Cory Weber Photography

I Still Do

0 · Feb 19, 2018 ·

Last week my husband and I celebrated Valentine ’s Day all week – you could say it was our week of love. Each day, we had to give each other a small but thoughtful gift, 5 gifts in total. I don’t know what it was like in the beginning of your relationships, but I remember lots of romantic gestures in the beginning. Thoughtful gifts without reason, dates beginning with bouquets of flowers and extravagant dinners. 10 years later, the scene has changed a little. That doesn’t mean romance is gone, it’s just shifted.

I think the best part of it was realizing that even through the un-fun parts of life, through the moves, job changes, children and general chaos that often fills our lives – I don’t want time to turn back. It’s fun to reminisce about the beginning but there was a lot of un-fun there too. There’s no such things as a perfect relationship and as with any good thing, it takes work.

The best part of right now is knowing that we’ll always be there for one another, no matter what life brings. It’s the comfort in the commitment. I hold the knowledge that given the choice, we would both do it all over again.

And to prove it, Josh re-proposed to me over the Christmas holiday.

I Still Do | Christmas Proposal | Cory Weber Photography

For the past two years, I have been unable to wear my engagement/wedding ring set. The reason why is an entirely different story of not being properly educated by your jeweler and trying to save a few pennies. I’ve been wearing a random piece of jewelry on that finger, switching it out depending on the day and simply imagining what wearing a ring on that figure is supposed to represent.

My old ring had lots of sentimental value and while I wanted something wearable, I was struggling with the idea of giving it up. I remember the day he first proposed, the day a wedding band was added and while I know I shouldn’t be so attached to “things” – I am definitely a person that associates items with memories and this one held a lot of memories.

Knowing all of this, my husband had it reset. He used the same stone and worked with a local jeweler to simplify a design that I could wear for years to come. He also purchased an estate wedding band to pair with my “engagement ring”. Then a couple days before Christmas, he asked me out on a date. We took a walk to see a really pretty Christmas tree that my mom had mentioned was in the venue that we happened to host our wedding reception at (and we’ve often visited from time to time). Once inside, he got down on one knee with my new ring and asked me to stay his wife – all with Cory Weber hiding nearby capturing the entire thing. He (Cory) then stuck around for a few more photos and we had the engagement session that we’d never had years earlier.

Photography: Cory Weber Photography | Proposal Venue: The Old Art Building in Leland, Michigan

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin

Three Wishes Inspired by Venues

0 · Feb 7, 2018 ·

I’m still holding firm that if you put good wishes out into the world, good things will come your way. Or at least it can’t hurt.

I had starting this three wishes series as a way for me to get inspired and share those inspirations with you. I have lots of wishes, most of which will never come true, and that’s perfectly alright. It’s still fun to dream. Lately, however, I’ve felt completely uninspired. I’m not sure if it’s winter that seems to be bearing down on us or the fact that I haven’t made a bridal bouquet since October. Sometimes I think it’s really hard to stay inspired when we’re all just hunkered down on the sofa, wrapped in blankets and simply hoping that I won’t have to leave the house today. This is the time that I begin to dream of faraway places…

….and places that are a little less distant, where I might really like to work and design events.

Greencrest Manor

This French Normandy style mansion, with it’s trailing ivy and extensive gardens has captured my imagination. I had the opportunity to be a part of the Bloom Workshop hosted there last September and am hoping that someone gives me the chance to return.

This venue really hits all of my favorite marks. It has a grand staircase that’s enough to take one’s breathe away. It’s overflowing with early 20^th century woodwork, tile and charms. The gardens and the architecture look like something from the European countryside and I’m in disbelief that such a place actually exists here in my own state. It was such a brief time spent at this venue, I’m just hoping I have the good fortune soon to go back and bring with my buckets of flowers galore.

