[Images: Liz Fogarty Photography]
I loved the way you could totally feel this couple’s personality from their wedding images. From the bright orange, pink, and yellow color palette, to all the DIY projects – it was no wonder that this Maryland wedding totally rocked, with the bride being a SUPER talented musician. (Check her out!). The wedding has a slight bohemian meets Rock N Roll vibe and I am pumped to get to share some awesome insight from the couple to go along with their gorgeous wedding images from Liz Fogarty. Enjoy!
Since we were long distance engaged (I was in MD where we’d be getting married & Luke was in LA), Luke gave me free reign to make a lot of the design choices, although I tried to run things by him whenever I thought he might have a preference :) We wanted the wedding (which we referred to as ‘the party’) to feel young and colorful and delightful and casual. We wanted all of our friends and family to have an amazing time. We went with a palate of shades of hot pink, fuchsia and orange for the bridesmaids, navy blue suits on the (12!) groomsmen, and pops of yellow to tie it all together – DIY-ed billy ball bouquets for the girls and (also DIY-ed) boutonnieres for the guys.
Our invitation photo, which came before all of our wedding design choices, totally encapsulates the feel of the wedding – Luke and I sat on a bench in LA front of a hot pink wall and asked random strangers walking by to snap photos of us with his iPhone. The very first one was the best and when I was back in Maryland, we designed our invitation together over Skype. When a cousin we’d invited noticed the lack of formal wording and fancy calligraphy on our invitations I was super happy because I knew it felt like “us” … as a couple we’re more “print” than “cursive.”
The gorgeous grounds and architecture and round reception room with floor to ceiling windows at Newton White Mansion sold us on the venue. I knew the pictures would be gorgeous. Luckily the rain on our wedding day held off long enough for us to get pictures outside, but by the time the ceremony started it was pouring, so we were glad we decided to move everything into the reception space as our rain plan. Having windows on all sides made us feel like we were outside and in at the same time.
Kayte’s friend and former band mate Kevin accompanied her on guitar from his seat as she sung to Luke during the ceremony. Luke’s friend Adrian sweet talked a store into opening early and picked up Luke’s tie the morning of the wedding (don’t ask!) and got it to him just in time for the ceremony. Our friend Peter put together amazing playlists of music for before the ceremony, the cocktail hour, eating and dancing. Luke’s friend Stephen drove all night from Ohio to be at the wedding and pick up the beer in time for the cocktail hour and reception. Our friend Nicole was the crazily organized ring master who was the “Day Of Coordinator” for us. And our amazing bridal party made sure we had a great time.
Click inside for more of Kayte & Luke’s adorable DIY Maryland wedding!
The whole tribe pitched in. Luke’s parents hosted a warm, lovefest of a rehearsal dinner for our families and big bridal party at an Italian restaurant. They also had champagne and chilled glasses waiting for us in our getaway car. Luke’s aunt Martie, who’s an artist took an inspiration photo I sent her and made a gorgeous, 8 foot tall ceremony backdrop of hand dyed and cut fabric strips for us to get married in front of. Kayte’s dad built a gold frame for the backdrop. Kayte’s mom helped her plan and DIY every single detail of the wedding (see DIY-ed items list below). Luke’s mom baked pecan pie bars for the dessert table and his cousin Beverly made cookies – Kayte’s mom also made brownies. Kayte’s god-mother baked over 100 cupcakes.
We used a globe for our guestbook since we’re planning on doing an around the world trip in the near future. Kayte (a singer/songwriter) sang Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love” to Luke during the ceremony. Kayte’s friend since kindergarten Andrew (who’d never officiated a wedding) officiated the ceremony that Kayte and Luke completely custom built. The bridal party entered the wedding to Coldplay’s “Lovers in Japan / Reign of Love” and then entered reception to The Black Keys’ “Howlin’ for You.” We ate Chipotle :) There were double the amount of groomsmen as bridesmaids (Luke has a lot of friends!) so we had bridesmaids and groomsmen stand interspersed on both sides of us up at the altar. And for our first dance, we danced to Ray Charles’ “Come Rain or Come Shine” and midway through, I grabbed my dad and Luke grabbed his mom and we had our father/daughter, mother/son dances together.
The colorful fabric backdrop made by Luke’s aunt Martie (she hand-dyed silk!). And almost everything else was DIY or handmade by Kayte and her mom!
Here’s the full DIY list: a huge photo seating chart with pictures of each of the 150 guests (that was a LOT of Google stalking to find some of those photos!), hand cut photo place cards on the reception tables, backed with textured yellow paper, table names in frames that each told a piece of Luke and Kayte’s love story, billy ball bouquets for Kayte & the bridesmaids, boutonnieres for the groomsmen, billy ball centerpieces for the reception and cocktail hour tables, gold polka dot burlap placemats for the center of each reception table, a “date night idea” station at the cocktail hour, gold glitter Mr & Mrs bunting for the sweetheart table and other bunting throughout the mansion, a customized mailbox for the gift table for guests to put cards in, large framed Chipotle menus in the buffet rooms, the program, which featured a map of the venue and timeline of the day, and all of the signage for the day were made by Kayte.
We both love Chipotle, so we had them cater the wedding. We thought, “Why not eat what we like?” At the bar we served a few different kinds of beer and margaritas (curated by Luke) and for our cocktail our, Too Blessed to Be Stressed served delicious, tiny chicken and waffle bites drizzled with syrup, spicy ginger plantains (a nod to Kayte’s Ghanaian side) and hot crab dip.
Photographer: Elizabeth Fogarty | Bakery: Patisserie Manuel & cupcakes made by the Bride’s Aunt | Backdrop: DIYed by Bride’s Aunt | Flowers: DIYed by Bride & Family | Dress Store: Love Couture Bridal | Reception Venue: Newton White Mansion – Gina Vaughan | Caterer: Too Blessed to be Stressed & Chipotle | Submitted via Two Bright Lights
