Outfitting a venue from top to bottom is no easy task, but the payoff? So. worth. it. Just ask these engineers who formulating the perfect party. From the sewn programs, to the vintage pews, to local olive oil favors – they vowed their forever underneath a gorgeous oak tree while longtime friend of the Bride and photographer Elizabeth LaDuca captured it all in The Vault!
From Elizabeth LaDuca…Allie and Steve were married under a gorgeous old oak tree earlier this month, as loved ones looked on from vintage pews. I’ve known Allie and Steve for nearly 10 years, and can say their wedding day was truly a labor of love! They are both engineers, and very detail-oriented, and each element incorporated into their celebration demonstrates this! They worked closely with friends and family to bring their vision to life – starting with their invitations!
Allie wanted something that spoke to the elegance and organic nature they were looking to incorporate into their day. I painted the watercolor laurel wreath, as well as some other leaf elements, that provided a beautiful visual link through the all of the paper elements of the day.
The venue they selected was really a blank canvas, and they worked hard to bring many special touches into the space. The pews were Allie’s first big purchase – and really set the tone for the ceremony. She and her father worked closely on transporting, refinishing and creating custom cushions for the vintage pews, and bringing them back to their former glory.
Every detail spoke to Allie’s vision – from the sewn programs that housed tissues for the guests, to the handmade bridesmaid gift bags, to local olive oil favors and the gorgeous dessert bar – it was amazing to see how their venue was transformed.
It was an honor to work with the wonderful vendors who helped bring their vision to life!
When I asked Allie about her favorite part of the day, and to describe her inspiration, she provided me with the following:
From The Bride…Steve and I got engaged on Christmas Eve on the grounds of the place where we first fell in love, RIT. To no surprise, Steve was really passionate about having a wedding to celebrate with family and friends, whereas I wanted the much simpler approach, elope. He won that battle.
We looked for a venue that would represent us the best. We are very low-key people so an outdoor wedding seemed the most appropriate, but we also wanted it to feel a bit “upscale”.
Frog Pond was the perfect fit! Right away the character of the stone carriage house and ruins gave us that bit of elegance we were searching for. Its beauty masked the hardships we knew we would have to go through in order to transform this venue into a place where a celebration could occur. With an empty carriage house and beautifully manicured grounds, this location was a quaint, serene, magnificent blank slate. Every aspect of this wedding had to be hand chosen down to the most minute detail.
Not only was this venue a challenge because it literally came with nothing (ie: no running water, no bathrooms, no tables, no chairs) we also had to “decorate” and fill three spaces on a budget: ceremony, barn and reception under the tent. We used lots of leaves to soften up areas within the barn and as centerpieces on the tables. We ran loose garland (Italian ruscus and seeded eucalyptus) along the tables with red, ox blood and blush flowers throughout.
We kept things classy by incorporating a lot of neutral colors, rustic wood and a mix of metals such as bronze and gold. The outfits for our bridal party were simple champagne dresses for the girls, and navy suits with champagne ties for the guys. A very classic, timeless look.
Our pops of color were used very sparingly like in the napkins, straws and flowers. We added flowers to soften the dessert table, and I just fell in love with the idea of a “naked” cake. It looked almost white washed and was so beautiful. Providing mini bite sized pieces of a variety of desserts made it possible for people to try a little bit of everything if they wanted to. People love options!
I would have to say that the ceremony was my favorite part, and I think Steve would agree. The vision for the ceremony first came when I saw some beautiful southern outdoor weddings on Pinterest that had pews for seating. I thought it was so unique and I just needed to have them at our wedding. I asked every rental place in the Rochester and Syracuse area if they had pews, and they said no. In a stroke of luck, I found them on Craigslist and purchased the whole set.
I loved the idea of incorporating free-standing doors to aid in the “build up” of waiting for the bride. A co-worker helped custom-build white washed doors exactly like what I had envisioned. Steve had also mentioned that he would love it if I sang to him on our wedding day. I didn’t feel confident that I could sing without crying, so I had a friend record me and it played as I walked down the asile. We also said our own vows, signifying the importance of family, friends and God through the unity tree ceremony and communion.
Our friend Beth (who also was our wonderful photographer) impressively helped design our invitation so that it was an accurate representation of what our guests would experience. She helped incorporate the soft romantic elements by using water colored olive leaves, and using kraft and cotton paper for organic elements. We inserted fine details of gold using bakers twine and gold calligraphy. She even took the time to design a map so that people had a visual aid of where this venue was in relation to Skaneateles lake. Just a beautiful invitation!
Everything about this wedding turned out exactly how we had envisioned it! At 72 degrees and cloudy, we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Everywhere we turned we saw smiling faces and people truly enjoying themselves. We got so many compliments with many people pointing out a lot of the little details. It made all that hard work seem soo worth it! Some people even went as far as saying it was one of the best weddings they had ever been to. For two engineers, it was quite the compliment! However, this wedding wouldn’t have been anywhere close to as perfect had it not been for the help of our closest friends and family. They came through when Steve and I needed them the most! I’m happy to finally be Mrs. Cramb!
Photography: Elizabeth LaDuca | Coordination: Jennifer Bell | Floral Design: In Bloom | Wedding Dress: Watters | Cake: La Dolce Vita Bake Shop | Invitations: Elizabeth LaDuca | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Catering: Daniel's Grill | Makeup: Glam Vanity | Hair: Salon Allure | DJ: DJ Chris Sweet | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Groomsmen's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Venue: Frog Pond Bed And Breakfast