Sweet and serene, today’s Pittsburgh Botanic Garden wedding is like a breath of fresh air. Alaina and BJ, who first met as teenagers, envisioned a wedding that was clean and neutral, which led to them choosing a color scheme of dusty sage and gray. There was no better venue for the inspired-by-nature vibes than the indoor/outdoor setting of the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. After saying “I do” in the Garden Plaza, the party moved under a white-top tent adorned with twinkle lights. Wooden cross-back farm chairs, greenery runners, a buttercream Bethel Bakery wedding cake covered in fresh foliage, and table numbers featuring hand-painted eucalyptus leaves were just a few of the noteworthy details we think Mother Nature herself would love. Perhaps our favorite feature, however, was the dress worn by Alaina’s maid of honor and BJ’s two sisters. While the rest of the bridesmaids looked lovely in sage green, these three stood out in an ivory floral printed gown that gave dimension to the wedding party’s style. Jeannine Bonadio Photography captured this celebration in such a romantic way. Prepare for your heart to start fluttering!
About the Couple
BJ and I met at a baseball field when we were 13 and 14. We obviously did not like each other at that time. His sister and I became very close that summer because our little brothers were on the same baseball team. After becoming close with her family and always being around, I got to know BJ. I ended up having a crush on him. The next summer, I found out that he also had a crush on me and we ended up having a little fling during that summer. Once the summer was over, we went our separate ways and didn’t speak for five years. During those years, we both still felt strongly about each other but never acted upon those feelings. Finally, we got reacquainted and realized we’ve always felt something for each other and started dating.
We dated for four and a half years before we got engaged. We were engaged for only eight months. BJ did not want a long engagement! He proposed at the Black Dog Winery. It was a complete surprise, for which I’m very thankful! I thought we were meeting our close friends and I walked into a surprise party for my birthday (or so I thought) but it was actually for the proposal. Being able to celebrate with the family was perfect!
About the Wedding
The wedding was more on the clean, neutral side when it came to colors, decorations, and flowers. Our colors were dusty sage and gray but I did have my maid of honor and his two sisters wear a nude dress with white flowers. Nothing really inspired it but I did find a lot of my inspiration on Pinterest, of course!
Favorite Moment
I think the moment that I walked down the aisle with my dad and having BJ see me was very special. Unfortunately, I ugly cried a little but it was still a great moment! BJ said a favorite moment for him was when we got introduced as Mr. and Mrs. at our reception.
One thing we both loved was when the maid of honor and best man gave their speeches. My maid of honor was my best friend, who knew everything about my past with BJ. Her telling stories about us made our guests emotional because the ones that truly knew our story understood, but the ones who didn’t could understand how lucky we were that we were able to find our way back together! His dad was his best man and his speech was so touching because he was truly honored to be his son’s best man and he cried, which made EVERYONE cry! They were both beautiful to listen to!
