Jared & Jessica- September 6, 2009

When Cassie and Debbie asked me to blog about my own wedding, I was thrilled! It’s so exciting for me to relive our big day! Jared and I were married on September 6th in Anderson, Indiana. I have known Cassie and Debbie for a few years now, so it never crossed my mind to get help from anyone else but the two of them! I’ve been lucky enough to help them with a few weddings before as well, and I knew that Jared and I would be in great hands. We definitely weren’t let down!

Jared and I had a smaller budget to work with, so we all had to stretch our minds creatively. We all know weddings aren’t cheap these days! But, it’s amazing what we all came up with and how grand it turned out to be! I have always known I wanted to be married outside. And luckily, Jared was okay with this too! (Or he just knew he had to go along with it!!! Haha) I grew up in Anderson, so I was really familiar with the town. Unfortunately, it isn’t a very “wedding friendly” town as far as venues…so we had to do a lot of searching for something that could work for us. We first set our sights on Mounds State Park. We even booked a date there. As we got deeper into the planning, we realized that this wasn’t going to be a big enough place for our friends and family, so we began the search again. We immediately went to Shadyside Park where they have a garden terrace area. This park has fantastic scenery and so much to offer for outdoor events. I couldn’t believe we hadn’t looked there first! Naturally, almost all the dates were taken except for Sundays, so with that, we scooped up September 6th, and got to work on the remaining details! And can you believe that it only cost us $30.00 to reserve the space!? Major bonus.

At the top of the list for us after having a venue was finding a photographer. I spent hours upon hours searching the internet to find someone who fit what we were looking for. I stumbled upon Lindsay Wilson Photography and immediately put in an email for her asking about her availability. At this time, we were planning for a June date. She had my original date open, so I hurried and scheduled a meeting with her. Lindsay met me, my mom, Cassie, and Debbie at Starbucks in Castleton, and we immediately hit it off. I knew after seeing her work it was a done deal. We had to have her! Then a few weeks later, when we found the new venue, we had to change our date. All I could do was pray that Lindsay still would be available. I had my fingers crossed when I was waiting for a response because having a Labor Day weekend wedding definitely can make it tough to find someone who has that date open. She emailed me back and said she had it open! YES!

So now that we had figured out that important part, it was time to nail down the reception venue. The places that were well known for receptions in Anderson either didn’t fit into our vision, or didn’t fit into our budget. And all during this time, we were completely looking over the little old Elks Lodge not even a mile away from the ceremony site! We knew we had our work cut out for us as far as transforming it into the reception we wanted, but we went for it. Reception site-Booked.

Now it was time to start deciding what food we were going to serve. Having a smaller budget, you have to really figure out ways to stretch your dollar. We couldn’t bring in outside food to the Elks lodge; we had to go through them. So then, we brainstormed, and came up with the idea for a dessert bar. I had already known I wanted to do a candy bar, and Jared was definitely on board with that! So, we just decided to go full on with the sweetness! We came up with a menu of cream puffs, mini éclairs, a full chocolate fountain table full of fruit, pretzels, chips, rice krispies, you name it! I still have dreams about that chocolate fountain! Our candy bar for favors was a HUGE hit. We barely had anything left over. And to add to the sweets, we opted for yummy cupcakes for everyone instead of a large cake. We used The Flying Cupcake, and it goes without saying, that they were the best cupcakes Jared and I have ever had.

So now with most of our food decisions out of the way, it was time for the “smaller” details. It took me forever to come up with the color scheme I liked. Jared would have gone with beige! So I was glad he let me take the reins on that! After changing my mind several times, we decided on black, crimson, and white mixed in with a damask pattern. I designed our save the dates myself and had them printed through Vistaprint. I also made our invitations by using kits from Michaels and adding my own touches. I was really, really happy with how they turned out. Next on the list were the programs and various other paper-related items. And after changing our minds several times on centerpieces, we came up with an idea that we both loved. It was very overwhelming at times, and it doesn’t help that I am a perfectionist when it comes to those things! But with Cassie and Debbie’s help, we trucked through.

Next on the list was finding someone for hair and make up. Through Cassie and Debbie’s recommendations, I chose to go with True Colors. Rebecca was awesome! When my mom and I went down for a practice run, she did exactly what both of us wanted. I remember sneaking back into our apartment and Jared was home, and I had to run in with a scarf over my head because I didn’t want him to see my hair until the big day. I was so sad to take it down! Haha.

