So how do you make a wedding for 250 people feel really, really special? Just ask this couple! “If the budget allows, have a ‘must have’ list. For us, we wanted a great band, particular flowers and we wanted to be able to invite as many friends and family as the venue would hold! For us, those factors mattered the most so we were able to eliminate costs elsewhere to make sure these ‘must haves’ were able to happen.” And photographs from the ridiculously talented Mary Dougherty don’t hurt either! More here!
From the Bride…By the time I was 8 years old, I knew exactly the wedding I wanted. Most girls dream of their wedding day at an early age, but as time goes on, their ideas change and by the time it comes time to plan the big day, they are practically at square one! But not for me, my dream wedding did not change one bit and by the time I got engaged, my vision was exactly the same as it had been when I was 8 years old. And, luckily for me, my amazing fiancé was equally on board with all of my ideas.
Planning a Pittsburgh wedding while living in Boston seemed daunting at first, but with careful planning and a solid timeline (and email and cell phones) it turned out to be relatively stress-free. I already knew the exact venue, time of year, and the band I wanted. Another major element to any wedding is the photographer. Every bride wants to make sure they can find someone they trust, also get along with and a photographer whose past work you truly love. For me, this person was Mary Dougherty. It was actually a no brainer as Mary had photographed my sister’s wedding in November 2012 and the photographs were phenomenal! After that, the rest just seemed to fall into place. Between the florist, the cake bakery, transportation, and church, everything just came together!
When the big day arrived, we couldn’t have been more excited. The clouds cleared out and it was perfect June day. We always knew we were going to have a big wedding; there are over 40 aunts, uncles and cousins on the groom’s side alone! Between family friends, high school friends, college friends, coworkers, new friends and family, our guest list topped out at 250. If the groom had his way, that number would be up to 300 people! It was very important to us to have as many of our friends and family there to celebrate as possible. From the flowers, the speeches, the food, the band, and of course, to our amazing guests, our wedding was above and beyond anything we could have imagined. I think the highlight of the night was the spectacular fireworks show that went off during the bands break. It was truly a magical evening.
If I could offer any advice to future brides, it would be to follow your heart and plan the wedding your way. Everyone is going to have opinions and every wedding is different, but do not let others tastes or style influence your vision. Also, if the budget allows, have a “must have” list. For us it was we wanted a great band, particular flowers and we wanted to be able to invite as many friends and family as the venue would hold! For us, those factors mattered the most so we were able to eliminate costs elsewhere to make sure these “must haves” were able to happen. And lastly, have as much fun as you can during the planning process, and take a deep breathe, because your wedding day will be here before you know it!
Photography: Mary Dougherty Photography | Flowers: Bill Chisnell | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Cake: Food Glorious Food | Shoes: Cole Haan | Bow Ties: Vineyard Vines | Suit: Jos. A. Bank | Venue: Fox Chapel Golf Club | Jewelery: Leon Ohanion And Sons | Linens: Mosaic Inc. | Music: Cityscape (Three Rivers Entertainment)