We are so thrilled to share our wedding journey with you all! Jake and I had a very non-traditional two day wedding. We had a small ceremony with parents & grandparents at Lincoln Park in Zionsville followed by a destination wedding at the Chippewa Hotel & Waterfront in Mackinac Island, MI. We are so excited to share all the stunning images from Conforti Photography and work by our amazing vendor team! Please see the list of the vendors that participated in each part before the images. So many big hugs, happy tears, champagne, and life long friends! A day we'll cherish forever. I promise to write a blog series soon about what it's like to plan your own wedding as a wedding planner. It won't all be pretty but I promise it will be honest :) Looking forward to sharing more soon! Thank you to our entire team that went so far above and beyond to make our day fantastic!! I'll post one picture below each vendor and then the entire gallery a bit further down!
Indiana Wedding Vendors:
Photographer: Conforti Photography - Cassie and I have been friends for over 10 years! I am so blessed to have a best friend who is one of the most talented photographers in the midwest! She and her second shooter Teresa Schmidt were fantsatic! They worked fantastically together and helped us to get creative and get the perfect shots! She helped us both to feel comfortable and was able to capture so many shots that took my breath away! I was stunned! <3 Cassie also helped me conceptualize many other details of the wedding. We would look up ideas on Pinterest and if we couldn't find them there then we decided to do them! I really wanted Jake & my wedding to be unlike weddings I've done before so it could be uniquely ours. That's a large task since we've been apart of 200+ weddings! Cassie's creativity was invaluable! My favorite picture from our Indiana ceremony relating to Cassie is this one below! It's my team for that day! Cassie, Beth, Linda, Allison and Maggie! This picture has so many people who I care for dearly! So thankful they're all in my work and personal life! <3
Videographer: Unique Heart Productions - I am so fortunate to have known Heather the owner of Unique Heart Productions since high school. Heather has worked to build her skills and company over the last few years and she does the most fantastic videography for many clients of mine. We are so thrilled her and her second shooter Caroline Rogers were able to capture our joy! We can't wait to see the video but we know it'll be fantastic! When you videographer & photographer get up at the crack of dawn to get the sunrise because they really think it would add to your photo & video, you know they're going to knock it out of the park :)
Florist: Accent Floral Design - I can't say enough about Linda! Linda and I met when she was my sister's florist 6.5 years ago for her wedding! We have been working together for years now and I am lucky to call her a friend! I LOVE flowers and especially all the ones that are out of season in August!! Linda has a big job and she handled it with such kindness and grace! She got flowers from all over the globe, even my prized Coral Charm Peonies from Alaska! I asked her to really help me think outside of the box! I kept saying, "Is it weird (in a good way)? Let's do it!" That lead to hops in my bouquet and on the tables as well as champagne grapes! Linda even accented the centerpieces with plums (isn't she clever... Plum & Poppy)! She also had to get all these beautiful flowers onto and island that has no cars. So all the flowers took the ferry over and then a horse drawn carriage! I was blown away by how things came together! Our Indiana ceremony was fairly simple but below is my favorite picture of my bouquet from Linda!!!
Hair: Teddi Bickers @ Salon Lofts Downtown - Teddi has been doing my hair for 8 years now! Which is crazy! I was so thrilled she could help me with our Indiana Ceremony! She made making me feel glamorous seem like a piece of cake! Needless to say I loved my hair as I always do when it's in her hands! So thankful to have had her help and that she let me show up with almost no plan!
Harpist: Jill Pitz - So usually in the last month before your wedding I try to encourage brides to not make any major changes as it can lead to stress for them. Well, I did not follow my own advice and decided I really wanted a harpist for our IN ceremony about two weeks before our wedding! I reached out to two harpist I work with regularly and they were both unavailable. Through their recommendations I found Jill. She was so kind and did the most fantastic job! It was heavenly!