From Bloom the Workshop | Photography by Stephanie Abbitt Photography | Floral Design: The Day’s Design

The Old Art Building

On a slightly less grand scale is the Old Art Building. If you’ve been reading this journal for any length of time at all, then you probably already know why my heart is drawn to this quaint little spot on the Carp River. From the outside, it’s manicured lawn and cottage charm are enough to stop right there. But then, you step in the door and feel the rush of decades of artists pouring their souls into the place. the scaling windows and stone fireplace add just the perfect blend of ambiance and natural light. The softly whitewashed walls splattered with old paint, each spill telling a tale of it’s own, this might just be my favorite part.

My own wedding reception took place in the space. I couldn’t imagine and more perfect location. However, I have yet to have the occasion to work another event there. I have stopped in and even hosted a editorial styled shoot in the space, all while yearning to design another real wedding in this space.

Foreign Destinations

There are so many places outside of my home state to explore, and I am eager to embrace them all. I’ve traveled with buckets and blooms in tow before and would love to do it again. I’m seeking adventure and know there are so many places that I have yet to experience. From the mountains of the Carolinas to the old world charms of Europe, I’d love to plan an event at a Southern plantation or travel half way around the world to explore the flower markets of France.

If you’re planning a destination wedding, hiring a local florist can be a great benefit – they know the area, what’s available and most likely have their routine down pat. However, bringing in a fresh set of eyes, someone whose style you know and trust, can bring a fresh new life to the space. It can give you a peace of mind and a comfort from home. I was recently chatting with a bride who reminded me of such a great point, a point that I know but sometimes as you’re in the flow of business and chugging along you forget some of your ‘selling points’. She says (I’m paraphrasing a little here), she doesn’t want to hire a florist for her wedding that was sort of close to her style and ask them to step outside of their norm, creating something they were uncomfortable with but what more fitting with her vision. She’d rather hire someone from an outside area, that she’s 100% confident in their style and work. Makes sense, right?

Not every designer out there has the itch to travel or will work outside of a certain range of their studio space. But many will, myself included.

Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography

What venues are you dreaming of? Where do you want to travel to? And how is your wedding planning coming along? I still have openings for 2018 and am starting to book 2019 dates as well. Let’s chat.

Marriage Study :: 5 Stages of Love

0 · Jan 22, 2018 ·

I recently learned that one of my brides is getting divorced. I my first reaction was very judgmental, I felt like they must have just given up. They were only married for 2 years, how could they possibly think that was long enough to even try to give their marriage a fair try?

Of course I don’t know the day to day happenings in their lives, what arguments or situations may have lead them to this point. It is certainly wrong of me to judge. I’m not living in their shoes. But I was raised and stand by the belief that divorce simply is not an option. However, persistence is.

If you Google the 5 Stages of Love – you’ll find article after article detailing the 5 phases that relationships cycle through. These certainly aren’t original thoughts of mine but I can’t help but wonder if others knew more about these stages and knew what to expect as their live together merge, that maybe this would help as trouble is certain to arise.

Falling in Love

This seems easy. Everything is bliss and butterflies and seems like the most exciting part of a relationship. Everything is new and fresh and we aren’t annoyed by quirky habits. There’s a hormonal rush and passion is alive. It’s a feeling that we’re sure will last forever and we cannot imagine living without the other person.

I can still remember the night that I first realized I loved my husband. It was a night spent at my apartment, just the two of us talking about our hopes and dreams and what we wanted out of life. We had been dating for a few months and it was like a scene from a romantic movie – the moment that two characters look deeply into each other’s eyes and they just know. The reason we watch those types of movies is because sometimes they’re true or at least we hope they are. I spent years searching for this moment. Life can really be a fairytale, right?

Becoming a Couple

Most people wed during the falling in love stage, so it’s during the first couple years of marriage that they truly become a couple. Lives are merged and two truly become one.

Other couples date a little longer and might “become a couple” might actually take place prior to the wedding. When exactly this phase of love happens isn’t important, what is important is the trust and comfort that’s found in this relationship. There’s security and a deeper sense of who each other is.

