We have a little treat for you today and it comes in the form of an all day smorgasbord straight from the cameras of We Heart Photography. They are gracing us with not one but three insanely fabulous weddings from garden to modern to tented chic; it’s a We Heart Photography Party and you’re alllll invited. First up is a themed wedding that is pulling from the musings of Shakespeare for a Midsummer Night’s Dream infused affair. It’s bringing the garden indoors with lovely decor and florals crafted by Lace and Likes and a seriously styling Bride and Groom. These two know how to rock a rad wedding day outfit and they have the images to prove it.
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the bride… Like many young girls, I had dreamed of what my wedding would be like for as long as I could remember. But when Riley proposed and the actual planning began, I was completely baffled by the sheer volume of options and tasks that are involved in planning a wedding. That’s why I was so blessed to have Rachael from Lace and Likes to help. She was a friend from school and had designed her own wedding, which was so beautiful, and I knew that her help would make the whole process go smoothly. I had tons of ideas and inspirations, and Rachael knew how to make them a reality, while offering some amazing ideas into the mix as well. Riley and I knew that we wanted the day to really be about having a big party that celebrated our family and friends as much as us, and the venue really allowed for that sort of atmosphere. The history of the Tivoli itself was ideal — it’s a Denver landmark built as a brewery in the mid 1800s, and the Turnhalle room was used as a German Opera house in 1882. We relied on my love of English literature, and Riley’s inherent romantic nature, to use Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night Dream to guide the feel of the day. From there we just soaked up the raw historical beauty of the Tivoli and Midsummer’s Night Dream to create the magical atmosphere of bringing the outside, in. It created a really beautiful juxtaposition with the industrial feel of the building and the soft moss and greenery that we used. With Rachael’s insane talent for taking a dream and turning into a reality, it was more perfect than what we could have imagined.
This entire wedding was DIY, from the gorgeous arbor gracing the stage to the flowers and even our cake. It wasn’t all just accomplished because of Rachael, or me but the beauty of our wedding can only be attributed to the amount of work that the people Riley and I love put into it. A friend had told us to try to enjoy the week leading up to the wedding just as much as the day itself because it goes by so fast, and enjoy it we did. The whole day was a joint effort. I wrote a love letter to the guests and that was our program, as we wanted them to know that their individual presence was honored and appreciated on our special day. We knew that the point of the wedding was not in fact for us, but to honor the love of the people that have brought us to this point — our marriage to one another. This was so obviously shown in the weeks and months leading up to the wedding. Their acts of love and selflessness during that week still bring tears to our eyes.
I have two favorite moments of the day. One represents the love of our family and friends, the other is of the love I have for my husband. There was a moment just before the parents and wedding party walked down the aisle, where we were all tucked back in a room waiting for the music to begin. I remember just looking at our parents, grandmothers, my little nieces and nephew, all my best friends and my brothers and sisters, and saying “I love you guys!” and they all said “I love you too!” back. It still makes me teary-eyed. It’s the perfect picture of what a wedding should be. Knowing my groom was waiting for me at the end of the aisle, my dad by my side, and all the people I love either in that tiny room or outside waiting for the celebration of a love and marriage to begin was so special. It was everything we wanted. My other favorite moment comes about three minutes later, when I walked down the aisle and saw Riley. It was perfect. I had always wondered if I would be too nervous in that moment to really focus on him, but he was all I could see, all I could feel. Just as it should be.
Wedding Photography: We Heart Photography / Wedding Venue: Turnhalle Room at The Tivoli in Denver, Colorado / Wedding Coordination + Design: Rachael of Lace and Likes / Flowers: Bought Wholesale & Arranged by Lace and Likes, The Bride’s Mother + Friends / Catering: Biscuits & Berries / Wedding Cake: Jessica Rayfield (The Groom’s Sister) / Entertainment: DJ Largechild / Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier / Veil: Tradewind Tiaras / Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Shareen Vintage + Modcloth / Hair: Angie Phillips (The Bride’s Sister-in-Law) / Makeup: Brittany Adams-Hoffman (A Bridesmaid) / Groom’s Suit: H&M / Paper Goods: Alexandria Husby / Aspen Arbor + Stage Stairs: The Groom’s Uncle / Fabric Napkins: DIY by the Bride’s Mother + Grandmother / Signs: Lace and Likes