Wedding Gown: Marie Gabriel Couture (Dress Designer: Amsale & Veil Designer: Toni Federici) - Young and the entire team at MGC are fantastic! I have had clients work with them for years and I was so honored to have them help me find my perfect gown. Celeste helped me find the perfect dress! I LOVE Hayley Paige and was sure that's what I'd buy! Well, turns out I love to look at Hayley Paige on instagram and on my brides but it's not a good fit for my body type and personal style. Instead I found my way with Young's fantastic guidance to Amsale. The first event I ever planned in 2006 fashion students competed in a fashion show to win an internship in NYC With Amsale so it seemed so fitting that is who I chose to make my wedding gown. Amsale makes the most timeless and flawless wedding gowns. The fabric is to die for and the fit is perfect! Young's incredible team also did my alterations to make sure it was flattering me and tailored perfectly! We were on a short time frame and I never worried once that we wouldn't have it perfect in time. Their team is incredible!
Reception Dress: Bella Bridesmaid (Designer: Aidan Maddox) - Kathleen at Bella has become such a great friend in this industry over the years! She takes great care of so many of my bridal parties and their moms! I just popped in one day (with no appointment) and Kathleen welcomed me in. After our Indiana ceremony I wanted to be able to change into something else equally fabulous so that way I wouldn't stain my wedding gown at our family dinner afterwards before we went to Mackinac Island. Kathleen helped me find the most perfect Aidan Maddox dress that was just stunning! I am so thankful for their huge inventory of gorgeous dresses!
iPhone snap of my dress!
Groom's Tux: Ike Behar - When Jake first said he wanted a navy blue tux I was not totally convinced it was the best idea. When you first google this suit you get a picture of James Bond wearing it and I was convinced. It was a stunning suit that complimented Jake so well. It was a unique take on a timeless tux!
Caterer: Indy Fresh - We wanted to have an intimate dinner after our small ceremony in Indiana at my mom & stepdad's home. I have worked with Indy Fresh since they first opened and was thrilled to have them supply the perfect meal at my mom's home. The food was wonderful and a perfect fit for the occasion. They went ahead of us and set everything up in her home while the ceremony was taking place so it was ready for us when we arrived. My mom loved all the leftovers too!
Wedding Rings: Moyer Fine Jewelers - We went a handful of places to find the perfect rings and we had the best experience at Moyer! There are so many places you can buy an engagement ring and wedding bands but we loved Moyer! Jake is an attorney so he wanted the details and facts on the center diamond for my ring, not a sales pitch. Moyer worked with him openly and honestly to help him find exactly what he was looking for. No pressure filled sales tactics, just information. We loved going back together and picking out our wedding bands as well! It was the perfect fit for us!
Ceremony Venue: Lincoln Park - I have grown up in Zionsville and spent many days in Lincoln Park. I have driven past it probably every week of my life. We belong to a rather large church in Zionsville that doesn't have a smaller chapel that would have been a good fit for our small ceremony. So we decided to brainstorm about other options. The gazebo at Lincoln Park was the perfect fit! It's such a cozy park and we love that it's somewhere we'll get to go over and over again as well as take our family there in the future!! <3
Wedding Night Hotel: Alexander Hotel - We have worked at the Alexander many times with clients and we always have a great experience there. We wanted somewhere cool to stay downtown after our Indiana wedding and the Alexander was the first place that came to mind! Their staff was fantastic as always and the room was stunning! We even ordered late night champagne and room service that was wonderful as well!
Officiate: Dan Gruber - Jake and I are so lucky my older sister married such a wonderful man who we are so glad is apart of our family! We even talked him into getting ordained to marry us! We loved all the wonderful personal touches he put on the ceremony and it was so comforting having him shepherd us through the ceremony! He was warm, well spoken and offered us a lot of grace! So happy to keep these memories forever!
Dinner Hostess: My mom - I am admittedly one of those people who calls their mom a lot! Good news, bad news, crazy idea she has always been my sounding board, biggest cheerleader and dear friend! She is my anchor in a bad storm and has helped me every step of the way! Only because she was so driven did I ever even think a woman could open their own business at 23! She inspires me, challenges me and makes me better every day! Anyone who knows her will tell you she is the world's most thoughtful person! She's the best mom and grandma! We're so lucky she's ours and that she's married to a man we love very much! I am so fortunate to have a mom & stepdad who were kind enough to host our parents & grandparents at their home! It was the perfect setting for our cozy Indiana wedding reception! We laughed, drank lots of champagne, and had enough carbs to feed an army! It was so wonderful, I couldn't have imagined it any other way!
See the full gallery below from our Indiana ceremony including the world's cutest flower girl!
