Two Wedding Photographers Tie The Knot At A European-Inspired Wedding In Connecticut
Imagine being in the south of France on a late summer's day. The cool ocean breeze making its way up to the charming cliffside villages. The florals, a feast for the eyes, as if painted by Claude Monet himself. We blended modern simplicity with the rich historic tones of the past and brought our travels abroad to a hidden gem in Connecticut, Wadsworth Mansion. As professionals in the wedding industry, we have a deep love and appreciation for events. We are inspired by each vendor's craft and want to highlight the beauty and craftsmanship that set them apart. I believe an experience is seen, felt, and heard, and to be fully immersed is to have these moments rooted with intent. A wedding is the reflection of a couple, and after being together for a decade, we had a lot to say! Our "theme" was L'art de vivre; the frech way of living. We drew inspiration from the elegance and artistic beauty of our travels abroad, which mirrors the philosophy of the great masters who understood that art is a reflection of life itself.
Fashion is everything which is why so much thought went into our selection and my wedding gowns! I found my ceremony gown on my first trip to Vows. I went in with one designer and silhouette in mind and came out with the opposit but stunning Martina Liana! After trying on what I thought would be my dream dress, I was underwhelmed. Dress after dress nothing felt right that's when my stylist said she had one more in mind. It was the last dress, and the moment I put it on I knew it was the one. I had it customized to be open back with a more fitted silhouette. I paired it with Bella Bell shoes, Maison Sabben earrings and a stunning cathedral veil that shimmered in the light. However, I couldn't get the idea out of my head that I had always thought I'd be in a form-fitted gown. I was also not a huge fan of a bustle, I mean after all when you have a train like mine it's meant to be seen! That is when I discovered the talented designer of Bremelia. I went back and forth with her designing a reception look I could dance the night away. I wanted something that would be the complete opposite of my ceremony dress. Bre crafted the most beautiful bespoke gown that literally lite up like a star underneath the lights and it had such an impact when we came out and opened up the dancefloor to cold plays "sky full of stars". I really wanted a full transformation with this gown and so with the help of my bridal stylist Lindsay, and makeup artist Michelle, I went from a romantic updo and A-line gown to a high-pony bold lip, fitted silhouette with a plunging neckline and high slit ready to party. If you want to be stress-free and picture-perfect having and amazing team there to keep you looking fresh, and fluffed is key! A wedding curator will allow your photographer and videographer the freedom to focus on their craft and capture stunning behind the scenes moments for you to enjoy instantly! For my reception dress I paired it with a simple badgley mischka heel and understated earring.
We did not have an official wedding party; however, we did invite our guests to dress within our color pallet and see gowns from Reformation, Revolve, Lulu, and more! We did order stunning tulle gowns for our flower girls from Azazie, with the gown for my daughter customized by my dress designer, Bremelia Custom Bridal, for that extra attention to detail that made it perfect for our special day.
The groom's entire look was from Suit Supply. His search was not as simple as we had expected. Originally, we purchased a tux from another designer online, but when he put it on at home, we both were underwhelmed. Although we had announced it was a black tie event, I said let's just try going to suitsupply and see if maybe a color tux would help. We tried on a blue suit, and that didn't work, but then he tried on their black tux, and it clicked! The fit was perfect, and the details were just right.
When I reached out to Buck and Bloom with my vision for a renaissance still-life-inspired grazing table with marble peacock and dripping honey, they were just as excited as us and completed a stunning 12-foot masterpiece! I am known by all for my love of chic-fil-a, and so what better way than to serve it avant-garde style nuggets as a passed order! Joe and I are craft cocktail enthusiasts so having a his, hers and ours, as a selection for our guest of three craft cocktails was something we were excited to feature. With one cocktail being culturally inspired and garnished with lychee, another inspired by my wedding scent, and the third inspired by our travels abroad, we wanted to create an experience for our guests beyond the traditional bar experience.
