Wedding at Darby House: Rustic Elegance
Overall Ceremony and Reception Theme
“I wanted the theme to be light, simple, and whimsical. Ben and I’s relationship is light and fun and I wanted our wedding to have that same feeling. I let the beautiful outdoor area speak for itself and just added some rustic pieces to complement the venue.”
Best Advice for Future Brides
“The best advice I received was to find time to take a step back and just enjoy the small moments. The entire day flies by and it can be overwhelming to go from one activity to another. We had a bit of time alone between finishing pictures and joining the reception, and as small and simple as it was I still remember the quiet space with him after we were married. It was very special for both of us.
“As for any additional tips: This sounds obvious, but stay organized and keep everything in one place. I had a Google Doc spreadsheet that Ben and I shared to keep track of vendors, budget, and guests. It helped me stay sane with so many different things and timelines to work with. You will book and pay all of your vendors, send out save the dates/invitations, and get RSVP’s all at different times over a span of a year, and it’s nearly impossible to keep it all straight if you don’t record it. The spreadsheet made it easy to go back and forth to make sure we didn’t miss anything major.
“More importantly, once things are planned let the vendors do their job and don’t pine over the small stuff! After all the planning is done, there is no point in worrying about things you can’t control. At the end of the day, it should just be a celebration of you and the person you are marrying. ENJOY THE DAY!”
Talk about your Budget
“We stayed fairly close to budget after all things were considered. There were a couple of things that I spent more on, but then we pulled back on other things. The way Ben and I approached it was based on what was the most important to us. For us, the photographer and videographer meant the most because those held all of our memories. We cut back on some things like offering chicken instead of steak, or beer and wine instead of liquor. Little by little, we picked things to splurge on that mattered, and held back on things that weren’t as important to us.”
Ceremony and Reception Highlights
“So hard to choose!! Driving into the Darby House and seeing all the decor together was when it finally started to hit me that I was getting married. It was amazing to see what I’ve been planning for the past year come together better than I could’ve imagined.
“Another favorite was right after our couples pictures, we had a moment alone outside while we waited for the cocktail hour to close. It was the first time we were by ourselves after officially being married and we had a second to breathe and take it all in.
“But probably my favorite memory was the reading of the letters. Just being able to read each other’s words before the ceremony and having him there, but not seeing him, made the anticipation even higher and that much more special when I saw him down the aisle. That was definitely a moment I won’t forget.”
Ceremony Music
- Processional: Jesu, Joy’s of Man’s Blessing
- Bride Entrance: Clair de Lune
- Recessional: Wedding March
Wedding Flowers
“My bouquet was a a mix of hydrangeas, roses, baby’s breath, and dusty miller. The bridesmaid’s wore baby’s breath. The groomsmen had astilbe and dusty miller. We had a mix of all of these flowers placed around the reception/ceremony. Our florist did a great job at putting together my overall vision and making it come to life because I really knew nothing about flowers!”
Wedding Stationery
“We got the invitations and save the dates from PaperSource, and the ceremony programs was a template purchased from Etsy.”
Wedding Favors
“Our wedding favors were mason jars of apple butter (since our last name is Apple). I made this with my sisters from a great crock pot recipe.”
Where did you go on your Honeymoon?
“We went to Thailand and Cambodia for two weeks — Bangkok, Siem Reap, and Phuket. We stayed in Phuket the longest (6 days) at the Mom Tri’s Villa Royale. It was so beautiful!”
Girls Fashion & Gifts
Bride’s Attire
“The dress was from Bridal and Formal (based in Cincinnati) and the designer was Eve of Milady. I wanted something that was whimsical and simple like the venue, but also comfortable! I wanted to feel free to move around and dance, and this was perfect for that. I found my shoes online from BCBG, the beading matched the bodice so well I fell in love with them right away.”
Bridal Veil
“My veil was my sister, Joy’s (this was my something borrowed), so that made things easy!”
Accessories
“The only accessories that I wore were my rings that I always wear (my engagement ring, and my ring from my parents) and earrings that I purchased from BHLDN in Chicago.”
Bridesmaids Gifts
“I got my bridesmaids monogrammed make-up bags that were burlap and lace to match my wedding theme. I got one as well–my first initial was embroidered in white, while theirs were embroidered in light pink which matched their dresses.”
Bridesmaids’ Attire
“I wanted the dresses to emulate my dress so they went together. They were light pink, floor length, and with beautiful details on the bodice. The back dipped low and the front was a sweetheart neckline. I found these dresses on Etsy! The designer Star Custom Dresses did a great job to make it fit all of my bridesmaids to their measurements.
“As for the shoes, the bridesmaids chose their own shoes in nude so they could wear whatever was most comfortable for them.”
Groom’s Attire
“Ben wore a Vera Wang dark gray tuxedo from Men’s Wearhouse. The collection was called “Vera Wang Black” All the groomsmen wore their own black oxford shoes and black skinny ties. Ben wore a vest with his tuxedo while the other groomsmen were without the vest.”
Groomsmen Gifts
Meredith
Despite her dreamy wedding blogger lifestyle, Meredith's day job is running ClassicVeils.com and a full-time mom to an active toddler. If she could, Meredith would spend her days taking cruises, helping animals in need, and watching Big Brother!
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