Flowers can make it or break it for me. Give me a gorgeous floral design, and I’ll give you a very giddy blogger, and after spotting the blooms from this big day, I knew we were in for a treat. As soon as I realized Sweet Pea Events was behind all the planning + details, I knew this would be one for the books. Ivy Weddings captured the day which was sweet as could be thanks to the lovely couple at the center (and even sweeter thanks to Sugar Bee Sweets)!
From the stunning bride… We met 12 years ago through a mutual friend in college. We dated for a few months before going our separate ways- Kevin moved to Phoenix and I moved to Chicago. Five years later we reconnected back in our hometown in Buffalo, NY on Christmas night. There was an immediate connection and we were inseparable from that point forward. We dated long distance until we couldn’t take living so far apart and Kevin made the big move to Chicago. Kevin proposed on a beautiful fall Saturday afternoon as we were getting ready to go to Navy Pier to ride the famous Ferris wheel, something neither of us had done since we lived in Chicago. Kevin initially planned to pop the question at the top of the Ferris wheel but couldn’t wait, dropped down to one knee before we even left our apartment, and asked me to marry him! I was not expecting it so I was totally surprised. Kevin told me how much he loved me (and our dog Buddy), how he wanted us to spend the rest of our lives together, and many other things that soon became a blur. I actually looked at the ring and said “I get to wear that?!” Then, “Yes”. The proposal was perfect, sweet, and simple. We moved to Texas in 2012 and the wedding planning began!
Since neither of us are from Texas, the majority of our guests traveled here from other places and we wanted them to feel welcome and at home. Having been engaged for two years before our wedding we had lots of time to consider different ideas and ultimately decided we wanted a day that felt romantic and cozy, relaxed but not too casual, dressed up but not stuffy, fun and “us”. Sky Creek Ranch captured that feeling in every way. From the beautiful outdoor setting to the wood details and floor to ceiling windows inside, we knew from the first moment we visited that we would be married there. For our fall affair we chose shades of plum and ivory with touches of gold.
I always thought Kevin and I would elope to Mexico and get married on a beach. Then we realized all the people who wouldn’t be able to be with us one of the most important days of our lives. So we decided having a wedding closer to home was a much better idea. From the day we got engaged we both agreed that the photography was the most important part of the wedding to both of us and we knew without a doubt we wanted Ivy Weddings to capture our special day. We even chose our wedding date based on when our photographers were available! We really couldn’t have done it all without the help of our fabulous wedding planner Meaghan with Sweet Pea Events. It’s so easy to get caught up and overwhelmed with all the options and ideas out there for your wedding so we made sure we stayed true to who we are and focused on the things we really cared about. Meaghan listened to us each step of the way and helped bring our vision to life.
A big part of our budget went to hiring a planner because we really didn’t have time to take on everything ourselves (nor did we want to!). It was one of our best decisions and I would highly recommend it to other brides. Another large part of our budget was dedicated to our photography which was the most important aspect of the wedding to us. Our photographers made us feel like rock stars and we’re so grateful to have found them. Our popcorn bar was a fun splurge and everyone loved it! Finally, hiring a videographer was a very last minute decision and we’re so glad we decided to do it, we cherish our wedding video!
Just like everyone says, the entire day goes by so fast! We both agree hands down that our favorite parts of the day were our first look and exchanging our vows that we wrote for each other. We’re so glad our amazing photographers convinced us to do a first look because it really set the tone for the rest of the day. Being able to spend some time together before the ceremony was very intimate and we had a blast driving around in golf carts with our photographers. We wrote our own vows and kept them secret from each other and really had no idea what the other would write. I think we were both so excited to share our vows with each other that we didn’t feel any nerves at all. They were romantic and heartfelt and really spoke to who we are as individuals and as a couple. We both were pretty excited about eating our cake and cake balls, too! Overall, our wedding was everything we dreamed of and more. We were so blessed and happy to have our closest friends and family with us to share such an important milestone. We wish we could go back and do it all over again!
Photography: Ivy Weddings | Videographer: Westfall Images | Coordination: Sweet Pea Events | Event Planning: Sweet Pea Events | Floral Design: We + You | Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander | Cake: Sugar Bee Sweets | Wedding Stationery: The Three | Shoes: Nine West | Bridesmaids Dresses: David's Bridal | Catering: Sky Creek Ranch | Hair And Makeup: Legacy Salon | Favors: Sugar Bee Sweets | Grooms Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank | Transportation: Choice Luxury Limo | Wedding Venue: Sky Creek Ranch | Bridal Boutique: The Blushing Bride Boutique | Groomsmen\'s Attire: Banana Republic | MC/DJ: Le Force Entertainment | Popcorn Bar: Cassie's Gourmet Popcorn | Rentals: Kennique Linens