Susan Moran of That’s It! Wedding Concepts created three weddings with each telling a unique story. She focused on building personal, unique vignettes which tell the who, what, and where behind a couple’s story. From a wedding at a nature conservancy to travel-themed details, and tributes to late family members, these are exceptionally personal. According to Moran, celebrating what is unique about a couple is particularly important. Read on and enjoy these special celebrations brimming with love.
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WHAT
What started out as a regular hiking date turned into the memory of a lifetime for this outdoorsy couple. The groom got down on one knee as the sun was setting at Pinnacle Overlook. Their mutual love of nature inspired the theme for their big day. The focus of this celebration was to capture the essence of what is truly important to the couple. This couple displayed their love of nature throughout all aspects of their wedding, including creative touches like river rock place cards and bamboo centerpieces. They accomplished this with an earthy color scheme, a nature conservancy venue, real wood accents, and more. The first thing guests saw was a charcuterie-topped barrel adorned with a wooden welcome sign. Entering guests admired the luscious boxwood wall and found their name and table number written on an antique window atop a rolling wooden cart. The couple’s adorable “fur baby” guarded the cart. The couple’s signature drink (a blueberry martini), blueberry macarons, the guestbook, and a beautiful bonsai tree were displayed as if floating on a bed of river rocks. At dinner, guests were transported to a different world. Among tall, lush centerpieces were accents of bamboo and shaved wood. A sparkling, soft brown tablecloth was overlaid with sheer green leaves. The rustic wooden chairs and glossy lacquer table settings completed the full effect of sitting inside a forest. After an ethereal dinner (with the menu written on a tree round!), the subsequent dessert bar was on another level. A multilayered display of wooden boxes, glass cake stands, tree trunk sections, and candy jars beckoned guests to enjoy a sweet treat. Desserts included leaf-shaped cookies, s’mores cupcakes, miniature key lime and apple pies, cream puffs, and chocolate peanut butter whoopie pies. Guests had endless choices. One of the desserts was topped with gold-dipped leaves. The simple, single-tiered wedding cake featured four layers of chocolate cake and vanilla buttercream and a garnish of fresh mint leaves. Rounding out the theme of the night was a playful, grassy green take on a picnic blanket decorating the dessert table.
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WHERE
Many couples love traveling, but not all of them can plan a wedding around it. After a classically romantic proposal in Paris, this couple decided to incorporate travel and adventure in their wedding. They created a whimsical portrayal of where their relationship has taken them and used their love of exploration to represent themselves. Their save the date cards expressed “A New Adventure Begins,” and their invitation envelopes were printed with world maps. The welcome table held a guestbook atlas and table assignments on luggage tags hanging from an antique style world map. Amidst briefcases, candles, and trunks were a frame holding handkerchiefs and a sign saying “For Happy Tears.” The grandeur of dinner was juxtaposed with a simple spring mix salad and metallic bistro chairs. The dinner centerpieces had sprays of colorful flowers reminiscent of Parisian cabaret dancers’ feathered fans and headdresses. The vivid watercolors of the tablecloth reminded the guests of a twilight sky, as one might see taking off in an airplane. A navy sequin tablecloth added a shimmer to the elegant white single-tiered cake embellished with shades of blue icing. As the bride and groom cut into the cake with an antique silver cake server, lifting the first slice away revealed an explosion of sprinkles! Blue and white sprinkles, edible pearls, and edible glitter spilled out. A beautiful end to a beautiful celebration. Guests left feeling inspired to take on new adventures in life and travel.
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WHO
Family brought this couple together. A Thanksgiving proposal led to a Thanksgiving wedding complete with homages to late family members, personal recipes, and a sumptuous family-style meal. The couple’s chosen reception venue was the bride’s family home. They passionately found inventive ways to honor their family members who inspired them in life. The first tribute was part of the welcome table and took the form of the evening’s signature drink. In memory of the groom’s late grandfather, guests enjoyed his favorite evening ritual: a glass of Balvenie single malt scotch. The table included his favorite crystal glass, his personal pocket watch, a monogrammed linen cocktail napkin, and a few of his antique books. At the wedding ceremony, guests looked on as the couple said their vows beneath a pergola encased in bright coral and magenta flowers. Also involved in the wedding was their energetic French bulldog Bessie, wearing a floral wreath. As guests entered the ceremony, they approached a sign encouraging them to break from the norm and sit anywhere, rather than on designated sides. The wedding programs followed the cream and coral color scheme found throughout. The couple’s second family tribute was at the reception. The tiered wedding cake was thoughtfully decorated in the style of stained glass. This honored the bride’s late grandmother, who was a stained glass designer and artisan. The cake table was accented with an embossed silk tablecloth, a floral runner, hanging gold rings and a flowing white backdrop. Dinner at the bride’s family home was lavish. The family-style meal included treasured family recipes from both sides. Guests were treated to a five-course dinner. This included charcuterie with crostini and fruit jams, king crab, roasted prime rib, grilled shrimp, russet mashed potatoes, and more. The decadent meal was complete with the splendid wedding cake. Table settings and decorations were comprised of heirloom china, a fuchsia and gold ribbon tablecloth, and exquisite floral centerpieces. Pulling together the look was a luxurious gold and cream settee for the couple of honor to share at dinner.
That’s It! Wedding Concepts, thatsitweddingconcepts.com
Hershey Country Club, hersheycountryclub.com
Tony Gibble Photography, tonygibblephotography.net
Katie Cakes Cakery, katiecakescakery.com
Jeffrey’s Flowers, jeffreysflowers.org
Special Occasions Linens, specialo.com
Persnickety Invitation Studio, persnicketyinc.com
Event Central, eventcentralpa.com
Swoon Vintage Rental, swoonvintagerental.com
Shumaker PDT, shumakerpdt.com
