Photo: Michelle Gardella

"Aaron asked me out in the most romantic way possible," Christina pretends to brag, then deadpans, "via text message." Yet despite a less-than-script-worthy start, the Connecticut couple took off and two years later, Aaron proposed.

Surrounded by friends and family at a surprise birthday party for the soon-to-be bride, Aaron dropped to one knee and presented Christina with a square-cut diamond ring. "Aaron and I had the tightest embrace ever," Christina recalls, until an excited Aaron attempted to slip the ring on her finger and instead accidentally tossed the diamond onto an outdoor patio, complete with cracks. "After a few seconds of panic, one of my girlfriends found the ring and I was finally able to wear it as an officially engaged woman," Christina laughs.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Working with wedding planner Ambiance Luxe Wedding Designs, Christina and Aaron crafted a quirky September affair held in rustic Deep River. With vibrant turquoise accents offsetting an otherwise neutral palette, the couple's wedding took on an atmosphere that Christina describes as "light, fun and lively."

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Christina spotted her Melissa Sweet gown online—and was crushed when she discovered the dress had been discontinued. "It had caught my eye online, and I was dying to try it on. Unfortunately, the designer had stopped production of the dress and a single sample was the last of it's kind at The White Dress by the Shore. By some stroke of luck or fate, someone had actually purchased the gown but changed their mind and brought it back.. Once I put it on, it was love. We purchased it on the spot," Christina says. "It's so true when they say that it's just a feeling. When you know, you know."

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Christina adored the gown's silk organza overlay, accented with delicate polka dots and tied with a matching sash. "I loved how it was so simple, yet had these amazing and fun details that made it so romantic," she says. Plus, "it hugged my curves in all the right places, but was comfortable at the same time. Comfort is key."

Photo: Michelle Gardella

A champagne-colored faux floral hairpiece by Mignonne Handmade softened Christina's half-up-half-down hairstyle.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Kendra Scott's chunky turquoise necklace accentuated Christina's collarbone. "I tend to gravitate towards a statement piece here and there, so decided to go with a couple of accessories to make my overall look pop," Christina explains.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Aaron and his groomsmen donned slim-fit ties by Forage Haberdashery, which crafted the neckpieces from limited-edition blue and orange fabric.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Bridesmaids selected from two knee-length Ivy & Aster dresses in hues of rosemary and grey. "I loved the fun and flirty feel of these dresses," the bride says.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Florists wrapped bright orange ranunculus, white anemones, succulents and a few sprigs of leafy green filler with white lace to create Christina's bouquet. "Just For You Floral Design Studio translated our vision into exactly what we were looking for," the bride gushes.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Dusty miller, wide green leaves and Billy Bobs were mixed with berries and small bright flowers for the groom and groomsmen's boutonnieres. "We loved how non-traditional these were and how each one was different from the next," Christina says.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Boutonnieres were pinned to the lapels of light gray suits, which the men picked out at : Macy's.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Christina and Aaron exchanged vows on the grounds of Mount Saint John, a high school for at-risk boys set on 80 acres of rustic Connecticut real estate. "It had a wonderful vintage feeling," Christina says of the space, "with the actual school serving as a backdrop during the ceremony."

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Photo: Michelle Gardella

"Short, sweet and non-traditional," the bride says, Christina and Aaron's wedding ceremony included a reading from I Corinthians and humorous dialogue from their officiant—a cousin whom the couple convinced to become a justice of the peace especially for the occasion.

While the couple purposefully kept the ceremony space sparse, "the one thing we did splurge on were two large, beautiful arrangements that stood on each side of the front of the aisle," Christina says.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Trolleys transported guests from the school grounds and to The Lace Factory, where the couple would host their indoor dinner reception. "We were looking for something non-traditional, something that was an arms length away from the typical hotel ballroom," Christina says. Constructed in 1875, the former shipbuilding-yard-turned-event-center combined the historical character and modern amenities the couple craved. "We loved its exposed brick walls and beams, the large bright windows that extended across every wall, the vintage bar," Christina explains.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Christina and Aaron "loved the raw space of our reception venue," so they "tried to use details that would accentuate the space rather than cover what was already there," the bride says. The couple's color palette shown through in bright blue Chiavari chairs and vibrant orange flower arrangements—a nice "pop here and there," Christina describes.

Sheer white swag hung from the building's exposed beams, flanked by sparkling twinkle lights, "adding a touch of softness and elegance to the space," the bride says.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

"My absolute favorite?" Christina says. "Two funky, ocean blue chandeliers were hung overhead just below the swags on each side of the room. Love, love, loved these."

Photo: Michelle Gardella

A mixture of orange, coral and yellow blooms filled pedestal and bowl-shaped pots, creating a mish-mash of tablescapes across the entire dining room. "We loved how no two tables were alike," Christina says.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Lace overlays laid across champagne linens paid homage to The Lace Factory's name, Christina said. Blue and mercury glass candle holders were scattered across each tabletop.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Neutral-toned tented cards bore table names and numbers.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

The couple left a heartfelt thank you to guests at each place setting. The blue-striped Chevron patterned cards were designed by Patti Murphy Designs.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Personalized pint glasses from online retailer Grandstand served as the couple's favors.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Dubbing him their "flower boy," the couple asked a young man to carry a turquoise wood sign that read Here Comes The Bride down the aisle. "As we exited, it turned around to say, 'Hooray!'" Christina says.

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Because she wanted to "cut a rug," Christina slipped into a short-and-sassy Ivy & Aster dress during the reception. "I'm still waiting for an occasion where I can recycle this dress," Christina says. "I absolutely love it."

Photo: Michelle Gardella

Christina's advice to other couples? "Forget the stress," she says. "Enjoy every second, and be kind along the way. And to remember to stop, take a breath and smell the roses. I found that everything went by much too quickly."

—Jillian Kramer

Wedding Planner: Ambiance Luxe Wedding Designs || Ceremony Venue: Mount Saint John || Reception Venue: The Lace Factory || Bride's Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet from The White Dress By The Shore || Bride's Shoes: Steve Madden and Ashley Brooks Designs || Bride's Accessories: Kendra Scott and Mignonne Handmade || Bride's Wedding Ring: M.K. Winston Jewelers || Groom's Tux: Macy's || Groom's Wedding Ring: M.K. Winston Jewelers || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Ivy & Aster from The White Dress By The Shore || Groomsmen Attire: Macy's || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Macy's || Florist: Just For You Floral Design Studio || Caterer: Cloud Nine Catering || Stationery: Patti Murphy Designs || Cake Baker: Cloud Nine Catering || Favors: Grandstand || Rentals: Ryan Designs and Rentals Unlimited || Entertainment: Power Station Events || Photography: Michelle Gardella

Photo: Heather Kincaid

When a friend told Melissa she'd found the guy for her, the Los Angeles-based interior designer was skeptical. But two weeks later, when she met David at the friend's housewarming party, she became a believer. "The rest," she says now, "is history."

Two years after their life-changing introduction, David whisked Melissa away on a weekend trip to Santa Ynez, California, and proposed as they sipped wine at a local vineyard. "About two weeks before our trip, David paid a visit to my parents to ask for their blessing in marrying their daughter," Melissa says. "When we returned the next day, we had a celebratory dinner with both of our families, who were thrilled about the engagement."

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Seventeen months of planning—spearheaded by event design team JOWY Productions—led to dramatic pink and ivory affair at the iconic Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles. "Being an interior designer, I was influenced by the design details, elements and textures that I use in the homes I design," Melissa explains, describing the couple's big day inspiration as the "eclectic and collected feel of a home."

Two flags personalized with the the couple's names hung from the facade of the hotel—a detail many guests recognized from Melissa and David's illustrated invitations. "When guests arrived to the wedding, they were so excited to find that the flags they saw on the invitation were actually there, and even visible from the terrace where the ceremony took place."

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Papel Paper & Press designed a gray and pink invitation suite, in which the classical architecture of the Beverly Wilshire took center stage.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

"I fell in love with my wedding dress from the moment I saw it," Melissa gushes about her Amsale ball gown.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

A "dramatic yet elegant texture"—ribbon repetitiously pleated in a floral pattern across a full skirt—drew the bride to the dress, as did its deep sweetheart neckline, she says. The bracelet Melissa wore on her right wrist was designed especially for the couple's wedding day. "It had three medallions," the bride describes, "representing past, present and future."

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Working with boutique designer Ivy & Aster, Melissa customized each of her bridesmaids' soft pink, peach and gray gowns. Because "I had a large number of bridesmaids," the bride says, "I wanted each of the girls personalities to show and to look unique, so my vision was for no two dresses to be the same."

Photo: Heather Kincaid

For the couple's wedding program, Jennifer Hancock of Illustrated Bride sketched each of the bridesmaid's unique dresses—as well as the groomsmen and children's attire—to "help our guests identify who was walking down the aisle, and to make for a fun souvenir," Melissa says.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

The white, pink and gray striped program, designed by Hello Tenfold, also included information about the ceremony, the couple's love story and their musical selections.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

The bride carried an ombre-colored round bouquet of pink garden roses. Her engagement ring—a Victorian cut diamond—was designed by the groom.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Bridesmaids' bouquets mimicked Melissa's pink rose arrangement, but added fluffy white hydrangea. Melissa's cathedral length veil was embellished with ivory beads along its scalloped edge. "I love how it complemented the dress and added a little extra drama," she says.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

The groomsmen's slender boutonnieres were made from berries and feathers, and was wrapped in pale pink ribbon.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Two flower girls—a niece and a friend's daughter—donned striped J. Crew dresses and teetered down a pink petal-strewn aisle hand-in-hand. The pair even made "a few stops along with way to check out the string quartet, and get close to the flowers at the end of the aisle," Melissa recalls. "They were adorable, and it was such a great way to start our ceremony."