We had all of our floral items done from Toles Flowers, a floral boutique in Anderson. They were very easy to work with, and very helpful with finding ways for us to stay in our budget. Once again, it really worked in our favor of having an outdoor ceremony, because we didn’t really need too many floral arrangements. In fact, all we had at the ceremony were rose petals. The park truly was beautiful as it was.

Fast forward to our big day! All week we had been worried about rain, and thought it might hold off. We all woke up Sunday morning to overcast skies, and I was bummed! Anyone who knows me, knows that I despise rain! But, realizing there was nothing I could do to control the weather, we got to work with Rebecca and her assistant on hair and make up, while Jared and his groomsmen hung out and watched tv! Oh, the easy life of men !! Once again, Rebecca worked her magic. Everyone who had their makeup and hair done by her looked fabulous! And I can honestly say the rain didn’t mess it up one bit. Debbie went over to the reception site to make sure everything was okay over there. We had all gone there the night before to do the transformation to the venue, and it looked AWESOME. I couldn’t believe it was the same place! It was fun to make it our own for the night, and personalize it a bit. Since Cassie was one of my bridesmaids, she stayed with us, and of course helped calm me down! Lindsay and her husband Ken arrived and began taking pictures, and then we all got into cars and headed out to take pictures at the ceremony site. There was light rain at this time, but we all sucked it up and headed out. Then, out of nowhere, the sun broke through! YES! We definitely took advantage of this and quickly got through some more photos. As soon as the seating of mothers took place, the rain started again! I couldn’t believe it. But oh well, we were about to be married! With the help of umbrellas and my amazing Dad, I made my way down the aisle towards my soon to be husband! The ceremony was amazing. Our Pastor won the award of being the best ever, that’s for sure. He was perfect for us. Even through all the rain, he was making everyone laugh. We did a sand ceremony, but ours was extra special because we have twin sons, who were a year and a half old at the time, and they joined us to poor the sand. That was one of my favorite moments EVER. Soon we were pronounced Husband and Wife, and as soon as the song “Beautiful Day” by U2 started playing, the rain stopped! I still say to this day, if all it took to stop the rain was to play that song, we would have played it the entire ceremony! But luckily, no one complained and most even considered it to be good luck! And we got to see how dedicated Lindsay and Ken were to photography, as several people came up to us afterward telling us how they didn’t let the rain stop them from getting a good photo, even if it got them a little dirty in the process!

We all freshened up and headed out to the reception. It was a blast! The food was yummy, the speeches were great, and the people were amazing. Our DJ is actually a friend of ours, so we were really glad to have him on board. We also did a special “Anniversary dance” for my parents, who have been married for 25 years. That was really special for us and for them.

I could probably go on and on forever about our wedding day! All the planning and the stress was totally worth it, and every moment was special, rain or no rain! And we did it on a small budget! YES! And most importantly, we couldn’t have done it without Cassie and Debbie!

And now, for some pictures!!

My dress!

Jared and I opted to see each other before the ceremony so we could get pictures in before the rain! This was after we first saw each other.

Love this shot at our ceremony site!

My bridesmaids and myself!

All the bouquets from Toles Flowers.

Of course I have to throw in a picture of Cassie and I!

Our favorite shot! Love this one so much.

Flower shot with a close up of my rings and rosary.

Our wedding party!

Jared and the groomsmen and ushers.

My husband!!!!

My handmade programs, and our rings!

Gorgeous ring shot!

My shoes...wish I could say they were still that clean :)

We had the boys wear little converse shoes with their tuxedos...way too cute!

Our son Nicholas playing in the grass!

My dad giving me away...one of our favorite photos. Aren't they both so handsome?

Our other son, Noah, and Cassie's husband, Dustin. Our original plan was to send the boys down the aisle in a wagon...and after several breakdowns...that never happened! So we quickly ditched the idea, and Noah found a new buddy! :)

First kiss as husband and wife!

The Madison Family! Practically the only picture the boys weren't crying in with us! Haha!

The cupcakes. I am drooling right now...I can still taste them! My favorite? Banana Nut!

Our centerpieces! I made these myself, and saved a ton of money. And they turned out perfect on the tables!

LOVE this ring shot! I told Lindsay that I wanted a shot like this, and she definitely delivered! I love the colors of the M&Ms...perfect for us with all the sweets at our reception!

Our first dance!!!

