When it comes to wedding entertainment most couples opt for live bands or DJs. But, if you can’t tell, this couple likes to do things a little differently and more than that, they wanted to show their guests a real good [New Orleans] time. From acrobats and dancers to tarot card readers and multiple live musicians, these two pulled out all the stops for their big day with the help of Blue Gardenia Events. Andrew Alwert Studios⁠ was there to capture every moment so keep scrolling to see a wedding that would make even Gatsby jealous. 

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the vision: a modern take on 1920s decadence

the fashion

the second line

the night’s entertainment

a late-night snack

As the night came to a close, the energy didn’t fade. Guests were treated to late-night cafe au lait and beignets from a food truck, a nod to New Orleans’ culinary traditions. It was a fitting end to a weekend filled with revelry, flavor, and unforgettable moments, complete with show-stopping live entertainment and the electric party atmosphere for which New Orleans is known.

The post Roaring 20s-inspired wedding in NOLA with tarot card readings appeared first on Weddingchicks.

If this wedding was a person, it would be Amy Poehler’s character in Mean Girls. You know, it’s not a regular wedding, it’s a cool wedding. Along with the aptly named Wilder Mind Events, they put together a fun-filled day that their friends and family will never forget. From the levitating floral installation and custom disco decor to the groom’s larger-than-life boutonnière, who would want to go back to regular weddings? One more thing…is it just us or is EVERYONE getting so good at color palettes? Seriously, it wasn’t that long ago that everything was champagne and ivory and just look how far we’ve come! So keep scrolling and enjoy these stunning vibrant photos by Rad Red Creative from this beautifully curated wedding and hear all about this adorable couple.

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a vision that was “a little bit out of the ordinary”

Alyssa and Daniel met through friends in 2014 at a punk bar in Long Island, NY where they both grew up. They have been through a lot of difficult times together over the years but their relationship only grew stronger with every adversity. Now, they are happy and grateful to be enjoying life in St Pete (with their dog Dexter!) When they inquired with us they wanted to make their vision clear, “We have attended a lot of weddings over the years (too many?) and are looking forward to planning one that is a little bit out of the ordinary, laid back, and reflective of us.” This adorable couple and wedding was so sweet and special but really embodied the couple’s vision. They embraced the uniqueness of their production space-style venue with all the urban features and the huge digital screen wall. Adding in lots of unique and modern touches to make it a non-traditional wedding.

the looks

Let’s just say, we thoroughly enjoyed Alyssa and Daniel’s fashion choices! Alyssa rocked a slinky one-shouldered sequin dress and a lavender faux fur cropped jacket for her bridal look. She wore her hair pulled back in a playful pony topped with an adorable embroidered veil that was reminiscent of fireworks. Daniel was equally stylish in a deep green suit and a floral shirt that managed to pull in every other color from their wedding design. But, by far our favorite part of his look–the colorful boutonnière that stretched the length of his lapel!

the florals

Arms of Persephone brought together bright red poppies, painted dried florals, and an array of marigold, peach, and pastel flowers to create some of the most striking floral arrangements we’ve ever seen. We also love that they repurposed the floating installation from the ceremony as the backdrop for their sweetheart table!

a colorful ceremony

Making the most of their non-traditional venue, Coastal Creative, guests were greeted by a dreamy backdrop that made it feel like they were walking through the clouds. Clear acrylic chairs added to the surrealist vibes and the vibrant floral backdrop took center stage.

the after party

Mix-and-match furniture and multicolored tablecloths set the stage for a fun reception. Projections and uplighting turned the space into an upscale rave vibe, and bright red napkins and blue and amber glassware tied everything together.

The post the boutonnière stole the show in this beautifully eclectic wedding appeared first on Weddingchicks.

Alex and Eric wanted to elope, but when your wedding is this fun, you just have to invite a couple people! So, along with the help of their incredible wedding photographer turned wedding planner, Jody Zorn, they proceeded to plan an “elopement-style” wedding reminiscent of kitschy Vegas elopements of the past and the result is ABSOLUTE MAGIC. A checkered VW bug getaway car, a customized designer mini-dress, cherry discoball decor at a diner reception–the reasons why we love this wedding just go on and on. Keep reading to hear all about how the stars aligned to make this incredible micro-wedding possible.

