Said best by the couple’s Dads: “If you have a couple in love, a good band, and good booze, there’s no way the night won’t be one to remember.” So is true with this organic fete from Arielle Doneson. Woven with elegance, rentals from Borrow Rentals and a design by Shi-Shi Events, this duo focused their day around their guests’ enjoyment and from the likes of this gallery, it was surely a memorable one!
From the beautiful Bride… Before we started thinking about a wedding style we both knew our ideal wedding would be under a beautiful tent surrounded by nature. Our wedding planner helped us find the perfect venue which allowed us to make our dream a reality. Most of our planning focused on making our guests comfortable; from transporting everyone from our guest hotel, to a late night food truck, to ensuring there were enough staff to handle our crowd, to having enough bars so no one waited for a drink, everything was decided with an eye towards guest enjoyment.
It was very important to me that our wedding did not scream “the bride picked everything.” I really wanted a style that reflected both of our personalities. I’m very classic and have simple taste, my husband enjoys the outdoors and wanted to incorporate “naturalistic” elements; but we both wanted elegance and formality. As my husband said, “It’s my wedding, it’s a special occasion, and everyone looks better in a tux.” This led us to pair elegant linens, gold chiavari chairs, ornate chandeliers, and mirrored flower vases, with wooden farm tables, a leaf lighting pattern for the tent canopy, and little touches like green garland on the backs of our chairs for dinner. Everything came together beautifully and I was blown away by how pretty it was.
We splurged on the things that matter most to us: the venue, the band, the booze, and photography. Our dads decided from the first day of planning, “If you have a couple in love, a good band, and good booze, the there’s no way the night won’t be one to remember.”
For our ceremony, we wanted to elements meaningful to us, and elements meaningful to our families. My grandmother is Jewish, so as a nod to her we had a Chuppah and did the breaking of the glass ceremony. My husband’s family is Catholic and part Irish, so we incorporated an Irish blessing. We incorporated literary readings that we felt encaptured the importance and meaning of marriage. We asked a Federal Judge who is also a family friend to officiate, which was especially special for me as I had just graduated from law school. As a surprise, we didn’t tell anyone what song would play for the processional or recessional. We had a string trio play “Just like Heaven” when I walked down the aisle, but my husband insisted he wanted his own song so they played “Stand by Me” as he and the bridal party walked down the aisle. Then we recessed to “Wouldn’t it Be Nice.” We saw that as a way to kick off the party after a serious, emotional ceremony. Our ceremony was certainly eclectic, but it reflected our backgrounds and our future together.
We also wanted to incorporate as much as possible our hometown, Cleveland. For many of our guests, this was their first visit to Cleveland, and we wanted to make it memorable. We included Malley’s Chocolate bars in arrival bags, we served as a signature drink Great Lakes Dortmunder beer, and our late-night snack was burgers and shakes from an Akron establishment, Swensons served from their food truck.
Photography: Arielle Doneson Photography | Floral Design: Blooms By Plantscaping | Wedding Dress: Vera Wang | Cake: Luna Bakery & Cafe | Invitations: Bella Figura | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Amsale | Lighting: Shi Shi Events | Entertainment: Cleveland Music Group | Ceremony Music: Sonata Strings | Venue: Walden | Tent: Aable Rents | Drink & Cake Signs: Passion For Parties | Late Night Snack: Swenson's Drive In | Linens: BBJ La Tavola | Place Cards & Table Numbers: Elizabeth Grace | Planning & Design: Shi Shi Events | Reclaimed Farm Table Rentals: Borrow Vintage + Eclectic Rentals | Rentals: Event Source | Social Media Sign: Short And Sweetheart