Vintage Wedding

You all know how excited I am to have a brand new “sister,” thanks to my brother-in-law’s recent wedding!  Today, I want to invite you to see just how lovely everything was…even though I can’t take credit for any of it!  Joanna, her mom, and her aunt Veronica were responsible for every last gorgeous detail.  Joanna is a lover of all things vintage, which you’ll see reflected in everything from the table settings to her dress.  The laid-back, small ceremony and reception were held in her aunt’s backyard in North Blenheim, NY, where we had a view of the Catskill Mountains.

When we pulled into the driveway, we were greeted by this display; an old frame they had turned into a chalkboard welcome sign and a vintage suitcase filled with fans {which were totally unnecessary since it was 70 degrees and gorgeous!}.  On the back of the fans, they had listed the order of events along with times, which I don’t recommend unless you want a certain little ring bearer who really wants his cake to come up and confront you, pointing out that you are running late.  Just saying.

For the ceremony, a friend of the family built this rustic trellis, and Joanna’s aunt Veronica decorated it with sprays of wildflowers.

As ring bearer, it was Little Crafter’s job to carry the bride and groom’s simple gold wedding bands to the officiant.  Instead of a pillow, he carried them on this vintage leaf-shaped dish.

Now, let’s talk about my absolute favorite part, Joanna’s dress.  It’s not just any dress, it’s a one-of-a-kind vintage original that first belonged to my husband’s grandmother.  She was a USO volunteer who met her husband, a pilot, at a dance for the soldiers.  He left to serve overseas, but they stayed in touch and got engaged.  He sent her a nylon parachute to have made into a wedding dress, which she did and wore on their wedding day.  The only major change Joanna made to the dress was to have the long sleeves turned into short ones, but preserving the sleeve edging.  It was so touching seeing the two women side by side, sharing such an important memory.

Her engagement ring, which I don’t have a good photo of, also belonged to Gramma; it’s not a traditional diamond, but rather a large oval purple stone and was a gift to Gramma from her parents.  In lieu of a traditional veil, Joanna wore a lovely floral headpiece made of tiny silk flowers wrapped on wire and holding a small piece of netting.  She was the picture of vintage beauty.

During the ceremony, Steve and Joanna symbolized their unity with a “salt ceremony,” which was something I’d never seen before despite the large number of weddings I’ve attended.  Each of them poured salt from a mason jar labeled with their initials into a larger container.  The grains mixing together would be impossible to separate back into the individual jars, just as when we marry, our lives become intertwined with our spouse’s.  The couple plans to use the mixed salt as their table salt for the first year of their marriage.  I love the idea that every time they cook {which will be frequent since they’re both chefs!} and sit down to a meal together, they will be reminded of their vows.

That brings us to the reception.  Over the past months leading up to the wedding, Joanna’s aunt Veronica was on a mission to collect as many vintage handkerchiefs as possible.  She found them on Etsy, at Goodwill, in antique stores…and then she strung them across the large tent in the backyard along with tiny white lights to create this beautiful effect.

Larger vintage napkins and cloths were spread out on the tables and accented with pretty arrangements of wildflowers displayed in vases of all shapes and sizes.

The bride and groom jarred their own dill and bread and butter pickles for each guest as a take-home favor…the perfect touch for a vintage wedding of two chefs.

And speaking of food, there was plenty to be had, the majority of which was prepared by the couple themselves.  This was the impressive {and delicious!} menu containing some of their personal favorites.

In keeping with the laid-back feel of the event, Joanna and Steve opted not to make a seating plan for the reception; instead they welcomed guests to the tent with this repurposed frame turned into a chalkboard sign…

For the adults, drinks were served in pretty depression glass, and the kids got spill proof beverages served in lidded mason jars with straws!  LC approved.

Joanna’s particular specialty is that she’s a pastry chef, so she created her own wedding cake, topped with wildflowers and this little vintage salt and pepper shaker set, which is apparently part of a collection she has.

The cake wasn’t the only sweet treat, there was also an assortment of pies, chocolates, and chocolate-covered cornflakes…something for everyone.

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful celebration, complete with lovely vintage details that made it truly memorable.  Best wishes to the happy couple, and welcome to the family, Joanna!

Especially from your new nephew, who is totally in love…