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Two white-washed urns—filled with pink roses and white hydrangeas—flanked a ceremony aisle created by classic Chiavari chairs.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Beneath a ribbon-woven Chuppah designed by the bride and groom and executed by JOWY Productions, Melissa and David exchanged their vows. The following day at an after-wedding brunch, "guests were asked to write us a wish on the same ribbons that we got married under," Melissa says. "We will wait to open these wishes on our first wedding anniversary."

Photos: Heather Kincaid

David's father performed the wedding ceremony, which took place on the Beverly Wilshire stone terrace. "It was so special to be married by someone so close to us, who knows us so well," Melissa shares.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Inside the ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire, event designers mixed rectangular, circular and square tables and crafted five distinct tablescapes to give each setting "a unique personality," the bride says, complete with their own unique linens and floral arrangements. To the side of the main reception space, a lounge area of charcoal linen sofas displayed customs pillows in the couple's wedding colors.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Centerpieces of white Dutch hydrangea held inside silver bowls topped reception tables, while crystal-cut votive candle holders decorated every table in the ballroom, including the bride and groom's own "table of honor"—a sweetheart table made from floating glass that revealed pink and white rose petals beneath.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Taking a cue from Melissa and David's sweetheart table, traditional tented escort cards could be found atop a floating glass table that held pink and white petals.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Some tables were draped in metallic gray linens that showed off an ivory-colored table runner.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Others were covered with taut ivory linens, a neutral base for the coral and blush-hued centerpieces that ran from end-to-end.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

To tie the couple's custom ceremony Chuppah into the reception decor, florist Eric Buterbaugh wrapped ribbon around vases that held pink and white roses and dahlias.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

The bride and groom created the three signature cocktails served at their reception: Two named for friends, and the third called Santa Ynez, in celebration of the city where the couple became engaged. Drinks were served on cocktail napkins bearing the couple's names.

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Fabric draped from the ceiling and behind the stage, where West Coast Music played everything from Motown to top 40 tunes, masked the ballroom's less-than-desirable design elements and "accentuated the overall look and feel I desired," Melissa says. "Music was also important to both of us, and we really were hoping people would be up and dancing. We didn't leave the dance floor all night."

Photo: Heather Kincaid

Melissa and David waltzed to Kings of Leon's Use Somebody atop a custom petal-patterned dance floor that, the bride reveals, "took hours to design and even longer to install."

The couple looks back on their wedding with no regrets, thanks in part to advice passed along from a planner with JOWY Productions. "She told us that no matter what we should stick together during the reception," Melissa shares. "She was so right.

"We felt so grateful to all of our family and friends for sharing in our special day with us," the bride continues. "Having everyone we love in one place was unforgettable, and something that we'll always cherish."

—Jillian Kramer

Wedding Planner: JOWY Productions || Ceremony Venue: Beverly Wilshire || Reception Venue: Beverly Wilshire || Bride's Wedding Dress: Amsale || Bride's Veil: Saks Fifth Avenue || Bride's Shoes: Prada || Bride's Accessories: Suzanne Felsen || Bride's Wedding Ring: Victorian Cut Diamond || Groom's Tux: Friar Tux Shop || Groom's Wedding Ring: Cartier || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Ivy & Aster || Groomsmen Attire: Friar Tux Shop || Mother of the Bride's Dress: A Exclusive by Arkady || Flower Girl Dress: J. Crew || Florist: Eric Buterbaugh || Caterer: Beverly Wilshire || Stationery: Papel Paper & Press || Cake Baker: Cake Divas || Favors: Name || Rentals: Revelry Event Designers, Classic Party Rentals and Town & Country Distinctive Event Rentals || Entertainment: West Coast Music || Photography: Heather Kincaid

Photo: M&A Photography

Stony Brook University sweethearts Tara and Frank settled into an 11th floor apartment with views of the ocean after graduation. Tara doesn't offer this tidbit to induce jealousy—it's important to the couple's engagement story.

"It was an early, cold Saturday morning in February," she recalls, and Frank beckoned the soon-to-be bride to come outside "because he had something to show me. When I stepped out, written in huge letters in the sand below us was, 'Will you marry me?' I turned around and there was Frank, on one knee."

Photo: M&A Photography

"We wanted to get married with our feet in the sand," Tara explains, "because that is how Frank proposed." Fourteen months after Frank popped the question, Jamaican resort Half Moon accommodated the couple's 80 guests and offered a sandy respite with "panoramic views of the ocean," Tara says.

Photo: M&A Photography

Sea shells played a large part in the couple's wedding decor and complemented their chosen color palette of soft hues and bright whites. "We brought our own vases and candles from New York," Tara says.

Photo: M&A Photography

Tara's nails were painted a pale pink for the big day. Her square-cut engagement ring was set in white gold.

Photos: M&A Photography

The bride bought her Badgley Mischka bridal gown at Kleinfeld, home of the popular reality TV series Say Yes To The Dress. The strapless dress featured a sweetheart neckline and ruffled bodice.

Photo: M&A Photography

Tara chose gold open-toed Jimmy Choo strappy sandals to go with her gown.

Photo: M&A Photography

Yellow and aqua accents throughout the couple's wedding—even in the bride's garter—brought out "the color of the beautiful water," Tara says.

Photo: M&A Photography

Eight bridesmaids wore pale yellow dresses by Jim Hjelm that featured neckline ruffles and empire waists

Photo: M&A Photography

Groomsmen wore yellow pocket squares tucked into their soft gray vests, and sported casual aqua-hued boating shoes.

Photo: M&A Photography

The couple's nieces and nephew served as their flower girls and ring bearer. The girls' white dresses, from David's Bridal, mimicked the bride's own ruffled assemble.

Photos: M&A Photography

Tara carried an all-white, long-stemmed Calla lily bouquet.

Photo: M&A Photography

The traditional bouquet came with a twist: It was tied with raffia and pinned with pearls.

Photo: M&A Photography

Frank's white Calla lily boutonniere was also tied with raffia.

Photo: M&A Photography

Tara and Frank exchanged vows beneath a bamboo arbor dripping with white flowers and nestled into the soft sand.

Photo: M&A Photography

Palm leaves and ferns added a pop of color to the otherwise all-white arbor, which was draped in shear fabric.

Photo: M&A Photography

The ring bearer descended the aisle just before the bride, carrying a soft burlap pillow and a heart-shaped wood sign that read Here Comes The Bride.

Photo: M&A Photography

As Frank spotted his bride walk down the sand, a boyish grin stretched across his face.

Photo: M&A Photography

With 60 years of marriage under their belts, the bride's grandparents offered wisdom for the newlyweds during the ceremony.

Photo: M&A Photography

A steel drum band welcomed guests as they left the beach and headed to the resort's terrace for the couple's cocktail hour.

Photo: M&A Photography

The couple "wanted a weathered, beachy, nautical feel" to their reception, Tara says. Escort cards were nestled in sand between tiny sea shells.

Photo: M&A Photography

Atop each white and blue menu card sat a starfish, a perfect complement to the couple's surf-and-turf dinner.

Photo: M&A Photography

"The entire week was so special, with many memories," the bride recalls. "That was one of the reasons we wanted a destination wedding. Close family and friends together for a week—what more could you ask for?"

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: Half Moon || Reception Venue: Half Moon || Bride's Wedding Dress: Badgley Mischka || Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo || Groom's Tux: J. Crew || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Jim Hjelm || Groomsmen Attire: J. Crew || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Nordstrom || Flower Girl Dress: David's Bridal || Caterer: Half Moon || Stationery: Purple Ink Press || Photography: M&A Photography

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Kathleen and Robert met through the former's college tennis strength and conditioning coach at Northern Arizona University, where off the court she was studying marketing. The coach introduced the pair at concert—and by the last song, Robert had asked Kathleen for her number.

In 2011, Robert popped the question on a weekend to celebrate a friend's wedding. "We were in Chicago," Kathleen recalls, "and Robert surprised me with a beautiful proposal in the hotel room before a day of sightseeing and shopping in the city."

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Kathleen and Robert selected Sedona, Arizona, as the site for their May wedding—"It's beautiful and easy to get to from Phoenix," Kathleen explains—then fell head-over-heels for the sweeping red mountain views and luxury accommodations offered at L'Auberge de Sedona. "Most of our wedding guests came from out of state, so we wanted the ability to hold all the wedding festivities in one place to minimize travel and maximize togetherness," Kathleen says. In the days leading up to the wedding, the couple's 110 guests enjoyed golf outings, spa days, organized hikes and Jeep tours of the Grand Canyon.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Kathleen's ivory lace Liancarlo gown was "very form-fitting but classic at the same time," the bride gushes, highlighting the dress' scalloped straps and mermaid cut.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

The bride completed her look with a diamond drop necklace and matching earrings.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

The bride's favorite hue, eggplant purple, inspired the couple's rich-colored decor and vibrant flower arrangements. Kathleen's bouquet was made of violet orchids, hydrangea and Calla lilies.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Robert's boutonniere was also made from purple blooms—with a hint orange, too.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Three bridesmaids donned strapless silver sheaths by Monique Lhuillier, while Kathleen's maid-of-honor dressed in a one-shoulder purple gown by the same designer. To guard against the evening chill, the 'maids later wrapped green and purple pashminas around their shoulders.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Robert and his groomsmen wore matching black tuxedos, complete with vests and color palette-appropriate purple ties.