Below are the images from Conforti Photography of our beautiful day in Mackinac Island, MI.
Michigan Wedding Vendors:
Photographer: Conforti Photography - See our rave reviews from above!
Videographer: Unique Heart Productions- See our rave reviews from above!
Florist/Miracle Worker: Accent Floral Design- See our rave reviews from above!
Hair: Something Blue Stylists - Andi and I began working together a few years ago when she moved back to Indiana from California. She has taken great care of dozens of my clients in the past. When I got engaged, I knew instantly I'd want her company to do my make up. I was fortunate enough to be her coordinator at her own wedding the weekend before mine. Brittany who works for her came all way to Mackinac Island to make sure I looked fantastic! It was a rainy day but my hair and makeup looked fantastic all the while. She also took great care of the little kids in the wedding.
Violinist: Brook Xiao - Brook is a long time friend who is a talented musician living in Nashville. He was a gracious enough to play some beautiful music for our ceremony. He can play dozens of instruments but we asked him to play the violin. It was the perfect addition to our outdoor ceremony. I LOVE live music, especially for outdoor ceremonies.
Wedding Gown: Marie Gabriel Couture (Designer: Amsale)- See our rave reviews from above!
Welcome Dinner Dress: Bella Bridesmaid (Designer: Aidan Maddox)- See our rave reviews from above!
Groom's Tux: Ike Behar- See our rave reviews from above!
Caterer: Chippewa Hotel & Waterfront - Marie & Bart at the Chippewa were a huge help as we planned our wedding. Due to the time of year we were engaged and needed to book a venue while the island was closed. They helped answer all our questions as we booked the venue and began planning. Marie was very patient as I'm sure I had more questions than others. The venue was better than we expected the first time we had a formal visit. Bart helped us so much with all our guest's reservations and our many requests when we arrived on the island for the wedding. The hotel was so accommodating and went way above and beyond to help us to make the reception as well as our guests entire experience fabulous! From the spacious room to the great food & waterfront view, we loved it all!
Ceremony Venue: Windermere Point - Windermere Point was a beautiful outdoor space for our ceremony. We went to Michigan for the waterfront views and this was the perfect space. The blossoming tree we stood in front of was the icing on the cake!
Reception Venue: Chippewa Hotel & Waterfront - See our rave reviews from above!
Wedding Rings: Moyer Fine Jewelers- See our rave reviews from above!
Custom Calligraphy: Katie Lynn Emerson - I can't see enough great things about Katie Lynn! We happen to be cousins but she is an incredible talent! She was onboard for all my crazy ideas and spent hours brainstorming and trading inspiration pictures back and forth! The plan changed more than once and she always helped me and accommodated my ideas! Our guests loved all the personal details she helped us to create. Katie Lynn did the gold calligraphy on our wedding invitations, seating assignments on champagne glasses, signage for the food stations, and large welcome sign. Each item was more stunning than I had envisioned when we initially discussed them! See more of her gorgeous work on Instagram @_klemerson
Invitation Printer: Jupiter & Juno - Jessika & Jimmy did a fantastic job helping us to customize the invitations that perfectly fit with our gold theme! Jessika has helped me with plenty of clients and does all my business printing as well so I knew she only carries the highest quality products! She spent so much time helping me ensure all the items were perfect! She allowed us to create the custom invitation suite I had dreamed of! All the details in their work just blow me away! They made our invitations, # signs, menus, itinerary for hotel gift bags, treat bags, thank you cards, and napkins! We topped these off by getting a custom wax stamp and used gold wax to match to seal them. It completed the super custom look!
Invitation Designer: Just Invite Me - Jessica (different than Jessika I promise) designed all our printed items perfectly! They allowed us to custom these items so they were exactly as we'd like. They were quick to adapt to changes as I'm a complete perfectionist.
Wood Cut Out Names & Table Numbers: Just Invite Me - These were everyone's favorite!! Guests loved the wood cut out names (we give them to our couples as wedding gifts too for their place settings)! It was such a great personal touch and they fit perfectly into the menus that were custom designed for them. The table numbers were all incredibly well matched to our entire theme. They were delicate and feminine and exactly what we wanted!
