Archives for July 2014

Coral is a really beautiful color to use for a wedding. Check out this sweet intimate affair photographed by Darlene Hall of Harvest of Memories.

Nicole was aiming for a “simple romantic” vibe for her and Daniel’s big day. It was a very small gathering with just their immediate family and relatives present. They are planning to hold another reception for family and friends when they go back in Ohio.  The ocean was the main inspiration for the whole theme. And Nicole did a fine job at choosing coral and gold with a touch of pink here and there to accentuate some wedding details. This wedding is definitely a breath of fresh air.

What is your story as a couple, how did you meet and fall in love?

Daniel and I met while we were out with our friends, I actually caught him staring at me from across the room. I knew right when I saw him that he would mean something to me, and shortly after I realized he was the piece missing from my puzzle. We came from a similar upbringing and he quickly accepted my daughter as if she was his own. The conversations, laughter, smiles, and memories became countless and have withheld throughout our relationship. Dan and I talked about getting married after purchasing our first home together in 2011. He surprised me while I was out getting an idea of bridesmaids dresses with my closest girlfriends. I’ll never forget how nervous and handsome he looked in that moment. I couldn’t wait to spend my life with this man.

What was the best advice you received when you were planning your wedding?

The best advice I was given was told to me by one of my best friends. She told me to hold onto every moment and little detail of our special day because it is over so fast. I made sure to take in every little thing during my ceremony and throughout the day in general.

What makes the two of you a perfect match?

Dan is the brain and I am the beauty. We have always been able to carry in depth conversations, and dream together. I love that we can talk about our aspirations and make them a reality. We have always been supportive of each other in everything that we do. One of the things that make us perfect is the fact that Dan is a simple man and I am a social butterfly! I do all of the talking and he is able to sit back and take it all in! It just seems to work with us, it always has.

What inspired your wedding decor? Why did you choose the things that you did?

The Ocean.  Dan told me that he had always wanted to get married on the beach and the first time that him and I ever vacationed together was to the beach my family had been taking me since I was a baby. I wanted romantic simplicity, therefore I took aspects such as starfish and twine and created something beautiful. The color choices were easy, coral and gold with accents of khaki scream the beach!

Do you have advice for couples still in the planning process?

Oh absolutely, don’t worry about what other people want, this is your day and if you are lucky it will be the only wedding day you will ever have. Don’t penny pinch, this is your wedding day for goodness sakes!

What were some challenges you faced planning your wedding & what would you have done differently to avoid them?

I had a hard time dealing with family and friends who wanted things this way or that way. I took it as them trying to control our day when as I look back they may have been just trying to suggest things they would like to be done. I struggled with saying no in the beginning but after I realized that this is all about Dan and I it was easy to politely let them know what our plans were without having to provide an explanation as to why we were doing this or that.

What was the wedding budget?

We budgeted $7,500 for the wedding ceremony.

Where did you save the most money?

We saved the most money by doing our own programs, signage, favors, and having lemonade and cheesecake shooters opposed to a wedding cake! Ohhh we also picked up roses from the local grocery store and made our own petals the morning of!

Can you share some tips or tricks that you learned along the way leading up to the wedding or after?

Listen to yourself, put you and your fiancé first no matter what. Save money where you can but don’t stress over it and mostly cherish every moment leading up to and during your wedding day because you can never physically go back to that moment. One thing we did was purchase special perfume and cologne to use on our wedding day, and we vowed to only wear it again on our anniversaries. I will occasionally sneak a smell and I get butterflies every time!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

We traveled North to Atlantic Beach and spent a week exploring the Southern Outer-banks! We love going to random places and just doing whatever we want!

What are you most excited about for the future?

I have never in my life felt so complete, Dan and I are currently students at the Ohio State University and I cannot wait until he receives his Engineering degree and I my Education degree. I can’t help but be excited for our Reception in Ohio as well at Gervasi Vineyard.

How many guests were invited in your wedding and what was the final guest count?

We invited 48 close family members to the ceremony in Ocean Isle, and we had 38 total guests which includes our wedding party.

Was it difficult to narrow down your guest list?

No,not at all, we knew that we wanted to ceremony to be small and include immediate family only. We knew we would have a reception back home in Ohio to celebrate with our friends and family.

What songs did you use during the ceremony?

• Processional: “God Bless the Broken Road” Rascal Flats
• Bridal Processional: “Marry Me” Train
• Recessional: Over the rainbow/Wonderful World ComboBride and Groom Dance: “Better Together” Jack Johnson
• Father Daughter Dance: “Cinderella” Steven Curtis Chapman
• Mother Son Dance: “A Mother’s Song” Unknown

What would you say, the overall story for this album?

I would say its a simple rustic beach love story, two people completely in love who can not wait to start their lives as husband and wife. It was important to include our family in every aspect of our wedding day and it is shown so beautifully through our photographs.

What inspired the wedding day outfits?

The inspiration for the wedding attire was driven by the fact that I wanted my girls in flowing maxi dresses, and the coral color was just perfect in every way. It’s always windy at the beach and I knew the style would look great blowing with the breeze. As for the men I attempted to leave that decision up to my groom but I quickly found out that he didn’t care to have a say as long as he got to marry me! I leaned on Pinterest for support with this one a lot and knew I couldn’t go wrong with white shirts and khaki’s for the groomsmen, and a J.Crew vest and slacks for my groom. We decided to go barefoot since we would be in the sand and incorporated a shoe station into the decor for our guests to have the option to be barefoot as well!

What was your favorite part of the day?

Seeing Dan’s face as I walked toward him was such a special moment. I absolutely loved that walk down the aisle, it was a surreal moment for me. It was my last walk with my father as a Pettay yet I was walking towards my future husband alongside the man that I loved before any other.

Was there any Do it Yourself (DIY) projects? If so, can you describe them in detail?

I did as much DIY as I could, not really to save money but to put a personal touch on things. I made my own ceremony programs that included the order of ceremony and bridal party details on the back, I gave them a rustic yet romantic feel but accentuating our names and adding a coral heart. I purchased 2.5-3 inch boney starfish wrapped them in twine and attached a thank you tag on the bow personalized with our names and wedding date as a favor. I wanted to honor our past loved ones so I purchased a black collage frame and spray painted it coral, made an insert that read “If heaven weren’t so far away we know you’d be here today” and placed their pictures inside to be displayed at the welcome table. Any printed signage was done by me on the computer, including the guest book directions, reserved signs and welcome bags for guests staying at the hotel. We also wrote our own vows, which to me was a project!

What were the highlights from the ceremony & reception?

Some highlights include reading and recieving love letters we wrote to each other as we were getting ready. I chose to do a “first look” with my father and that moment was very special! The walk down the aisle, written vows, and happy tears will always be treasured. Deciding to serve cheesecake shooters and lemonade after the ceremony during the dances on the beach worked out perfect for the guests as well.

Was there a theme for the ceremony and reception?

There was no real theme, I wanted it to be simple and romantic. The reception in Ohio will be centered around the ceremony and making the guests that weren’t at the beach feel as though they were a part of our special day. I plan to put pictures from the ceremony all over the place!

Vendors

Photographer:  Harvest of Memories
Ceremony Location: Islander Inn
Event Venue: The Islander Inn