Photos: Tangled Lilac Photography

A mum-covered box wrapped in gray and purple ribbons served as the ring bearer's pillow.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Kathleen, escorted by her father, walked down a rose petal-strewn aisle to Pachelbel's classic Cannon in D.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

A plunging lace back was another standout feature to the bride's Liancarlo gown, which she purchased at a Destiny's Bride in Phoenix.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Kathleen and Robert included and recitation of An Irish Blessing into their otherwise traditional ceremony service. "There was a touching description of marriage by the celebrant, too," Kathleen says.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

"Family and friends were the most important aspects of the wedding, so keeping everyone together while providing enough room to relax was very important," Kathleen says of the couple's decision to host both ceremony and reception on the same property, mere steps from each location.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

Guests noshed on their choice of rosemary-scented pork tenderloin, sage-roasted chicken breast or Atlantic salmon with sides of whipped potatoes, pomme puree and seasonal vegetables during the couple's outdoor reception. Dessert? An ice cream bar, complete with pick-your-own toppings.

Photo: Tangled Lilac Photography

As the reception came to a close, guests took with them a "travel-friendly" favor, the bride says—a small succulent to plant in their homes.

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: L'Auberge de Sedona || Reception Venue: L'Auberge de Sedona || Bride's Wedding Dress: Liancarlo || Groom's Wedding Ring: Will McNabb Fine Jewelry Studio || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Monique Lhuillier || Florist: Petal Pusher || Caterer: L'Auberge de Sedona || Stationery: Ali Ink Custom Designed Invitations || Cake Baker: L'Auberge de Sedona || Entertainment: Desert House Productions || Photography: Tangled Lilac Photography

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

As a photographer, Reanna is used to being behind the camera—but she found herself on the other side of the lens the night Rob proposed to her on a beach in Maui, Hawaii. As family members vacationing together gathered for a group portrait at sunset, "Rob got down on one knee in the middle of the shot that was being taken," Reanna recalls. "I was completely surprised."

The couple's August wedding—a vintage-inspired, royal blue and canary yellow fete held in Molalla, Oregon—was a labor of love for Reanna and Rob, who pulled all the details together themselves over 18 months of fastidious planning.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

Reanna describes the private residence where the couple wed as "straight out of pioneer times." Seventy-five sprawling acres of wild Oregon property gave the bride freedom "to do what I wanted in order to achieve my vision," she says. "Plus, I knew it would be an absolutely breathtaking setting for our portraits."

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

When it came to selecting their wedding date, the couple's choice was bittersweet. They settled on August 27—the day before the bride's father died some years ago. The bride explains: "We set our date for the day before he would have died so that in some way, I can look at that as a new beginning and a turnaround of such a sorrowful day."

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

The bride's bouquet was decorated with a small silver frame that held a photo of her father. A gift from the groom's mother, it was engraved with the following inscription: "Walking Beside You Always, Especially Today."

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

"I knew from the beginning that I wanted a rustic and vintage wedding," the bride says.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

Accessories like a bead-embroidered clutch and a pair of embellished peep-toe shoes tied in with the vintage-inspired decor. "I wore Rob's late great-grandmother's wedding ring on my right ring finger," the bride says, "and when I got cold in the evening hours of the reception, I wore a beautiful lace and crystal bolero that Rob's grandmother made for me."

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

Reclaimed wood doors, which the couple salvaged and restored, stood at the entrance to the ceremony site.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

Mason jars filled with white and yellow flowers lined the outdoor aisle. "Six months of mowing the two-acre property" was one DIY project the couple could have done without, says the bride.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

The couple's officiant "has played quite a large role as a father figure in my life," Reanna says. The bride and groom read vows they composed for each other.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

"Almost everything in my wedding was do-it-yourself," says the bride, including the flower arrangements she made herself.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

The couple's silhouette illustrated their wedding reception napkins.

Photos: Deyla Huss Photography

Although the bride and groom didn't have a cake topper, there was no denying the appeal of their dessert presentation: eight different flavors of mini cupcakes and a red velvet cake.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

The groomsmen attire, complete with suspenders and argyle socks, echoed the couple's blue and yellow color palette.

Photo: Deyla Huss Photography

"It was a moment I have always dreaded," says the bride of having to walk down the aisle without her father by her side. "Just before I began the walk, I handed my uncle my father's class ring to wear on his pinky finger." The duo held back their tears as they started toward the groom, whom the bride describes as "one of the four most important men in my life."

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: Private residence || Reception Venue: Private residence || Bride's Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero || Bride's Veil: Bridal Exclusives || Bride's Shoes: David's Bridal || Bride's Accessories: White Tulip Fine Accessories, T's Studio Jewelry and My Wife's Studio || Bride's Wedding Ring: Shane Co. || Groom's Tux: Macy's || Groom's Wedding Ring: Shane Co. || Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal || Groomsmen Attire: Macy's || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Nordstrom || Flower Girl Dress: Burlington Coat Factory || Florist: FiftyFlowers.com || Caterer: Two Girls Catering || Stationery: Wedding Chicks || Cake Baker: Wrightberry's Cakes & Cupcakes || Rentals: Barclay Events || Entertainment: Bust A Move || Videography: Moving Picture Weddings || Photography: Deyla Huss Photography

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

As a new instructor at an Outer Banks field site in North Carolina, Lindsay was lost. She couldn't access the correct equipment. She didn't know the best place to grab a bite to eat. And finding an affordable apartment on the coast proved difficult. But Corey—a research specialist at the University of North Carolina—came to the rescue again and again, lugging equipment to Lindsay early in the morning, eating extra lunches just to take her out, and finding her an apartment in the perfect neighborhood. "I was smitten," Lindsay recalls, "drawn to Corey's friendly demeanor, humble knowledge and kind eyes. He endeared himself more at each encounter."

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Corey proposed three years later during a mountaintop picnic lunch. "He suggested that we 'do this for the rest of our lives,'" Lindsay says. "Before I knew it, Corey was on one knee asking me to marry him!"

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

With a guest list that topped out at 45, Lindsay and Corey hosted a small September affair at the Hawkesdene House in Andrews, North Carolina. The house—a mountain estate complete with guest cottages, hiking trails and a bonfire pit—gave the couple the "intimate setting surrounded by natural beauty" they craved, Lindsay says. "Guests never have to leave the property, and ours didn't."

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Because Hawkesdene House offered so many outdoor activities and overnight accommodations, the couple opted for more than a wedding—they hosted a wedding weekend. "Our vision was that we get our closest friends and family together to take part in our commitment to one another and to have fun and get to know each other during a relaxed weekend," Lindsay says. "We could say our vows to each other in a beautiful place in the mountains, hold bonfires in the evening, and hike and hang out with our family and friends during the day."

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Purple invitations decorated with string lights and cheery orange script gave guests the wedding details.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

The mother-of-the-bride made welcome bags for each guest, embellishing the Kraft paper bags with stamps of llamas—furry creatures who live on the Hawkesdene House grounds—and stuffing them with organic tea, flashlights, vitamins, apples and other locally-sourced snacks.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Saja Wedding offered "so many beautiful, simple, comfortable gowns to choose from that it was a difficult choice," the bride says of her wedding-dress shopping experience. "But I chose the gown I did because it was the perfect balance of sheer and naked to opaque and covered, to make me feel sexy but demure."

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

The gown's slim straps dipped into a deep V-neck, and was cinched at the waist with a cream-colored sash. "I felt beautiful and comfortable, both of which were equally essential," Lindsay says.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Lindsay wore an ivory and gold floral hair comb from BHLDN in her short, wavy bob.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

For her shoes, she chose cream-colored platform TOMS. Together with the hair comb, "they were my 'somethings new,'" says the bride.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

"I loved the variety of colors and textures and the elegantly wild look," Lindsay says of her vibrant red and green bouquet, a mix of dahlias, sunflowers, celosia, millet and more.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

The groom's boutonniere included a few flowers cut from the Hawkesdene House grounds, Lindsay says.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

As the couple waited to wed, rain began to fall. "We all broke out our umbrellas and headed for shelter," Lindsay recalls. "We ended up breaking out the appetizers, drinks, and music prior to the ceremony, still waiting for the rain to pass. It was nerve-wracking towards the end, but it was otherwise wonderful to spend time together and peek through the window to see all of our guests having a blast."

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

A mishmash of several nondenominational services, Lindsay and Corey's wedding ceremony was unique. The outdoor service included a hand fasting, in which the couple's hands were bound together throughout the ceremony. The gesture "seemed like a perfect historical wedding tradition to incorporate into our ceremony," Lindsay says, "because it outwardly illustrates our commitment to one another."

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Lindsay and Corey wrote their own vows—a to-do they found challenging. "How do you fit how you feel into a few sentences?" Lindsay explains. "But we are grateful to have started out our marriage by taking on the challenge of communicating in our own words, clearly and lovingly."

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

The reception was held beneath Hawkesdene House's open-air pavilion.

Photos: Jen Yuson Photography

To "minimize waste from the wedding," Lindsay says, the couple used items from home in their reception decor. Pre-owned vintage bottles, antique lace and one-of-a-kind textiles were paired with new candles, rolls of burlap and fresh fruit on the long tabletops.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Using flowers picked from a local, organic flower farm, Lindsay's godmother designed the reception centerpieces, held in antique bottles from the bride's private collection.

