Show me a traditional wedding and I’ll show you a happy blogger any day of the week. But throw in one stunning detail after another planned by Jen Rios Design, a fab downtown setting and a bride and groom who really, really know how throw an amazing party (it’s all about the hugs, after all) and I am sooo much more than happy. See it all captured by Day 7 Photography right here.
From the Bride… From mid-week I was surrounded by my dear bridesmaids and college friends. So leading up to the big day I was feeling very much in my comfort zone surrounded by some of my favorite people. As it passed by so quickly, I can say the day was filled with many instances of what I like to call “good” hugs, embraces that were meant to greet and also convey a deep sense of gratitude. Jeremy and I reflected on the day and all we could say was how thankful we were for all of the friends and family members that came to celebrate with us. I remember laughing A LOT, the great dance moves my bridal party busted out to seeing my father-in-law put on a pair of shades to rock out in gangnam style, I could hardly control the laughs and wide smiles. In sum, it was a day that Jeremy and I will never forget, we celebrated his 26th and became man and wife; surrounded by extremely loving and supportive friends and family (that also love to dance)!
As I began my planning, a friend reminded me that guests rarely remember the tiny details, but can remember how they felt at the wedding. So from there, my desire was to create a warm/welcoming atmosphere for my guests to enjoy the night. I wanted to add personal touches of things that are very much Jeremy and me, personal touches so guests would learn a little more about us and also feel the love of time spent on thinking out the details.
A very talented friend created custom invitations with little cartoon characters of the two of us. I carried those characters along with other pieces throughout different parts of the night; from the welcome bags, to ceremony programs and the groom’s cake. My sister created custom ice cream escort cards and table numbers (both Jeremy and I loooove ice cream)! Each table was a different color palette representing a yummy ice cream flavor. She did an amazing job! One of my favorite touches was the photo display table which featured pictures from our parents’ weddings and photos from our childhood up to now. One of my favorite adds was four pictures from my parents wedding with friends that were present at my wedding celebration as well! Our thank you table was made up of some of our favorite treats. One last minute DIY project was the moss church wreaths… a Martha Stewart inspiration. In all honesty, my wedding brainstorming began on Pinterest, but I ended up having to cut myself off as the list of to-dos and boards became a bit ridiculous. I restarted with the filter of how can I tell our story with things that are representative of us. The final product of the wedding was a great effort by my family and the assistance of my spectacular planner, Jen!
Jen Rios Designs really did a great job of bringing my details to life, adding in soft touches like spray painted gold books for the table number and gold votive holders; details that tied together the table looks. Her creative brain was a dear asset!
Photographer: Day 7 Photography | Planner: Jen Rios Design | Florist: Marco Polo | Wedding Dress: Stardust Boutique | Bridesmaids Dresses: Lela Rose | Makeup: ChiRo Makeup | Lighting: Discovery Lighting | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Groomsmen Attire: H&M | Ceremony Music: Aria Strings | Transportation: G&G Executive | Venue: The Adolphus | Photo booth: Smile For Me | Rentals: Ducky Bob's