An unexpected heatwave almost disrupted this glitzy glam wedding, but with a last minute switch they ended up saying I do at one of the prettiest cathedrals on the east coast! Lucky for them, their day still turned out magical and we’re loving the black, white and pops of gold color scheme throughout.
Overflowing florals, vintage furniture and one amazing reception make this day truly special! Thanks to Brianna Wilbur Photography we have a full gallery of images you can peruse through at your leisure. Just be sure to pin your favorite ideas for later.
Take The Ride And Enjoy Evey Second
From the bride:
Be
present not perfect the day of your wedding. Of course all brides want
that PERFECT day. What they don’t realize is that they WILL have it.
Obviously it takes planning and time and lots of effort and organizing,
and let’s not forget a great team of vendors you have full trust
in….BUT, that’s what all the “before” is for. On that day, the
biggest most memorable day of your life…just release it. Let it fly,
let it be everything it was meant to be. It
may sound weird, but for me it felt like a luxurious train to wedding
land. I endlessly planned my trip and excursions, I bought my tickets
way ahead of time, executed the map over and over, but no matter how
much i did, and how prepared i was, that day, the train was leaving with
or without me. The question is …will you hop on the ride of your life
or will you miss it? Take the ride!!!
Gorgeous cathedral
It went from an outdoor ceremony, to an indoor one, with one of the most gorgeous cathedrals on the east coast. I truly believe that was one of the best moves and one of my favorite parts of the entire day. The rest of the evening played out with a warm, balmy, breezy night that made just enough wind for the organza draping to delicately flutter as we ate, drank, and danced the night away.
Old Hollywood Glam
This day was magical, not just because of all the amazing details, but because it was wrapped in love and emotion. It truly was my dream come true. A romantic and sexy gilded age nod to old Hollywood, the classics, everything plush and dramatic, a time era when beautiful pictures were made. Handpicked vintage furniture, luxurious linens, gold splashed decor everywhere, fantastic flowers flowing at every turn, a hand crafted doggie wagon, custom his and her scotch and bubbly bars, fine dining catering, and a string quartet and band that underlined what we would come to know as the soundtrack of our new life together We lived it all that night….here is our movie classic..Enjoy!
If you love the all the glitz and glamour of this magical day, we have more beautiful, must-see ideas right
here for you to enjoy.
Get a closer look at this Gorgeous Glam Old Hollywood Inspired Black and White Wedding by watching the wedding video from
Matt Stambaugh Cinema below.
Read on for TONS more wedding advice as well as to see how much this wedding cost. Please note that costs change as the years go by, and prices are subject to change. This is just one couple’s breakdown to give you a rough estimate on how much a wedding like this may cost you.
2 Dresses or even two Tuxes!! : From
the beginning of my dress search, I knew it would be two dresses! It’s
your fabulous day..why not? I could not decide between fairy tale or
sexy siren, so i opted to be both. My first dress was magical..HUGE but
light, delicate but beautifully structured. It made me feel youthful,
but at the same time all grown up. It made me want to run through
meadows and skip stones holding my future husband’s hand… I had to
wear it. My
second dress was completely opposite. Fitted, cinched, sexy, ready for
dancing. Still completely bridal, but in a different way. When i
changed after dinner, it was like a shift had occurred. It set another
tone for the party, like a new beat in the story. My new husband and i
made another entrance together. We weren’t announced, we just stepped
down the stairs into the tent and people went nuts! They started
clapping and cheering. They loved it. They want to see things like that.
All eyes are on you in a good way. If i had it my way, I would have
had him change into a different tux. He started out with a navy and
black satin lapel tux, but it would have been amazing to see him in
white! So Gilded Age, so Clark Gable!
For sure that is my advice to grooms…change it up..it’s your big day too! You will feel like a superstar.
P.s.-
Try to purchase both dresses, any belts, or headpieces from the same
store. They usually cut you a deal for buying everything there. Also, I
purchased my second dress during a “trunk show” that the bridal salon
was having, so I received an even bigger discount on my second gown!
Bridal Party Bonanza!:
Our
wedding party wasn’t that big, but the personalities sure were. If i
had to look back i wouldn’t change a thing. They were all up there for a
reason, crazy and all. If i had to do it again, i would change the way i
reacted to their pre -wedding drama. I can’t tell you how many calls i
received from the girls about their dresses and alterations, changing
the look of the dress, not looking good in it or alterations not going
right, etc.. Each conversation i took personally, and stressed about.
DON’T. They are all grown women. They will figure it out. At one point
in time I said ” I leave it in your hands”..and that was the best
decision I ever made. Micro managing was not a good thing. My advice:
From the beginning talk with them about what you are looking for in a
bridesmaid, the look you are going for with their gowns, hair and
makeup..the feel of it all, and express to them how much trust you have
in them in helping create that look for your special day. They will
appreciate it and hopefully remember that when it comes to crunch time.