Photos: Jen Yuson Photography

By incorporating her parents' heart-shaped artwork into the reception decor, "hearts inadvertently also became a theme" of the couple's wedding, Lindsay says.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Guests nibbled on cucumber salad, roasted chicken, smashed potatoes, truffle macaroni and cheese and cupcakes, then washed the feast down with fresh-squeezed lemonade and hand-picked beers from local microbreweries.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Cupcake flavors ran the gamut from chocolate stout to honey-lavender and carrot-zucchini ginger. "We got double the amount of cupcakes as people attending to ensure that everyone could sample a couple of flavors," Lindsay says.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

The bride's father and brother whittled a cake stand from wood and slate salvaged from the family's backyard forest. "My dad is really handy and quite artistic, and my brother is a professional artist, so the end product is beautiful and sturdy," Lindsay says. The couple carved their initials into the wood—a tradition they hoped to share with other family members when they wed.

Photo: Jen Yuson Photography

Lindsay and Corey found their wedding band through YouTube, falling for its ability to play everything from soulful jazz to bluegrass tunes. "They were entertaining and a perfect fit for the laid-back vibe," Lindsay says.

Photos: Jen Yuson Photography

The couple's dog, Fozzy, joined guests on the dance floor. He even "tried to cut in on the father-daughter dance," Lindsay says.

—Jillian Kramer

Wedding Planner: Hawkesdene House || Ceremony Venue: Hawkesdene House || Reception Venue: Hawkesdene House || Bride's Wedding Dress: Saja Wedding || Bride's Shoes: TOMS || Bride's Accessories: BHLDN || Bride's Ring: Marlene True || Groom's Tux: Michael Kors || Groom's Wedding Ring: Marlene True || Florist: Lady Luck || Caterer: Hawkesdene House || Stationery: Drippy Ink Letterpress Studio || Cake Baker: Take The Cake || Favors: Leccare Lollipops || Entertainment: Jody Hughes Band || Photography: Jen Yuson Photography

Photo: Trystan Photography

Gabe was waiting for the perfect moment to propose—and he found it when at a beachside dinner Rebekkah confessed how lucky she felt to have a partner who both encouraged her and grew with her. "After that, I knew that night was the right night," Gabe says. He concocted a plan to take pictures of the stars, settling in on the sand beside Rebekkah and digging into the camera bag where the ring was hidden. "I nervously sat with my arm around her for several seconds before I couldn't wait any longer," Gabe says.

Rebekkah and Gabe's long-lasting and vibrant love would take center stage at their August wedding in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. But more so, Rebekkah says, "we knew we wanted to plan an event that celebrated not only our connection, but all the love and friendship we are so lucky to have. With friends and family all over the country who we rarely get to see, our dream became not only seeing them, but having time with them, and watching them have time with each other."

Photo: Trystan Photography

The couple's priority, then, became finding a venue that could "bring our closest friends and family together for several days instead of several hours," Rebekkah says. Enamored with The Red Rock Ranch's many amenities, Rebekkah and Gabe booked the lodge without seeing it in person. "With hundreds of acres nestled in the mountains and three houses that could sleep fifty in total, we enjoyed three days of hiking, cookouts and quality time with our guests before getting married on the lawn the third afternoon," the bride says.

Photo: Trystan Photography

Rebekkah never believed she'd find the one—the one wedding dress, that is. "I knew there were plenty of dresses, or at least a few, that I would be perfectly happy wearing," she insists.

Photo: Trystan Photography

But when Rebekkah heard about a bridal sale that would benefit breast cancer research, "I was hooked," she says. With 100 percent of her purchase price going toward research, the bride knew she'd find the perfect gown at the sale. The A-line dress she selected—which also featured a cathedral-length train and corseted back—was "just what I wanted," Rebekkah says. "The dress fit perfectly right off the rack and I loved it immediately."

Photo: Trystan Photography

The bride ordered her ivory peep-toe shoes, with only the slightest hint of a heel, online.

Photo: Trystan Photography

The groom's classic tuxedo attire came from Men's Wearhouse. Gabe and his groomsmen also donned suspenders.

Photo: Trystan Photography

Gabe wore a purple orchid and white rose boutonniere that was framed in greens.

Photos: Trystan Photography

Rebekkah and Gabe built the ceremony program from scratch, revolutionizing wedding traditions with their own twists. For example, Rebekkah offers, the couple each walked "part way down the aisle with our parents, symbolizing the support they have given us, then walked down a middle aisle toward each other alone, expressing the independent lives we each value and encourage in ourselves and each other. We then walked to the alter together, illustrating the life we had built with one another that led us to that moment."

Photo: Trystan Photography

"My biggest fear in the 18 months planning was that it would rain during our wedding," the bride says. "In the days leading up to the wedding, I begged any powers that be that the weather would allow an outdoor ceremony; I bargained that anything else could happen as long as it did not rain." Despite a weather forecast that predicted a 40 percent chance of showers, the bride's bargaining worked and the couple welcomed sunny skies during their ceremony.

Photo: Trystan Photography

"The ceremony was beautiful," Rebekkah says. The couple took a chance by asking a friend to select and deliver a reading of her choosing, and were "touched by what she read."

Photo: Trystan Photography

Rebekkah and Gabe also encouraged guests to participate in the ceremony, "inviting anyone who wished to stand and share their hopes for our future," the bride says. At the same time, the couple passed their rings through the crowd, asking guests to bless the bands.

Photos: Trystan Photography

After reading vows the couple wrote together, Rebekkah and Gabe recessed down the aisle as guests blew dandelions into the wind, "making one last wish for our lives as a married couple," Rebekkah says.

Photos: Trystan Photography

As guests wandered from the lawn to The Red Rock Ranch's front porch, they found their seat assignments pinned to a brightly-colored painting with the word love scrolled in script across the top.

Photo: Trystan Photography

Flowers fell "slightly low" on the couple's priority list, Rebekkah admits. "I simply gave the florist our budget and colors and told her to have fun."

Photo: Trystan Photography

"Our whole wedding was one big do-it-yourself project," the bride says. Rebekkah and Gabe handcrafted their table numbers from craft paper and pictures, labeling each card with a year and a coordinating image. "Years like 1992 showed childhood pictures," Rebekkah explains, "while years after we met showed pictures of us together."

Photos: Trystan Photography

"With the help of a crafty friend," the couple made three flavors of jams as wedding favors, Rebekkah says. They also gave custom-labeled chocolate bars to guests.

Photo: Trystan Photography

The couple's wedding cake was a surprise from the bride's mother. "As with other details, we had cut what was lower on our priority list to allow us to use the venue we wanted," Rebekkah explains, "so we had not planned to have a cake." But after a tearful evening of wedding planning, Rebekkah's mother announced she'd arranged for a cake—complete with live purple orchids on top. "It was a perfect surprise," the bride says.

Photo: Trystan Photography

"We had fun thinking about the color and decor, the flowers and music, but all of that was just icing on the wedding cake," Rebekkah says. "Our time and effort went into planning a celebration of the connections we are so fortunate to have, both with each other and with the loved ones who came."

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: The Red Rock Ranch || Reception Venue: The Red Rock Ranch || Bride's Wedding Dress: Maggie Sottero || Bride's Accessories: David's Bridal || Bride's Wedding Ring: Shane Co. || Groom's Tux: Men's Wearhouse || Groom's Wedding Ring: Shane Co. || Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal || Groomsmen Attire: Men's Wearhouse || Florist: Dawn's Creations || Caterer: Rustigram Catering || Stationery: Papyrus || Photography: Trystan Photography

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

Love bloomed between Leah and Chris during a college Bible study, but when the couple moved to different cities after graduation, they were forced to date long-distance. "It was hard," Leah recalls, until Chris proposed on a weekend visit as the couple dined at the Crown Center Plaza. "I was so excited I shrieked 'yes' before he could get the whole question out. Apparently he had a whole quote rehearsed. Whoops!"

Just three months later, the couple—a marketing coordinator and an NFL player, respectively—wed in a backyard celebration, taking advantage of Stilwell, Kansas' picture-perfect July weather.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

With fewer than 60 guests in attendance, a family member's lake house was the perfect venue for Leah and Chris' intimate celebration. "Their house is so beautiful," the bride gushes, listing the home's lush landscaping as a major boon to her simple decor scheme.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

Moments before the bride was ready to walk down the aisle, her young nephew snuck into the room, "walked up to me and said, 'Aunt Leah, you look beautiful,'" the bride recalls.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

The bride's Emily Hart Bridal gown featured a rhinestone detail that wrapped around her waist. Leah describes its short train as a "tail." Her Emily Hart Bridal veil was embellished with a beaded floral detail.

Photos: Sharayamauck Photography

Her shoes—by designer Antonio Melani—were bold, with a circular beaded pattern covering the tops of her feet.

Photos: Sharayamauck Photography

Leah envisioned a white wedding, where everything looked "fresh and crisp," she says, with just the slightest hint of green. Her bouquet reflected that aesthetic, with its white roses and peonies and green mums.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

Chris wore an Astor & Black suit, which he paired with a sage green tie and white rose boutonniere.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

A winding stone path, landscaped with wispy greens and manicured shrubs, led the ring bearer down to the deck where the couple would host their outdoor ceremony.

Photos: Sharayamauck Photography

A flower girl dropped red rose petals on the path, just moments before the bride walked down it to meet her groom. Of the home and its outdoor space, the bride says, "it's the most perfect place for a small, intimate wedding."

Photos: Sharayamauck Photography

A pastor read passages from 1 Corinthians and Ecclesiastes during the couple's wedding ceremony, which took place overlooking the lake.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

The bride made each of the centerpieces for her long, white reception tables herself, filling cylinder vases with white and green blooms and tying each arrangement with a crystal "H," the couple's married-name monogram.