Coordinator/Live Saver/My Better Half: Beth McHugh with Plum & Poppy - Beth has been working with me for 2 years now. I don't know what I did without her. She is an incredible asset to our company and I am so grateful for her as a friend! Beth went so far above and beyond for our day! She helped our wonderful florist shepherd all our decor/flowers onto the island and back off, she allowed me to continue to try to have an outdoor ceremony even though the weather was NOT cooperating, she was helping to secure back up options all the while, she saved the day in a thousand other ways and I'm sure a million others I don't even know about. Needless to say we quite literally couldn't have done it without her! Whenever people talk with me and say they're unsure if they need a coordinator I have always given examples in the past of how much help we can be. After being an actual bride, it has cemented my belief that EVERYONE needs someone on their wedding day! I was able to relax and enjoy time with friends and family that entire day from start to finish because I know I was in Beth's trusty hands! There are inevitably personal taste decisions that have to be made on your wedding day and I was so thankful Beth was there for me. She has impeccable taste and I loved all the small choices she made for us! Allison & Julie who are also a members of the Plum & Poppy team were along to assist Beth and I know what a help they were to her! It truly takes a village and we are so thankful for ours!
Linens: LGI Linens - Vaso was so helpful in the planning of our big day! We changed our order fairly drastically and he was helpful in adapting the plan so the linens would align with my vision for the day. The linens were stunning! The soft satin napkins completed the place setting perfectly! The linens pulled the entire space together! I think they are often times overlooked at weddings but they can really be a show stopper! Two guests remarked that they wanted to take them home and make a bedspread out of them! haha! I guess that means we chose well!
Chair Rental: A Classic Party Rental - I am so thankful for the wonderful vendor relationships we have created over the years. So that when every company in another state wants to charge you an exorbitant amount of money to get chairs onto an island, you can just decide to take your own! We took 45 gold chiavaris to Michigan with us and they were the perfect addition to the space. Chairs can make or break a room and these definitely made it!
Candlesticks & Flatware: Violet Vintage - We love working with Violet Vintage (as I write this post I am coming off a wedding we just had together)! They have a beautiful collection of things and I truly believe weddings are in the details and they have all the best details! Their candlesticks and gold flatware helped to carry the theme throughout the entire space. Flatware is also something I feel is often overlooked! In a room we had made sure everything was gold in, silver flatware would have taken away from the overall look. I really wanted to make sure no details were not considered. It helped to make the room feel intentional and cared for!
Hair Accessories: Hair Comes The Bride - I was introduced to this California based company through Something Blue Stylists. That is one of the great things about a talented h+mu team, that they can make sure you have the right accessories as well to go with their work. The hair accessories I had were the perfect accent to ensure my hair still felt very special once my veil was no longer in.
Bridal Robe: Plum Pretty Sugar - The perfect robe to get ready in! Comfortable and chic! I was so glad to find something I wanted to get ready in! I didn't want to change out of it. It's also the perfect item to have in your closet after your big day. That way every time you wear it you can relive your big day all over again!
Ring box: The Mrs. Box - Want to ensure your ring looks fabulous?! You need a Mrs. Box! My wonderful photographer got me one as a wedding gift and I LOVE it! Their collection is stunning and make your ring look out of this world!
Hotel Gift Bags: Etsy - I bought our customized hotel gift bags on Esty and filled them with treats that were important to us! My mom made homemade cookies and she also made the bar nuts that are world famous from Union Square Cafe where I used to work in NYC, they're delicious! We filled the bags with maps of the island, and custom itinerary from Jupiter & Juno, local taffy, sparkling water, prosecco, brunch vouchers, and PU & IU cups. I went to Purdue and Jake unfortunately went to IU ;) They were fun & personal to us and our guests!
Etsy Purchases: Hotel gift bags, custom wood keepsake box, custom gold spoons, vow books, custom wax stamp, and wooden custom bridal hanger.
Chair Back Fabric: Custom fabric that I used to create the look. Don't worry I kept it for clients in the future!
Bridal Shoes: Nordstroms
Reception Playlist: Jim Cerone - When you need the perfect DJ with you but you can't get him there... next best thing have him make you a killer playlist for the evening! Jim is so incredibly talented at what he does and we were so fortunate to have him put together a playlist for us! It was perfect for dinner and mingling and even had the kids dancing at the end! :)
Wedding Favors: Joann's Fudge
