Melanie and Sean planned an incredibly gorgeous family inspired wedding that we are pretty much freaking out about. First off, Melanie, fashionable bride that she is, decided on a blush and grey dress by Biyan (sadly, that exact one is no longer available, but serves as some major inspiration and encouragement for those of you fashionistas considering going veering away from white). We also adore their macaroon place cards, cheeky Victorian-esque postcard save-the-dates, and the unexpected quirky details, like their llama cake toppers.
We’re so honored to be featuring these gorgeous images by Heather Waraksa! Be sure to read the rest of Melanie and Sean’s story below, along with the photos. Which…we die. Seriously. Our hearts…that dress…
Tell us what made your wedding special and unique:
What made our wedding so special is that it was entirely “us.” Sean & I planned the whole thing ourselves—we really wanted the day to be a reflection of our dreams, our style, our love. It had to be a true celebration of our union and the “grand adventure” we’re embarking on. It was a spectacular day, and we got to see it all unfold under the big Colorado sky, amid the arbors and flower fields of our beautiful farm venue.
There were many eclectic details that made the day special and unique: my blush and grey dress (The dress was so unexpected, yet delicate, beautiful and somehow classic at the same time. Once I saw it I couldn’t imagine wearing anything else… wearing white was never an option); the llama cake topper; the purple hair of my little sister (and maid of honor); the macaroon place settings topped with handmade flags; the table settings peppered with vintage playing cards and antique little vases; the Polaroid photos snapped by the bride and groom to document the wedding from their perspective. But the quirkiness began far before the big day…our cheeky save-the-dates reflect our sense of style and humor in a nutshell. They’re beautifully hand-printed postcards featuring a Victorian couple canoodling amidst the explosions of UFO invasion; the words “Nothing shall keep us apart” appear below.
Tell us about some of the details:
The whole wedding day was the made up of a hundred moments and elements that couldn’t have been possible without the creativity and generosity of our friends. Our close friend Serena, a talented up-and-comer in the LA mixology scene, helped concoct our original specialty cocktails (they were delicious—and strong!). For the bridesmaids dresses I worked closely with a designer friend in Chicago, Elise Bergman, to create the perfect frock (that the bridesmaids would actually want to wear again). We had a brilliant photographer, our friend Heather, who shared our vision and excitement for capturing the romance and magic of our Big Day. And we were honored when our good friend Jesse–who’s known both Sean & I since before we started dating—agreed to officiate our wedding. He filled the ceremony with old stories, sweet jokes, and kind words.
Tell us about one of the special moments from the day:
We both labored over our vows, making sure they captured the love and light we’ve brought to each other over the years. When the time came, we faced each other and read our handwritten vows, which we’d tucked inside a beautiful old leather-bound book of fairy tales. It was a beautiful moment, and the best part is we got to follow it with an “I do!”
Ultimately, Sean & I are just so thrilled and thankful that we got to spend a gorgeous, fun day celebrating with our best friends and loved ones. We’re not traditional by any means—I didn’t even wear white!—so the idea of a serious, stuffy, traditional wedding seemed positively nightmarish. Instead, we envisioned lawn games, bonfires, sparklers, wild dancing, cocktails and picnic blankets, friendship and feasting…we wanted something our guests would tell stories about and smile over for years to come. I think we nailed it!
We wanted the whole thing to feel dreamy but accessible; refined, but unfussy; classic, but, above all, seriously fun. Striking that balance wasn’t easy, but in the end all our hard work paid off! The whole day bubbled over with joy. It was a day of good food, good music, and good friends. The day I got to marry my best friend and favorite person. Is there anything more perfect?
Sources:
Photography: Heather Waraksa // Venue: Pastures of Plenty Farms, Boulder, CO // Dress: Biyan Grace Dress (SOLD OUT) // Tux: Burberry Porsum // Florist: Rachel Holloway of Pastures of Plenty Farm // Cake: Kim and Jake’s Cakes *We had vanilla cake w/ vanilla buttercream. (They even made gluten-free cake for the bride!) // Stationery: Banshee Press — Denver, CO *Our good friend Britt owns this shop. We worked closely with her to design the save-the-dates and invites ourselves–and they turned out to be as lovely, quirky, and “us” as we ever could have imagined // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Elise Bergman — Chicago, IL *I worked closely with Elise, a friend, to personalize the design for the girls’ dresses, which were luxe, but casual and beautiful. She did an exquisite job! // Rings: His by Nora Kogan, Hers by Blue Nile (with responsibly-mined, conflict-free diamond) and Catbird // Planner: The bride Melanie (with plenty of help and emotional support from Sean, of course) // Processing: Richard Photo Lab