by Jen Hart | Bohemian Brides, Bohemian Wedding Dresses, California Wedding, Real Weddings
This laid-back southern girl with a love for all things boho marries her love in a chilled out Palm Springs wedding. She was one of the most ‘anti-wedding dress’ bride we had the pleasure of meeting. She wanted no frills, no fluff, and nothing too ‘wedding-y’…She first tried on the Annabel caftan and was hooked, and then she tried on the Agnes and fell in love. She felt the Agnes Simple Lace Wedding Dress was more appropriate for her ceremony, but knew that the Caftan had her name and heart on it, so she wore that to her reception. She added custom elements to her Amber gown, as she wanted to make it more ‘Jennie” and naturally more bohemian…the long fitted sleeves were just the perfect pairing on her dress. Just stunning!!
Jennie’s a Southern girl…with a blues and rock and roll soul (especially if the music’s live and something she can dance to). She moved to Hermosa Beach from Louisiana in 2007 and chilling at Boogaloo bar, she felt she’d found a little bit of that Southern style. Of course, the rather attractive barman didn’t hurt either and Jennie soon became something of a regular
Jennie’s a Southern girl…with a blues and rock and roll soul (especially if the music’s live and something she can dance to). She moved to Hermosa Beach from Louisiana in 2007 and chilling at Boogaloo bar, she felt she’d found a little bit of that Southern style. Of course, the rather attractive barman didn’t hurt either and Jennie soon became something of a regular. Needless to say, the two of them were friendly, even though they both had to pretend not to be into each other for the next two years or so. At long last though, they started dating and the rest, as they say, is history.
Aaron and Jennie were born two weeks apart, in the same year, so they are both Aries. With a handful of friends in tow, they made their way to Las Vegas to celebrate their 30th birthday in style…Jennie flew in from Dallas, where she had been working, while the rest of the crew popped in from LA. The first thing that seemed to be a little out of the ordinary was the fact that, on arrival at the hotel, the crew was nowhere to be seen: only Aaron was there, he’d decided they should have a private birthday dinner together before the party got started in earnest.
Jennie really started to wonder when she was taken up to the Eiffel Tower Restuarant and offered the best seat in the house…sure enough, midnight came and there was Aaron, down on on knee, proposing.
Anyone who knows the couple will know that the whole set up was pretty out of the ordinary for them: but that’s what’s so great, the uniqueness of it made it even more unforgettable. On top of that, they got to spend the rest of the weekend celebrating Las Vegas style with all of their best friends.
In spite of their two and a half year engagement, planning started for Jennie almost immediately…through the first year she used Pinterest to source photos of the sort of dress she hoped to find, she spend many a night obsessing over the Annabel gown but had no idea that Dreamers and Lovers (and Annabel) was right around the corner from where she lived. When she finally found out, she was overjoyed and what’s more…she ended up buying not one but two gorgeous, laid-back Dreamers and Lovers boho wedding dresses (I suppose she just couldn’t make up her mind!)
Jennie is super happy that they waited and gave themselves a chance to really enjoy their engagement, without planning stress and time constraints: after all, you only get to be a fiance once in your life so you should savor it. Because they gave themselves ample time they ended up with every venue and vendor that they had hoped for, plus no hectic last minute rush. Jennie knows that stressing during engagement time is not worth the negativity it can introduce to your relationship.
So, the couple invited 130 guests and 99 of their nearest and dearest ended up attending…but the number was just perfect. Aaron and Jennie paid for everything, so finances were a little tricky to manage during planning, although in the end everything worked out just right and was exactly the way they’d hoped it would be. They created an incredible atmosphere, surrounded by greenery in Palm Springs at a lush estate. The atmosphere was probably Jennie’s favorite thing about the wedding!
The couple had one of their best friends act as officiant, because they aren’t religious he opted to tell funny stories about the two of them instead of doing readings: he’s known them for the full 8 years they’ve been together. The couple also wrote their own vows, which ended up being overwhelmingly emotional for Jennie (I love this story). Aaron’s vows described the first time they saw each other and he literally compared it to love at first sight…this was the coolest and sweetest thing for Jennie, who’d spent two years thinking that he just saw her as a friend, more or less! She’d had no idea he felt that way from the get go!
