This wedding is full of beautiful patterns and colors, which made it an immediate eye-catcher for me, and maybe for you as well! Those bridesmaids dresses are to die for!
I started my planning process knowing that I wanted to do a tent (so as to have a blank canvas to work from) and that I wanted it to be in Baltimore where I am from and where my family resides. This narrowed venues down quickly and so the Evergreen House was chosen within a week of our engagement. The only date they had available when I called was July 10, so we took it. That gave us 11 months to plan.
Neill and I both love LA (don’t think a lot of New Yorkers say that) but we have fond memories of it and so i started pulling photos of LA hotel cabanas. I wanted the style to have a rustic elegance: a relaxed summertime garden atmosphere that hosted a black tie formal dinner and dancing. I also wanted to tap into some English wedding tradition so that those traveling from England felt at home. And, wow did they ever as it rained down on everyone that day, the only day it rained in the midst of a 60 day Baltimore heat wave. With the evergreen house being yellow, I borrowed that backdrop to start my color scheme. I sent the save the dates out which were letterpressed onto yellow and white cabana stripe fabric
From there, we chose all elements carefully to pose that juxtaposition. Black metal lanterns with chandeliers, silver candelabras with tropical flowers and lemons. Neill, being a chef, helped us execute a formal but friendly dinner consisting of gazpacho with crab, iceberg wedge, and steak frites. grilled vegetables were served family style. A dessert buffet featuring the Baggan Family Mocha Cake recipe. Tables named after English soccer “football” stars. And plenty of booze and fun to go around.
Despite the rain, the day turned out to be one we will all remember for the rest of our lives. As I sat at the dinner table, I marveled at how all the hard work we’d put in had come to life and how I had imagined and hoped for.
Favorite Things: The balls of flowers, the menu, the dessert buffet, the photos, my dress!!!
Advice: Stick to your guns with vendors about what you want and make them follow through on your inspiration, but be open to things changing and be able to go with the flow. Amongst other things, the weekend prior, our priest had emergency surgery and required a substitute after the programs had been printed and assembled. Our Chinese boxes for the favors never arrived, and it RAINED on our wedding day and EVERYTHING was planned outside! The show must go on and it’s not worth getting upset about the small stuff. No one notices anyway.
Vendors:
venue: Evergreen house, Baltimore
Catering: Linwoods
Music: Powerhouse Band
Lighting and dancefloor: Perkins Productions
Flowers and Plants: Mary Ruth Chapin
Linens: Table Toppers (410) 769-9339
Bridesmaids dresses: Thread Social
Bridal Gown: Badgley Mishka C/O Mark Ingram Atelier
Shoes: Stella McCartney
Grooms Tux: Paul Smith
Stationary: printed by Typecast Press, designed by bride, graphic designer 443.695.2051
Calligraphy: Trial by Cupcakes
Photography: Jonathan Canlas Photography
[images from Jonathan Canlas Photography]