These two lovebirds created the wedding of their dreams with unique details, a custom cake topper, and new rules for the bridal party! Get inspired to do your own thing by Arthur and Alicia because when it really comes. down to it there are no rules for your wedding day. If it makes you happy then do it. The point is to have the most fun after all. When couples say the day goes by so fast they’re not lying, so make it your own & fall in love all over again.
Keep scrolling to see all of the beautiful photos by Jehan Inc and paper goods by Just Write Fine Papers & Stationery. Distinct Event Planning planned every detail and Madison House Designs created all of the amazing florals. You can see all the images in the full gallery.
Ohio is for Lovers
Arthur and Alicia… the Norman Jrs currently reside in the greater Columbus, Ohio area where they both grew up. They met in 2013 at a social justice advocacy event and were introduced by their dads. They didn’t exactly like each other in the beginning, so it was almost 2 years before they began dating.
Arthur is passionate about branding, marketing, and design. He co-owns a screen printing workshop called Dipped Custom Prints, located in the King Lincoln District. Alicia works in finance and is a freelance writer and creator of the BitterTruth blog. Both of their creative backgrounds played a significant part in the vision for their wedding.
#OUTOFTHENORM
Their wedding hashtag was #OutoftheNorm. For them, this means being able to share their love with others in a way that truly represents who they are. The wedding was a creative expression meant to inspire guests to embrace what is uniquely YOU regardless of what the status quo may be. From the minimalist decor, the unplugged ceremony, the fully vegetarian menu, and the mix and match bridal party attire, the wedding, and entire planning process was about challenging the cultural norms we all have about weddings and marriage.
Outfit Change
Alicia’s ceremony dress was designed by WToo and is called Viola in the color ivory. She and her mother picked it out at LLa Jeune Mariee Bridal Collection in downtown Columbus. She had custom sleeves added with tulle and lace from the designer. Sleeves and alterations were completed flawlessly by Carolyn Fang. Her custom 9ft wide by 11ft long veil was a simple ivory tulle with raw edges and embellished with over 200 Swarovski crystals, from Ruffled Rose Veils in Ottawa, ON.
Alicia’s reception dress and the removable train were fully customized from scratch by Debra Tribune, owner of SEW For Real in Columbus, Ohio. Arthur also had 2 outfits. His garments were purchased from various local thrift stores and altered by Cathy Lee, owner of C Lee Bridal Design And Embroidery in Columbus, Ohio. The reason behind his choice to thrift and customize his attire was because he wanted a vintage look. For example, he wore a double-breasted suit for his reception look, but because this is not a style that is “in” right now, he could not find it in stores. So he purchased the individual garments and worked to make his outfits exactly how he wanted them.
Rustic Vibes
The wedding was at Jorgensen Farms, Oak Grove in New Albany, Ohio. The ceremony took place in their beautiful greenhouse just overlooking a field of gorgeous autumn trees and a serene lake. Cocktail hour and the reception was held in their indoor space just a few feet from the greenhouse. The venue was a mix of modern rustic vibes which elevated the intimate, homey feel that the bride and groom desired.
Unique + DIY Details
Alicia’s bouquet was an arrangement of burgundy, blue, mauve and green succulents, camellia foliage, navy viburnum, blackberry scoop, and white majolica. A similar mix was used for the mothers of the bride and groom corsages. The bridesmaid bouquets were an elegant arrangement of Camellia foliages with a single, white dinnerplate Dahlia in the middle. What inspired the tablescapes goes back to our intention for a minimalist, unique, romantic feel.
Each table was a little different from the others. Some had candles, vases with flowers, or geometric terrariums. There was a mix of materials from glass, cement, wood, copper, and ceramic. This echoed the #OutoftheNorm theme, which was about defying uniformity. The unplugged ceremony was a way to encourage guests to really be present and take in all that was going on.
As mentioned before, the bridal party wore dresses and suits of differing styles and hues, which they picked out themselves. This was to celebrate the individuality of each of the bridal party members and allow them to choose what made them feel comfortable and beautiful on such a special occasion. Also, the bridal party did not walk down the aisle as couples. Each individual walked by themselves. This was meant to emphasize the relationships that the guys have with Arthur and that the ladies have with Alicia, rather than on them being paired up like couples. The guys walked in 1 at a time which led the way for the entrance of the groom. Then the bridesmaids walked in individually before the bride. All of this was to signify their support, accountability, and friendship with the bride and groom as individuals.
The bar menu had a few signature drinks. A guest favorite was the “Lemon-odka” which is a mix of lemonade, Smirnoff vodka, lemon-lime soda, and a lemon round garnish. Arthur LOVES lemonade, so this was a party twist on that. The cheesecake was for dessert made by Kennedy’s Kakes. Arthur and Alicia had an original flavor 8in round with strawberries and limes garnished. This had their cake topper on it and was used for the cake cutting. For the guests, there were various mini cheesecakes to enjoy. These included flavors like turtle, key lime, cherry, & Oreo.
A special DIY project was the wooden signs created by Arthur for the seating chart, bar menu, unplugged ceremony announcement, and some table decor. He purchased the wood boards, (which the employee at ‘This is Woodworking’ ended up gifting them to him as a wedding present… there are good people in the world!). He created the design in Adobe and used a laser cutter to etch the wording and designs into the wood. The fresh-cut wood smell went right along with the venue and tied in beautifully with other decor elements.
