Trust me when I say you are going to want to sit with this wedding for awhile. Just to take every pretty piece of it in, to really get to know each gorgeous image by Gabe Aceves Photography. It’s the type of wedding that really speaks to me, and I’m pretty sure it will speak to all of you too. The Bride alone is pretty enough for the big screen – so when she is surrounded around all the chic DIY details of her day and love you can feel through the computer screen, it just begs for some serious QT in the full gallery, so indulge yourself by letting all the prettiness speak to you right here…
From the Bride… We really did a lot of it ourselves with the help of friends, family and neighbors. From setting up and breaking down chairs at the ceremony to hanging lights and setting up tables at the reception, the wedding day was a full community effort. My good family friend opened up her house to me and all the girls to get ready there because she lived right across the street from the ceremony spot. A lot of our neighbors opened their homes to out-of-town guests or lent various items or help the day of. It was so special to get married in the community where I grew up, but it was all the more touching that so many people volunteered to help us.
I collaborated with one of my bridesmaids to design our invitations and all of the paper elements at the reception (welcome notes, table numbers, drink recipe cards, signs). She also created a wedding logo for us, which we used throughout a lot of the wedding. My mom created and made everything for our signature drinks. She infused her own cucumber vodka and made the lime simple syrup for the cucumber vodka mojitos and the ginger simple syrup for the bourbon ginger cocktails. My sisters, some bridesmaids and I made the cake balls in our signature drink flavors — we even used the infused vodka and ginger simple syrup for them. I painted the bride and groom signs, which were pieces of driftwood we found on the beach in our neighborhood. It really was so gratifying to see everything come together, especially since we had our hands in pretty much everything.
Wedding Photography: Gabe Aceves Photography / Ceremony: Bay Ridge Community Bluff in Bay Ridge, Maryland / Reception: Bay Ridge Marina Clubhouse in Bay Ridge, Maryland / Floral Design: Cache Fleur / Catering + Wedding Cake: Main Ingredient / Cocktails: The Bride’s Mother / Wedding Stationery + Logo: DIY by the Bride + A Friend / Music: Doug Segree Band + Mike McFadden, The Bride’s Cousin / Most Glassware: From the Bride’s Grandfather + Great-Grandfather / Polka Dot Table Runners: DIY by the Bride’s Aunt / Tent: Ebb Tide Tent & Party Rentals / Other Rentals: Rentals to Remember / Wedding Dress: Ivy & Aster / Bride’s Veil: Twigs & Honey / Bride’s Shoes: Kate Spade / Bride’s Belt: DIY by Her Aunt / Hair + Makeup: Amie Decker Beauty / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Their Choice / Groom’s Attire: J.Crew / Groomsmen’s Pants: Vineyard Vines / Groomsmen’s Tie: J.Crew