I’m just going to go out and say it – I couldn’t love this wedding more if I tried. Sure, the photography by Zofia & Co. is spot on – they never disappoint. And the florals by Soiree Floral? Beyond gorgeous. The perfectly placed details by Dawn Kelly Designs? Placed perfectly. But beyond all of that, what really makes my heart just fill up with joy, is this couple. This couple that couldn’t be more in love, that couldn’t be more excited to take on the world together – it’s this couple and their obvious love and respect for each other that stands out beyond everything else…and that makes me the happiest blogger in all the land. See so much more here.
And because we just couldn’t resist sharing every little bit of this wedding weekend, here’s a peek into their rehearsal dinner…
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From Tim, a Groom… James and I met in May 2005 through a mutual friend at a graduation party in Madison, Wisconsin. James had just returned from living in Australia for a year and I was about to enter my final semester of college. We became fast friends and for six months there was no romance involved. As feelings began to change, our mutual friend was concerned that if a relationship didn’t work out for us, it would become awkward for her and our other friends. Seven years and a proposal later, it looks like she had nothing to worry about! On March 11, 2011 in Branson, Missouri, I woke up to a scavenger hunt around our apartment. The last clue was a jigsaw puzzle I needed to put together, which gave me an address. I drove to a house on the lake James had rented and he proposed to me. We were elated and called all our friends and family! Most people were so happy for us, but there were some who did not understand. Ultimately, most of my family did not attend the wedding because of personal, political or religious beliefs. We were disheartened at first but moved on with planning an event for us, a wedding that perfectly represented our style, our personalities and our love, regardless of anyone else’s personal beliefs.
We wanted the wedding to be traditional and classic, yet modern. My inspiration for the wedding design was a typical Nantucket house; gray and white with a pop of color to mimic the gray shingles, white shutters and colorful flowers that describe most of the houses on the island. James and I knew we both wanted to wear custom-made black tuxedos from Alton Lane in New York. I tried to create a color palette that would make two grooms in black attire stand out! I wanted everything around us to be soft when our attire was strong. For our flowers, I wanted white with just pops of a certain color. Coral was my first choice since we were on an island and I loved the way it looked with gray and white. Dawn Kelly from Soiree Floral went the extra mile to get our favorite flower, coral peonies, so late in June for us. The flowers were one of my favorite parts of the wedding décor. I loved the white hydrangeas and white roses with the pops of lush peonies. Photography for the wedding was the most important for us. The best decision we made was hiring Zofia & Co. for this job. She and her assistant were amazing! Zofia captured real moments that we will cherish forever.
What was not on one of my hundreds of inspiration boards or checklists for the wedding was the emotion and love we felt the days of the weekend: the love for each other, from our parents, from our friends and family, and from our vendors. It made us realize that we could have gotten married anywhere, with no coral balloons, no peonies, no ocean front view, and it still would have been the best day of our lives. Many guests from the wedding have written to tell us how inspiring the wedding was for them. It was truly special to hear that our unconventional love inspired others.
Even after seven years, we learned a lot about each other by planning a wedding together. We are better because of it. If you can get through it, write your own vows. James and I wrote letters to each other and read them as our vows. Emotions were high, but that is the thing I will remember most about our wedding day. Be real and write from the heart. And also — be yourself at your wedding! Don’t worry about anything else except your and your partner’s love for each other, who you are as an individual and who you are together. Live in the moment.
Wedding Photography: Zofia & Co. / Wedding Venue: Whales Watch I in Nantucket, Massachusetts / Floral Design: Soiree Floral / Event Design + Styling: Dawn Kelly Designs / Catering: Simply With Style / DJ: Phil Taylor / Rentals: Placesetters, Inc. / Grooms’ Tuxedos: Alton Lane / Groomsmen’s Attire: Express / Groomsmaids’ Dresses: Lilly Pulitzer / Hair + Makeup: Darya Salon & Spa / Menus: Amanda Day Rose Paperie