridesmaids and groomsmen to start our ceremony. Instead, our officiant entered the ceremony site where our guests stood waiting, then Scott and I followed together, and each of our siblings read favorite passages for us from The Little Prince, Ecclesiastes, and Still Life with Woodpecker. Entering our ceremony together was my favorite planned part of our wedding, but it also made for for my favorite unplanned moment of our day: I was alone in our room when Scott came to get me to walk to the ceremony, and saw me dressed and ready for the first time. We shared a few private, emotional minutes together in the first quiet, calm moment we had alone all weekend. It was beautiful and poignant, and I’m so glad we had that unscheduled time alone together immediately before our wedding.

Our photographer, Kate Headley, immediately understood us and our aesthetic, and proved to be an intuitive, adaptable, and altogether perfect fit for our wedding day. She delighted me by photographing our day exclusively on film, and editing a beautiful 8mm video besides. Plus, she encouraged us to be photographed with our (adored!) Redbone Coonhound, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results.

We loved that our guests were few enough that they could all stand around us at our ceremony, and that we could all sit around the same table at lunch. We enjoyed traditional, seasonal eastern shore fare at the reception — crab cakes and rockfish, with strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Venue: The Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels, Maryland

Bride’s dress / shoes: Nicole Miller / Kate Spade

Groom’s jacket: Thomas Pink

Flowers: Murdoch Gardens

You can see lots more of this beautiful Maryland wedding over on Kate Headley’s blog, as well as the 8mm film right here. Best wishes, Brenda and Scott!

19 comments posted +add a comment SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

You might also like:

Kelley & Thomas | Great Gatsby Wedding at Villa Montalvo

21 comments posted SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

Once Kelley and Thomas chose Villa Montalvo for their Northern California wedding, the rest of the design choices fell into place. The 175-acre estate includes a Mediterranean-style villa and formal garden. Says Kelley, “When I saw the venue, I knew in an instant that it was the place. It allowed for an outside wedding that was also private. I loved the idea of a fancy garden party, and Villa Montalvo felt very Great Gatsby-ish to me.”

Kelley’s custom dress was inspired by the Vera Wang gown Michelle Williams wore to the 2006 Academy Awards. She accessorized with vintage jewelry that she has collected over the years.

Groomsmen wore blue seersucker neckties. Thomas wore a bow tie made from the same fabric, and a custom suit in navy sharkskin wool.

Bocce ball!

Kelley’s good friend is the owner of Thread Social, so Kelley asked her to design three different bridesmaid dresses. “Since I was in light gray, I thought it would be nice to keep the ladies in light colors, but to mix in metallics so it would work from day to night,” Kelley says. “I loved that all three were so different, but together they made total sense.”

From Kelley: “My mother deserves credit for sewing 155 napkins for the tables! The tablecloths were a white textured linen, and the centerpieces were white flowers in silver mint julep cups, so I wanted a little bit of color and pattern on the table. I found a navy ticking stripe fabric that was perfect and bought 40 yards of it. The great thing is, I was able to give family and friends sets of napkins from the wedding.”

Thank you Kelley and Thomas for sharing your gorgeous wedding with us. It’s a perfect example of how simple can be utterly stunning, and classic can be totally unique.

Photography: Cliff Brunk / Venue: Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, California / Planning: Kristina Taheri Special Events / Bride’s Custom Dress: Alireza Massoumnia / Bridesmaid Dresses: Thread Social / Groom’s Suit: Tom James / Seersucker Ties: The Hill-Side / Flowers: Ingela Floral / Stationery: Regas New York / Catering: Le Papillon
SEE THE FULL GALLERY

  • Great Gatsby Wedding at Villa Montalvo

    9 August 2010
    • 21 comments posted +add a comment SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

    You might also like:

    Real Wedding: Tessa & Adam

    33 comments posted SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

    Though Tessa and Adam had a wedding budget of under $5000, but they knew they wanted to celebrate with about 200 of their friends and family. To make it work, they hired a local hot dog stand to cater, got busy with DIY projects, and employed the talents of friends and family. Jessica Peterson is Tessa’s former roommate, so she was the obvious pick for photographer.

    Tessa designed her wedding dress, and then her mother (“An amazing seamstress!”) made it for her, along with adorable flower girl dresses. Bridesmaids and groomsmen were told to wear what they wanted as long as they stuck to lighter colors. Adam wore a seersucker suit from J.Crew, and paired it with a vintage tie and tie clip.