Photos: Sharayamauck Photography

Guests noshed on Chilean sea bass and champagne chicken served alongside a candied-pecan mixed greens salad, dumpling potatoes and roasted vegetables.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

With a diamond pattern and pearl detailing, the couple's four-tier wedding cake was simple and classic—the perfect addition to Leah and Chris' "crisp" wedding theme. Each lemon cake layer was filled with raspberry preserves.

Photo: Sharayamauck Photography

White lanterns strung above the dance floor created a "wonderful ambiance during the night," Leah says. Chris' only wedding assignment? Picking the DJ, the bride says.

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: Family residence || Reception Venue: Family residence || Bride's Wedding Dress: Emily Hart Bridal || Bride's Veil: Emily Hart Bridal || Bride's Shoes: Antonio Melani || Bride's Accessories: Dillard's || Bride's Wedding Ring: Shane Co. || Groom's Tux: Astor & Black || Groom's Wedding Ring: Shane Co. || Groomsmen Attire: Astor & Black || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Steinmart || Flower Girl Dress: Nordstrom || Florist: Sidelines Custom Floral Designs, Inc. || Caterer: Nick and Jake's || Rentals: All Seasons Event Rental || Photography: Sharayamauck Photography

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

In a sea of millions, Alexis and Ryan found each other on Match.com. Just eight days after discovering each other's profiles, the pair shared their first date. Two years later, Ryan proposed, and the couple began planning a plum-themed wedding in Minneapolis' historic Warehouse District. "I have always loved the rich jewel tones of fall," the bride explains, "and knew that would be my decorating inspiration."

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

A pair of plum peep toe stilettos were the bride's go-to wedding accessory. Purchased years before she was engaged, Alexis still knew "knew these would be the shoes I would wear walking down the aisle." The bride bedazzled their soles with a glittering I do.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

The purple pumps set the tone for the couple's wedding palette, from bridesmaids dresses to bouquets.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

By snagging the last open Friday at Aria—a whimsical wedding venue and the former home of Theatre de la Jeune Lune, a company "known for its rich and innovative style," according to the website— the couple sealed their wedding date as October 26, 2012.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Alexis never pictured herself in a strapless dress. But when she spotted a beaded and embroidered beauty at Angelique's Bridal Salon, she fell in love. "I felt beautiful in it," Alexis says.

Photos: Carissa Christine Photography

The dress was only the fourth the bride tried on, "but I knew it was the one when the salon attendant put the long veil in my hair and we all got tears in our eyes," Alexis says. The bride purchased her cathedral-length veil on eBay.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

The bride's something old? A handkerchief from the groom's family—one his sister carried on her own wedding day. "Getting to carry that hankie down the aisle felt like an unspoken 'welcome to our family,'" Alexis explains, "and it meant the world to me."

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Alexis' bouquet burst with vibrant orange roses, purple violets, green dianthus and yellow Billy balls. "It was so unique and beautiful," the bride says of the bouquet, which was wrapped in ivory satin ribbon.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

A bright Billy ball took center stage in Ryan's boutonniere, flanked by violets and wrapped in eggplant-colored ribbon.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Bridesmaids carried bouquets of purple blooms and yellow Billy balls, and wore one of two styles of plum-colored dresses from David's Bridal.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

A three-year-old flower girl donned a plum-colored tutu and ballet flats for the big day, proudly declaring "I'm a princess" to anyone who would listen, the bride recalls.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Alexis and Ryan exchanged handwritten vows in front of 200 guests, promising to celebrate life's joys and endure its hardships together. "I cried through it all," the bride confesses. "I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful ceremony."

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Two poems were read during the ceremony—Roy Croft's Love, the bride's favorite poem, and an original writing by a friend. "It was beautiful," Alexis recalls.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Do-it-yourself centerpieces of cylindrical vases tied in gold ribbon topped banquet-style tables at the couple's reception. Purple up-lighting lent drama to Aria's stone walls and wood beams.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

In place of table numbers, the couple chose table names. The locales, which included Aria, "meant something to us," Alexis explains.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

A seated dinner included salad, brown sugar-brined chicken breasts, organic vegetables and "the best mashed potatoes ever," the bride says.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Alexis and Ryan topped their simple white cake with a capital A to represent their married monogram.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Alexis traded her peep toe pumps for TOMS when she hit the dance floor.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

The couple swayed to Ben Fold's The Luckiest. Guests also enjoyed a photo booth as added entertainment.

Photo: Carissa Christine Photography

Guests who crowded the dance floor shouted a collective "One more song," the bride says, as the DJ announced the night had come to a close. "It was a wonderful evening," she says. "We wouldn't have changed a single thing."

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: Aria || Reception Venue: Aria || Bride's Wedding Dress: Angelique's Bridal Salon || Bride's Veil: eBay || Bride's Wedding Ring: Bergstrom Jewelers || Groom's Tux: Savvi Formalwear || Groom's Wedding Ring: Bergstrom Jewelers || Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal || Groomsmen Attire: Savvi Formalwear || Flower Girl Dress: Ella Boo Couture || Florist: Designs by Kathryn || Caterer: Chowgirls Killer Catering || Stationery: Michael's || Cake Baker: Costco || Entertainment: Bellagala || Videography: Love Music Art Media Productions || Photography: Carissa Christine Photography

Photo: Style Art Life

It was a friend—one determined to play matchmaker—that brought Erin and Brett together. He riddled Erin, a then-student Kalamazoo College, with so much information about Brett that she felt she knew him long before they met. "The moment we met, I knew Kevin was right," she says now of their mutual friend. "To this day Kevin takes all the credit, and he was deservedly the best man in our wedding."

Six years later, Brett was set on surprising Erin with a proposal, but his plans to pop the question at The Cloisters—The Metropolitan Museum of Art's gardens in Washington Heights, Manhattan—were foiled when Erin accurately pegged his unusual behavior as part of a larger, more romantic scheme. "Brett told me that he would figure out another day to surprise me," Erin says. But after a romantic dinner, Brett proposed anyway. "He still managed to surprise me. The proposal did not go as perfectly as Brett had planned, but that is what made it so perfect."

Photo: Style Art Life

Though the couple calls New York City home, they're Midwesterners at heart—so when it came to planning their September nuptials, it was important to "represent" their Ohio and Michigan hometowns, the bride says. "We brought our love for upscale city elegance to a casual and relaxed outdoor setting," she says.

Photo: Style Art Life

With dozens of their 95 guests coming from out of town, the Hudson Valley's Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa"had everything we were looking for and more," for a miniature-destination wedding, Erin says. "The exquisite gardens, winding paths, quaint yet modern and luxurious cottages, and an on-site full service spa provided a charming and breathtaking location for our wedding weekend."

Photo: Style Art Life

Erin considered designing her own wedding dress—but in the end, the bride chose a ready-to-wear gown that "reflected my aesthetic by a designer that I truly admire," she says. Her Vera Wang dress' drop waist and raw-edged organza skirt combined for a "soft yet architectural modern silhouette that photographs beautifully and looks different from every angle."

Photo: Style Art Life

Erin's asymmetrical bouquet of white phalaenopsis orchids, fuchsia dendrobium orchids, garden roses and hot-pink ranunculus was tied with a pleated gray ribbon and adorned with a blue brooch that the bride's great grandmother, grandmother, mother and sister each used on their wedding days.

Photos: Style Art Life

Bridesmaids who wore short gray dresses from BCBG and Amsale also carried hot-pink bouquets made of dahlias, garden roses and ranunculus. "It was important to me that everyone felt beautiful and comfortable on my wedding day," Erin says.

Photo: Style Art Life

In honor of Brett's undying love for the Detroit Tigers, groomsmen donned argyle socks bearing the baseball team's logo.

Photo: Style Art Life

Rustic wood signs led guests to the couple's ceremony.

Photo: Style Art Life

Held on a lawn near Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa's Swan Pond, Erin and Brett's ceremony was personal, they say, from the pastor's touching sermon to their handwritten vows. Music also played a large role in their nuptials, with a friend playing an acoustic guitar from the time guests arrived until the couple recessed to The Beatles' Here Comes The Sun.

Photo: Style Art Life

The asymmetry of the bridesmaids' bouquets complemented some of the bridal party's one-shoulder dresses.

Photos: Style Art Life

Guests and attendants alike tossed pink rose petals into the air as the couple recessed down the aisle.

Photo: Style Art Life

A cousin's bulldog, Frog, traveled from Ohio to attend the couple's wedding, donning a vest and pink bow tie for the occasion, "so we had to include him in the ceremony as our junior groomsman," Erin says. "He was so well-behaved and the highlight of the wedding weekend!"

Photo: Style Art Life

As guests left the ceremony and headed toward the couple's reception tent, they were served pink Kir Royales in rustic mason jars. Staff with Oliver Kita Fine Catering also passed eight hors d'oeuvres, including risotto cakes topped with bitter chocolate beef ribs; lobster brochettes with a Panko-crumb and caramel glaze; and shooters of pear veloute soup.

Photo: Style Art Life

"Throughout the wedding styling process we added details that truly represented us," Erin says. The couple labeled tables with numbers meaningful to their relationship—the address where they first met, the date they moved to New York City, and the number of Brett's favorite Detroit Tigers pitcher.

Photo: Style Art Life

The bride "wanted the decor to reflect my own personal style and artistic aesthetic," she says. A blend of grey driftwood tables, mercury glass containers and fuchsia centerpieces created "a juxtaposition of clean architectural lines with subtle rustic and feminine details," she says.

Photo: Style Art Life

Oliver Kita Fine Catering nicknamed the rustic farmhouse buffet "The Edible Hudson Valley Table," displaying local-farm cheeses, artisan breads and seasonal fruits for guests to enjoy.