Another favorite was the photobus (from sdphotobus.com), it’s a refurbished VW bus that doubles as a photo-booth, so they have unique and hilarious memories to add to their photo collection. They also had all the palm trees lit up in different colors, which created an absolutely awesome vibe.
Jennie loves nothing more than succulents (except Aaron, obviously) and so her flowers were bright, colorful and succulent heavy. Apparently her bouquet actually weighed more than she does but nonetheless she was 100% happy and her florist absolutely killed it!
Not really ones for tradition, the couple opted for an ice cream sandwich cart instead of the usual wedding cake. The flavors were out of this world and the addition of home made cookies made the idea a huge hit with both the guests and the couple.
The reception really went off with a bang when the entire party jumped into the swimming pool!
What does the future hold for this shining couple? Right now they’re just savoring their journey as newlyweds…with no plans for children at the moment, they know that it will happen if and when it happens. They love to travel, still dig their live music and don’t plan to stop loving life anytime soon. We wish them all the best of a lifetime filled with laughter…
To see other brides wearing the Agnes, take a look at this wedding
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
Sarah and Jony’s wedding video started off by bringing tears to my eyes and a couple of minutes later…after the beautiful vows had been read and the bass broke, I was all smiles. These people really know how to get down on the dance-floor and their wedding was clearly a party of note.
Jony walked up to Sarah and said, quite simply: I don’t know you but you seem interesting to me.
It all started in college when the pair were introduced to each other through a mutual friend. Sarah was invited to a friend’s house and Jony just happened to be there. With his dark and mysterious style, Jony walked up to Sarah and said, quite simply: “I don’t know you but you seem interesting to me.” This sort of direct approach either works or doesn’t…in this case it definitely worked, although it took time. They didn’t talk again for some time but Jony had sparked Sarah’s interest (for good). Two years later they started dating and they were married within a year.
Sarah’s hardly a fan of surprises and, perhaps in order to keep all the surprises in one day, Jony waited until her birthday on June 3rd to propose. He took her skydiving (she thought, for her birthday)…however, when they came in for touchdown, there was a huge sign saying WOULD YOU MARRY ME being held up by their tribe of closest friends (brings new meaning to the phrase ‘falling in love’, if you ask me). Jony landed first, quickly got out the ring and waited: Sarah first removed her jumpsuit, keeping the suspense high, before answering ‘YES!’ That night, they partied with their good friends, celebrating not only Sarah’s birthday but their new engagement too! Check out their proposal video, it’s one of the cutest things ever! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_ni-9EIVzw
Sarah lived in Dallas and had been hunting in boutiques high and low, in search of the perfect number…she even widened the search to include surrounding cities and after many months of searching, she started to get peeved. With Jony’s roots in California, the couple had already planned a trip there to visit family and friends and it was while searching the net for dress shops to stop at in California that Sarah stumbled upon Dreamers and Lovers.
From the very start, the name found a place in Sarah’s heart and she knew without a doubt that the style was definitely what she had been hoping for. The day they landed they drove straight to Torrance, so that Sarah could try on dresses and when she stepped through the door, she immediately fell in love with the shop. Beautiful, young and anything but traditional, Yanique’s intimate manner and the friendliness of her assistant were all Sarah needed to feel right at home.
To top it all off, the dresses were being made right in the shop and after trying on a few of them, she’d already noticed a huge difference between D&L dresses and the hundreds she’d tried on previously. It was then that Yanique brought a dress out from the back that she was busy working on at the time…Sarah knew straight away that this was going to be HER wedding dress. It was everything she wanted, detailed, handmade and perfectly comfortable…she could see herself dancing in it and she felt exactly like an angel.
One of the biggest challenges Sarah had to overcome during planning was that of people’s opinions and how THEY thought her wedding should be. That’s why she offers the advice to would be brides that they should pick and chose exactly what they want and never think that they have to do something a certain way because someone says so or because of tradition. Your wedding day is YOUR day and it needs to turn out the way YOU want it!
Over 200 guests arrived on the special day, with both Sarah and Jony’s families flying in from Mexico, DC, Seattle and California. The couple loved the location, which wasn’t all-inclusive, allowing them to choose item for item, everything just the way they wanted it.
