photography by: Nessa K
OUR WEDDING VIDEO:
Be sure to watch the video to the END (past the 10:30 mark)... There is a BIG SURPRISE!!
VIDEOGRAPHY BY: AM WEDDING STORIES
#jonniewalkerwed I.VII.MMXVII
Pizza. Snow. Perfection.
When Jon & I decided on having a winter wedding, we were nervous about the impending weather that winter brings. Any Precip + Baltimore Drivers = Disaster. On the day of our wedding I started to get ready and the crystals began to fall. I sat and watched the city transform into a whimsical snow globe and all of my worries faded away. I was no longer preoccupied about the weather, the cold or anything else for that matter. Our love, our friends and our family would keep us warm.... and pizza, pizza would keep us warm, too.
GETTING READY
HOTEL: IVY HOTEL BALTIMORE
We wanted to make sure our hotel was just as charming as our wedding venue. We wanted our guests to feel like they were staying at their friends house; we wanted something completely different and the Ivy offered just that. It was absolutely gorgeous and the staff was so polite and professional to our group. It was the perfect place to be pampered and (try to) relax before the big day. We can't wait to take a staycation there soon!
From their website: "Gorgeous, romantic and welcoming, The Ivy Hotel embodies the soul of the city, a magical amalgam of old Baltimore and new. Rosy brick walls clad in ivy, shining windows, eighteen guest quarters. A refuge of world-class hospitality in what was once a magnificent private home."
HAIR & MAKE UP
MAKEUP: SYDNI MURANAKA OF GYPSYSOL MAKEUP
HAIR (STYLED): BROOKE ROUSH
HAIR (CUT, COLOR, EXTENSIONS): SAM at rebel revival
FIRST LOOK
STYLE - BRIDAL PARTY
FLORIST: LOCAL COLOR FLOWERS
The Groomsmen all matched in their Jennis & Warmann suits & shoes from Men's Warehouse. I wanted all of my bridesmaids to be comfortable in their dresses and comfortable with the price, so I let them decide what they wanted within a predetermined color palette. Some can be found at the following:
ASOS | Mod Cloth | Charlotte Russe | LuLus
Each girl also chose their own shoes, and moto jacket- I happened to have many different faux fur scarves from places like Target & BHLDN.
STYLE - BRIDE & GROOM
Bride - Dress: Rue de Seine | Boutique: Lovely Bride DC | Shoes: Mod Cloth | Belt: BHLDN | Monogrammed Snow Boots: The Purple Petuna Etsy Shop
Groom - Suit: Jennis & Warmann | Peacoat: Ralph Lauren | Shoes: Men's Warehouse
VENUE
RENTALS: VINTAGE AFFAIRS
LIGHTING & PRODUCTION: Baltimore Event Solutions
During my search to find the perfect venue, I used Instagram and hashtags like #baltimorewedding #baltimoreweddingvenue. I was running out of hope when I came across the 2640 Space. Thankfully we did, because it was absolutely stunning, like a real-life Hogwarts. I couldn't believe something like this was available (and affordable) in Baltimore City. This is a grassroots event space ran by volunteers out of the St. John's Methodist church in Charles Village. It is a blank canvas and is completely DIY, but it allows you to have complete creative freedom to make this place your dream-come-true.
Contact Info From the 2640 Facebook Page: "2640 is a noncommercial, cooperatively managed space for radical politics and grassroots culture. For event inquiries to 2640@redemmas.org (not on FB)"
Day of coordination and the reason for our sanity was our wedding coordinator, Carrie Foster of Sincerely Carrie Events. I cannot say enough good things about Carrie. One thing I urge couples to spend money on is a wedding coordinator. I couldn't imagine spending my time worrying about anything other than Kim-K-ugly-crying at the altar on my wedding day. Carrie handled every detail large and small to make sure that our wedding day was completely flawless.
CEREMONY
RENTALS: SOMETHING VINTAGE RENTALS
Jon and I aren't very traditional. We wanted to make sure that our ceremony was a reflection of who we are and what we believe in as a couple. It was also important that we have someone we love and knows us as a couple marry us. We chose our good friend, Eric Willis. We have a tight-knit group of friends so it was also nice to have Willis officiate the ceremony because he knew almost every guest at the wedding, adding another layer of genuine love and emotion to our ceremony. He was so thoughtful in his words and his readings that I would like to share some of the ceremony with you:
Lying together in a park...
our backs smush grass and I say:
I will love you till I become a child again,
when feeding me and bathing me is no longer romantic,
but rather necessary.
I will love you till there is no till.
Till I die.
And when that electroencephalogram shuts down, baby
that’s when the real lovin’ begins.
You will find me darting behind amazing quasars
Behind flirtatious winks
of bright and blasting boom stars!
I'll be so far into space
that the darkness goes blue.
But that's where I'll be waiting
and I'll be waiting for you.
Take your time and don't worry about getting lost.
If you're wondering if I'll still be able to hold you
…I don't know
But I know I could fall for a flash of light
it will resemble your sweet definite hands
and I'll say
Oh, there you are...
Then we can go to the point of the universe where sound does not end.
It's so quiet there, you float.
And it feels the way cotton candy tastes,
just like your first kiss as a married couple
Inspired by "A Finger, Two Dots, Then Me," by Derrick Brown
RECEPTION
Um... we pretty much had the most amazing wedding of all time, no brag... jk, totally brag. During dinner we had toasts- my father, maid of honor and matron of honor gave heartwarming speeches that drew tears from the crowd. The best man's speech was another flawless and meaningful toast, with a twist- he iced us. That's right, total frat move, but a crowd pleaser. After the first dance, parent dances, and cake cutting- I changed into a vintage sequin midi dress so I could dance the night away.
FOOD
DESSERTS BY LINDSEY LOVE OF COCO LOVE
CATERING: homeslyce
When we began wedding planning, the venues we looked at were absolutely stunning. The rental fees were pretty low, but they all had a "preferred catering" list. The minimum food & beverage for a wedding of 150 people was $17k. $17k, are you kidding me?! So, we decided against serving our guests dry chicken breasts and a bed of veggies and replaced that with PIZZA. Let me just say, there were 0 complaints. My sister & Mother-in-Law helped out with the desserts, and we saved tens of thousands. We did luck out by having two very talented women on our side, but I think that a dessert buffet is absolutely do-able with any budget and it is a fun way of incorporating some homemade love into your wedding.
Nessa K photographed our engagement session and we knew we wanted her to shoot our wedding as well. The weeks leading up to the release of our photos, she sent us over the cutest teaser!
