Modern Alexandria Wedding from Ethan Yang Photography + Bash
Who would have thought an actual bit of a dried up bee hive would make for fabulous wedding decor? I shouldn't have been surprised when I heard Beehive Events was behind that fantastic detail. And because they teamed up with Bash to perfect this modern piece of wedded perfection, I definitely should have been expecting a phenomenal soiree. And I was. But after seeing Ethan Yang Photography's images from the day, I am floored. Speechless. In a total wedded perfection induced coma. Seriously, there are no words for this beyond phenom soiree.
Click here to see the entire wedding in the gallery!
The inspiration for our wedding was difficult for us to conceptualize at first. I never daydreamed about my perfect wedding day, so initially, everything I found on weddings seemed so fresh and exciting. After a while of looking through blogs and magazines for inspiration, I got overloaded with the details and lost focus. We started from the beginning and agreed that for this most intimate occasion, our priority was to create an atmosphere of warmth for our family and friends.
Through my dress, I found a sense of direction. We worked with Terri (our planner) and Shawn (our florist) to build a wedding full of textures, warmth, and juxtaposition. Some of my favorite details include the candle wall used during the ceremony and “found objects” (a collection of bark, bones, beehives, etc.) that were scattered alongside our amazing centerpieces. Our wedding turned out to be a great balance of modern and approachable. I loved that we were able to include unique details without taking away from the real reason we were all there.
The Torpedo Factory Art Center served as the perfect blank canvas. During the day, the building is vibrant, buzzing with activity, but far from intimate. We were seriously concerned with how it would turn out and went back and forth between several venues for this reason. But we underestimated its versatility. We trusted our amazing vendors, and on our wedding night, the building took on an entirely different ambiance than what we had anticipated. Once all the lighting and décor was in place, it turned into this romantic and intimate space, which felt so special against the concrete flooring and hanging art installations.
I took heed of past brides’ advice and truly stopped to savor the day. But even as I try to look back and compare details of our wedding, nothing is as vivid as the moments leading up to the ceremony. We had already shot our “first look” photos and spent hours together for additional shots before walking down the aisle. But nothing hits you harder than when you realize it’s finally going to happen. It was overwhelming, the surge of emotions in the air. I feared that by the time I reached Dave at the end of the aisle, I would faint. I thought to myself, “Get your act together. Don’t lock your knees. Breathe. Grab Dave’s hand as soon as we go into prayer.” And once I grabbed his hands, I regained my composure and became steady. Some of my favorite photos are during the minutes before and during the ceremony when everything around us disappeared. Those were the most honest moments of the day. Even the shots of our parents and friends watching us as we exchanged our vows are incredibly touching.
Photography: Ethan Yang Photography / Wedding Planning: Bash / Floral + Decor: Beehive Events / Caterer: Design Cuisine / DJ: DJ D-Mac & Associates, Dj Rusty B / Lighting: John Farr Lighting / Photobooth: Poshbooth / Venue: Torpedo Factory Arts Center / Hair: Andre Chreky / Makeup: Susan Lim / Bride's Gown: Vera Wang