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the inspo

Alex and Eric are far from your traditional couple. They decided they wanted to elope in some quaint, picturesque areas of the Colorado Rockies, and didn’t want the stress or potential drama that can come with a large wedding. After delving into planning and family expressing how much they would love to be a part of the festivities, the couple ultimately decided to have an intimate wedding with 20 of their closest family and friends, but still very much wanted “elopement vibes”. Their photographer, Jody Zorn comes from a background in commercial photography and production and has also dabbled in event planning. The couple fell in love with her creative, and out-of-the-box ideas, so she both planned and photographed the wedding. the venue search Still wanting the feel of an elopement, the search for the perfect venue ensued. The inspiration-a 60s Vegas Wedding Chapel. Jody randomly found an all-white historic schoolhouse, (after a massive phone tree of recommendations from Westcliffe locals) which felt so much like a wedding chapel, and Cliff Lanes Bowling Alley also houses an adorable diner that is straight out of mid-century Americana, and how fun is bowling for an after-party?

finding the right mini

The bride knew she wanted a short dress, also to evoke the “elopement” style. She was having a difficult time finding a short dress she felt flattered her figure, so, the bride and Jody set off to Neiman’s in hopes of finding an off-the-rack option. They happened to chance upon an ivory Oscar De La Renta tea-length dress on sale to boot! She took home the dress then and there and had it altered to become a mini-dress. Also sticking with the vintage, 60s vibe, the bride knew she wanted a very full “poofy” veil, like the ones you think of when you think of Priscilla and Elvis’ Vegas Wedding. A&be had one veil with the perfect volume, but the length was off, and one that was just the right length. So, the bride purchased them both to create the perfect vintage vibe, full of drama.

an old-school ceremony

To pay homage to the schoolhouse, and their love of books, Zorn created stacks of all-white books which became “columns” for the rainbow of vintage candle holders and candles, mixed with paper columns paying homage to the kitschy wedding decorations of the past. A custom-made beaded curtain reminiscent of the same vintage eras made of stained glass took center stage behind the couple. The curtain was inspired by stainless windows of traditional chapels, but done in a very mod, mid-century style.

more is more for this diner reception

In keeping with the Vegas elopement theme and wanting to push the envelope towards bordering gaudy, the tables were adorned with black candles subtly painted with cheetah print. The chargers, that doubled as place cards were old vinyl records with each guest’s name written on them. To tie in the milkshake vibes of the dinner, red disco ball “cherries” were incorporated as centerpieces along with a “runner” of disco ball mirror shards. The couple wanted to fully embrace the diner vibes so the diner catered everything, from BBQ sandwiches, onion rings and fries, and milkshakes and floats for dessert!

a kitschy cake

The couple cut a cake just for the two of them, which is also inspired by cakes of yesterday-year, with cherries and writing that simply said, “Just Married” in juxtaposition, their toasting flutes were ultra-fancy Waterford Crystal which a family member had gifted them.

a chance encounter with the perfect getaway car

This is a SUPER fun part of the story! During one of the planning trips to Westcliffe, the couple and Jody were driving from the schoolhouse to the bowling alley when an old VW bug drove right in front of them. It was covered in vintage-looking stickers and painted with a black and red checkerboard pattern. Jody, being the resourceful (definitely not the shy) type, flagged the driver over and asked if they would consider being a wedding getaway car. They said yes, and the rest is history!

The post This vegas-inspired micro-wedding is serving major priscilla vibes appeared first on Weddingchicks.

Happy Pride Month! We’re celebrating LGBTQIA+ love in bold and bright color with this vibrant styled shoot designed by Jamie Olwyn of Blooms n Beauties. Bringing together a community of queer, trans, and non-binary models and vendors, this editorial is an inspiration for authentic love and fashion forward couples & partners.

Keep reading to see how Blooms n Beauties created a literal rainbow of bouquets – perfect for a wedding party toast! All captured by queer, non-binary photographer Kai Peasley (they/them) of Kai Skye Photography.

Edgy pink & blush elopement attire

Real couple Wren (he/they) and Kaz (he/him) were the perfect models to emulate LGBTQIA+ love! Bold pink and blush attire brought a romantic feel to their own trans and non-binary aesthetics. When choosing the right outfits for your queer or same-sex wedding, don’t be afraid to incorporate rich textures, custom accessories, and your unique style to break tradition!

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For non-binary photographer Kai (they/them) of Kai Skye Photography this shoot embodies the mission of their work in the wedding industry: to capture queer and LGBTQIA+ clients authentically, in a way that leaves them feeling euphoric about their identity and the way they express love.

A rainbow of textured florals

When incorporating floral design into your LGBTQ wedding, trust incredible designers like Blooms n Beauties to create a perfect accompaniment to the fashion and decor of your day! Florist Jamie crafted an array of rainbow themed bouquets, centerpieces, and accents that are perfect for any Pride inspired weddings or celebrations. We love how she used oversized vases to create toast-able arrangements!

Vintage fashion for all bodies & genders

Fashion from QueerShoppe popped against the modern courtyard that the shop shares with other local Oak Park businesses. Curated by owner Amelia (they/them), QueerShoppe offers vintage stylings for all bodies and all genders – perfect for guests and wedding party alike!

Model Ngan (she/her) actually created the adorable heart shaped earrings that Derek (he/him) wore – perfectly matching his pink suit jacket!

The models for the shoot wore a mix and match of chic fashion throughout the day – ranging from casual neutrals to “something blue” inspired bridal party inspo.

Bold sweetheart table for day to night

Blooms n Beauties designed a vibrant and romantic tablescape perfect for a sweetheart table for two (or three)! Couple Wren (he/they) and Kaz (he/him) showed off a romantic scene set for two, accented with vintage pink chairs, bold patterned linens, and pastel candles. Scroll to see how the decor transformed at night!

Real couple and models alike showed how the dreamy tablescape is perfect for late night too, a date  backdrop for two or more!

Thanks to Kai Skye Photography for sharing this vibrant wedding inspo! Be sure to check out their full gallery below for even more floral magic by Blooms n Beauties.

The post Beauty in bloom: a floral celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride appeared first on Weddingchicks.

Remi and Kayla’s love story began in the couple’s current state of Nevada, spurred by mutual friends and all the same college courses. Who would have known that a simple college party would lead to these two on a travel-filled adventure that would later reflect itself in their wedding day design. Together, they’ve visited 12 countries, built out a camper van, and have a golden pup named Winston (who made it onto the cocktail napkins at the bar!). Keep scrolling to hear all about how the day at Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Sitting Bull came together with the help of Vine + Branch Events Co., and with each and every detail captured by Rachel Artime Photography.

Tuscan design inspiration in California

The design inspiration for the entire wedding day was spurred by the bride and groom’s romantic engagement story. Remi asked Kayla to marry him in Florence, Italy, and the couple wanted to get married in the same spot where she said ‘yes,’ but also wanted their friends and family to all be able to come and celebrate. The moment Remi and Kayla walked into the incredible venue at Hummingbird Nest Ranch, they felt like they were back in Tuscany. Together with their planner Vine + Branch Events Co., they wanted a fresh and simple design, because the venue’s old brick surroundings and cobblestones were so beautiful by themselves, and the florals and tables only needed to accent the venue’s already incredible beauty.

Personalized maps of favorite spots

Kayla and Remi wanted their wedding day to feel personalized with touches of things they love the most, including homemade Mexican food (their favorite!), a personalized map in their invites with all their favorite stops along the California coast, the Aperol spritz escort wall because that’s their favorite Italian drink, fresh simple bud vases and florals, and twinkle lights to really create that al fresco feel.

Overflowing baskets of lemons and blooms

From the get-go, Kayla and Remi expressed their deep love for all things Italy and Vine + Branch Events Co. just knew they had to bring that same relaxed essence to their big day. Throughout the curated design process, the planning team wove in traditional and romantic elements along with whimsical touches to brighten the reception and ceremony spaces, while letting the beauty of the venue shine through. Sitting Bull was the perfect backdrop for the day. From the Aperol escort wall, to the overflowing baskets of lemons and blooms (thanks to Solstice Bloom), and even to the carefully picked floral plates, every design decision was crafted to exude Kayla and Remi’s style.

An Aperol Spritz escort wall

They couple wanted to keep the design as clean and timeless as possible while including fun details to really personalize their day. Since Kayla and Remi adore their travels abroad to Italy, we incorporated one of their favorite drinks (the Aperol Spritz) into their custom escort wall design. Italian marble was also woven into the custom table numbers by Wildhouse Ink. Even though their wedding décor was heavily European inspired, Vine + Branch Events Co. did want to throw guests for a fun loop by serving the couple’s other favorite cuisine (Mexican!) for dinner, with Sabor Catering hand-making and rolling tortillas for all guests at the buffet.

Favorite lyrics became a neon sign

The couple and their team loved incorporating fun aspects into their reception party, including making their favorite lyrics into a neon sign and having light-up cowboy hats for the dance party. As a humorous tribute to Remi’s favorite sunglasses, Kayla ordered custom Pit Vipers for all the guests on the dance floor. Since their favorite dessert is also gelato, incorporating a gelato cart not only fit the theme, but also wove even more of their personality into the day!

After-the-fact advice

Hire a planner who not only works with you from the very beginning to bring your vision to life, but who also keeps you on track throughout the entire wedding planning process! Being able to enjoy the exciting aspects of the planning without having to learn an entire industry and its intricacies was invaluable. Also make a list of your top 3 must haves for your wedding day, and adjust your budget accordingly to compensate for the things you love. Perhaps most importantly, remember that the wedding is one day, but your marriage is a lifetime. Investing in dating your partner and making wedding planning nights into fun dates will continue to set you up for absolute success even after the bubbles pop and confetti settles on wedding midnight.

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The post An al-fresco California wedding with the perfect Aperol escort wall appeared first on Weddingchicks.

Beata and Nico fell in love with the lush, otherworldly quality of Tulum the moment they first visited – knowing that the Mexican destination was where they wanted to get married. The stylish couple didn’t want the typical white wedding, instead opting for a uniquely dark and moody aesthetic deemed “Til Death Do Us Part”, designed by Diana Romo Weddings. Dripping candles cast red florals in a dreamy amber light, while a tarot reader read cards for guests throughout the night; everything from the bride’s dazzling Berta gown to the neon lights peeking through the jungle radiated an ethereal vibe!

Keep reading to see the couple’s dreamy beach ceremony that honored the elements, capture in photo by Andre Gouin Photo and in film by About Time Film.

Instagram Post

Sexy bedazzled Berta gown, ready for the beach

For her wedding ceremony on the white sand beach, bride Beata chose an absolutely stunning Berta gown. The dress was perfectly sexy while staying light and airy for movement through the natural landscape! She paired the look with a beachy hair with a boho flower crown, sparkling shoes by Aquazzura, and celestial jewelry from Jennifer Behr.

Boho groom fashion with a one-of-a-kind hat

Nico’s wedding attire radiated true bohemian spirit, donning a white linen suit from Suit Supply, white leather sneakers from Good Man, and a custom branded hat from Fonte Tulum reading “live life for the moment”.

On picking Tulum for your wedding destination:

“A few years ago we took a trip to Sicily (which is where Nico’s family is from and where we got engaged!) and I was overcome by how lush and overgrown the landscape was – I’m a bit of a plant fanatic. We would have loved to have our wedding in Sicily but we thought the trip would be too much of an expense for some of our friends/family so we decided Mexico – with the wild nature of the jungle, would be the perfect backdrop and a more accessible destination. We did some research and fell in love with some of the other weddings we had seen in Tulum and decided to take a trip out there to see what it was all about. We stayed at the Alaya Hotel (where we ended up having our wedding ceremony!) which we immediately fell in love with. We fell in love with the powder-white sand beaches, turquoise waters of the Caribbean, all cast against the lush foliage of the jungle. Tulum captures all the things we love, with its laid back vibe, the incredible food and craft cocktails, and the ambient house beats playing at all hours day and night. There is definitely a different energy down there – almost like an air of mystery that I’m very attracted to. The natural elements of Tulum and this inexplicable, mystical air, became the inspiration for our wedding theme.” – Bride, Beata

An elemental, pre-Hispanic wedding ceremony

Beata and Nico’s oceanfront wedding ceremony was culturally unique, as they celebrated in several pre-Hispanic era rituals honoring the elements. It was a stunningly colorful ceremony, surrounded in boho blooms by Grisel Serrano Florals.

“Our ceremony was really special. It was a pre-Hispanic ceremony – a spiritual union, with nature as our witness. A ritual filled with symbolism, in balance with the 4 basic elements (earth, water, fire, & air), to bless us with joy, abundance, & understanding. It was amazing and really different than anything our guests have ever seen – feathered pre Hispanic musicians, a sahamudora cleansing us with copal, and an altar of symbolic elements to bless our union.” – Bride, Beata

“During the ceremony we added a little element – in addition to exchanging our rings we also exchanged tokens – a floral crown for me and a floral necklace for Nico. I had read that the crown would protect the woman’s mind and the necklace symbolized protecting the man’s heart. This particularly spoke to me because I feel like I can have a frantic mind sometimes and Nico can balance me and put me at ease.” – Bride, Beata

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Advice from the couple:

“Absolutely hire a wedding planner and don’t settle for anyone but the best. I researched a number of planners that worked in the riviera maya and was instantly impressed with Diana’s work. She is an amazing designer and was so easy to work with – super organized and made the stress of wedding planning especially nonexistent. She also has the intel for the best vendors that can make your vision come to life.

Absolutely have a small/intimate destination wedding! Keeping it small allowed us to have only the most important people in our lives there and obviously kept down the costs – not saying it was cheap…but for 50 people you can have the best of everything. Most of our guests stayed at the same boutique hotel that we did (Alaya) and it was blast waking up every morning and having breakfast with all our friends and family, laying out on the beach with endless margaritas, and then walking off the buzz exploring the streets of Tulum.

Suck it up and pay for – a little extra money is better than regret. I didn’t even consider having a videographer tbh but Diana suggested we absolutely need to have one and omg our videographer (About Time) blew us away – they even had a drone that flew over the ceremony and captured a bird eye view of the ocean/beach/jungle. I also didn’t think about lighting – but Diana was right, it was incredibly important – it set the mood and turned it into an event.”

Dark & moody reception with a tarot touch

The lush colors of the Tulum jungle were accented by gorgeous floral design by Grisel Serrano Florals that gave off a dark and moody boho flair. The centerpieces completely tied together the wedding’s “Til Death Do Us Part” theme that was brought to life through bold rentals from Archive and lighting by La Productora.

“Our florist (Grisel) was absolutely incredible. Our wedding planner recommended a number of florists and when I saw her work I knew she was the one. She didn’t make arrangements, she made art and her style was free, organic, and almost undone if that makes sense. A perfect level of disorder that made it look wild- though it had just happened like that in nature. I wanted a mix of fresh and preserved botanicals – sort of a play on life and death and I wanted tones of red with neutrals that ranged from bone and beige to almost black.”

“I think the tarot theme was unique – we wanted to bring a little mystical dark touch but we didn’t want it to be cheesy – we still wanted it to be chic. Our tables were marked with different tarot cards (our table was “The Lovers” card of course) and then for the seating cards everyone had a mini tarot card to direct them to their table. To play up the theme we also had a tarot reader for our guests to visit during the reception. And our welcome bags were printed with the lovers tarot card and filled with Mexican treats like jalapeño lime tortilla chips and Mexican spiced dark chocolate.” – Bride, Beata

A special performance from the couple’s son

A special highlight of the reception was when the couple’s 6 year old son, Kai, joined the live guitar player, picked up a microphone, and tried to sing along! His adorable performance was shortly followed up by him again grabbing the microphone after the bridal party speeches to give his own speech (“Daddy loves me so much…and mommy loves me way more than daddy.”) and cracking up the whole reception.

To end the night, the couple (and Kai) spent the evening dancing away to the tunes of DJ Alessio. Isn’t the jungle the coolest dance club venue?!

Congrats Beata and Nico! Be sure to check out the full gallery of photos from Andre Gouin Photo below for even more moody Tulum inspo.

The post A dark & moody “til death do us part” wedding in Tulum appeared first on Weddingchicks.

You may recognize this groom, he’s the “reply all guy” who accidentally replied all to his entire college. Well, it ended up that it was the best “mistake” of his life because that’s how he met his wife! And these two are just about the coolest couple we’ve ever had the pleasure of covering. With a joint bar, first smoke, and live portrait artist, this wedding at The Maples Estate in upstate New York is way ahead of its time. So go on, keep reading so you can catch up…

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let’s do this

We can’t get enough of these candid getting-ready photos of the bride and her crew. They gathered in this cozy room with deep wood floors and sage details that played perfectly into the wedding’s color palette.

laidback chic with a hint of weed

all the looks

This dress, where do we even start!? It’s so effortlessly cool, just like the bride and as you notice every detail, it only makes you love it more, from the cold-shoulder moment to the double train. We also love how she paired it with a dramatic cathedral-length veil, because why not? For the reception, the bride added fingerless tulle gloves that read “to have and to hold” and “to love and to cherish” with her gown, then slipped into a studded mini and a white denim jacket that said, “Till death do us part”. The groom had a cool factor all his own in a lightweight tan suit with a floral printed bow tie and pocket square. Even their dog had a bow tie for the occasion!

sometimes the “reply all guy” does get the girl

a relaxed outdoor ceremony

The two exchanged vows under a pretty floral arbor, created by Little Anne’s Flowers, in an intimate outdoor ceremony where guests looked on from mix-and-match vintage wooden chairs. Our favorite part of this lovely ceremony has to be the confetti exit–those always make for the best photos!

a chill reception

To entertain their guests, they had a sketch artist creating portraits for their guests on the spot which doubled as favors for later. Then, the couple and their guests sat down for a delicious meal at a long wood farm table decorated with subtle florals in bud vases sprinkled throughout.

got a light?

Quite possibly the best, and most unique update to the candy bar trend–meet the weed bar! Guests were supplied with three different varieties and could roll their own joint to enjoy with the couple.

To see even more of these cool moody photos by Rock and Love Weddings, check out the full gallery below.

The post Are weed bars the new candy bar? this couple thinks so appeared first on Weddingchicks.