After two years of dating, we got married. We purchased and home and moved in together. We began blending everything. Our collage décor, mismatched dishes, routines and schedules. There’s much that happens during this time. And I blissfully thought that this was going to be amazing. I finally had a house of we could call home, after 7 years of living on my own, moving from boring apartment to apartment, now we’d have something that we could remodel and make ours. I thought this would be a great bonding experience and something we’d be proud of, because it would be ours.

Disillusionment

This stage was unexpected for me. I have a feeling it might hit a few others as a surprise as well. In fact, when I Googled the 5 Stages of Love caption after caption appeared about couples getting stuck on Stage 3. I can absolutely see this happening.

Apparently this is when it all comes crashing down. One might start questioning everything, does he love me? Did I marry the right man? Why isn’t he talking to me? What did I do? These feelings might slowly start creeping in or perhaps a switch just flips in your relationship.

For us, this was about year 4-5 in marriage. I don’t really remember why it started or what made me start to question everything about my marriage. What I do remember is the numbness and so many tears. I remember feeling as though I simply had a roommate. I felt underappreciated and stuck. While we fought some, sometimes it was more of a lack of communication that drained me. We would only say what absolutely had to be communicated and nothing more. We now had a daughter, and there was talk of having another but I was terrified. We were now a family, shouldn’t we be happy? I never really thought that quitting was an option, but I was exhausted and desperately wanted to feel better. I thought the rest of my life might be summed up by simply tolerating each other rather than actually feeling love.

5 Stages of Love | The Day's Dream Journal | Cory Weber Photography

Photography: Cory Weber Photography

Real Love

Keep pushing on. That’s what we did. One day we connected, and a switch flipped in our relationship. Suddenly, we felt really connected and dare I say, happy? For us, I can literally pin point 1 day in July when the disillusionment ended and I felt love again. That’s not to say that I still don’t have days when I’m less than enchanted by my husband, but there’s a peace that’s within me knowing that we can make it through anything.

Sometimes I’m saddened by the fact that I know I’ll never feel the excitement of a new relationship again. But having a real love is totally worth never feeling those flutters again. And that’s not to say that I don’t still get excited by my husband, there’s still fun, surprises and excitement – sometimes it just takes a little extra work to keep things new.

Commited Love that Changes the World

I can’t comment much on this stage, I don’t think we’re here. I would say our relationship is comfortably sitting in stage 4 right now. However using your love to change the world sounds like a pretty amazing idea. Not that I think we can change the entire world, but perhaps we should think on a smaller, more local scale. How can we help our community? How can we work together for the greater good?

Here’s what I don’t know. I don’t know what’s on the road ahead for us. Part of me feels like we’ve got a lot of married life ahead of us. While I think we’ve finally figured out how to work together and we’re in a really good place, I think there could possibly be another dose of stage 3 that creeps in. But I know we can work through it and come out stronger on the other side. I certainly don’t expect it to be smooth sailing from this point on. I’m realistic enough to know that we’re two separate people with two separate identities trying to do life together, so at some point there’s bound to be conflict.

My words of caution – know that stage 3 WILL come and be prepared. But you CAN preserve. Of course it’s scary, not knowing when or where it will start or how it will end. But we need to build each other up and encourage one another. Have a good support system and be committed to working through your struggles knowing that a love even better waits on the other side.

for more reading, some here are some of my sources for this article – menalive, david wolfe and this one outlines the stages slightly different, yet the main point is still the same love at first fight

6 Wedding Trends on the Horizon for 2018

0 · Dec 28, 2017 ·

I’m still in awe of the fact that there are only 3 days left in 2017. So naturally, my mind has starting reflecting on the past year and thinking ahead to 2018. There’s something so refreshing about January, I feel like it’s full of possibility and its own sense of wonder and sparkle. By February, I’ll be singing the winter blues, but right now, I’m feeling hopeful for the New Year and thinking of things to come, which includes upcoming wedding trends.

Now with that being said, I’m not going to try to predict the future. I don’t have a crystal ball and I very much believe that couples should aim to host weddings that truly represent their relationship with one another and their own unique style. Nevertheless, there are always certain elements of décor and in the planning process that I find myself recreating over and over again throughout the season.