Photo: Style Art Life

The couple's white chocolate cake was covered in buttercream and layered with lemon and thyme flavors. White chocolate shavings gave the three-tier confection "a simple and modern look," the bride says.

Photo: Style Art Life

The couple chose Barry White's Can't Get Enough Of Your Love for their first dance as husband and wife. "We chose fun and lighthearted songs for our special dances," Erin says.

Photo: Style Art Life

Despite what the bride describes as hot and humid weather, guests danced all night to the live music of Live Wire Entertainment. "We are still receiving compliments about the amazing band," Erin says.

Photo: Style Art Life

"The entire day was relaxed, intimate, flawless and exceptionally fun," Erin says of the couple's wedding celebration. "The night ended with our guests singing and dancing to New York, New York under a full moonlit sky. You could definitely feel the love stemming generations."

—Jillian Kramer

Wedding Planner: Events That Matter and Erin Braun Design || Ceremony Venue: Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa || Reception Venue: Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa || Bride's Wedding Dress: Vera Wang || Bride's Veil: Bride's Head Revisited || Bride's Shoes: Jimmy Choo || Bride's Accessories: Erin Braun Design and Erwin Pearl || Bride's Wedding Ring: Linhardt || Groom's Tux: Ticknors || Groom's Wedding Ring: Linhardt || Bridesmaids' Dresses: BCBG and Amsale || Bridesmaids' Accessories: Alexis Bittar || Groomsmen Attire: Ticknors || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Emmelle || Florist: Steven Bruce Design || Caterer: Oliver Kita Fine Catering || Stationery: Gourmet Invitations || Cake Baker: Oliver Kita Fine Catering || Favors: Bell's Inspired Brewing, Two Little Red Hens and Russell Farms || Rentals: Party Rental Ltd. || Lighting: Stortz Lighting || Entertainment: Levi Schmidt and Live Wire Entertainment || Photography: Style Art Life

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

When Ryland cancelled a dream reservation at The Hampton's Baker House bed-and-breakfast, Cameron was confused. "I was sure he was going to propose," she says. "But I suppose that's what happens when a gal says she wants a horizontal marquise-cut diamond— a shape many consider out of style. It was quite a process to track down the right stone, a process that dragged on so long that Ryland finally just went out and bought a temporary ring. I adore both rings."

Cameron and Ryland didn't have quite as much trouble when it came to planning their September nuptials, the bride says, over "11 agonizing, joyous months."

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

The Jackson, Mississippi-born-and-bred bride may have longed for a formal Southern fete, but "with guests coming from all over, the small Jackson airport made for exorbitant flights with not-so-easy connections," Cameron explains. When the bride started brainstorming alternative locations, her mind wandered to Park City, Utah, a "cool resort town with gorgeous scenery" nearby a former family residence.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

The inclusive St. Regis Deer Valley offered the couple a chic venue in the otherwise rustic locale. It was also nearby "other weekend goings-on," an important plus for a Cameron and Ryland, whose guests would be coming from out of town.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

"Having the ceremony and reception at the same venue was incredibly convenient," the bride says.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Cameron says "I traipsed around the country but never fell in love with a single dress." With time running out, the bride ordered a strapless Marisa with a lace overlay that formed a V pattern on its bodice and skirt. "And then I deconstructed it," Cameron says.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

When she was done with it, Cameron's gown had gone from a strapless sheath to a corseted design complete with straps.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Cameron also wore gold Gucci heels.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Her bouquet burst with yellow and creme-colored blooms flanked by leafy greens.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Bridesmaids chose different green chiffon dresses from Monique Lhuillier. "Everyone had different body types and different styles, so I wanted everyone to choose her own," Cameron says.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

"We saw each other hours before the ceremony and took advantage of our amazing photographers and the gorgeous mountains," Cameron says of the couple's first look.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

The couple's ceremony was held on the St. Regis Deer Valley's mountain lawn, where from rows of espresso-stained Chivari chairs guests could catch a glimpse of the Wasatch Range.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Ryland's goddaughter, Claudia, served as the couple's flower girl.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Cameron and Ryland included poetry, Scripture and a song—All I Ask Of You from the infamous Phantom of the Opera—in their ceremony program.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Guests went straight from the ceremony to the cocktail hour, which was held on the resort's mountain terrace. "There's a chic, behemoth of a bonfire called the fire garden," Cameron says, describing the cocktail space, "so flames danced around all the mingling guests."

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

The reception was held beneath a clear-topped tent on yet another of the St. Regis Deer Valley's outdoor terraces. Guests found their seat assignments on white tented cards.

Photos: Paul Johnson Photography

"We took pains with seating," the bride says of their decision to mix banquet-style and traditional round-top tables. "I wanted to have flexibility to make sure all my guests were comfortably seated with kindred spirits."

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

The bride and groom sat in chairs tied with sheer white tulle.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Calligraphy was used on everything from the couple's invitation suite to their table numbers. "We didn't want to lose some of the old-fashioned southern elegance," the bride explains.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

"We wanted to keep as much al fresco as possible and opted for natural tones and bursts of deep, autumnal orange," Cameron says of the couple's seasonal wedding palette, reflected in their centerpieces.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Flowers and votive candles were held in small mercury glass containers.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Cameron and Ryland gave guests white and dark truffles as favors. To each favor bag they attached a note that read, "The night is sweeter because you are here."

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

The St. Regis Deer Valley served up a filet mignon alongside locally-caught trout and pumpkin creme brulee. Cameron and Ryland also opted for buffet service, which included more casual fare like quesadillas, grilled cheese, tomato soup and fries.

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

"Dinner was quick and simple though," Cameron says. "A salad, the main course, then as dessert was being passed out, we went ahead and did the first dance."

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

Cameron describes their Mississippi-based reception band as "lots of brassy horns playing mix of Motown and contemporary hits. They punched up the tempo of the night from the moment we sat down to eat."

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

An electric-blue groom's cake was topped with a Jacksonville Jaguars' logo. "It didn't fit in with the decor at all," Cameron says, "but I wanted him to have whatever he wanted."

Photo: Paul Johnson Photography

The couple's decisions revolved around their guests, from choosing a clear-topped tent to expose the mountain views to extending their cocktail hour . "We really cared about our guests having fun," Cameron says.

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: St. Regis Deer Valley || Reception Venue: St. Regis Deer Valley || Bride's Wedding Dress: Marisa || Bride's Shoes: Gucci || Bride's Wedding Ring: Juniker Jewelry Co. || Groom's Wedding Ring: Juniker Jewelry Co. || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Monique Lhuillier || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Theia || Florist: Honey of a Thousand Flowers || Caterer: St. Regis Deer Valley|| Stationery: Key Neville Whitehead || Cake Baker: St. Regis Deer Valley || Rentals: RSVP Party Rentals || Entertainment: The Compozitionz || Photography: Paul Johnson Photography

Photo: Brooke Images

High schools sweethearts Emily and James went their separate ways after graduation day: Emily headed to Boston University to study special education, while James attended West Point and became an Army helicopter pilot. Yet the couple couldn't keep apart, spending evenings on the phone and weekends together as friends. "Each trip was better and better," Emily says. "We laughed, cried and just had so much fun together. This is when we realized that we still had something special. We couldn't deny it any longer. We were meant for each other."

Photo: Brooke Images

Two years after James proposed, the couple wed in an elegant July affair in front of 90 guests. Their St. Augustine, Florida wedding was "classic with a Spanish touch," the bride says, with a navy and gold color palette.

Photo: Brooke Images

While the bride loved her Augusta Jones gown, she couldn't resist making its sweetheart neckline even more unique. "I bought extra lace and had the top made by a wonderful seamstress," she says. The result: Thick lace straps that revealed a half-moon cutout on the back.

Photos: Brooke Images

The bride's deep blue DSW heels were cinched in the center with a beaded crystal brooch.

Photo: Brooke Images

Emily accented her upswept hairdo with a faux-flower hairpiece she purchased on Etsy. Her all-white bouquet—a mix of hydrangea and roses—was framed with fresh seeded eucalyptus. Each bridesmaid carried a smaller version of the bride's larger bouquet.

Photo: Brooke Images

James donned his decorated military uniform for the big day, adding a black bow tie to its collar.

Photo: Brooke Images

When it came to her bridesmaids' dresses, Emily considered how to make them comfortable for the hot summer day. Their short J. Crew chiffon dresses were "light and flowy, which was perfect," she says. Servicemen on the groom's side wore their military uniforms, while the civilians dressed in cream-colored suits from Michael Kors.

Photo: Brooke Images

"You couldn't ask for a more historic and breathtaking church to be married in," says Emily of The Cathedral Basilica St. Augustine, where the Catholic-raised couple wed in a traditional service. "It is the oldest parish in the United States," the bride says.

Photo: Brooke Images

Exchanging vows inside The Cathedral Basilica St. Augustine was a dream come true—literally—for the bride, who as a child "used to visit the cathedral and secretly dreamed of one day getting married there," she says.

Photo: Brooke Images

Crisp lines and natural lighting led Emily and James to The River House, where they hosted their elegant evening reception. "The River House was unlike any other venue in St. Augustine," Emily says.

Photo: Brooke Images

Rather than fight the dark navy hues of the groomsmen's military uniforms, Emily and James incorporated the rich shade into their reception color palette, which also included pops of gold.

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Photo: Brooke Images

A florist topped six handcrafted Spanish candle holders—their rich blue and yellow patterns resembling mosaic art. "We lit each table with a variety of candles that looked beautiful when the sun went down," the bride recalls.

Photo: Brooke Images

Six of the centerpieces were glass topiary vases filled with white hydrangea, roses and ferns.