It also doesn’t hurt to assign 1 girl, it doesn’t have to be the maid of
honor, to handle the “crazy” when it comes to dresses. Someone who is
calm, who can calm, and knows a little bit about dresses an alterations.
DO Involve Dogs:
If
you have them, use them. This was a fun, totally unique part of our
day. Our ceremony was moved inside because of the heatwave and dogs were
not allowed. We had a pre ceremony popcorn and champagne pass, so we
decided to make them a part of that. It was awesome! Guest were greeted
by our two little chiuahuahs in a custom wedding wagon that we made. It
was so “us”. Just another little detail to throw in. It was a picture
bonanza! Whether in ceremony or post ceremony, or picturess before the
ceremony, make your furry friends a part of it, you won’t regret it.
Pre Ceremomy Cocktails/ Refreshments/ passed bites:
If
you can do it, by all means DO! It is a great time for your guests to
gather before the ceremony. A lot of people might be just coming off a
long day of traveling and then rushing to your wedding, some might have
already been there the night before and are anxious for the festivities
to start. Either way it’s a great time to set the stage for your
wedding. It starts things off right. People become more relaxed and
start mingling before the reception. They are fully present by the time
the ceremony arrives
Strolling Weddings:
Of
course I love all types of weddings, but my favorite part is usually an
extravagant cocktail hour and Vianeese stroll. I love all the variety,
but I also love not having a structured timeline around food. When it
came time to plan my own wedding, I did just that. I called it a
“strolling wedding” There was food and drinks all throughout the entire
event. We structured it into 3 headings (cocktail stroll/dinner stroll
Vianesse stroll) but the window times were open. Each one lasted about 2
and a half hours. Guest were welcome to peruse through the mansion into
the different rooms that had all the variety of food you could ever
want. We took a demanding structure out of the equation so our friends
and family could enjoy themselves at their leisure, and really just
enjoy being with us. We also did not have assigned tables or seating,
but we had plenty of it in different forms. ( different size tables, and
lots of furniture) We feel that with assigned seating, it locks guests
down and keeps people from mingling as much as they would with an open
seating plan. The guest loved it.
Live Music:
Best
choice we made. It brings the ceremony and the reception up a million
notches. We had a string quartet for the ceremony and an 11 piece band
for the reception. They definitely are way more expensive than a classic
DJ, but it changes the event. There’s nothing like live music. All the
great singers and beautiful instruments all together, it’s a WOW
factor. There are a lot of bands out there. My advice is to definitely
go hear them play live. Many of these companies have showcases so you
can see a few in one night. It’s fun, you’re planning for your big day,
but your also having a great night out with your fiance.
Preview the space:
As
I said earlier, the night just takes off. Although there were so many
details that i planned for my wedding, I didn’t really get to see them.
Now i am reliving a lot of it through pictures and cinema, but if you
can, before it all begins..walk through the space, take in the details,
because at the end of the night, it will all seem like a dream.
Importance of Photography and Cinema:
We
can get so caught up in the “day of” details of a wedding, however,
when the next day comes what do you really remember? It’s all such a
whirlwind. I am almost 2 months post wedding and I cannot tell you how
many times i stare at my photos and watch our movie. Every time it gets
me. I laugh, I cry happy tears, it brings me right back to that day.
It’s priceless. My advice: spend good money on these two things. They
won’t seem like the biggest thing at the time, but they by far will be.
DO a FIRST LOOK:
I
was that bride that i think a lot of us are when we start dreaming
about our weddings. “I want him to see me for the first time EVER
walking down the aisle,” “i want to see his reaction, ” “we won’t feel
the same if we see each other before!”That
is 100 percent NOT TRUE. The first look with your future husband is a
moment that you will never have again that day. It’s a moment that it’s
just you and him, no one watching, no one talking, no one directing, no
one planning. Time stops for those few yet precious moments, it’s like
you are the only two people in the world. You owe that moment to each
other, take it. ( And trust me, he will still be overwhelmed with love
an emotion when you walk down that aisle, how could he not?
Take time to have a moment with your parents:
This
one is huge. The day and the night will be such a whirlwind. Your
parents, you, your new husband will all be working the room. You will of
course see each other, but you won’t actually have time to be with
each other. Take that time. Take the time to just sit with them and
relax, even if it’s just 5 minutes to take it all in. Take the time to
see what you all created and planned collectively. Take the time to see
all of your guests enjoying the night, the celebration, each other. You
will cherish that way beyond that one night. That memory will be
everlasting.
