Grey Likes Weddings

There is so much to love about Merinda and Ben’s wedding…the flowers, the relaxed Martha’s Vineyard setting, the bride’s big poofy veil (I LOVE short poofy veils…I mean…let me prove it to you!). But what’s absolutely the most amazing thing is that the bride’s dress–that total stunner of a gown–was made by her mother! You can read all about the story below! Very special thanks to Fat Orange Cat Studio for sending over this East Coast knock out.

We were so happy that we chose to have our wedding on Martha’s Vineyard.  Ben and I spent a lot of time in Martha’s Vineyard since we met and we kept throwing the idea in the mix, but it would get tossed aside because of logistics. One day we decided that we were just going to take weekend trip there, meet with vendors and see where it brought us. As with every other trip there, as soon as we stepped off the ferry, we just felt so relaxed and knew that is how we wanted to feel on our wedding day. Most of our family came down the week before the wedding so it was just really great to get to spend extra time with all the people closest to us before the actual wedding day. None of it would have been possible without their help and we can’t thank everyone enough for being there with us! We really wanted something different and non-traditional. We couldn’t have been happier that we chose to get married in Edgartown!

My favorite moment of the day was our “first look”.  My dad and I went out on his boat for a spin around the harbor and Ben met us at the dock. My dad and I got to have a nice talk and the boat ride totally relaxed me. Then, seeing Ben standing at the end of the dock just made my day!

A lot of our elements were DIY, I hand letter pressed our save the dates, my brother and grandmother made our cake toppers, and we enlisted our friends to help with our favors, but the biggest and most memorable was my dress. My mom made my dress! When we started dress shopping, I was looking at pretty simple dresses and my mom would joke “I could make that”. So one day as I was looking through blogs I saw a dress that I loved and sent it to my mom (completely as a joke, because it looked way too hard to make) and said “think you could make this?” and she said, “sure, why not?” I laughed, but she wasn’t kidding! She had to make a few mock ups with different fabrics until I found one I liked, but throughout the whole process my mom remained relaxed and calm (even when I decided to move 3000 miles away from her before the dress was complete) and that’s how I ended up with the best dress ever!!

Vendors:
Photography: Fat Orange Cat Studio // Flowers: Dandeneau Flowers // Dress: by the Bride’s mom // Bridesmaids Dresses: Carol Hannah // Venue/Catering: Atria // Hair: Shear Inspirations // Makeup: Ashley Verbicky // Groom and Groomsmen Suits: J.Crew
Officiant: Brides Uncle, Brian Pattullo // Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music: Good Night Louise // Reception Music: DJ Diana

Over the past year, we’ve collected and featured some of the loveliest and most creative weddings around. Grey’s Greatest, our newest column, will highlight our standouts that you must see if you already haven’t, or revisit if you already have. If you are planning a happy yellow wedding, then get your pinning fingers ready.

First up is this preppy nautical wedding shot by Kristin Spencer. Head over to the post immediately in order to check out the “Yay” flags which were handed out to guests. Brills.

Next up is this feminine southern style Virginia wedding with a playful mix of feminine touches and rustic roots all shot by Katelyn James.

One of our ALL TIME favorite weddings, this couple had an outdoor picnic reception complete with a giant cake-shaped pinata. You must check out the glowing bride who is captured swinging a bat in an absolutely elegant fashion. Shot by Sophie of Mike Larson Inc.

This sweet couple hosted a carefree wedding that just oozed handmade love. Shot by Our Labor of Love Photography.

Geek is soooooo chic. We could not get enough of this darling couple and their yellow wedding shot by Kurt Boomer Photo.

This summery yellow wedding featured classic elegant touches, with one of our favorite little details: “I Do” flags on their straws. Sometimes, it’s the little things. Shot by Avery House Photography.

One of our all-time most clicked on posts is this yellow wedding with giant balloon centerpieces. Oh the romance of it all–those white clouds just floating around the reception as if they were dressed up guests. Shot by Ellie Grover.

One of the chicest veils on the happiest looking bride! (That veil is by Delphine Manivet just in case you were wondering. You were, weren’t you?) We adore this incredibly fun wedding shot by AmyPunky Photography.

This wedding is so California chic–and rightly so–the bride is Morgan, an alumni of MTV’s Laguna Beach. Shot by Jill Thomas.

This modern yellow wedding took place in Palm Springs and featured a bride in a short little dress. We love a gal with a little spunk! Shot by Amanda Rae.

Be sure to click on the links to check out all the yellow goodies! And let us know if there are other topics for Grey’s Greatest that you’d like us to cover!

Bold color combos like cobalt, turquoise, purple and marigold are the perfect way to add unique detailing into your wedding! One of our fave florist, Primary Petals, styled gorgeous blooms to accomplish the look, and photographer Angi Welsch shot all of the lovely images.

Flowers, styling, vintage rentals: Primary Petals // Photography by Angi Welsch and Emily Blake // Catering: DJ Catering // Cake: Occasions Cakes and Cookies // DJ: Pacific Entertainment // Graphic Design/Paper Goods: Colin Snow Design (the groom!) // Venue: McCormick Home Ranch

We are finishing our week of big bold color off with the best possible East Coast version that we could muster. Brooks and Kevin’s wedding (shot by one of our new Grey Collective Members, Carla Ten Eyck) shows off iconic navy and white stripes, with pops of aqua, yellow, peach and grey, with florals by BLUSH floral design. One of our favorite Americana touches are the picnic basket centerpieces matched with classic outdoor fare like sliders and hot dogs. Everything is so comfortable and relaxed, yet completely elegant with just the right Connecticut prep. Designed by Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events, we can’t imagine a more perfect seaside wedding.