Two of their best friends covered a song that they love as a couple, they read their own, self-written vows (beautiful) and Sarah’s dad read verses from scripture. The couples vows were recorded even before the ceremony by their videographer Hank, he turned out this beautiful video…capturing some of the spirit of their love.www.vimeo.com/177611185
On the day of the wedding the florist showed up with bright yellow, pink and purple flowers. Needless to say, Sarah was a little upset but Jony, always the knight in shining armor, rounded up his groomsmen and went into the neighboring field to pick everything they could see that was green
One thing though, which didn’t quite work out as planned, were the flowers. It was one of those favor for a favor deals…Sarah had wanted all green plants and not really any flowers. On the day of the wedding the florist showed up with bright yellow, pink and purple flowers. Needless to say, Sarah was a little upset but Jony, always the knight in shining armor, rounded up his groomsmen and went into the neighboring field to pick everything they could see that was green: they ended up using those on the tables and in the jars and in the end, everything worked out just fine!
They served BBQ, made pour overs and brought in their own bartender for the bash. Both Jony and Sarah have something of an aversion to cake and so they just couldn’t see the sense in ordering a massive cake to cut and eat. Instead, they ordered in from their favorite doughnut shop…which went down an absolute treat.
Sarah says the entire experience touched her in a way she couldn’t have imagined, amazing and beautiful at the same time…although intense and with more than a fair share of crying. Everything turned out as it should have even though it wasn’t exactly according to plan. There was tons of improvisation that needed doing and the couple thanks their friends and family for making it all possible.
This gorgeous pair both have a heart for people, creating and strengthening community…they opened a coffee shop (Hands + Rose) and are super excited to be opening up two more of the same in their area.
We wish them all the warmth love and sense of community that life has to offer, with a shining light like theirs we’ve no doubt that both their love and their business will thrive!
The couple felt honored to collaborate with their awesome vendors, along with her thoughts about each:
Dreamers & Lovers – by far the prettiest dresses made
Hypnotic Donuts – YUMMY pistachio donuts
Off The bone BBQ – The best in Dallas!
Henry Weddings Videography – The best videographer out there.
White Sparrow Barn – pretty white dreamy barn
Hands+Rose Coffee – specialty coffee and handmade
Conner Mckibbin – Photographer, so good!
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
Okay…now this is seriously what I like to see (plus it’s more than enough to bring a tear to my usually stoic eye), this is what Boho weddings are all about and this is what I mean when I say Laid Back and beautifully Badass! I’m looking through gorgeous wedding photos of a pair that truly look destined for each other: many of the photos are shot in the pouring Cornwall rain but instead of looking like wet cats, I see joyous laughter, an outstanding pair of wedding Crocs (decorated by Julie’s Hens), umbrellas and, above all, I see that this wedding was about love, love and more love!
Judging from the pics, this wedding was a picture of fun-loving, boho bliss, from the white Volkswagen wedding van to the rustic and wholesome table settings and decor inside their bespoke wedding teepee. Of course, what is a Boho wedding without the perfect Dreamers and Lovers Dress? Julie couldn’t have looked more gorgeous than she did in her dreamy long sleeve, low backed gown and garland of romantic white roses and heather. The only jewelry she wore was her beloved Grandma’s wedding ring, gifted to her that morning by her Mom.
Andrew wasn’t so bad either, in his dusty blue Reiss three piece, sweet TM Lewin silver tie and leather shoes…all of which took nicely to being rained on during their photo shoot and definitely shouted Bohemia for all the world to hear. The two bridesmaids were in white Marks and Spencer and the Maid of Honor wore a mint green dress from Zara.
The couple had been enjoying a stroll along the cliff-tops, they pulled into a pub for a much needed ale and then Andrew led Julie to a sheltered cove…both of them feeling a little tense. He dropped to his knee and ‘Kabamm!
The proposal happened on a beach near St Agnes. The couple had been enjoying a stroll along the cliff-tops, they pulled into a pub for a much needed ale and then Andrew led Julie to a sheltered cove…both of them feeling a little tense. He dropped to his knee and ‘Kabamm!’
The wedding was to take place on September 2016 at St. Mary’s immaculate RC Church in Falmouth. Pictures of the ceremony show family and friends full of smiles and it’s no surprise that Julie felt this relatively unplanned part of the wedding to be one of her favorite parts.
The couple wanted the reception to be relaxed and laid back, nothing too extravagant, just farm-party vibes and a warm atmosphere. It was important for the couple that the guests feel just as special as the bride and groom. It looks like things turned out just as they had hoped.
