Are you a bloom lover through and through? Well saddle up ladies because this post is right up your alley. It is bursting with the aforementioned at ever single turn; blossoming trees, big, bright bouquets, tables full of flower boxes. We’re talking 100% bloomage mixed with pretty, pretty images courtesy of EyeWonder Photography. All in all, it’s one crazy good-looking combo and you can see so much more right here.
From the Bride… From the beginning, Greg and I knew we wanted our wedding to be simple, charming and personal. That, and we wanted the ceremony outdoors. We imagined a small, intimate wedding in a field of wild flowers or under a grove of trees that would let nature dictate our decor. Bolger Center turned out to be a nice fit: rolling green lawns peppered with willows and cherry blossoms; a round arbor of evergreen trees, steps away from a little white pergola; an on-site hotel for our many out-of-town guests. So we booked and prayed for a sunny April morning.
Greg and I also really appreciate the detail, craftsmanship, and one-of-a-kind feel of something handmade, so we tried our best to incorporate those elements into our wedding. We opted to do without a wedding planner/event coordinator and sent our invitations in hand-folded envelopes. We used Etsy to find handmade convertible dresses for the bridesmaids and bought Greg’s wedding band there too. Maybe our favorite Etsy buy though was a set of six little ceramic bells. We hung them from low branches surrounding the ceremony site and strung strips of ribbon and burlap for a wind catch. Every breeze sent a peel of faint chiming into the air all around us: the effect was lovely and calming. Another personal touch came from an idea my mom had about making sure I was hidden away from view before the ceremony. Greg and the groomsmen hung lace panel curtains from each side of the pergola and let them billow in the wind — a nice play on the fluttery straps on my dress. In the end, the hint of my silhouette through the lace made for a bit of mystery as guests passed by to get seated.
In hindsight, one of the perks of a wedding with some more DIY elements is time with friends and family. The bouquets, centerpieces and boutonnieres were made with a ton of help from my family and bridesmaids. With the florals, we aimed for simple, rustic and whimsical by setting ranunculus, anemones and mums into little wooden crates and mason jars. My mom spent weeks piecing together and sewing my veil, and I was lucky enough to be able to wear the Chinese Qipao dress that my mother-in-law wore for her wedding! The Totoro card box (made by one of my bridesmaids), dessert bar (with tons of cakes, cookies, Chinese desserts and, of course, cotton candy!) and a giant tumbling towers set kept the rest of the reception playful and light. The whole day was full of happy memories and a surprising lack of stressing about loose ends, and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who helped to make it that way.
Wedding Photography: EyeWonder Photography / Wedding Venue: Bolger Center in Potomac, Maryland / Flowers: Blooms by the Box, Whole Blossoms + Arranged by the Bride, Her Family + Bridesmaids / Desserts: Stella’s Bakery, Praline Bakery, Georgetown Cupcakes + Grand Manna Bakery / Invitation Printing: Smartpress / Ceramic Chiming Bells: Judy B. Freeman Pottery / Centerpiece Crates Bottle Sets: Save On Crafts / Wedding Dress: Priscilla of Boston (Now Closed) / Chinese Qipao Dress: From the Groom’s Mother / Bride’s Shoes: Anthropologie / Bride’s Wedding Band: The Clay Pot / Groom’s Wedding Band: Hartley Studio / Bridesmaids Dresses: Straathof Design