The classic vibe of the black and white tile flooring of Fox Chapel Golf Club, the elegant yet subtly sexy wedding dress (a Matthew Christopher creation) and the bouquet of white and cream roses… it all added up to one chic celebration captured by Elizabeth Anne Studios for us to devour. And devour we will, because classic-meets-stylish weddings might just be my jam. See it all right this way!
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From the Bride… I feel like I should start by saying that I’m not that girl who’s been planning my wedding since I was, like, eight years old. I always knew I wanted to get married, but as far as when and where and what my dress would look like? Never crossed my mind. So when Hutch proposed to me last August, the rush of panic came almost instantly. His only request was that the wedding be a “kick a** party.” What a guy thing to say. And not helpful whatsoever. There were so many decisions to be made. And for a person as indecisive as I am, this was sure to be a long and painful process.
That panicked feeling started to subside once we figured out that it only made sense for me to get married in my hometown of Pittsburgh. I’m a Pittsburgh girl through and through, and though I haven’t lived there since high school, it’s the only place that has ever felt like home to me. My mom and I started researching locations and we both absolutely fell in love with Fox Chapel Golf Club. The idea of getting married in a country club setting never appealed to me, but there was something different about Fox Chapel. The black and white tile in the foyer, the terrace overlooking the dining room, and of course the view. What a view!
The feel of the club went perfectly with my idea for a romantic, classic wedding. We looked at so many different color combinations, but I kept coming back to the pale pinks and golds. I knew I would never look back at photos and say what was I thinking? It was simple, yet elegant and memorable, and so “me.” Although I’m sure my bridesmaids wanted to kill me for putting them in such a pale color (Dessy ‘cameo’ from Nordstrom), I thought they all looked gorgeous.
Now for the dress. My mom is my best friend, and she also happens to be a personal stylist who is very opinionated. She was in Pittsburgh and I was living in South Carolina, and there was no chance that I could be trusted to pick the dress on my own. So I booked a flight to Pittsburgh and we made it our mission to find THE dress by the end of the weekend. I wanted something that was classic, yet had a little sex appeal. I know that’s a strange thing for a bride to say, but it made sense in my head. I wanted my husband to see me walking down the aisle and think “wow my wife looks good,” instead of “wow that’s a whole lot of fabric.” I think I accomplished that with the Matthew Christopher Sofia. It hugged me in all the right places, not to mention the built-in corset, which was a Godsend for someone who is self conscious about her waistline.
The flowers were honestly a complete surprise to me. By the time we got to that point, I had made so many decisions that I simply couldn’t find the energy to make one more. I told my mom and the ladies at My Garden Floral that I wanted to keep with the simple, romantic feel and to avoid bright colors. They did a fabulous job. And being surprised on the big day was actually really sweet and special. It made it even more memorable.
I wanted to brand the wedding with something special that would tie everything together, from the invitations to the menus and favors. My little sister is a graphic designer, which was absolutely amazing throughout this whole process. I wanted a logo that stayed true to that classic, elegant theme, and she hit the nail on the head with her design. The wreath with our initials was exactly what I was looking for. And she was so patient with me, even when I changed my mind about 500 times.
Among my favorite details were the welcome bags. I wanted to welcome our guests to Pittsburgh with a personal touch. I’m a popcorn aficionado, so when someone told me about Pittsburgh Popcorn, I knew it was love. I bought brown bags and put a logo sticker on each one. I stuffed each bag with two personalized water bottles, a bag of Pittsburgh Popcorn, and an itinerary for the weekend. It was simple and thoughtful, and helped add to the excitement of the weekend.
Another DIY project was the wedding favors. I would say this was the most time consuming part of the planning process. I bought three cases of mini champagne bottles. We hand stamped small circular labels and tied them to the bottles with ribbon and gold and white striped straws. They turned out really cute, and it was worth the possible arthritis I incurred from all the stamping and tying.
I’d have to say my absolute favorite detail from the whole day was the entertainment. The Jason Kendall Band was a huge hit. They played some great cover songs, and per my request, steered clear of any cheesy wedding tunes. You know the ones (think Cupid Shuffle). We also hired The Slow Motion Booth at the last minute, and what a genius decision it was. It was such a fun little attraction, and gave people something to do besides drink, which is always a plus. It was perfect for both kids and adults. I can’t even tell you how many of our guests have contacted me just to say how much they loved the slo mo booth.
Overall, the entire wedding day was beautiful and perfectly executed, with only a few bumps along the way. The details were special and uniquely “us.” Most importantly Hutch and I started our new life together surrounded by so much love. Not to mention, I think I delivered the “kick a** party” he had in mind.
Photography: Elizabeth Anne Studios | Videography: The Slow Motion Booth | Floral Design: My Garden | Wedding Dress: Matthew Christopher | Cake: Market District | Invitations: Church Of Evangelical Faith | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Dessy Collection By Vivian Diamond | Makeup: Marlana Brown | Hair: Lindsay Fink | Band: Jason Kendall Productions | Harpist: Blonde Harpist | Transportation: Silver Fox | Wedding Venue: Fox Chapel Golf Club | Graphic Design: Alexa Hayes