A bohemian teepee (from Work Inspired Tents) was erected in a field at Restronguet Barton, with a view of Mylor Harbour. There was more than enough room for a love-filled, farm style banquet and loads of post-dinner dancing.
Food was all Cornish and Northern, as Andrew springs from Falmouth, whilst Julie is from the Manchester area. Dinner was catered by Jane Meredew and included fish gluons, cream tea, pasties, Yorkshire pudding and beef for canapés; with pork loin, potatoes, salads and fresh bread for mains and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Um, hello…where was I?
But the deliciousness didn’t end there. The wedding cake was Cornish cheese (OMG), all provided by the same incredible caterer.
DIY decoration (which looked sooo perfect!) included bunting and wildflowers in jam jars and baked bean tins. A little ingenuity can go a long way and boho is definitely the answer if you want a warm atmosphere thats beautiful and easy on the budget! The couple created a ‘find your face, find your place’ seating chart for the guests to have a little fun with and gift cards were held in a vintage suitcase…sweet. The couple also made a donation to Aurora foundation in lieu of traditional favors.
Andrew’s Dad created the incredible wooden signs all over the venue and the name card holders for the country style table settings. He did an amazing job. A memorable feature in the photographs is the massive letter sign, spelling out LOVE…that really sums it all up, if you ask me.
don’t take on too much, weddings are stressful enough. Get friends and family to help and make use of their skills where you can. This will save you cash and make the event that much more personal
Julie’s advice to wedding planners is this: don’t take on too much, weddings are stressful enough. Get friends and family to help and make use of their skills where you can. This will save you cash and make the event that much more personal…also, use Pinterest for ideas! It poured cats and dogs on their special day so it’s essential that you be prepared for anything. This savvy couple was prepared indeed, they’s borrowed 30 umbrellas from an estate agent friend, just in case.
It’s no secret these two are deeply in love and we wish them more of the same in their future. Rest assured though, rain on one’s wedding day is an unmistakable good omen, so their future will undoubtedly be filled with joy and abundance. Bless you both…and your guests while we’re at it!
VENDOR CREDITS
Photographer: Olivia WR Photography
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
A self-confessed hippie with what she claims are far too many hair extensions, she met her soul-mate, a hipster Swedish guy with piercing blue eyes
Here’s a Real Bride Story to prove that D&L’s been helping boho wedding dreams come true in just about every far-flung corner of the globe.
Vibeke is what you’d call a striking Norwegian beauty, a self-confessed hippie with what she claims are far too many hair extensions (although, to us, those just look like lustrous blonde locks). She met Simon, a hipster Swedish guy, with skinny jeans and piercing Swedish blue eyes, whilst studying economics in Norway in 2008. He was studying fire engineering at the same University when fate decided to introduce them to each other one night at the student pub. They danced a little, flirted a lot and within no time, they were very much an item. They were head over heels in love and Vibeke says she can still feel the butterflies whenever she recalls those heady times.
Life isn’t always peaches and cream though and after their studies came some trying times as the loving couple were forced to live in separate countries. Yet life would have a hard time keeping this pair apart and they finally moved in together in Sweden and soon had a beautiful son named Alfred. The decision was made to move to Vibeke’s homeland of Norway so they bought a quaint little cottage and that’s where they brought their second, adorable son (Teodor) into the world…but not before the night of the long-awaited proposal.
Then he went down on one knee and proposed. Vibeke, who’d been hinting (or nagging, as she puts it) Simon for some time, spent all of 15 minutes saying things like: “you know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to…”
It all went down the night they moved into their new place, their first purchase together. Both of them were staying over at Vibeke’s parents’ house, exhausted from moving all day amongst a sea of boxes and bags. Sticky, smelly and dusty from the day’s work, they sat down on the couch at last. Simon was leaning forward, looking agitated, so Vibeke told him: “come on, relax…we’ve got no more to do tonight.” Simon replied: “well, there is one thing I have to do, now we have a new house and everything.” Then he went down on one knee and proposed. Vibeke, who’d been hinting (or nagging, as she puts it) Simon for some time, spent all of 15 minutes saying things like: “you know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to…” etc. but she finally came to her senses and gave him a “yes, of course!” Phew!