Based on clients I have booked for the year and conversations I’ve had with future brides, this is what I think we’ll see in 2018. I might be completely off base with my ideas, I purposefully have not read another blog’s décor or wedding trends predictions and so these are just 100% my gut instincts (maybe we’ll circle back at the end of the year and see how I did!)

1. Bye Bye Blush

Since 2014, blush had been the number one color referenced by brides. While I don’t believe that it’s going to leave us entirely, I am hearing talk about mauves, plums and other purple tones. There’s lots of talk about neutrals stills, but they seem to be less specific in tone and more concerned about an overall feeling or mood which leaves room for layering and lots of rich colors.

Blush Wedding Flowers | The Day's Design | Samantha James Photography

Photography: Samantha James Photography

2. Hello Purple

I actually starting writing this post before Pantone announced the color of the year will be Ultra Violet. So I’m feeling really confident in my prediction that we’ll see those hues that I mentioned in my first trend alert. However, I personally will steer away from such a shockingly bright tone and stick with the more calming end of the spectrum, keeping lavenders, periwinkles and soft purples with lots of depth and color variations in my work.

Plum Weddings | The Day's Design | Ashley Slater Photography

Photography: Ashley Slater Photography

3. Greenery will be King

The past couple years have I have incorporated conspicuous amounts of greenery into my designs and it seems like this trend is continuing on. It’s such an impactful way to bring the outdoors into your space. However, I would love to work on some fresh takes with you, thinking beyond just greenery runners.

Greenery Wedding Table | The Day's Design | Kelly Sweet Photography

Photography: Kelly Sweet Photography

4. Focus on the Experience

More than focusing on the décor or specifics of the event, more and more I find couples focusing on making sure that the overall experience of the day is thoughtful and full of celebration. It’s more about creating an environment that will welcome, a flow that makes sense for both the couple, family and wedding guests and just making sure everyone has a great time, is their #1 priority for the day.

The Wedding Experience | The Day's Design | Samantha James Photography

Photography: Samantha James Photography

5. Incorporating Elements from the Past

I’ve heard so much about vintage weddings in the past 5 years. Anything from china to mismatched mason jars and rustic “junk” have all become really sought after items for your wedding day. Last year I feel like I finally saw a shift away from that and I think it will continue. Now that’s not saying that rustic is “out” or we won’t see any more vintage weddings. I think we’ll still see lots of elements from the past.

However, I imagine that there will be a shift in the way that they’ll be incorporated. I find that many brides, and people in general, like to add a sense of nostalgia and tradition to their celebrations. Because of that, I think we’ll see traditions and vintage pieces incorporated in much more meaningful and subtle ways. Wax seals instantly take you to eras gone by. Grandma’s necklace to wear on your wedding day. Heirloom ring boxes (like the one belove, which I’m completely obsessed with). Wine and whisky barrels and chippy accents will still be used, but paired with modern and tasteful items that do a better job of representing a couple’s personal style. What I think is disappearing is the blanket phrase that I once heard so many brides say, “I’m having a vintage wedding”. But we’ll definitely be keeping a few timeless pieces from the past.

Vintage Ring Box | The Day's Design | Samantha James Photography

Photography: Samantha James Photography

6. Focus on Simplicity

I feel a minimalist movement approaching. It’s in life, schedules, belongings and it’s going to seep into our wedding work as well. I predict lots of white space, arrangements that are open enough to “let a bird fly through” (a little phrase I picked up from my time at Little Flower School) and focusing on the details that will really be appreciated. I don’t think that texture and organic designs are leaving, I think they were simply opened the doorway to a more minimized wedding attitude. This more modern approach can be translated into a variety of venues and wedding styles, color useage will be key, and I like the idea of lofts and open, blank canvases and of course keeping nature at the forefront of my inspiration.

Minimal Wedding Design | The Day's Design | Cory Weber Photography

Photography: Cory Weber Photography

I’m really excited to see all that the coming year has in store for weddings and I have still have openings for both floral only and design/planning clients so if you’re planning a 2018 celebration, let’s chat!