I love everything about this picture of my parents. This was when we surprised them with their first dance at their wedding, 25 years ago. Precious.

No one could keep their hands off the boys. I can't say I blamed them :)

The last picture is my son Noah dancing with me. Such a cutie!

Color Me: Green!!

Color me: GREEN!

Green, green, green. There is so much to love about this color. It’s fresh. It’s versatile. And personally, one of our favorites :) With a color like this, you can go so many different ways. From fresh and crisp, to a huge pop of color, to a softer shade for a toned down atmosphere. Is there a color that it doesn’t look good with? We haven’t found one! I happen to be a lover of the shade of kelly green. When browsing around online for some fun inspiration photos, I stumbled onto the David’s Bridal website, and right in front of my eyes was this lovely picture! :)



What’s not to love here? Cute shoes, cute dresses, even invitations!
Are there any brides out there planning to get married outside? It is super easy to create a green palette just by using flowers and greenery alone. And if you are planning an outdoor ceremony, you definitely have nature on your side with the upcoming Spring and Summer months. Trees, flowers, endless possibilities! And think of the photo ops!
Let’s wrap this up with another inspiration board, shall we? Seriously, how cute is the idea with apples next to the place cards? Inexpensive, creative, and can even be eaten! What’s better than that? But my favorite? The Nine West shoes. A girl can’t have too many pairs of shoes :)



(To see this as a larger image and to find out where the images came from, just click right on the picture.)

Let me introduce myself!

Hi everyone! My name is Jessica Madison. I have known Cassie and Debbie for quite some time now, and also had the amazing experience of having them help plan my wedding! More on that to come! But for now, I wanted to quickly introduce myself to everyone. I am going to be helping out and writing a few blogs here and there. We will try to cover all the topics that are important in the whole planning process and hopefully give you some ideas and inspiration. If there is anything in particular you'd like to see, let us know!
I am looking forward to all the fun!!!

--Jessica

Michael & Sarah ~ September 5, 2009

BEAUTIFUL COUPLE

Michael and Sarah are an amazing couple! Just look how adorable they are! Roughly six months before they were set to say “I do” we received a phone call from Sarah wanting to know about our services. So, we set up a meeting and I clearly remember our first meeting because we met at the Starbucks on Massachusetts Avenue and it was PACKED! Literally there was nowhere to sit so we walked down the street to Hoaglin’s and brought in our Starbucks…ha! The staff was very sweet about it though (I think Sarah did end up getting tea so at least we didn’t just take up a table without getting anything!). Anyway, our first meeting was wonderful. We met with Sarah and her mom, Holley, and we just had good chemistry. It is also fun to meet with mothers and daughters because being a mother/daughter duo ourselves I can understand where the bride is coming from and what she is wanting whereas my mom is able to connect with the mother and understand where she is coming from and her concerns about the planning process and the wedding day.

After our initial meeting we corresponded through e-mail and once school was out for the summer (Sarah and her mom are school teachers) we met about once a month to make sure that everything was on track. When we initially met with Sarah she was looking at a completely different venue but her sorority sister, Amanda, is the catering manager at The Conrad and let Sarah know that there was an opening for her date! So we quickly switched gears and began planning Michael and Sarah’s gorgeous event at the amazing Conrad. Sarah had in her mind what she wanted (blues and greens) so we just helped set her up with vendors who would make sure that her vision came to life on wedding day.

On rehearsal day, the girls all had lunch at Café Patachou and then had manicures and pedicures. Following rehearsal, everyone went next door to Rock Bottom Brewery. The first few hours were reserved specifically for those who were invited to the rehearsal and then around 9:00pm they opened it up to include their out-of-town guests.

YAY…wedding day arrived and everyone was so excited! The girls had a later start to the day not having to arrive at The Conrad until noon. After settling into their dressing room it was time for hair and makeup! Adee from Pure Ambiance Salon came to The Conrad to do everyone’s hair. Sarah was very cost-effective when it came to the girls makeup. While some of the girls were getting their hair done the other girls walked over to Circle Center Mall (it is right across the street) and had Ashley with Smashbox do their makeup and then they would switch! Adee and Ashley did such a FABULOUS job on all of the girls hair and makeup! Everyone looked so GORGEOUS! Sarah did a wonderful job managing her budget but when it came to getting the photographer of her dreams…she didn’t care what it cost! The unmatched, amazing, phenomenal and so sweet Jennifer Driscoll was a MUST HAVE for Sarah’s big day! Jennifer did a WONDERFUL job all day long and as you can see captured the day beautifully! She is truly a pleasure to work with…so nice, accommodating and provides an phenomenal product and keepsake!