So, since Vibeke was heavily pregnant during her dress hunt, there was always the question of whether or not she was going to be back in shape by the time the special day came along. It turns out the stars were smiling on her in more ways than one! Being a hippie girl through and through, she sat back and simply googled ‘lace wedding dresses’…which is how she came across the Dreamers and Lovers website. She ordered the perfect dress for the laid back, totally DIY wedding that they had in mind. That was a month before the birth of their second beautiful son but if you’ve seen the wedding pics you know, she looked an absolute vision and no baby weight in sight.
The wedding was to be held on an old farm on the borders of Stavanger, a picturesque coastal city in Norway with a rich history dating as far back as 1125, it hardly gets more romantic than that and what’s more, the couple are proud to call Stavanger home.
85 Guests were invited and the couple had determined to do as much as possible themselves, knowing that that would make the experience a far more personal one. They wrote simple, candid vows both about the things they love about one another and the little things which annoy them, a detail which really had the guests laughing. Vibeke commented on Simon’s ability to make such a racket climbing the stairs that she’s certain he’ll one day make a hole through them.
The ceremony was overseen by one close friend whilst another friend, Lisa, sang Håkan Hellström – Valborg, a Swedish song with poignant, beautiful lyrics. Vibeke’s best friend crafted her bouquet, wild, summery and gorgeous and V wore a truly bohemian wildflower crown which couldn’t have looked more perfect with her laid-back gown. The room was decorated with a score of lights and wildflowers by the couple personally, which turned out to be truly rewarding.
Simon made desert himself (hello!), a delicious panacotta with raspberry topping and, as is tradition in Norway, friends and family brought the cakes. I rather like this tradition as it worked out that the couple had, instead of one wedding cake, 12 unique cakes with different fillings and frostings.
For Vibeke, the biggest challenge was most certainly trying to plan a wedding with two small boys in tow so her advice to boho brides to be is…try to get married before you have kids!
Oh, about Simon…V had this to say: “he’s honest, sincere, outgoing, smart, he’s not materialistic, he’s kind and good with people and he’s a wonderful father. After a long day’s work, he still has energy for me and the kids and I feel completely safe when I’m with him and he is, indeed, my rock.” Now, if you ask me, a girl can need little more and I’m pretty sure that this happy family will continue to grow in love and happiness, if not in size as well.
The couple are focused on family now, in their little cottage on the coast of Norway. They are taking good care of each other and chasing after the little ones can be exhausting, Vibeke loves them all so much that for her it’s worth it a billion and one times over.
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
This moving love story, simply put, was meant-to-be. At only 15 years old Lizzy told her Dad, that she would one day marry an Edwards Boy. A year later from their first date, they got married, she married Dan Edwards.
I had the pleasure of watching a beautiful, 4 minute video of Lizzy and Dan’s Spokane wedding, courtesy of the The Cayve Film Co.. Besides the breathtaking fly-over of the reception venue, in a gap between the orchards, right next to the golden wheat fields at sundown…it was the obvious chemistry between these two that really took me aback. The way they seem to stare into each other’s souls, in fact, the air of romance throughout the entire 4 minutes was more like something you’d expect from a Hollywood movie than a real life wedding film. As I went on to learn about Dan and Lizzy’s unique love story, I started to understand where all that chemistry came from: this one was quite simply meant to be!
It all began when Lizzy was just 15 years old. She attended a church dance that included churchgoers from all over Idaho…there were, to say the least, lots of people there. She remembers seeing Dan and his brother and asking someone, “Who are those boys? They’re sooo cute!” And they responded, “ Those are the Edwards Boys.” Lizzy went home that night and told her Dad, “One day I’m gonna marry an Edwards Boy.” She actually continued saying that to people for many years, even though the boys had no idea she existed. You can imagine her surprise when, a year ago, she got a friend request from one Dan Edwards on Facebook. A mutual friend had told him that he should ask her on a date. The message he sent with the request said that he’d just like to get to know her better. Oh, you heard that right by the way…that was only a year ago. They had their first date on August 27th 2015 and they got married on August 27th 2016, beautiful!
On that first date they’d gone zip lining in Coeur d’Alene, so when it came time to propose…Dan decided to take Lizzy back there. Only, this time he took her to a tree house that had been built along the course. He’d had it strung with lights, candles burning, music playing, 100 roses and an exquisite view of the sunset…just like a movie. After he’d asked for her hand, both their families materialized out of the trees to give congratulations. Lizzy loved having her family there to share in the moment with them.
