Plain and simple, I want to be this Bride’s best friend. Trust me, you will too after reading about her journey down the aisle. For when a close friend was diagnosed with cancer, she gifted them her wedding budget with a heart full of love. Using what funds remained, she enlisted passionate artistic vendors to do what they do best, and boy did they ever. Bella Cosa by D’Arcy Benincosa captured it all here.
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From the beautiful Bride… I had a wedding budget, and then a dear friend’s daughter got sick with cancer. I decided to give most of the money to her, rent out the venue, and see what I could have done with my wedding via trade. This taught me a profound experience about the people in my life.
First, the love that abounded around me as I planned my wedding wasn’t of this world, not even close. Second, the vendors… ok scratch that, passionate artists, who trusted and helped me with my vision deserve every bit of recognition and praise that I can possibly give them. If you were to ask me, statues should be erected in their honor. And Third, I want other girls out there to know that you can have the day of your dreams no matter the budget. Your wedding day can be uniquely yours by using your own two hands and a heart full of love. You don’t have to impress anyone. You can be yourself and it will be all the better.
We picked the Washington School House Hotel as the venue because we could all stay there and because it left us speechless. We had 36 guests because those 36 people were an integral part of our journeys. We had foxes on our invitations because my new last name was to be Fox and foxes are kickass. I didn’t have colors and I didn’t pick my bridesmaids dresses. I had vintage china because it reminded me of growing up in a Victorian home and I told my floral designer to have fun and to do whatever she wanted. I didn’t give my photographer a shot list and I told my hair and makeup artist to make me look like a babe. We had a plated dinner with gourmet delights from our favorite food truck and I told my DJ to create one epic party. My only instruction to everyone was to dress well, have a blast and be present with us for our wedding day. I wasn’t about micromanaging, I was about letting people do what they do best.
Photography: Darcy Benincosa Photography | Florals: Jolly's Floral | Wedding Dress: Theia | Cake: Le Loup | Wedding Bands: Park City Jewelers | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Anthropologie | Catering: Hale Koa phineas Estate | Makeup & Hair: Bella Cosa Beauty | Tuxedo: Calvin Klein | Hotel: Washington Schoolhouse Hotel | Fox Illustration & Design: Houseman Paper Co | Groom's Shoes: Johnston & Murphy