Michael and the guys arrived a few hours later to relax and get dressed for the big day. Michael and Sarah wanted to have their individual photos taken prior to their big reveal so Sarah and her girls had their photos done first. Sarah wanted as many photos outside (utilizing the beautiful city of Indianapolis and plus it was a gorgeous, sunny day) as possible. Once Sarah and her girls made it back to The Conrad it was time for Michael and his guys to take over the city! Upon the completion of the guys photos Michael and Sarah had their big reveal in the lobby of The Conrad. It was very storybook like in the sense that they have this HUGE, BEAUTIFUL staircase that Sarah came down to meet Michael. Because Michael and Sarah wanted to enjoy their cocktail hour all of the individual, wedding party and family photos were taken prior to the ceremony.

Once everything was set it quickly came time for the attendants to take their places, for Catherine (their pianist) to begin playing and for guests to be escorted to their seats by the groomsmen. Once the guests were seated and everyone made it down the aisle it was then time for Sarah and her dad, Jeff! Sarah looked absolutely STUNNING and Jeff was beaming with PRIDE! Those father/daughter moments are something that can never be recreated and they are just so precious to experience (not only as the father and daughter but as the planner…always brings a HUGE smile to my face). Heath (their officiant) did a WONDERFUL job and because he is personal friends with Michael and Sarah he was able to make it more intimate and special.

Once Michael and Sarah kissed and were pronounced as husband and wife everyone recessed down the aisle. Heath asked the guests to remain seated as Michael and Sarah made their way back up the aisle to personally greet each guest as they released the rows. Once the guests were released from their seats they made their way into the foyer for the cocktail hour. After Michael and Sarah officially signed their marriage license they joined the cocktail hour with their guests.

The cocktail hour was intimate and fun! They had a slideshow going on the various information boards throughout the foyer, an open bar and WONDERFULLY, DELICIOUS hors d’oeurves! As the guests were enjoying the cocktail hour the vendors were working like CRAZY to get the ballroom flipped from the ceremony to the reception. Amanda and her staff at The Conrad are BEYOND AMAZING and are so FABULOUS to work with! They truly roll out the red carpet for you and go the extra mile to ensure that the bride and groom are thrilled with their experience. Angie and her staff at Bokay Florist OUTDID themselves as always! All of the flowers were so vibrant, fresh and beautiful! Branch and all of his guys with the band, Shoes & Strings, did a PHENOMENAL job of getting everything set up within that hour time frame…that is not easy to do!

The ballroom looked AMAZING! There were seventeen guest tables. Each table had a floor length sand color linen with either a blue or green napkin (the napkin color alternated by tables...each gold chavari chair also had a coordinating blue or green sash). The napkin was folded in a menu fold and had a beautiful gold menu tucked inside. The beautiful misty blue centerpieces were displayed in low cubes and wrapped in blue and green ribbons surrounded by votives.

Once the ballroom was flipped the guests were invited to take their seats (because Michael played soccer and is a soccer coach they decided to name their tables after professional soccer teams). The wedding party was then introduced to “Eminence Front” by The Who! After a wonderful welcome from Sarah’s dad, Jeff, and a prayer by Father Stepanski it was time for the OUTSTANDING dinner! The guests were then treated to cupcakes from A Little Bite of Heaven and a candy bar (in Sarah’s wedding colors…blue and green) for dessert!

After Michael and Sarah fed each other cupcakes and listened to AMAZING toasts it was time for their first dance as husband and wife! They chose to dance to the song “I’m Yours” sung by the OUTSTANDING band Shoes & Strings! Sarah and her dad, Jeff, danced to the song “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and Michael and his mom, Eileen, danced to the song “I Hope You Dance” performed by Shoes & Strings. Following these special dances the dance floor was open for the evening! The dance floor was seriously PACKED all night long! The band, Shoes & Strings was so AMAZING and the energy in the room was just electric! It was definitely a party and everyone had a FABULOUS time! I think Michael and Sarah chose the PERFECT song to close out the evening…“Don’t Stop Believin” performed by Shoes & Strings!

