This gorgeous wedding reception was photograpghed by Thisbe Grace under the stars at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Downtown Dallas. Under the direction of wedding planner Jordan Payne, it was a garden inspired wedding with autumn florals and colors of purple, peach and ivory, including an array of foliage bringing it all together with gold details throughout. It was complete with modern details like a white dance floor at the foot of the 40 foot garden sculpture and white lounge furniture under crystal chandeliers hung in the trees.
The ceremony was at SMU’s Perkins Chapel. According to the bride, the ceremony was the perfect balance between the celebration of the day and the reality of the commitment the couple was making. They almost vetoed the Nasher because they didn’t want an outdoor reception, yet they fell in love with the modern art, the water, and all the beautiful trees once they saw it in person. The idea of the three cakes came from a picture of three, single layer wedding cakes on cakes stands that the bride found. She and her sister found a store in Venice Beach with stacks of vintage glass cake stands and bought two for the wedding. The third cake stand belonged to Delicious Cakes.
Bridal Gown – Romona Keveza / Wedding Planner - Jordan Payne Events / Photographer - Thisbe Grace / Bridesmaid Dresses – Jim Hjelm / Entertainment – Andy Austin / Cake -Delicious Cakes / Hair & Makeup – Mo Bowers of Fairy Godmother Bridal
Kathryn and Kurtis really wanted to make it their day and together planned a wedding that would touch on who they are and the things most important to them as a couple.
Kathryn tells the story of her wedding …
The ceremony site was an easy decision… it was outside in the Hedge Garden at the Morton Arboretum, which is where we had our first date, and where Kurtis proposed. The Reception was at Hotel Arista, which initially caught our interest with its clean and natural, yet modern, style (similar to ours). We were more than sold once we tried their food, and when they were named the only LEED certified Hotel in Illinois, it couldn’t have been a more perfect fit.
Being the detail oriented people that we are, almost every aspect of the day was personal in some way, and being the outdoorsy people that we are, the garden feel that started at the Arboretum naturally spread into the entire day.
My favorite color is yellow and Kurtis’ is orange, so we wanted to stay in that range. Once we found the perfect color in the bridesmaid dresses, everything grew from there. I call it marigold. We like to match, so we really didn’t stray from that color… from the bow ties down to the soup.
The monogram took on a life of it’s own. We both love symmetry, so the reversing the second “K” for symmetry was an idea I had had for months, the bracket effect with our final design simply won out over the hundreds of options we designed. The save-the-dates and invitations stemmed from the monogram, and I designed the cake to match the invitations.
We made the cork boards (to display the place cards) ourselves, mostly from corks we had saved for years, to show our love for wine and it tied into our “green” efforts. The table numbers were painted on rocks, our signature drink was made from organic vodka, and in lieu of favors, we made a donation to our local forest preserve district.
We opted for a sand ceremony which was only appropriate for two beach lovers in the Midwest, and it allowed our family and friends to have a role in the day, representing they roles they have in our lives.My dress was the second one I tried on, and the only one that made my mother, Aunt, and MOH cry. Our flowers were calla lilies – white and “marigold” only. I wore my grandmother’s bracelet that was a gift from my grandfather and the necklace my mother wore the day she married my father was wrapped in my bouquet. My favorite photo of the day was taken right at the spot Kurtis proposed in the Spruce plot at the Arboretum. We didn’t plan our August 1, 2009 wedding with a theme, but I think our earthy, yet classic style showed through in the end.
Ceremony: Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL / Reception: Hotel Arista, Lisle, IL / Photographer: Artisan Events, Inc. / Videography: Artisan Events, Inc. / Cake: Cocoa Bean / Florals: Expressions / Band: Al Sofia / Bride’s Attire: Rivini / Groom’s Attire: Perry Ellis / Invitations: Thia & Company
The delicious Great Gatsby is inspiring trends and bringing back timeless pieces of the 1920′s with it’s debut in May. This incredible mix of vintage lace veils and intricate headpieces pay homage to the era’s style.
French lace, silk tulle, crystal beading, delicate gauze, and embroidery make up these veils and gowns to create a vintage yet modern appeal. The style, as was the 1920′s, is feminine and free. The 1920′s has been referred to a time of “Camelot” and the gorgeous ladies wore smart, loose, and concise looks compared to the earlier times. It was exciting and inspires an independent feel. A drop-waisted lace and silk silhouette gown with low-hanging pearls and adornments, today still conveys the sophisticated and very spirited woman. We would give any excuse to wear these gorgeous headpieces out on the town one evening, and for a wedding day the veils are absolute beauty.
via: Roses and Lace / Twigs and Honey / Johanna Johnson / Glamour & Grace / Rosa Clara /Paloma Blanca