She wanted something timeless, she wanted to look back at it, years from now and still be in love with the style that she chose
Finding a wedding dress was exactly what Lizzy had always dreamed it would be. She knows she couldn’t have found a more perfect dress for her special day. She had always loved lace and she’d envisioned a simple but elegant long sleeve gown…that is exactly what she got and wow! She looked magnificent. She wanted something timeless, she wanted to look back at it, years from now and still be in love with the style that she chose…luckily, that’s what boho is all about. Lizzy considers herself blessed to have found Dreamers and Lovers and she says that her dress made her feel so beautiful on her wedding day (even though we know, she’s beautiful anyway).
The couple planned a medium sized wedding, with 150 guests attending. One of Lizzy’s favorite details was the wedding venue and watching the video, it’s easy to see why. The reception took place on her Uncle’s farm in North Idaho. Lizzy grew up on a farm there and so the area holds deep sentimental value for her. The reception was held in an avenue between the apple and peach trees of her Uncle’s orchard, which overlooks the wheat fields,…a mind bogglingly beautiful expanse, bordered by a breathtakingly atmospheric mountain vista.
Another one of Lizzy’s favorite details was the fact that that, instead of hiring a bunch of vendors, most of the work was done by family or friends. Lizzy’s neighbor did the flowers, her brother made the cake, her mom made all the food; her dad built the most gorgeous farm table for the desserts. The family was involved in every step of the process and they wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It was a blessing having them involved in her big day!
One of the biggest challenges for Lizzy during the planning process was making herself happy, instead of everyone else. With everyone wanting to share their opinion, she began to get worried about pleasing everyone and not hurting anyone’s feelings. That’s when she decided tat it was okay to say no to people and do what she really wanted instead. Once that decision was made, the process became a lot easier. After all, it’s the Bride’s day (and the Groom’s, of course ;)…), not everyone else’s!
Flower-wise, Lizzy wanted to see a lot of green in the arrangements, with white and pink roses and a very neutral palette. The result was incredible elegant, especially with the bridal party all dressed in white. Lizzy wanted flowers wherever possible throughout the reception area, on the tables, covering the archways and on all the cakes, etc. The couple visited a local flower farm and bought everything they needed in bulk. Lizzy’s neighbor, who worked at a florist shop for 10 years, put all the bouquets, centerpieces and everything else together.
For the all-important element of food, another one of Lizzy’s favorite parts, they wanted to keep with the farm theme. The menu included barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, and homemade bread with jam and little homemade pies. Wedding favors were caramel corn in mason jars…yum!
As mentioned, Lizzy’s brother actually made the wedding cake and although she was a little nervous about not having it professionally done, it turned out better than she could ever have imagined. It was a simple, three-layered cake with white frosting and flower decorations. There was a separate dessert table with carrot cake, a coconut cream cake and various hand pies, courtesy of Lizzy’s Mom.
Lizzy’s advice for future Brides is this: Don’t procrastinate!
Lizzy’s advice for future Brides is this: Don’t procrastinate! In the end she had so much stress and all because she’d left certain details to the last minute. Having everything prepared and done early will save you a great deal of stress.
As for Dan and Lizzy…she is finishing up her Biology degree while Dan focuses on the family business. They recently bought a little fixer-upper house and they’re enjoying putting their stamp of love on it. It’s a fun project for a newly married couple; he does all the handiwork while she picks out paint and furniture.
Looking at this stunning pair, the love and close family bonds which are so evident in their wedding video…I just know that things will work out fine, sooner or later I think that the family might even expand a little. We wish them all the best and thank them for the part they allowed us to play in their special day.
CREDITS
Photographer : Paris Tews
Dress: Lizzy wears a modified version of the Lisa Dress
See the Lisa on bride Julie here and on Chloe here
We recently featured it in a gorgeous editorial with the most gorgeous florals. See Lisa in its magical form
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
In college, when Sydnie was a freshman, Andrew was the super cute, popular sophomore that all the girls liked. She never even dreamed she would date him, much less end up marrying him. Yet it was only a matter of time before the two of them were close friends, close enough to visit Russia together. After a couple of years as friends, they started dating and now…now they look like one of the happiest married couples you ever saw. Indeed, looking through more than a hundred wedding photos of the couple I have yet to find one where it doesn’t seem like you can almost hear the out-loud-laughter.