Michael and Sarah’s wedding day was so BEAUTIFUL! They both looked FABULOUS and surrounded themselves with top notch vendors to ensure that their wedding day was flawless! Here are a list of the exceptional vendors who helped make Michael and Sarah’s wedding day dreams come true…

• A Little Bite of Heaven ~ Heidi and Lisa were wonderful to work with! The cupcakes were DELICIOUS and everyone enjoyed them!
• Oriental Trading Company & Candy Direct provided all of the amazing candy for Michael and Sarah’s candy bar! You can never go wrong with a candy bar…it looks FABULOUS and everyone, young and old, loves candy!
• Shoes & Strings ~ Like I said earlier, Branch and his guys were FABULOUS! Not only were they so nice and accommodating but they really went the extra mile to make sure that Michael and Sarah had the night of their lives! The music was AMAZING and everyone danced the entire evening!
• Bokay Florist ~ WE LOVE ANGIE & her staff! They are seriously the best and they do such AMAZING work! They are so very fun and creative and truly LOVE their jobs! All of the flowers for Michael and Sarah’s wedding day were STUNNING and just matched everything to a tee!
• Jennifer Driscoll Photography ~ Isn’t she just amazing? Jennifer is truly such a sweet person who is so passionate about her job! As I said before, Sarah had to have her and from her pictures you can see why! I love to look at Jennifer’s blog because every single photo she takes is just phenomenal! It was an absolute pleasure working with her!
• Conrad Indianapolis ~ Amanda and her staff are just PHENOMENAL at their jobs! As I said earlier, they truly roll out the red carpet for you and make you feel so special! They truly went above and beyond to ensure that Michael and Sarah had a night they would never forget! Everything about The Conrad is amazing…the people, the building, all of the fixtures, the chandeliers and the food! The food was OUTSTANDING and everyone loved it! We cannot say thank you enough to Amanda and all of her staff for their assistance throughout the entire day!

The GORGEOUS bride, Sarah, getting her hair done
Such a fun shot of all of the girls dresses
Shoes

Zipping up the dress
Is this not one of the most AMAZING pictures?
Sarah ~ You look STUNNING!
The Bride :)
I love this picture...the girls look like they are having so much fun!
Downtown Indy
The handsome groom, Michael
Such handsome men
Sarah's bouquet and one of the flower girls, Riley

The ADORABLE flower girls

Heath, the officiant, getting ready for the ceremony

Sarah and her dad, Jeff, walking down the aisle

Michael and Sarah saying their vows

YAY...They are Mr. & Mrs.

First Dance (I just LOVE how Sarah is looking at Michael...the love just radiates from her!) and the DELICIOUS cupcakes

The Band, Shoes & Strings and the flower girls dancing

Michael & Sarah as well as one of the bridesmaids bouquets

Michael and Sarah ~ Thank you so very much for allowing us to be a part of your special day! You both are such great individuals and truly make such a fabulous couple! We really enjoyed getting to know and working with both of you as well as your families! We wish you both nothing but the best as you move through life together as husband and wife! We hope your married life is filled with health, happiness, prosperity, fun, adventure and lots and lots of laughter! Thank you again for sharing your GORGEOUS day with us! Please stay in touch!

Sarah and Holley ~ You two were so fun to work with! We truly enjoyed our lunch/strategizing dates! You both were so great at “homework” and we cannot thank you enough for that! :) The day turned out absolutely beautiful and both of you looked so STUNNING! We miss our meetings and hope that you both are doing fabulously!

Brain & Laura ~ August 15, 2009

SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL

Brian and Laura are such a sweet couple! They are both so soft spoken but are truly a joy to be around. About seven months prior to their wedding we received a call from Laura's mom, Barbara. She had been referred to us by Ben and Jessica. We initially told her that we couldn't do it because we already had a wedding booked for that day (Zach and Marie) but we decided that since they were a referral from one of our past couples that we would split up into two teams and take Brian and Laura's wedding on! So we called Barbara back and began the planning process!

Brian and Laura live and go to school in Montana so Laura really entrusted the planning to her mom. Barbara and her husband also live in Montana during the winter and have a summer home here in the Indianapolis area so we began the planning process over the phone and through e-mail. Once Barbara and her husband returned to Indiana for the summer we hit the ground running. Laura had a clear vision of what she wanted for her day so it was up to Barbara and us to implement it. We had multiple strategizing and vendor meetings to make sure that everything was just as Laura had envisioned for her big day!

