Laid back, colorful, and dog friendly. That’s what Katie and John wanted their wedding day to be like. A winning combination if you ask me. And their September soiree at Roselea Farm was just that. The casual affair was eclectic with a funky vibe, yet still traditional and charming. From the hand-painted stationery to the burlap runners sewn by Katie’s mom to even having the ceremony officiated by a friend, this wedding is chock full of DIY projects and loving tributes to their nearest and dearest. A few of my favorite details include:
- COLOR! The best feature of Katie and John’s wedding is all of the color! Red, blue, green, yellow, orange, white, pink…it’s gorgeous! Vibrant and lively, the palette brings alive all of the joy I’m sure the bride and groom were both feeling that day.
- The venue itself. Roselea Farm is a working farm turned B&B, complete with a cottage, greenhouse, and even a herd of goats! The quirky decor of the spaces, some of which includes antiques mixed with Pittsburgh spots memorabilia, makes it a unique choice. Katie and John exchanged vows behind the 1905 farmhouse, dined near the garden al fresco style, and danced the night away inside the barn.
- No bridal party at this wedding. Instead, the bride and groom recruited their nieces and nephews to be flower girls, ring bearers, and dog handlers for their pooch, who played a major part in the day.
- The personalized cake topper. Katie and John paid tribute to their love of hockey with this one. A bride in a Pens jersey, a groom in Rangers gear, and a dog holding a hockey stick…a small but cute detail that showed off their fun side.
Noah Purdy for Michael Will Photography was there to capture all of the heartfelt and intimate details of this wedding. I know greenery is big this year but this feature just might be enough to convince you to go for something a bit more colorful instead…
From the bride…
When and how did you two meet?
We met the old fashioned way…AT A BAR (!!) in NYC, where were both live and work.
Describe the wedding. The look, theme, style, colors, etc.
Our wedding took place on the grounds of Roselea Farm, which is located in my hometown of Moon Twp. The ceremony happened behind the 1905 Swiss farmhouse and the reception took place inside the adjacent barn. Above all, we wanted our wedding to be laid back, dog friendly, and colorful. 🙂
What inspired your vision?
The location itself inspired the wedding. It’s a such a beautiful, unique location and also a little quirky. The inside of the barn is filled with eclectic decor, antiques, and Pittsburgh sports memorabilia. Also, there was a donkey on location named Rick.
What made your wedding unique?
Our wedding had many special DIY touches. All of our flowers – bouquet, centerpieces, flower crowns, flowers on the arbor, flowers down the aisle, flowers on the cake – were bought in bulk from Costco, of all places, and arranged by my mother, her friend, and a team of neighbors and Moon Twp. garden club members.
Our burlap table runners were sewn by my mother. Our centerpieces featured DIY lanterns made from candles and multicolored wine bottles. Our wooden table numbers were also DIY and anchored with cut wine bottles.
Our invitations and save the dates were hand-drawn and painted by our friend, Alex Sherman. Alex also officiated our ceremony.
Our cake topper had a bride in a Penguins Jersey, a groom in a New York Rangers jersey and our dog holding a hockey stick.
Upon entering, guests were greeted by labeled mason jars to help them find their seats.
We didn’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen, but we did have John’s nieces and nephews as flower girls, ring bearers, and doggy wranglers.
What was your favorite moment of the day?
Despite all the fun had after, our ceremony was actually my favorite part of the day. We live in New York City, and actually “officially” got marred at City Hall in NYC. With that, our ceremony could be pretty informal and fun. Our friend, Alex, made the ceremony incredibly personal and unique to us. It was also completely hilarious and filled with fun details about our relationship and interests. I think my favorite part of the ceremony was a quote/reading from rapper Nelly.
Any must haves, must dos, or can’t live withouts? Anything you would do differently?
I wish we had videotaped the toasts and ceremony because they were all so funny and sweet.
Vendors
Band: Cityscape | Bride’s Dress: Leanne Marshall | Caterer: Rania’s Catering | Ceremony & Reception Location: Roselea Farm | Flowers: Costco | Musician: Scott Elliott, Professional Guitarist | Photographer: Noah Purdy for Michael Will Photography | Transportation: Molly’s Trolleys
Musician: Scott Elliott, Professional Guitarist