I really wanted to incorporate a unique floral selection with minimal greenery, full of blooms that felt light and allowed arrangements to breathe. One of the fun floral elements was our custom-built welcome sign that featured a flower box. Our bar not only had stunning florals on top but a beautiful meadow below that added a nice symmetry to the bar. Our florist, Sabrina, did an amazing job, and I was blown away by the three-foot meadow she created on the custom seating chart wall. For our reception, we chose to do a variety of centerpieces in the ballroom featuring both high and low designs. We repurposed our ceremony centerpieces for the cocktail hour by placing them at the main doors, where we would also hold our speeches. Design: As industry professionals, while we did many things in-house, like our bespoke invitation suite, which I designed, hand tore, hand foiled, and hand stuffed, to our 8-foot seating chart wall I designed and my husband built, we fully believe in entrusting other professionals in areas that may not be in your wheelhouse. With a venue like ours, we wanted to spend as much time on the outside as possible. For the ceremony, we kept it simple with two floral urns and white flowers, which tied into the giant white hydrangea bushes that were in full bloom. I knew photographically I wanted my ceremony space to be a 360 view so that my photographer and videographer had an amazing view no matter the angle. I spent a lot of time finding the perfect urns, building their pedestals, and painting them so that they were just the right proportions. Details are extremely important to me, and the last thing I wanted was my 5'2 frame to be dwarfed by an oversized urn. I was very excited to create our seating chart wall. As photographers, we couldn't help but incorporate a fun nod to our profession and a treat for our guests. We wanted something different, and I found Papershoot, which provided rentable digital paper cameras that gave the impression of disposable but without the expense of developing film. I was really intrigued by this sustainable option, and it was a hit with our guests! Our seating chart arch was full of bells. This inspiration came from my parents. As entrepreneurs, they had this tiny bell that they would always ring with every sale. My dad said it was important to celebrate in life, even the little moments. So, I wanted to gift our guests a small bell to ring, not just for that night, but for all the little moments to come. For the cocktail hour, I put a lot of thought into the special order linens. I wanted colors that enhanced the warmth of the building vs. going with the included standard white. When I think of an event, I don't just think of the item at hand but the bigger picture and how it will impact not just the images but the guest experience. It was important for me to transition and breathe in the spaces, which is why we went understated for the dinner in the ballroom. The space was stunning on its own, and I felt a timeless touch was all that was needed.
We had a simple but stunning white, two-tiered cake cascading in pearls. The surprise was when you cut into the cake for a rainbow of color! Confetti cakes have been my favorite since childhood, and I always knew that one day, when I would get married, it would be with a confetti cake!
Since we had an intimate wedding with only 65 guests, one of our favorite parts was being able to connect with each one of them truly. We did things a little differently during our ceremony and had our officiant start off speaking to our guests from the side. We had also asked our family to switch "sides" so that my family sat on the "grooms" and he sat on the "brides." When the ceremony started, we stood in the center, looking outward together. I was able to see the faces of the ones I loved. I was able to connect not just with him but with those who have supported us on our journey. We wrote our own vows and kept things sweet and simple. Directly after our ceremony, we went back to our cocktail hour, where we started off the celebration with a toast thanking those for being there and kicking off the party with a champagne tower! Our first dance was to You're Still The One by Dave Moffatt (Shania Twain cover). We have been together for a decade, so this song resonates with us. We had our first look at Stephen Sanchez's - Until I Found You, which is a song dedicated by my husband to me. And we opened up the dancefloor to coldplays- skyfull of stars. I danced with my father to Heartland ~ I loved her first, a song that I grew up singing with my dad and always cry to when I hear it now. Joe and his mom danced to the sweet song You'll Be in My Heart, which was fitting for their relationship.
Guest Illustrator: When we would spend time abroad, we loved meeting street artists and thought, what better gift to our guests than a custom illustration! I found sammia lynn illustration and fell in love with her work and knew she was the one. Our guests loved showing off their illustrations and it was one of the major talking points through the night.