Here are some more details from the bride, Brooks:

A few weeks after our engagement we attended a fundraising event for Abilis in Greenwich, CT. Every attendee was given their lunch in a mini picnic basket which I found to be adorable. Everyone was told they could take the baskets home with them, but when the hoards of people left, many left their baskets behind. I hurriedly found the event planners and asked if we could take the remaining baskets to reuse as our centerpieces at our wedding… twenty some odd baskets later our wedding plans were officially underway! As a typical bride might do I scanned the pages of wedding magazines and of course wedding blogs for inspiration. One of those inspirations was Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events who quickly became our best investment (other than the freebies I acquired, such as the picnic baskets and windows I found in a dumpster, but that’s another story). Within a few weeks of beginning to work with Jubilee Events we had an unbelievable florist (Studio Blush), an incredibly talented photographer (Carla Ten Eyck), the most amazing band (Eturnity Star), a gorgeous hair and makeup duo (Jennie Fresia Beauty Library), a wedding dress I adored and am pretty sure Kevin did too, (the dress is Modern Trousseau from The White Dress By The Shore), delicious and creative food (Jordan Caterers) and so much more.

We always knew we would have our wedding in Madison, CT, one of our favorite places. My family on both my mothers and fathers side, have been either living in or visiting Madison since 1922. My grandmother, great aunt, aunt, and one sister were all married in The First Congregational Church of Madison, so it only seemed natural. Down the street is The Madison Beach Club where we originally intended to hold our reception, but Tropical Storm Irene had other plans for us and we ended up with a tent wedding at The Guilford Yacht Club.

I could dwell on the fact that we had to frantically throw together a wedding in a new venue, but I won’t, because even though those days of re-planning were painful, they were worth it and no one knew the difference. Looking back, we spent so much time on personalized details that the wedding could have taken place anywhere and we would have been thrilled with the outcome. I’m thankful to everyone who put up with us (mainly me) during those days where so much seemed to be up in the air.

Some of my favorite touches included:
1. A guest book made out of quilt squares that my aunt is now sewing for us.
2. Pennant flags cut out of extra yellow fabric from my parent’s attic and glued onto twine found in the basement.
3. Picnic baskets with table numbers cut out of the same pattern my mom’s bridesmaids wore and glued on by my best friends.
4. Our sweet ride from the church to the reception in a 1973 Chevy pickup named “Big Blue” borrowed from our neighbors in Madison.
5. A photo booth with an African sunset back drop painted by my best friend, African stuffed animals borrowed from a local thrift shop, and instant camera given to us by Kevin’s parents. We went to Tanzania for our honeymoon and were too excited to wait for photo opportunities!
6. Windows found in a dumpster behind our apartment which served as our seating chart and menu’s for the night, using chalk markers to write and draw with!
7. Table runners cut by hand by my mom and myself straight from a bolt of fabric until we had blisters on our hands!
8. Our entrees were fish and chips or steak and onion rings, both with a corn/tomato salad recipe of my mom’s, while dessert was blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, a recipe from my family that we make every summer in Madison.
9. My dad and I danced our first dance to Sweet Caroline while wearing red sox attire as both Kevin and my family are big Red Sox fans.
10. My bridesmaids (my 3 sisters and best friend) sang Amazing Grace while Kevin and I lit the unity candle during our ceremony.
11. Pillows for EVERY guest made from scratch (meaning a bolt of fabric, paint, stamps, needle and thread, and stuffing) with the help of Kevin, my family and a very dear and unbelievably selfless friend while watching Christmas movies in our apartment.

The last detail, the pillows, deserve a special mention. For the past seven years I have worked with an orphanage in Ayacucho, Peru called La Casa Hogar Los Gorriones. I have been inspired by their work and humbled by their thankfulness. We made the pillows as a “give away” item at our wedding to let our guests know that we have donated to the orphanage in honor of their presence at our wedding. The moto of Los Gorriones is “Sin Amor Soy Nada”, without love I am nothing, which is what we stamped on each pillow. I hope soon to visit the orphanage for the third time myself, but for the first time with Kevin.

Event Design: Candice Coppola of Jubilee Events // Wedding dress: Modern Trousseau from The White Dress By The Shore // Photography: Carla Ten Eyck // Catering: Jordan Caterers // Florist: BLUSH floral design // Cocktail Hour Music: Golden BandHair/Makeup: Jennie Fresa // Musician/DJ: Eturnity Band // Rental Company: Party Rental LTD // Lighting: Ryan Designs // Tenting and Generator: Sperry tents // Dresses: J Crew bridesmaids/ Klienfields

This week, we are all about color! Today is no exception. Elise and Barry’s wedding took place at Three Fields Farm, where they celebrated in relaxed southern style–long farm tables dressed with bright wildflowers, bridesmaids in alternating hues of tangerine and sunshine, and sweet citrus coolers served with striped yellow straws. Photographer Melanie Mauer captured this bright Kentucky wedding so beautifully–so take notes our color loving darlings.

Resources that made this wedding so gorgeous– Photography: Melanie Mauer // Event Design: One Fine Day // Floral Design: House // Cake: Martine’s Pastries // Catering: Dupree Catering //  Make Up: Ana Crane-Simpson // Rentals: Purdon’s