Sometimes it pays off to be the girl running around with a sheet tucked under her headband, “marrying” your most favorite teddy bear. The minute you find that special someone (who isn’t scared off by your mountain of bridal magazines) you know exactly what to do. And you learn just how wonderful the love part of the wedding can be. This bride and I have that in common, and as you can see from her beautiful wedding, captured by Vanessa Joy Photography, it paid off big time for her. Beautiful bride, handsome groom, stunning soiree… and a love that doesn’t stop.
From the beautiful bride… “Alison has been planning her wedding since she was 5…” is all I ever heard from my family, and let me tell you: it is SO true. I’m a hopeless romantic, what can I say. When Geoff proposed to me, I had all but applied for a marriage license. He was happy to step back and let me finish planning this day that I had already been planning for so long.
I’m a neutral color girl that doesn’t like a lot of busyness or attention and I spent a lot of time trying to incorporate my own laid back style into a formal event. When it came to the girls’ dresses, I didn’t want them to be the typical bridesmaids dresses- I’m all about functional and practical dresses and I really wanted them to be able to wear them again. For the guys, I knew I wanted a more relaxed feel and wanted them to be able to invest in something they would have a wear for a long time, so we went with custom suits where they all got to pick their own liner which let them add their own flair. I will say that flowers were a tough one for me. How do you create neutral flowers that are still a stunning focal point? What did I know about flowers? Nothing. Luckily I had an amazing florist who took my style and jumbled thoughts and brought them to life in a way I never dreamed of.
Both Geoff and I have strong relationships with our families and we wanted that represented throughout the day. I had my grandmother’s wedding handkerchief wrapped around my bouquet, I wore my aunt’s veil, Geoff’s uncle sang our church music, my cousin played the violin, and my mother’s cousin was our priest. Everyone being so excited to be a part of our day was something that was so special to us.
I was basically raised on a golf course, so when it came time to pick a wedding venue, my parents’ country club was the only choice in my mind. I have so many incredible memories of my whole family there and I couldn’t wait to add more. I felt so incredibly calm and relaxed throughout the whole night because I truly felt like I was at home. Seeing everyone that we love in one room together having a great time was the most incredible experience we have ever had. To top it all off, our photographer captured the entire day flawlessly and having her around added to the fun we had throughout the day.
So, was it everything I ever dreamed of and planned for? Yes! Words can’t describe the amount of fun I had planning and the amount of fun we had on our wedding day and really, that’s what it’s all about.
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Photography: Vanessa Joy Photography | Ceremony: Church of Christ the King | Reception Location: Spring Brook Country Club | Entertainment Company and MC: Dreamtime, EBE Entertainment | Hair: Dolce – Depasquale the Spa | Makeup: Ali Tobia Hart, Public Image Ltd. | Florist: Laurelwood Designs | Stationery: The Small Printer | Bridesmaid Dress Designer: J.Crew | Wedding Gown Designer: Vera Wang | Groom and Groomsmen attire: Enzo Custom Clothiers