DO hire a DAY OF PLANNER/Coordinator:
No
matter how organized you are, no matter what caterer or florist or
hotel/site manager says they will do for you, or services they offer,
they won’t be able to oversee everything. That’s where a “day of”
coordinator comes in. They will take the worry out of your hands. They
will be on top of it all, as you planned it to be. Any of these “mini
disasters” i mentioned below would have totally been taken care of if I
had a “day of” person. Again, they were small things that barely anyone
noticed, but i like to think of it as extra insurance. This is a must
for a perfectionist bride.
DISASTER STRIKING:I
will have to say, there weren’t any major disasters on my wedding day. I
was waiting for the shoe to drop because of all the nightmares i had
heard of with other bride’s weddings. A few things were “not as exactly
planned”- but such small details only I would have known about. (not
all ceremony champagne glasses having gold rimming sugar/ the custom ice
cubes flipping on their sides once the drink was made so you couldn’t
see the logo/ the wind taking 2 of the large reception floral
arrangements down, one right onto two of the guests/ the candles not
staying lit/ the heat wave/ the pre ceremony fresh popcorn getting soggy
because of the humidity/ forgetting the groomsman boutonniere’s up at
the mansion when we were down at the cathedral already (we did get them
in time!) / my bridesmaids not knowing how to bustle my dress/ missing
Chambord favors for the guest on the champagne tower/ did I mention the
100 degree heat wave?!) All of these things were blips, little bumps
in the grand scheme of this fabulous wedding. Some of them I knew of
some of them not a clue. The key was the vendors. They figured it out,
they fixed it, they made it work. They knew just what to tell me and
what not to tell me. They knew that i liked to be an informed bride, but
they also knew that too much information would make me bananas. You ask
if I could redo it, how would i do it? I have to be honest, I wouldn’t
redo much. It all starts with a great team, you need to establish that
from the beginning. You have to do your research. There are so many
companies out there, some good, some great, and definitely some bad. In
the end, it will make a huge difference in your day based who you hire.
Budget Breakdown:
Wedding Budget:$110, 000 (we went over)
Photographer;Between $3,200 & 4,000
Cinematographer:Between $3,200-4,800
Venue:
All a la carte/ just to rent the space was $9,000
Cathedral rental;$1,500
Officiant:$500
Floral:$8,000
Chandeliers/Draping:$6,000
Chivari Chair Rental and extra tables:
$1500
Gourmet Catering:$35,000 ( does not include gratuity)
Liquor & wine:(my venue was a la carte everything, you had to order your own stuff and have it delivered)$6,000
Wedding cake:$480 (that is with the caterers discount)
Band:$11,500 receptionadditional $400 to make it a jazz quartet to add to the 2 hour cocktail stroll
String Quartet:$1,500 ( played for hour and a half)
Specialty Table Linens:$1,500
Furniture Rental’$3,000
Dress budget:
(with 2 dresses)
$7,000 with alterations
Dress Accessories and shoes (all together)$ 1,000
Men’s tux rentals with shoes:$180 a piece
Tuxedo Shirts:$100-( i had them buy specialty shirts)
Bridesmaid dresses:1 type was $2901 type was $320
Custom detail items and extras:napkins/signage/stickers/’to go” boxes/matches/frames/memory candles/welcome bags/custom dog wagon materials/pillows/cigars/bathroom baskets
$2,100
Custom Mirrored Calligraphy:$375 ( without cost of mirrors) additional $150
Invitation suite:(with custom postage)$1500
Save the dates:$140
Hair and makeup artists:For bride:$120 for makeup$100 for hair ( does not include trials)
For the wedding party:$80 for hair$80 for makeup
Day of getting ready food for maids and men:$350
Hotel Room Blocks:$109 plus tax a night
Rehearsal dinner:$4,000 (35 people)
Day after brunch$2,800 (75 people)
Bridesmaids/Groomsman Gifts:$1,600
Transportation for wedding guest$1,500 (does not include gratuity)
Custom Ice cubes:$450
Event Planner/Stylist:
$0-FREE!
I
was always into planning events. Any type of party I could throw, I
did. I love the planning, styling and executing of it all, it excites
me. It was no different when it came to my own wedding. I did not hire a
wedding planner. I planned and coordinated every last detail myself,
and i had a blast doing it. The endless emails , vendor visits,
meetings, timelines, tastings, styling and budgeting were right up my
alley. After the wedding weekend was over, I couldn’t wait to plan the
next thing. I didn’t have the wedding blues.. I felt invigorated. That
was when i knew wedding planning was the path for me.
I cannot wait to take all that i have experienced and learned a long
the planning journey of my own wedding, and share it with future
brides alike. I now know what my true calling is.