Photo: Brooke Images

Guests noshed on peppered beef sliders, stuffed potatoes, shrimp cocktail and black bean cakes before digging into dinner—beef covered in a rosemary demi-glaze, Mediterranean chicken and stuffed Portobello mushrooms.

Photo: Brooke Images

The couple's four-tier round wedding cake included three different flavors: a white cake filled with key lime cream, red velvet cake with coconut filling and vanilla cake with chocolate mousse. Each tier was wrapped in gold ribbon and piped with pearls.

Photo: Brooke Images

With the end of Emily and James' wedding came the beginning of a new relationship, the bride reveals. "We are happy to share that there is a potential wedding in the works for two of our close friends, who met for the first time at our wedding," she says. "After meeting at our wedding, they have been dating ever since and are going strong!"

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: The Cathedral Basilica St. Augustine || Reception Venue: The River House || Bride's Wedding Dress: Augusta Jones || Bride's Shoes: DSW || Bride's Accessories: Etsy || Bride's Wedding Ring: Long's Fine Jewelers || Groom's Tux: Military uniform || Groom's Wedding Ring: Long's Fine Jewelers || Bridesmaids' Dresses: J. Crew || Groomsmen Attire: Michael Kors || Florist: Flower Works || Caterer: Designed Events || Stationery: Birchcraft Studios || Cake Baker: Sweet Weddings || Entertainment: DJ Jacob Towe || Photography: Brooke Images

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Tyler, a decorated Air Force pilot, met Francesca just weeks before he was deployed to Germany—but, the bride says, "when he returned, we picked up where we had left off and we've been together ever since."

It was following yet another deployment that Tyler proposed. As Francesca walked with a friend through Queen Village, Philadelphia—the neighborhood in which she grew up—she spotted Tyler. It was Christmas Eve. "I immediately thought something was wrong, because he was supposed to be spending the holiday with his family in Indiana," Francesca says. "But he took my hand and walked me into Starr Garden Park, which is where we also had our first date, sat me on the swing and proposed."

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

When Tyler popped the question, he presented Francesca with a pear-shaped diamond ring from Pierce Jewelers. Her pavé diamond wedding band is from Zales.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

An eclectic color palette of gold, orange, peach and purple spoke to the bride, she says. "It hit me that I love everything gold, and that would fit perfectly with the elegant wedding I wanted," Francesca says of the couple's September affair, held in Philadelphia. "Orange is my favorite color, so I chose orange, peach and deep purple for the accent colors." Invitations by JWD Paperie were white and gold.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

While Francesca "handled most of the planning for the wedding," she says, she was assisted by her mother and friend Erin, the owner of event design boutique Erin Bonner Events.

Photos: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Francesca fell for her David's Bridal dress' sweetheart neckline, she says. "It's beautiful and classic, yet not over-the-top," she explains.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Once she made her purchase, "I kept it a secret from everyone except my parents," Francesca says. "But once everyone saw me in it they all said, 'That's so you!'"

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

"The dress easily weighed about 30 pounds," Francesca jokes about the gown's textured, ruffled skirt. "So by the end of the night I couldn't wait to take it off, but I sure felt like a princess for the day." An aquamarine and diamond ring from her grandmother was the bride's "something old." "This was a moment in my life she never wanted to miss," Francesca says, "so by wearing the ring I felt her close to me."

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Gold Badgley Mischka peep-toe pumps completed Francesca's look—and complemented the coupe's color palette, of course.

Photos: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Francesca's bouquet overflowed with ivory and spray roses, mini Calla lilies, stock and green hypericum berries. The bouquet was wrapped in pale-gold satin ribbon held in place with pearl pins.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Gold, floor-length gowns from David's Bridal flattered each of Francesca's six bridesmaids. "They all looked amazing," she says.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Bridesmaids' bouquets were made from blooms in every hue of the couple's cheery color palette: eggplant Calla lilies, orange roses, peach orchids and green berries—all wrapped in green satin ribbon.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Four of the couple's also donned their Air Force uniforms for the wedding, while the bride's brother wore a tuxedo from Men's Wearhouse. He pinned a Calla lily boutonniere to his tux.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Old St. Mary Church's proximity to the couple's reception venue—Cescaphe Ballroom—was a real plus for them when it came to choosing their ceremony site, Francesca says.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

It's also a "beautiful church," the bride says, "and happens to be the second-oldest church in the country."

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

The couple infused their personalities into the traditional Catholic ceremony by choosing "two beautiful readings about love," Francesca says, which their cousins recited. They left the church through a traditional tunnel of swords.

Photos: Rachel Pearlman Photography

The newlyweds, along with their bridal party, took the Cescaphe Event Group's trolley from their ceremony to the reception.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Francesca and Tyler toured Cescaphe Ballroom first and fell head-over-heels in love with the venue's "incredible food and service they offer," the bride says. The space also exuded a "beautiful, classic feel that we both wanted our wedding to have."

A florist added intrigue to the couple's reception decor by alternating high and low arrangements on tables. Some tables were topped with cylinder vases filled with water, bright blooms and floating candles.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Other centerpieces were made from gold branches and hanging votive candles.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Another kind of centerpiece was made from the same flowers as the bridesmaids' bouquets—eggplant Calla lilies, orange roses, peach orchids and green berries.

Photos: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Following a cocktail hour that featured small bites, a pasta station, hibachi and raw bars, guests were treated to their choice of filet mignon, pan-seared branzino or chicken Milanese.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

But the real gastrointestinal treat, Francesca says, came after dinner, when the dessert room opened, "displaying various Italian desserts, a crepe station and our signature dessert, pumpkin mousse in a chocolate cup."

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Linen napkins were circled in faux floral napkin rings, adding a feminine touch to each place setting.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Though the couple enjoys live music, they chose a DJ for their reception. "We like so many types of music," Francesca says.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Francesca purchased the gold ribbon Cescaphe Event Group wrapped around each tier of the couple's white wedding cake.

Photo: Rachel Pearlman Photography

—Jillian Kramer

Wedding Planner: Erin Bonner Events || Ceremony Venue: Old St. Mary Church || Reception Venue: Cescaphe Ballroom || Bride's Wedding Dress: David's Bridal || Bride's Veil: David's Bridal || Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka || Bride's Accessories: Bling Jewelry || Bride's Wedding Ring: Zales || Groom's Wedding Ring: Littman Jewelers || Bridesmaids' Dresses: David's Bridal || Groomsmen Attire: Men's Wearhouse || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Badgley Mischka || Florist: Beautiful Blooms || Caterer: Cescaphe Event Group || Stationery: JWD Paperie || Cake Baker: Cescaphe Event Group || Favors: Cescaphe Event Group || Photography: Rachel Pearlman Photography

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

On a crisp October afternoon—as couple Mary Kate and Sean explored a set of abandoned railroad tracks and snapped photos of fall foliage—Sean snatched Mary Kate's hand and held it over his heart. "It was going insane," Mary Kate recalls, "beating a million times a minute. That's when he got down on one knee. I yelled at him, 'What? Now? Are you serious?' And then I said yes, standing right in the middle of the railroad tracks with no one around."

But on their September wedding day, the couple was hardly alone—they were surrounded by 65 of their closest friends and family, who gathered in the back of Frankies Spuntino in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, to watch them wed.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

"We knew we wanted an intimate wedding," Mary Kate says, mentioning that the couple even considered a destination affair to keep the guest count low. Frankies Spuntino "just felt like us."

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

Frankies Spuntino's location—within walking distance of the couple's apartment, Mary Kate says—and its intimate outdoor garden were two plusses in the venue's favor. But the restaurant's real appeal? "We didn't have to wait a year to get a date," says the bride. "We booked in March and were married on September 1."

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

Mary Kate tried on 10 dresses before falling for a slim-fitting Nicole Miller sheath. "I wanted something simple, straight, with a little something that made it special," she says.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

"Accessories were the last thing on my mind," the Mary Kate admits. The bride chose a flesh-toned pair of pumps from Anthropologie, then turned to online retailer Rent The Runway for accessories.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

"In retrospect, I pretty much left that whole thing to chance," Mary Kate says of her accessories, "but I picked the best pieces when they came a few days before the wedding, and they worked." Rent The Runway's jewels bedazzled her ears, while a crystal clip from Untamed Petals added sparkle to the bride's hair.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

Florist Flowers & Flowers weaved succulents into the bride's bouquet, which was made from a mixture of ivory and cream-colored roses.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

Mary Kate didn't have bridesmaids—instead, the bride asked her sister to serve as her maid of honor. "Because we chose the strangest, most specific colors—mint green and pinkish red—we figured a neutral dress was the way to go," the bride says of her sister's cream-colored dress, which the pair picked out at Nordstrom.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

The maid of honor's bouquet looked much like the bride's, but it also popped with pink-hued roses.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

Sean sported a custom-made gray suit from 9 Tailors and Converse sneakers.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

The bride admits she "quickly became overwhelmed with the wedding planning process and felt paralyzed to make a decision." But deep breaths and advice from wedding blog A Practical Wedding brought things into perspective for her.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

Mary Kate's father escorted her down the backyard aisle and toward Sean. "Because we were all close together in the backyard, it made for a very personal, intimate ceremony," the bride says.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

"One of the big questions for us, because we have been together for so long, was, 'What will change?'" Mary Kate says. To address that all-important question, the couple offered their answers in their vows. "Sean and I wrote what will change when we get married, and what will never change."

