Vintage Inspired Weddings
A Romantic Marsala & Dusty Rose Fall Wedding
LAURA LEE PHOTOGRAPHYFrom mismatched bridesmaids dresses to lush florals and a chocolate naked cake, today’s wedding is dripping with rich fall hues and inspiring details. Kaitlin & Chris married at the historic Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, NJ drawing inspiration from Downton Abbey with finishing touches like an antique car, floral embroidered bridal shoes, luxurious gold stationery and an opulent candelit reception to give their day the feel of a bygone era!
Kaitlin and Chris met by chance, on the streets in New Orleans, and are the definition of opposites attract – Chris likes to go with the flow which perfectly compliments Kaitlin’s desire to plan every little detail. Together they kept each other in perfect balance during the wedding planning process.
“I wanted our wedding to have a vintage English garden party feel with gilded accents and muted rose tones. I really wanted to get married at Downton Abbey or another English manor, but since that was never going to happen, we explored outdoor tented venues at wineries or local parks, so I could control the decor and details. I quickly realized that putting everything together myself at one of these venues was going to be extremely difficult and too time consuming. My mom suggested we look at the Olde Mill Inn, as they have a smaller venue located in their Grain House Restaurant (many places wanted a minimum number of guests for a Saturday night and I wanted a small, intimate wedding). It had everything we were looking for – vintage decor, a rustic setting, historical interest, amazing food -and all with the comfort of having everything taken care of by the talented and seasoned staff. Plus, the site has a hotel on location so guests could walk right to their rooms!”
“My wedding dress was a fit and flare beaded chantilly lace gown with cap sleeves and a low v-shaped back. It had a scalloped lace hem and a chapel length train. I wanted a soft, ethereal, romantic and timeless look; I was not interested in going for a trendy style. I kept my veil a simple tulle cathedral length veil (because, why not?) and added a flower comb which completed my vintage look. I wore pink rose embroidered pumps from BHLDN, which I considered a splurge but were a perfect accompaniment to the timeless look I was after. I actually lost my original earrings which were a simple drop pair; I did not figure out they were lost until I was getting my hair done the day of my wedding. Luckily my mom was able to get to the mall and acquire a similar pair- what a saint! I can honestly say, that I have never felt more glam than I did on my wedding day – I felt like a vintage movie star (I know I was a bride, but I felt like a movie star on her way to the 1938 Oscars, or like Lady Mary going down the steps at Downton to marry Cousin Matthew!) Ok, sorry, I am getting carried away.”
“I was a nervous wreck the day of my wedding and I WISH I took more time to relax and enjoy the day (after months of planning, all I ate was a pig in a blanket). However, I loved getting glammed up with my friends and family, getting married in a traditional ceremony and repeating the timeless vows, and relaxing (a bit) with Chris once we were alone in our car after the ceremony. Many of the drivers on the road honked at us in congrats, which I thought was really sweet! I also LOVED seeing my vision come to life in terms of flowers and decor – it all looked perfect!”
I chose seasonal flowers because they were more economical and I wanted a Fall feeling to the day. I was particular about the look I was going for and our florist, Erin from J&M Floral and Event in Madison, NJ was patient and understood my vision completely. I wanted my bouquet to have ivories, dusty roses and cranberry colors and a loose, organic feeling. I also wanted it be a bit larger and deeper in color than my bridesmaids bouquets. We used dahlias, ranunculus, rosemary, seeded eucalyptus, pepper berry, quicksand roses, ivory and pee gee hydrangeas, astilbee, vendetta roses and majolica spray roses.
Pearls of wedding wisdom from the bride…
“I was a bride on a mission to keep to our vintage theme – everything had to be unique in my attempt to have a Pinterest perfect wedding. I want brides and grooms to know it is OK (almost advisable) to stay off Pinterest, or at least limit your time on there. I put far too much pressure on myself to scour Pinterest and replicate my beloved pins. I drove people around me crazy and did not relax on many of the details until the final days leading up to my wedding.
The professionals helping you plan ARE PROFESSIONALS and often their advice is the best advice. Everything will work out and at the end of the day – no one will know the mini disasters that took place or the pins you couldn’t replicate. Many of us lose sight of the end game, and looking back, I acted foolishly and at times, was rude to everyone around me so my wedding could replicate a Victorian garden party I pinned to my wedding board. Try to relax, take the vendors advice and know you are in good hands.”
“Our centerpieces were a trio of pumpkins that were spray painted rose gold with a variety of the same flower types used in the bouquets. To add texture we used burlap overlays on the tables and scattered simple glass votive candles.”
“We chose a naked cake with fresh flowers to keep with our rustic theme. We had a few choices of flavors to choose from and we chose the most unique on offer – chocolate cake with coconut frosting. For the topper, I chose a vintage floral bunting style topper that took hours of Etsy research and a customized listing, but it worked out perfectly and looked great.”
Tell us a little bit about your photographer…
“It was a LONG time ago, but I found our photographer Laura Lee on instagram under the hashtag #rusticweddings #vintagenjweddings #vintageweddings and the like. I wanted a soft and ethereal look to our photos that didn’t look like your average, point and shoot, terribly posed wedding photos. My husband is an amateur photographer and made sure we scoured portfolios of MANY photographers in the region to make sure we were getting someone who knew what they were doing. Laura passed the bill with flying colors and I could not be happier with our choice. I am SO happy she is being noticed for the talented person she is. If I had to do it all over again, I would choose Laura every time!”
Oh I do so love a fall wedding, and Kaitlin & Chris’s color palette is utter perfection! Many congratulations to them both, and of course a big thankyou for sharing every detail of their beautiful day with us. Special thanks also to their wonderful photographer Laura Lee who so perfectly captured the romance of it all. If you would like to see more of her work head across to her website at imlauralee.com, and you will also find her Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Or for more wedding inspiration in garnet take a peek at this glittering Winter color palette and these 21 ideas for infusing your big day with this gorgeous hue. Oh and I think you’ll love this lush bridal bouquet with pops of peach alongside blush and this rich red.
Amy
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Contributors & Credits
Photography – Laura Lee Photography // Wedding Dress – Casablanca Bridal // Bridal Boutique – Jaehee Bridal // Bride’s Shoes – BHLDN // Veil – David’s Bridal // Ceremony Venue – St. Patrick’s Church // Reception Venue – Grain House Restaurant at the Olde Mill Inn // Floral Design – J&M Floral and Event // Videographer – Live Picture Studios // Wedding Cake – Palermo’s Bakery // Wedding Cake Topper – Etsy // DJ – Chuck Russo // Hair & Makeup – DKM Cosmetics // Bridesmaids’ Dresses – Bella Bridesmaids // Tuxes – Men’s Warehouse // Stationery – Minted