Branding :: New Website Launch

0 · Jun 26, 2017 ·

In 2014, I attended my very first floral workshop with Kelly Perry of Philosophy Flowers. She became the sweet voice of encouragement that believed in me, and pushed me to believe in myself. I nervously signed up for her Team Flower Workshop not really knowing where I was heading, but understanding that there was a void in my life and in the flowers that were being presented to my brides. I wanted to capture the garden, to put it in a vessels and allow it to add joy to a table. I wanted to allow clematis vines to trail from a bride’s hands or loosely encircle and arbor. I had visions of what it was like planting flowers each summer with my mom, but couldn’t quite figure out how to translate that into my event designs or how to bring that to life on a wedding day.

Photography: Heather Payne Photography

The Day’s Design is turning 5 years old this September, and this will be my fourth summer with floral design as part of my service offerings. That decision to learn more about flowers changed my world. It made me appreciate nature, my surroundings and see the beauty of Michigan in a whole new light. However, as much excitement as I feel when I find a rose with the most perfect muddy – champagne hue, the real excitement comes when I see the tears of joy in a bride’s face when she looks at her wedding flowers and knows that today will be the best day of her life, and I was privileged enough to be a teenie tiny part of that.

I think a huge part of moving forward is reflecting back and understanding where we came from. I’m not dwelling in the past though, but using it to build the future. I’ve been sharing a little behind my rebranding process and it has made me a little nostalgic. It’s also made me appreciate a lot of people that have helped me along the way. I’m eager to celebrate 5 years of business. In the meantime though, I’m excited to share my new website. My business has evolved much since those early days of burlap and lace. There are beautiful new projects and weddings that I’ve been holding back and there’s a dose of freshness, which I think beautifully represents who I am and what The Day’s Design is today.

I’d also like to send a huge thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey, from new flower friends, to both Northern and West Michigan’s amazing community of wedding planners. Plus, a little extra love to those photographers whose images you will find on my new site – Ashley Slater Photography, Cory Weber Photography, Katie Grace Photography, Kelly Sweet Photography & Samantha James Photography. Hire them, they’re amazing! And don’t forget to go look at my new website!!

Real Weddings :: Mary & Nic’s Foodie Celebration

0 · Oct 5, 2016 ·

Do you remember how hot it was last Labor Day? I mean, Labor Day 2015 – not this past year. That’s how far behind I am on blogging gorgeous momeries of days gone by.

Anyway, it was the hottest day I experienced all summer. I remember so distinctly because I was beyond thankful for the garlands my bride has chosen to line her tables and how she had also shared some concern about having a September wedding and the potential for a good fall chill to join the night air as the sun departed for the day.

This did not happen. I thought for sure I was going to melt into a puddle and the beautiful dahlias along with me.

The days leading up to Mary and Nic’s celebration were filled with trips to the farmer’s market, foraging excursions and finding the most succulent edible treats to add into their décor. As I sat down with Mary discussing her wedding florals she gave me only two parameters – they love food, so herbs and other edible delights were welcome (and vary much a MUST) and then she showed me her maid of honor’s dress, which I should use for the color palette inspiration.

So instructions were followed, with artichokes and apples placed into the bouquets. Bay leaves and olive branches were woven into garlands. Pomegranates, persimmons and potted herbs decorated the tables. And at the end of the night, I realized that someone thought the centerpieces looked so good, they actually took a bite.

They were wed at The Felt Mansion, which is one of my favorite venues in West Michigan. The classic architecture and the brick, the charming pond and perfect getting ready space. It’s all perfect. The mansion’s front door served as the backdrop to the ceremony, with cocktails following in the lawn and a tented dinner. Desserts were then served in the parlor with Love’s Ice Cream cart placed just outside.

