When wedding dress design-guru Judd Waddell just happens to be your soon-to-be-hubby’s Godfather, it’s pretty much a guarantee your gown is going to wow! The lace stunner this lucky bride donned was only the beginning of the gorgeousness at this Danada House wedding shot by Allori Photography. With florals by Kio Kreations and the cutest cake topper I ever did see by Red Light Studios, you’re bound to spend some time in the full gallery!
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From the Bride… My husband and I knew pretty much from the beginning that we were meant to be. We actually met on match.com, and after laughing non-stop on our first date and feeling like we’d known each other for years, we were inseparable. After a year and a half of dating, Josh proposed. This wasn’t just any proposal, though. I thought we were just on a nice dinner date and that we were going to go for a walk after dinner at a park. Little did I know Josh had planned to have my brother hiding in the bushes, ready to take pictures of the moment, and had him hide a bottle of champagne on a nearby picnic table for us to enjoy. The surprises didn’t stop there though. As we were going back to my parent’s house to share the good news, Josh pulled into a nearby restaurant where our families and best friends were waiting to surprise me and celebrate with us!
The wedding planning began with a fairy tale. Judd Waddell, my husband’s godfather, had me visit his studio to try on dresses and choose one to wear on my wedding day. It was a dream come true! Choosing a dress was probably the hardest decision of the entire wedding process — how on earth do you choose one gorgeous dress over another? Judd is one of the most incredibly gracious, kind and loving people I know and I am so lucky to have been able to wear one of his timeless beauties on my wedding day.
Family means everything to us. So while planning our wedding, family was always our main focus. We wanted to be surrounded by our loved ones on the most special day of our lives. Josh’s sister was my maid of honor, and my brother was Josh’s best man. The flower girl, ring bearer, ushers and several bridesmaids were cousins, and our uncle, aunt and grandma did the readings in our ceremony. In lieu of favors, we made donations to charities that help to improve diseases that have greatly impacted our families. I wore my grandma’s earrings and pinned her cameo on my bouquet. We also displayed family pictures on the mantle in Danada House and created a slideshow with pictures of us growing up around our families and friends.
My husband is incredibly talented and did so much DIY work for the wedding, which made it even more special. He designed the save-the-dates, menu, escort cards, thank you (donation) cards, guest signature poster and programs. We made the table numbers with vintage cards from Etsy and background paper from old, unused wallpaper books. We tried to add as many personal touches as possible. During the ceremony we had wonderful live music, thanks to Alan Bayert, who sang and played the acoustic guitar. Everything came together perfectly thanks to our wonderful vendors. The day itself was an absolute dream and truly was the best day of our lives. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin our life together, making cherished memories, surrounded by family and friends.
Wedding Photography: Eric O’Connor of Allori Photography / Wedding Venue: Danada House in Wheaton, Illinois / Floral Design: Kristen Janes of Kio Kreations / Catering: Jean True of True Cuisine / Wedding Invitations: Papyrus / Ceremony Music: Alan Bayert / DJ: Okyne MediaLab / Table Number Cards: 30one / Cake Toppers: Red Light Studio / Ring Bearer Plate: Paloma’s Nest / Wedding Dress: Judd Waddell / Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bride’s Hair Clips: Hair Comes the Bride / Hair + Makeup: The Sanctuary Day Spa / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Bridesmaids’ Earrings: Nadri via Nordstrom / Groom’s Suit: Custom by Nicholas Joseph / Groomsmen’s Suits: Alfani via Macy’s