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

A color scheme of mint green and watermelon red repeated throughout the couple's wedding, from their do-it-yourself invitation suite to the hand-sewn ribbon arbor that served as the backdrop for the ceremony. "This was something I became obsessed with," says the bride, who pieced together the arbor herself.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

As the ceremony came to a close, the officiant announced, "You may now high-five the bride," Mary Kate recalls. "So we gave each other a high-five, and then we did the real kissing thing."

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

An amazing atmosphere topped this couple's list of wedding must-haves, but with Frankies Spuntino's natural neighborhood charm, an amazing atmosphere was almost a given, Mary Kate says. "So then," she says, "we just started picking up things around our neighborhood that fit in."

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

When a nearby thrift store stocked dozens of vintage cameras, the photography-loving pair scooped them up and repurposed them as table decor.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

A self-proclaimed "fan of succulents," the bride bought bunches of the small plants and placed them in silver pails. The potted plants became both escort card holders and favors for guests, who found their seat assignments scrolled across Kraft-colored flags speared into the soil.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

"We didn't really have a big-picture vision," Mary Kate admits. "We kept making decisions on things we loved and that reflected our style, and it came together."

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

The groom—a graphic designer—created the couple's menu cards, which were silkscreen-printed onto Kraft paper. Their design echoed that of the invitations, another of the groom's custom creations, which were printed by Mama's Sauce.

Photos: Chellise Michael Photography

Mary Kate and Sean made guests' place cards from Kraft paper and homemade buttons. On the back of each card, the couple included a small map to lead guests to the after-party.

Photos: Chellise Michael Photography

"Our guests are still talking about the gnocchi and meatballs," Mary Kate brags of the couple's wedding dinner, which also included greens, sausage and an antipasto selection.

Photos: Chellise Michael Photography

"Doing things ourselves made for a lot of memorable memories," Mary Kate says. "Cleaning the silkscreen we used for the save-the-dates with an industrial spray hose at a gas station in Williamsburg in the rain; transferring 80 succulents to their tiny little pails over wine with my friend; pulling together all the finishing touches on the do-it-yourself elements the night before the wedding while watching Father of the Bride with Sean and my sister."

Photos: Chellise Michael Photography

A friend of the bride assembled the centerpieces, wrapping greens inside glass jars, then filling them with assorted ivory blooms and berries.

Photos: Chellise Michael Photography

Guests enjoyed cupcakes in flavors that included salted caramel, mint chocolate and carrot cake in addition to a small vanilla cake meant for the bride and groom to cut. "They were delicious and beautiful, such a crowd pleaser," Mary Kate says.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

Mary Kate and Sean discovered Hot Club of Flatbush at a Brooklyn wine bar, and "when it came to picking music, we gave them a call," the bride says. The band played through the ceremony and cocktail hour, while guests danced to a playlist the groom put together. "I still listen to those songs at work," Mary Kate says.

Photo: Chellise Michael Photography

When Mary Kate looks back on their wedding—from tearful readings at the ceremony to a groomsman showing up without a shirt—she sees a beautiful day. "All those imperfect moments are the most memorable and funny stories now," she says.

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: Frankies Spuntino || Reception Venue: Frankies Spuntino || Bride's Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller || Bride's Shoes: Anthropologie || Bride's Accessories: Rent The Runway and Untamed Petals || Bride's Wedding Ring: Conroy & Wilcox || Groom's Tux: 9 Tailors || Groom's Shoes: Converse || Groom's Wedding Ring: Spexton || Bridesmaid's Dress: Nordstrom || Mother of the Bride's Dress: Neiman Marcus || Florist: Bouquets by Flowers & Flowers || Caterer: Frankies Spuntino || Stationery: Designed by the groom and printed by Mama's Sauce || Cake Baker: Baking Stone || Favors: San Pedro Cactus || Entertainment: Hot Club of Flatbush || Photography: Chellise Michael Photography

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

High school friends Cristina and Mark made each other a promise and put it in writing: If they weren't married "later in life," the document reads, they would marry each other. The agreement turned out to be a prophecy when years later the formally-platonic pair locked lips during their college years. "Best of all," Cristina says, "we both still had our copy of the 'contract,'" a piece of paper they proudly displayed at their July wedding.

The 1920s-inspired fete, held in the foothills of St. Helena, California, was a labor of love for the hands-on couple, who tackled more than few do-it-yourself projects for their big day. "I wanted to be very hands-on and customize all of our details," Cristina says.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

When it came to time to search for a venue, the bride knew just where to start. The Culinary Institute of America's Napa Valley campus had hosted her sister's wedding years before, and "we loved it so much we decided to go back," Cristina says.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

The bride's Sottero & Midgley gown was the last one she tried on because "I didn't think it was the one for me," she says. She was shocked when she turned to the mirror and realized, instantly, "it was the dress."

Both of Cristina's two married sisters donned the same veil on their wedding days—and she was no different. The scalloped-edge waist-length beauty complemented the lace overlay of the bride's wedding gown.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Tucked into Cristina's classic updo—parted deeply to one side and swept into a low bun—was a white gardenia.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Cristina's white rose and gardenia bouquet was wrapped in the same lace as her scalloped-edge veil. The bracelets Cristina wore on her right wrist were gifts from Mark, which he presented to her the night before their wedding.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Tied to her bouquet was a picture of her grandparents, "to represent my grandfather," the bride says.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Bridesmaids wore floor-length violet chiffon gowns. The gown's ruched waist and sweetheart neckline flattered all the women, including Cristina's seven-months-pregnant sister and maid-of-honor.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

The couple's subtle color scheme of lavender and gray popped with plum and ivory accents.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

A mix of cracked cream and spray roses, anemones, berries and dusty miller and dusted miller made up the bridesmaids' bouquets.

Photos: Janae Shields Photography

Mark wore a boutonniere made from a gardenia and greens, while groomsmen donned lisianthus and berries on their black lapels.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

The Culinary Institute of America's courtyard terrace played host to the couple's ceremony, where its ivy-covered walls offered a lush, natural backdrop as Cristina and Mark exchanged vows. "The colors were beautiful that time of year," Cristina says, "and the vineyards in the background gave that true Napa Valley feel."

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

A florist strung Cristina's favorite flower—the ever-fragrant gardenia—from the canopy under which the couple wed. The blooms "blew in the breeze as we exchanged vows," Cristina says.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

A black and white program sealed with a gold wax stamp, a custom creation by Unveiled Bridal, announced the order of the couple's ceremony.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Cones filled with violet-hued dahlias, foliage and berries hung from wooden chairs that hugged the ceremony aisle.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Pockets of white petals hung from alternating chairs, with instructions to throw the petals into the air as the newlyweds walked by.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Cristina and Mark wrote their vows. "It was so romantic to speak directly to each other with words from our hearts in front of those we love most," the bride says.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Guests showered the couple in white rose petals as they recessed down the ceremony aisle and toward the reception.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

The Culinary Institute of America's wine barrel room exuded a romantic ambiance the couple craved for their reception. It was important to Cristina that her vintage decor—from chandeliers and sconces to mercury glass and lace—didn't clash with "the Napa Valley feel in the barrel room," she says.

Photos: Janae Shields Photography

"I absolutely loved the look of our centerpieces," the bride gushes. Trumpet vases were topped with white hydrangea, dahlias and roses. Then, the bride embellishes, "streaming out of the bouquets were branches of curly willow."

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

To "integrate a winery feel" into their decor, Cristina and Mark crafted table numbers from wine bottle corks.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

The couple also used wine corks to hold guests' place cards.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

For Cristina and Mark, the food couldn't just be good—it had to be "phenomenal," Cristina says. "Being in Napa Valley, we wanted our guests to experience the incredible tastes of the valley." With the Culinary Institute of America at the helm, the couple handpicked a "one-of-a-kind menu that showcased foods we both love."

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

Cristina and Mark compromised on their wedding cake, alternating layers of chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling to satiate the groom's sweet tooth and white chiffon cake filled with fresh strawberries for the bride. A trail of gardenias fell down the side of the cake, while each layer was embellished with pearls and lace.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

The couple's cake table was adorned with apothecary jars that held floating flowers.

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

While Cristina and Mark hit the dance floor to Joshua Radin's You Got What I Need, there was another special song they added to their playlist. "Both of our parents were married in the same year and had the same first-dance song," Cristina explains. "Of course we played this song for all of us to dance to."

Photos: Janae Shields Photography

"One of the most magical parts of the night was the sparkler exit," the bride says. "It felt like a movie as we ran through the tunnel of sparklers with our friends and family."

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

At the end of the sparkler tunnel waited a classic white getaway car that whisked the couple to their hotel room. Across its trunk hung burlap bunting that read "Just Married".

Photo: Janae Shields Photography

"We drove off with the sparklers in the distance," Cristina says. "The drive back through Napa Valley as a married couple was perfect."

—Jillian Kramer

Ceremony Venue: Culinary Institute of America || Reception Venue: Culinary Institute of America || Bride's Wedding Dress: Sottero & Midgley || Bride's Veil: J'Aime Bridal || Bride's Shoes: Badgley Mischka || Bride's Wedding Ring: Barons || Groom's Tux: J'Aime Bridal || Groom's Wedding Ring: Barons || Bridesmaids' Dresses: Impression || Bridesmaids' Accessories: Frosted Willow || Groomsmen Attire: J'Aime Bridal || Mother of the Bride's Dress: J'Aime Bridal || Flower Girl Dress: Nordstrom || Florist: Anne Mendenhall Flowers || Caterer: Culinary Institute of America || Stationery: Unveiled Bridal || Cake Baker: Culinary Institute of America || Linen Rentals: La Tavola Fine Linen Rental || Rentals: Five Star Productions || Entertainment: Brad Kinney Productions || Photography: Janae Shields Photography