And then we must talk about the dancing. These people knew how to dance. Mary and Nic start the night out in style with a very nontraditional first dance songs and an ode to one of my favorite movies, “Kiss the Girl”. The entire scene was made complete with a guest joining in with an impromptu Scuttle impersonation in the background. It set the fun tone for the entire night. While some late night weddings I like to find a place to disappear into the shadows, this was a evening of pure entertainment.

Sweet nostalgia in form of a fragrance, the aroma of bay leaves filled the tent and instantly took Nic back to boyhood memories of his days in California. I like to think that there will now be a new memory paired with this fragrant little leaf, a recollection of the day he and Mary started their happily ever after.

This wedding was also featured in the current issue of The Knot Michigan.

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All Hail the Red, While & Blue

0 · Jul 6, 2016 ·

We’re now six days deep into July and it’s taken me this long to dig through my portfolio to find a somewhat patriotic, or red white and blue flower arrangement. While these colors might not be every bride’s dream palette, it doesn’t seem like it would be that difficult to find something with a little red in it.

This little challenge of mine has got me thinking, once again, about color. I just can’t seem to get the impact of it off of my mind. Color is everywhere.

Through this searching process, I have realized why there’s very little red, white and blue in my work. Perhaps not that surprising unless you’re part of a military wedding. But the real reason is, red doesn’t inspire me. I don’t choose to add it into my creations. After all, how am I supposed to work with a medium I’m not inspired by?

Of course I’ve had brides tell me that they’re using shades of cherry, burgundy, garnet, marsala and berry in their palette. We’ve always worked together to bring this vision to life in a way that is inspiring and artful to both of us. But just red, count me out.

Perhaps one of my favorite sources of color inspiration was when dear Mary showed me a picture of her maid of honor’s blooming dress. The dress was clearly fabulous but suddenly I was panicked, I would have to use red flowers.

And then she told me how much her and the groom love food. I started dreaming of eatible berries and olive branches and other seamingly obvious ingredients. But then, I started taking a deeper look during my weekly grocery shopping trips and examining the various tones in the produce section. Their wedding flowers were no longer about color, but a feeling and a representation of them. I began to reshape my thought process and take notice of the small details in the everyday world around me. I experienmented with wiring chilis into buttonholes and scheming of how to sneak a few apple branches from my neighbor’s tree. Trips to the farmer’s market, searching through greenhouse herbs, bay leafs, lavender, peppers, artichokes and pomegranates created a palette that wasn’t just pleasing for the eyes but really was good enough to eat. Together, we worked to find something that was beautiful to both of us – and it’s one of my favorite weddings to date.

So if you’re presented with an obstacle in your wedding planning that at first glance may seem less than ideal, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and tackle the challenge. Sometimes you just need to approach things from a different angle and not be so quick to judge a color (or venue, chair, suit, etc).

Photography: Cory Weber Photography

Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday!

And if you want to see my chili pepper buttonhole, pop on over to instagram – it’s red, white and blue perfection!

A Creative Voice

0 · May 3, 2016 ·

Wedding Design | Naked Wedding Cake | The Day's Design | The Cakabakery | Weber Photography

Photography: Weber Photography | Cake: The Cakabakery | Floral Design: The Day’s Design

Last week kicked off the start of my wedding season. I haven’t unpacked all my boxes yet from the move, my studio space isn’t anywhere near being set up and it was my biggest wedding of the entire year. I had knots in my stomach for days.

So last Tuesday morning, instead of trying to organize a little more or prepping my flower buckets for the impending blooms, I decided to color some terra cotta pots with chalk. They just looked too fresh to house my little cactus friends and they needed a little “distressing”, if you will.

I was rather enjoying myself when suddenly I realized how ridiculous this was – I had a to-do list 3 miles long and I was coloring pots. Pots that 90% of the wedding guests probably wouldn’t see and who knows if I would receive any appreciation at all for my efforts.

I started thinking about all the silly little details that I have stressed about throughout the seasons – I’ve added gold leafing to planters, spray painted animals the perfect shade of rose gold, I’ve visiting slews of nurseys and greenhouses in hunt for the perfect connector flowers. I’ve shopped high and low for white ceramic pots, silky ribbons and copper charger plates. I’ve painted, built, crafted, diy-ed, hunted, gathered and blown my floral budgets to bits all because “good enough” is never enough for me. I’m constantly seeking my version of perfection and knowing that I can do more.

