This fall wedding is everything. From the striking, burgundy bridesmaid gowns and styled florals to the to-die-for lakeside venue, this fête defines autumnal beauty. Get your fall fix browsing the images by Amy Rizzuto Photography and Mekina Saylor, right this way…
From the Bride… Eric and I met a little over six years ago at Queens College in New York, where we both attended graduate school for teaching. Although we met in early September when Eric kindly offered to set up my television in my dorm room (but was unsuccessful since “I made him nervous!”), it took a few months of exchanging smiles in the elevator until we began dating in March of the following year when the timing was right. In the very beginning of our relationship, Eric would slip his favorite DVDs under my door late at night and stop by after class with some frozen yogurt – not just for me, but for all of my suite-mates, too. It didn’t take long for me to fall head over heels for this chivalrous, handsome, fun-loving, and charismatic man. In just a few short months of dating, we realized our strong connection, our shared love of popcorn and adventures, and knew we had found a rare and beautiful love that was meant to last.
Eric proposed on Christmas Eve (which is also my birthday) in front of our closest family, since he knew how important family is to me. Before the proposal, Eric asked me to open my birthday present from him, which was a Polaroid camera – a gift that I had told him I wanted! Eric whispered, “Save this camera for the special moments.” Seconds later, chords from a guitar began to play a song that Eric knew I loved, “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles. Then, in walked a mutual friend from school who began to serenade us. Eric got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes, and the first picture of us taken after the engagement was captured on my new Polaroid camera, since it was truly a special moment! On our wedding day, our engagement song was played during the ceremony, right before I walked down the aisle to become Eric’s wife, to let him know that I choose him too!
Before beginning to plan our wedding, I was under the false impression that all we would have to worry about choosing would be the venue, the vendors, and the food! That definitely was not the case. Never in my life have I had to make so many decisions for one event, and if you ask any of my family or friends, they will tell you that I can’t make a decision even if my life depends on it. Thankfully, our engagement was almost two years long, so I had more than enough time to make the million decisions I needed to make for our wedding, and, although my husband fully trusted me to make any and all decisions, he let me know that whenever or however I needed him, he would help too.
We knew that the first decisions that needed to be made were choosing a wedding style and establishing our budget. We both shared the same vision of a rustic, lakefront wedding with vibrant colors, so that definitely helped to narrow down our venue search. Lucky for us, after visiting only a handful of venues, we chose the venue that perfectly matched our vision. And what better season to incorporate vibrant colors than fall? We decided on an October wedding, and it was a bonus that our venue happened to be a hidden gem that none of our friends or family had ever heard of before and which guests are still raving about! We then sat down and decided what aspect of the wedding was most important to each of us. For me, it was the photography, and for Eric, it was the music. Naturally, these two elements were what we decided to splurge on, and they were absolutely worth every penny. We ended up with a crazy and fun dance party that lasted all night long, which became the best night of our lives, and unbelievably breathtaking, raw, and timeless photos that we will look back on for years to come, if by chance our memory of the details of the night begins to fade. All of the details and fall-themed DIY projects were decided on and created as we got closer to the wedding day. Pumpkins and fall leaves to complement the foliage for our outdoor ceremony and picture-perfect setting, were a must! Therefore, most of the details – including the DIY menus, programs, table signs, and place cards – included fall colors of wine, orange, and yellow. All of the details and decisions, both big and small, helped to create the perfect blend for the most unforgettable day and surpassed all of our expectations and hopes for a dream wedding.
I spent hours upon hours searching online for the perfect wedding dress and finally narrowed it down to my five favorites. Soon after, I went to local bridal shops to try each of the dresses on. I fell in love with the very first dress, but I decided to keep looking, just in case. Other dresses were beautiful but I found myself comparing all others to the first David Tutera by Mon Cheri dress. Finally, I realized that there was no need to keep looking for different dresses because I had already found the perfect one for me. It had everything I pictured in my wedding dress: embroidered lace beautifully beaded throughout, a sweetheart neckline, and a gorgeous chapel-length train with scalloped edges. I chose a simple but elegant veil with beading on the trim to compliment the beading on my wedding dress.
Although we loved nearly every single detail and memory from our wedding day, Eric and I both agree that our favorite part of our wedding day was when we exchanged our personal vows to each other. Among other things, Eric promised to always show me love, to display kindness and compassion, and to never let me face any obstacle alone. I vowed to cherish and honor him, to be his life-long confidant and number one supporter, and to keep my love as pure as it was in that moment. While we were exchanging our vows, it felt like time had stood still, and for those few minutes, all we could see was each other.
Photography: Amy Rizzuto Photography | Cinematography: Enchanted Celebrations | Floral Design: Ken Norman- Colony Florist | Wedding Dress: David Tutera | Cakes: Le Petit Gateau | Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal | Hair and Makeup: Melissa Daloia Co Luxury Hair Make Up | DJ: DDM Entertainment | Venue: Indian Trail Club | Photography Assistance: Mekina Saylor Weddings