We were able to meet with Laura a few times prior to wedding day while she was in town. She is such a sweet and adorable person with such a caring and warm personality. She came into town a few weeks prior to the wedding to make sure all of the loose ends were tied up and that is when we found out that she had broken her wrist (she fell off of a horse) just a few weeks prior. So for her wedding she was in a cast but they were able to have a sleeve made from silk material to cover the cast. Because of the way her wrist was bent in the cast they called it the claw...too cute! Although it was less than ideal timing, Laura really had a good attitude about it!

On rehearsal day, all of the girls got pampered with manicures and pedicures and were then treated to a bridal luncheon at Plum's Upper Room in Zionsville (It was funny because they had lunch here and Zach and Marie, our other August 15th wedding, had their rehearsal dinner here that night). After the rehearsal, everyone went to dinner at the fabulous Loon Lake Lodge!

Wedding day quickly approached and was truly a wonderful and stress-free day! The girls began their day with breakfast at The Sheraton and were then picked up by Antique Limousine of Indianapolis service and taken to Allure Salon in Zionsville to get their hair done. Melissa, Natalie, Renee and the rest of the Allure Salon staff did a FABULOUS job with everyone's hair. Not only are these ladies wonderful at their jobs but they are also amazing individuals (I guess we are partial because both my mom and I get our hair done by these ladies on a regular basis)! Once the girls' hair appointments were complete the limo took them to Laura's grandmother's house where Rebecca and Ashley with True Colors BEAUTIFULLY applied everyone's makeup! The girls were also treated to lunch from Cafe Patachou. I love it when the girls are pampered and given the five-star treatment on wedding day! It just provides such a fun and relaxing environment which really sets the tone for the day!

Brian and his guys met at The Sheraton to relax, watch television and eat (they were treated to Jimmy Johns) prior to getting dressed and ready for the day. Brian and Laura had decided ahead of time that they wanted to see each other prior to the wedding so after lunch the guys got dressed and were taken to the church, St. Peter's United Church of Christ, in a limo to await Laura's arrival. Once Laura and the girls arrived we added the last few touches (the veil) to complete her look. We then took Brian out to the garden area where he patiently waited for Laura to make her entrance. Once Brian and Laura had their reveal and a few minutes alone it was time for fun group photos with the AMAZING Bobbi + Mike! You can just see from the photos how much fun everyone was having! Truthfully, Bobbi + Mike provide one of the most fun, energetic and exciting atmospheres, putting everyone at ease and allowing for FABULOUS photos.

It was soon time for the attendants to be in place and for guests to begin arriving. Barbara had arranged for two shuttle buses to transport the out-of-town guests from their hotel (The Sheraton) to the church. The guests were serenaded by The Village Quartet as they entered the sanctuary. There were many tender moments during the ceremony including Brian's father lighting a memory candle in Brian's mother's honor as well as Laura being escorted down the aisle by both her mother and father. Reverend Larry Kleiman did a FABULOUS job of delivering a very heartfelt and meaningful ceremony.

Once the ceremony was over Brian and Laura re-entered the church and personally greeted each individual as they released each row. As guests exited the church they were handed delicate paper cones filled with rose petals so that they could shower the bride and groom as they exited the church and stepped into an awaiting vintage Cadillac. The guests were then shuttled to the reception at The Indianapolis Art Center.

Once guests arrived at The Indianapolis Art Center they were escorted outside for the cocktail hour. The grounds are just GORGEOUS so the guests were able to walk the grounds or stand under the BEAUTIFUL portico or relax under the tent. The guests were treated to delicious hors d'oeuvres and drinks! Mark Beecher with Grapevine Productions did a WONDERFUL job with the music and really helped to set the light, airy and relaxed atmosphere.

After a few more photos around the grounds it was time for Brian and Laura to cut their BEAUTIFUL cake provided by Classic Cakes! Brian and Laura then led their guests into the library for dinner. Because Brian and Laura enjoy reading they decided to name the tables after some of their favorite authors. Instead of making table name cards that had the author's names on them, they decided to get books that the author's had written and display them! I thought that was a cute and unique idea/alternative. They also put together very thoughtful favors...they were mini jars of Huckleberry Jam made from wild Montana huckleberries with an adorable note that read "Thank you BERRY much for being a part of our special day!"

