Wow! To all of our couples out there that crush on the written word, we totally found your wedding venue. Dave and Dana’s chic and formal wedding day took place at Baltimore’s Peabody Libray and you will not believe how breathtaking this event was. Known as the cathedral of books, this epic venue will wow you with a six-story gallery with surrounding balconies all housing shelves upon shelves of books.
You really need to just keep scrolling to find out more about Dave and Dana’s fabulous day. The whole event will feel like a trip back in time, including a few well-placed family heirlooms. There is, even more, to see in the full gallery of photos provided to us by the talented Love Life Images.
How you met and became engaged:
Dave and I met when, after relocating to Baltimore to finish medical school rotations, he was looking for a tour guide. After living in Baltimore for 9 years, I was up to the challenge. We toasted a wine flight’s worth of glasses at Sobo Cafe in Federal Hill and realized we were in for the greatest adventure of our lives. Fast forward almost two years and Dave proposed to me on our quintessential Baltimore rooftop, followed by a surprise dinner with family who had traveled from New York and Canada to celebrate with us where it all began – Sobo Cafe.
Favorite Details of the wedding:
– Incorporating family heirlooms was a theme set earlier on when Dave proposed with his great-grandmother’s engagement ring. The pearl flowers I wore in my hair were part of my grandmother’s wedding veil and were worn by my mom on her own wedding day as well. I was lucky to be able to wear the mink stole that Dave’s mom wore on her wedding day for some of our outdoor photos.
– The paper flowers on our ceremony & head table backdrop were handmade by an amazing artist I found on Etsy. The construction of the freestanding structure they were attached to, however, was an undertaking Dave graciously agreed to help me with. Our patience was tried, and our woodworking skills were put to the test, but it was a really special bonding experience to create something, just the two of us, that would play such a prominent role in our wedding.
– Dave’s lifelong friend (and groomsman) James Struthers generously agreed to play an original song of his during the ceremony. That song, in addition to the others used during the ceremony, held a very special place in our hearts and allowed us to highlight some of the significant songs of our relationship.
-Keeping with one of our design colors, and in homage to Dave’s homeland, we gifted our groomsmen Canadian copper penny cufflinks.
Special Moments
After we decided to have our good friend Pat serve as officiant, we realized it was important to us to weave together elements of our families. Dave’s parents had used a traditional Scottish “Loving Cup” at their wedding in 1985 and generously had it engraved with our names and wedding date so that we could use it during our own ceremony. The tradition involves the new couple sharing the first drink of their marriage – a sip of wine to represent the sweetness and bitterness they will encounter throughout life’s journey together. It was so special to use the wine that my dad had made and bottled for my own parent’s 25th wedding anniversary in 2005.
Inspiration Behind the Design:
With a setting as elaborate as the Peabody Library, we knew we wanted to maintain a certain minimalism that would enhance, but not overshadow, the romance and detail it already had. Lush florals, warm lighting, and richly textured linens added a softness to the space that we hoped would inspire the formal, but comfortable vibe we were looking for.