After they started dating, the couple had to make do long distance, they lived in completely different states: Sydnie in Oklahoma and Andrew in Los Angeles. On the evening of the proposal, Sydnie was out having dinner with some friends, completely unaware that Andrew was, in fact, driving down to Oklahoma to ask for her hand. After dinner, Sydnie and friends went walking in the park when she was surprised to see one of Andrew’s friends walking toward them, holding a photo of the couple. After that, Sydnie followed a path of pictures of the two of them throughout the years, which eventually led to a romantic letter. At the bottom of the letter were the words: ‘turn around.’ That’s exactly what Sydnie did, to find Andrew down on one knee. After the sheer surprise of seeing him right in front of her and quite a few exclamations of “you’re here!” Sydney finally said yes.
It doesn’t have a name yet. How about Sydnie?” Sydnie was super excited to be wearing a wedding dress that was named after her
The couple was engaged for ten months, more than enough time to plan a full-scale party for 200 people and, lucky for Sydnie, her mom was there to help and guide her every step of the way. As for the dress? Sydnie happened to see an article on Pinterest about why you MUST have pockets in your wedding dress…one of the featured dresses was, of course, from Dreamers & Lovers. She followed links through to the D&L website and simply loved every one of the designs. Whilst visiting Andrew in LA, she set up an appointment with D&L in Torrance and visited the shop with her mom in tow. She tried on a few of the bohemian wedding dresses but when Yanique pulled a dress from the new collection…Sydnie knew that it was the one. Even better, when her mom asked what the name of the dress was, Yanique replied: “It doesn’t have a name yet. How about Sydnie?” Sydnie was super excited to be wearing a wedding dress that was named after her.
Sydnie’s mom is a serious lover of flowers and enlisted a wholesale florist company, fiftyflowers.com for supplies. She personally put together the bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets, the table arrangements and every boutonniere. Some of Sydnie’s friends arranged the bride’s, maids of honors’ and the flower girls’ flower crowns. The flowers were bright wildflowers, peonies, Billy balls, babies breath, Peruvian lilies, garden roses, spray roses and tons of fragrant eucalyptus.
I love you and will never stop pursuing you
The couple didn’t have readings but rather did communion together whilst in the background, their favorite artist, Josh Garrels, played the beautiful song: Heaven’s Knife. Vows were self-written, as they wanted the ceremony to be extra personal. A line that the couple loved so much that they still say it to each other every night before they go to bed was one that Andrew said right at the end of his vows: “I love you and will never stop pursuing you.”
They got married under a big and beautiful tree with an instrumental version of a Bon Iver song playing…the moment Sydnie walked down the aisle, the song picked up: it was one of Sydnie’s favorite details about the wedding. Everything came into focus in that moment and all Sydnie could focus on was Andrew, she cried all the way down the aisle.
Cake? Andrew is a bit of a freak for cheesecake and so a friend and college roommate of Sydnie’s made them a delicious cheesecake with strawberry topping. They also served cupcakes, cookies, chocolates and pies.
At the end of the night, they rounded off celebrations with a 5-minute fireworks display and whilst the couple ran off to begin their lives together, every guest lit a sparkler of their own. For the couple, every aspect of the wedding was exactly as they’d hoped, even better actually… and it was the perfect start to their long and happy lives as a married couple.
Sydney offered some great advice to other laid-back-brides like her…don’t stress, remember that every one of those moments during planning: picking the most beautiful venue, finding the perfect dress, hiring a photographer, they are all special memories so enjoy them! As for the wedding, relax and make the most of what will be the most beautiful day of your life, as long as you make it how you want and don’t stress!
The blissful pair now lives in LA together and will soon be attending graduate school. Andrew will be getting his masters in Linguistics and Biblical Languages and Sydnie, in Intercultural Studies. We know they’re just meant for each other and we wish this beautiful boho couple all the adventure they need and all the love they can bare!
The Sydnie dress, bride Sydnie is wearing cane found here along with the other boho wedding dresses in the Dreamers & Lovers collection.
PHOTO CREDIT:
The Kindred Collective
