It’s impossible to look at this gorgeous backyard wedding from Craig Photography and not see a certain Gatsby quality. The 1920’s home, complete with a stunning clear tent, was made for a party Mr. Gatsby himself would have been more than a little jealous of. I’m even told there was a jazz band for the dancing. With the couple’s own fun spirit (complete with food trucks and donuts made on the spot) layered in, however, it’s totally their own.
From the stunning bride… Brandon proposed to me last summer in pretty much the most gorgeous spot I could have imagined — on a hilltop overlooking the Ligurian Sea coast in Cinque Terre, Italy. Despite the exotic location of our engagement, we decided that a backyard wedding in Pittsburgh, my hometown and the city where we currently live, was the best fit for us. We had the wedding at my dad’s 1920s Beaux-Arts-style house, which served as a great backdrop to the throw-back music that our fabulous swing and jazz wedding band played.
The ceremony itself was held in front of the gazebo in the backyard where I loved to play as a kid. Our ceremony was intimate and personalized, with lots of poetry and music. We wrote our own vows and hadn’t read them to each other beforehand, so that part was definitely emotional. Because we were dealing with limited space, we had to be creative with where to put things — for example, we turned the garage into a space for the dessert table and fresh donuts and the driveway became the dance floor. To thank our guests for coming, we offered them an array of homemade jams made by a lady we met at a local farmer’s market.
Some of our favorite aspects of the wedding include the clear-top tents, the magical lighting that appeared once twilight set in, the taco and burger food trucks, the array of yummy cocktails, all of the wonderful music we got to hear, and, of course, the getting-married part. And the all-out 90s dance party we had afterward! All of our friends and family were so wonderful and supportive through the planning process, and we could not have asked for a better team of vendors, designers, and photographers. Last but not least, our wedding planner, Sean Gray, was a visionary and also a great friend throughout the process.
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Photography: Craig Photography | Wedding Planner: Sean Gray Intl | Florist: Green Sinner | Catering: BRGR Food Truck + Pittsburgh Taco Truck | Cake: Dozen Bake Shop | Cookies and Doughnuts: Bella Christie | Band: Boilermaker Jazz Band | Tents, flooring and event rentals: Party Savvy | Lighting design: Luxe Lighting & Atmospheres | Cocktail hour entertainment: Big Snow Big Thaw | Linens: Lendable Linens | Programs + Menus: Sapling Press | Gown: Jenny Packham