The food was provided by Jacquie's Catering. Crystal and her staff did a wonderful job of making sure everything was ready and that the food tasted outstanding. Once dinner was over the guests were escorted out to the portico where they were greeted with a glass of champagne for the toasts. All three of the toasts were so sweet and thoughtful (Kelli, the maid-of-honor, did such an outstanding job! She told many great stories filled with lots of laughter and tears of joy.). It was then time for Brian and Laura's first dance as husband and wife (they danced to Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis). Laura then shared a dance with her father to the song, How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You by James Taylor. Ah...I just love father/daughter moments (I know I am such a sap!). Open dancing began and the evening was closed out with the song, We Are Family by Sister Sledge! Mark Beecher with Grapevine Productions really did a FABULOUS job throughout the evening, not just with the music but as the master of ceremonies, He kept the atmosphere fun and upbeat, making sure that the dance floor (under the portico...which I love) was full for the entire evening!

Here are the vendors who made this day possible...

• Classic Cakes ~ Always providing outstanding service and beautiful and delicious cakes!
• Jacquie's Catering ~ Jackie and her staff are always a pleasure to work with. They really do give it their all and provide a wonderful array of delicious foods!
• TLW Entertainment (The Village Quartet) ~ Terry and his staff are so great to work with. He always provides us with top notch entertainment!
• St. Peter's United Church of Christ ~ Larry was so fabulous to work with! He was so genuinely nice and accommodating. We really enjoyed working with him.
• Grapevine Productions (Mark Beecher) ~ What can I say that I have not already said...Mark is fabulous and does such a wonderful job! He had a wonderful array of music options and he really kept the party going all night long!
• Posh Petals ~ Meredith and her team did a beautiful job with all of the florals for this wedding! Everything looked vibrant and fresh and truly fit in perfectly with the vibe of the wedding!
• Engledow Group ~ Kevin and his team provided large trees to fill in around the entrance and the sanctuary of the church. The trees were beautiful and provided an excellent look for the day!
• Allure Salon ~ Melissa and her team did a wonderful job on all of the girls hair! Everyone looked beautiful!
• Sheraton Hotel (Keystone at The Crossing) ~ Greg really took care of everything for us! Everyone was so nice and accommodating and truly made it a great experience for the out-of-town guests.
• True Colors ~ Rebecca and Ashley are just amazing at their jobs! They truly made each of the girls look so stunning! They are genuinely such nice people and they truly love their job!
• Bobbi + Mike Photography ~ Again...what can I say...I just LOVE them and their work! They are fabulous at their job and create the perfect atmosphere to keep everyone upbeat and carefree! Not to mention that their photos are beyond AMAZING!
• Indianapolis Art Center ~ Iris and her staff were so great to work with! They were so accommodating and truly went the extra mile to make sure that we had everything that we needed to make Brian and Laura's day perfect!
• Loon Lake Lodge ~ They provide such a fun and relaxed atmosphere for rehearsal dinners! All of their staff is so fun to work with and the food is awesome!
• A-Classic Party Rental ~ Gary and his team always provide the best linens and rental items! Everyone who works there is so fun and truly cares about making your event the best it can possibly be!
• Antique Limousine of Indianapolis ~ Jack was so fabulous throughout this planning process! He organized all of the vehicle needs (limos, shuttles, antique Cadillac) eliminating the need to have multiple contracts with multiple companies! He is wonderful to work with and truly goes the extra mile to provide the best for his couples.

Laura's Shoes & Dress
Isn't she just GORGEOUS?
Laura and her mom, Barbara (BEAUTIFUL!) ~ Laura and the girls having fun!

Brian and the guys getting ready

Brian and the guys around the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center

Ah....Bobbi + Mike are just AMAZING! Picture Perfect!

Brian and Laura walking through the vegetable garden :)

See how much fun everyone was having :)

The little moments

Brian and Laura being showered with rose petals

CUTE!

They are so GORGEOUS together

One of the guest tables

After Kelli's Toast

Brian and Laura's first dance as husband and wife

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL under the portico?

Laura and her dad, Patrick

Laura dancing with her grandfather...so ADORABLE

Brian and Laura ~ Thank you so very much for allowing us to be a part of your special day! You two are so sweet and have such wonderful demeanors. We truly enjoyed working with both of you and your families. You are both such great individuals and are surrounded with such an amazing support group of friends and family. We wish you both nothing but the best as you travel through this marital adventure. Enjoy marriage and please stay in touch!

Barbara ~ It was so much fun working with you! You are so sweet and were such a pleasure to be around! You did a fabulous job of taking Laura's vision and implementing it! Thank you for allowing us to be a part of Brian and Laura's day!