Often you’ll find me straddling the line between madness and brilliance, trying to find my creative voice in this industry. I would like to announce that I think have finally found it. I finally know what it is I want to create. I have found my style, my niche and my flair in what seems to be an oversaturated market. It’s taken years to get here and it wasn’t easy. But it’s this line that I’m willing to cross that makes me unique and the realization that I might not do things the way others do or even in a way that would be considered “correct”. But it works for me. I’m willing to cry tears of exhaustion to put a smile on a bride’s face. And I will shop my heart out.

Why should you hire an event designer verses just a florist? For all those reasons above. It goes beyond centerpieces, beyond garden roses and bouquets. It’s not about wholesale South American roses verses local wildflowers. It’s about you. It’s about using my create vision to capture the essence of you as a couple, as a client, as a bride. From signage, to invitations, to linen selections, table runners, seating options, room layouts, mariachi bands, favors, lighting, flowers and knowing when to add an extra sprig of greenery to your cake, I’m here every step making sure this celebration is a reflection of this remarkable couple in front of me on their wedding day.

Shelby signature

Tips for Traditional Church Weddings

0 · Feb 9, 2016 ·

White Chapel Wedding | The Day's Design | Cory Weber Photography

Photography: Weber Photography

There’s time honored tradition that goes along with getting married in a church. It’s a humble beginning and a way to start your lives together with a God centered marriage.

However, more and more couple are choosing to get married in wide open spaces with nature as their backdrop. That doesn’t mean the ceremonies have to be any less religious or meaningful, but there is a certain charm that’s lacking. It’s just not how Grandma would have done it.

I understand. I’m a visual person and love planning ceremonies in pretty places. I too opted for beautiful surroundings rather than honoring tradition. So how can you find the best of both worlds?

Every now and then I pass a darling little white chapel and dream of what it looks like on the inside. It’s so picturesque. Occasionally I’m even able to peak in the windows or find images online. Usually I’m disappointed. So many times they’ve been updated with blue industrial grade carpeting or the old wooden pews have been replaced by something a little plusher. And on top of that, sometimes these little churches are small and seat under 100 guests, without bridal suites or even a classroom to take over for primping. In compromise, perhaps plan you ceremony on the steps of a chapel with the building as your backdrop. Set chairs on the lawn and you can have the best of both worlds.

Other churches are much more modern to start with. They don’t have windows, pews or any qualities really that brides today seek in their wedding photos. It’s not the church’s fault. They’re meant to be places of worship, not photo backdrops.

So if you are planning church nuptials, or saying I do in any indoor setting, here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

Lighting – make sure your photographer is properly equipped to work in a potentially dark space. Also understand that if you hire a natural light photographer, the ceremony pictures might not be as airy and luminescent as other images in their portfolio.

Décor limitations – many churches and indoor spaces tend to have many décor restrictions. Flowers can’t always be placed highly visual areas. Candle use might be restricted. And often aisle runners aren’t allowed.

Other Restrictions – other churches, especially Catholic and various formal settings, have policies in place limiting photography. Photographers and videographers occasionally are restrained to certain areas and banned from places like balconies and the front pews. They also may require you to use their minister and have set ceremony and rehearsal times.

As with planning any wedding ceremony, the focus should be on representing your relationship. Décor should aim to accent the beauty that naturally exists in the space and remember that no matter where you host your celebration, at the end of the day, the important thing is that you’re married.

Shelby signature

Cory Weber Photography

Greencrest Manor

The Old Art Building

Foreign Destinations

Falling in Love

Becoming a Couple

Disillusionment

Real Love

Commited Love that Changes the World

1. Bye Bye Blush

2. Hello Purple

3. Greenery will be King

4. Focus on the Experience

5. Incorporating Elements from the Past

6. Focus on Simplicity

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