    For flowers, Tessa ordered bunches to arrange in jars the day of the wedding, and had her bouquet made for her. She made felt flower corsages and boutonnieres for the bridal party, and ribbon wands for the flower girls. The bride also did her own hair and makeup – beautiful!

    The couple rented a giant parachute for fun, and Tessa says her favorite part of the day was being tossed up in the air with Adam by their friends. They also rented and borrowed lawn games like croquet and bocce ball, as well as canoes and paddle boats for the pond behind the barn.

    The barn was decorated with bunting flags made by the bride. Hot dogs were catered by J Dawgs. The dessert table included donuts, and carrot bundt cakes, Rice Krispy treats, cupcakes and pies made by friends and family. There were also old fashioned milk bottles filled with milk to wash it all down.

    Donuts? Hot dogs? Parachutes? Sounds like a party to me! You can see lots more pics of Tessa and Adam’s fun DIY wedding over on Jessica Peterson’s blog, as well as their engagement shoot. Congratulations Tessa and Adam!

    33 comments posted +add a comment SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

    You might also like:

    Real Wedding: Megan & Mihir, Part 2

    14 comments posted SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

    Yesterday I posted Megan and Mihir’s stunning Indian wedding, and today I get to share their American wedding with you. What an amazing weekend!

    Friends read from The Velveteen Rabbit and Bob Dylan’s “Shelter from the Storm” for the ceremony, and copies of those readings were displayed on the guest book table.

    In an open-air gravel lot by the Ashley River, Calder Clark Designs set up a fun lounge area where guests could relax as they listened to the band, or play cornhole (also known as bean bag toss). Even the guys from A Bryan Photo joined in the fun later in the evening!

    Servers (dressed in color coordinated aprons and ties of course) passed glasses of champagne garnished with Granny Smith apple slices, as well as mojitos, the couple’s favorite cocktail.

    Another fun 8mm wedding film by Branden Lower (I think his films are some of the most fun I’ve seen!):

    Venue: Lowndes Grove in Charleston, South Carolina

    Bride’s dress / shoes: Enzoani / Manolo Blahnik

    Gospel choir: Voices of Deliverance

    Flowers: Blossoms Events

    Cigar roller: Coastal Cigars

    Lighting: Production Design Associates

    Linens: DC Rental

    Catering: Fish

    Cake: Jim Smeal

    Band: The Maxx

    Oh my – congratulations Megan and Mihir! And a big thank you to Calder Clark Designs and A Bryan Photo for sharing this amazing weekend with us. You can see even more from the whole weekend over at A Bryan Photo’s website.

    14 comments posted +add a comment SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

    You might also like:

    Real Wedding: Megan & Mihir, Part 1

    12 comments posted SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

    Remember Megan and Mihir’s beautiful rehearsal dinner? Well I’m so excited that they’re back (along with my friends from A Bryan Photo and Calder Clark Designs) to share the rest of their beautiful wedding weekend with us! The couple originally planned on having a traditional American wedding, but to honor Mihir’s family, they decided to have a Hindu ceremony as well. What started as a family-only event quickly became a celebration for all of the wedding guests – and what a treat it must have been to be a guest at this wedding. From the custom tent to the servers’ attire, the colors and details are going to blow you away…

    The bridal party wore saris that were custom made in India to coordinate with what the bride wore.

    Unlike at American weddings, most Indian weddings allow for guests to get up and move around and eat while watching the ceremony. The brunch menu included an exotic fruit display, a fresh-squeezed juice bar, as well as a variety of passed hors d’oeuvres and smoothies.

    During the baraat (the male processional), Mihir’s uncle played the dhol drum.

    The bride and bridal party weren’t the only ones decked out in beautiful jewelry. As guests entered the tent, they were greeted with a bangle-and-boutonniere bar at the entrance of the tent – stacks of glass bracelets for the ladies, and orchids for the men’s lapels. How fun is that!

    8mm film from Branden at A Bryan Photo:

    Venue / catering: Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina

    Trolley: Absolutely Charleston

    Custom tent: Boutique Tents

    Flowers: Blossoms Events

    Linens: DC Rental

    Sitar player: Bryan Mahanes at Other Brother Entertainment

    Cupcakes: Sugar Bakeshop

    Want more? Check out the rest of the photos from Megan and Mihir’s incredible Indian wedding over at A Bryan Photo, and then make sure you stop by tomorrow morning for their American wedding full of classic Southern charm. I’m telling you, those ladies at Calder Clark Designs know how to throw a party.

    12 comments posted +add a comment SEE MORE: Real Weddings, Some Favorites

    You might also like: