I am definitely swooning over this wedding today. The bride and groom pulled together a handmade but polished vintage affair by incorporating borrowed china and silver, a cigar bar for him and a candy bar for her, and the bride’s unique dress and gorgeous bouquet. And then there are the hand sewn, coordinating escort cards, napkins, and table numbers-I’ve always loved this way of designating tables! I think my favorite part though, are the shots of the bride and groom post-ceremony, loving on each other in the beautiful greenery.
From the Photographer:
Neele and Walter planned a hometown wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and they and their families and friends worked tirelessly to make it hit the vintage but modern mark Neele was looking for. They sewed 250 napkins, matching runners, and escort cards, laid out a cigar station and a candy bar, made moss covered initials to hang on the church door and stage throughout the reception, and sourced silver and china from relatives.
While the photos from this wedding are gorgeous on their own, the story that comes with them is one of my favorites. When the ceremony is so personal (and silly in the right places), it really just gets to me that this whole day is about celebrating two people joining their lives together forever. Okay, and the vintage details are to die for!
From the Photographer:
Dana & Aubrey were married on May 27th, 2012 in Des Moines, Iowa. Every part of their wedding day was jam-packed with meaning and emotion! Aubrey put together details to create a lovely, feminine, vintage theme to her day. From her shoes to her veil to the chandelier at the ceremony, everything was delightful! They got ready at the house Dana & Aubrey bought only a month before their wedding, and we began the portrait time in their beautiful front porch. Everyone in the bridal party was such a trooper to endure the thick Iowa heat! A few important details and stories: Aubrey’s father gave her a heart necklace years ago and told her that he will keep the key to her heart until the man comes along that she will marry. During the ceremony they did a very joy-filled, emotional “giving the key away” ceremony. It could not have been a more beautiful picture of a dad giving his daughter away to the man of her dreams! Right before the ceremony’s processional, Aubrey & Dana’s proposal video was played. The video was incredibly emotion-filled as well as quite humorous! Most of the guests were left with tears of joy. It was such a beautiful way to begin the ceremony, as the proposal laid the foundation of their commitment to each other. The video can be found on my blog post of their wedding here: http://www.allisonmariephotographyblog.com/kansas-city-wedding-photographer-aubrey-dana/ There were all sorts of surprises during the ceremony! Aubrey sang to her new husband (and she is not known as a singer!!), her brother performed quite the dancing act, and all the groomsmen and ushers sang a hilarious version of a boy band song to Aubrey! Details: A friend of Aubrey’s custom made the bridesmaid dresses, and another friend designed their bouquets! Words cannot express how deeply moving, joy-filled and emotional their wedding day was! Even I, the photographer, was in tears 
Even though this is just a style shoot, the simplistic rock n’ roll nature of the details and attire have me jumping for joy. It’s music to my ears (and just about any wedding vendor) when a couple embraces their personal style and lets it shine through in their wedding. And, to be honest, it shouldn’t be any other way. Thank you, Dette, for sharing!
Dette Snaps
From the Photographer:
This styled wedding shoot was inspired by by the idea of an alternative couple wanting to have a somewhat off-beat, yet simple and intimate wedding, in a very unique location. That venue was a gorgeous art gallery in the trendy warehouse district of Northeast Minneapolis {Anita Sue Kolman Gallery}.
We combined this one-of-a-kind location with a modern bridal dress {short + silver sequins!} and bridesmaids dresses in a muted gray tone. We added lots of vintage jewelry {paired with modern leather/studded accessories}, custom-made edgy veils/head pieces, bright spring flowers, matching invitations, French macaroons and some really easy DIY table decor {inexpensive thrift store finds of vases and candle holders, spray painted in our color palette of purples and blacks}. Think rock-n-roll chic meets “New Girl” theme.
Photography: Dette Snaps | Floral Designer: Flowerama | Invitation Designer: Tate Stationery | Dress Store: Dena Marie’s Bridal | Makeup Artist: Amber Rose Hair & Make Up | Bakery: Sweets Bakeshop | Venue: Anita Sue Kolman Gallery | Fashion Designer: Something Borrowed Bride | Model: Emily Trempe, Kimberly Bowman, Abraham Reddy, Shannon Lee
Good friend (and bridesmaid), Kate Fenwick, recently shot an intimate wedding with classic details. But it wasn’t the details that caught my eye. It was the bride’s gown.
You see, this gown, in its simplicity, used to belong to the bride’s mother. At one point, it had sleeves and was “totally 80′s” as the bride called it. Andrea, the bride, had the gown altered to fit her and her style, and it turned out beautifully. This my friends is a classic case of turning something old into something new (and being eco-friendly). The difference here? The new is so classic and timeless, you probably would be none the wiser had I not told you it was her mother’s. Le swoon
Images courtesy of Fenwick Photography
