I’m pretty sure that the ballroom of the Omni Bedford Springs was just made for a blush & gold wedding, don’t you think? The grand fireplace, brocade wallpaper, ornate sconces, heavy pink curtains, and overall architecture ooze romance, as does this modern day color palette. Put them both together and it’s a match made in wedding heaven. Not only that, but the venue holds a special place in Brittany’s heart and she had dreamed of getting married there for years. So when she and Chris got engaged, it was a total no-brainer as their reception venue. Pulling inspiration from the space, the couple went with an elegant, soft theme that combined a classic look with feminine touches, personal tributes, and vintage vibes. Antique skeleton key escort cards lead guests to their tables where they found fragrant floral arrangements set in gold footed containers, floating candles and rose petals, or lush greenery runners. To welcome the groom’s family, who traveled all the way from Italy, Brittany’s family made over 140 dozen goodies for the traditional Pittsburgh cookie table. A donation to their favorite dog rescue and a bridal bouquet wrapped in her mother’s lace and pearls were just a few of the heartfelt ways Brittany and Chris made the day theirs. As romance and timeless as it gets, this swoon-worthy day was beautifully captured by Annie O’Neill Photography.
Cut to one of my favorite wedding songs, Brittany and Chris’s film from Entwined Cinema shows off both the romance and fun of their day in a wonderful way!
From the bride…
Tell me about yourselves! When and how did you two meet? How long have you been together? How did you get engaged? All the juicy details!
Chris and I both swiped right! That’s correct, we met on Tinder 😉 We dated for a little under a year and got engaged in Capri, Italy overlooking a beautiful sunset.
Describe the wedding and what inspired it. What was unique about it?
Chris and I were married in the charming town of Bedford, Pennsylvania at Bedford Presbyterian Church. Our reception took place at Omni Bedford Springs Resort, a venue that holds a special place in my heart. I moved to Northern Virginia in August 2010, leaving behind my family in Pittsburgh. Each fall, my mom and I met at the Omni for a weekend of relaxation and fun together. Since our first stay at the historic hotel, I’ve dreamt of hosting my wedding reception in the Colonnade Ballroom. Upon getting engaged, my fiancé and I toured the venue together and he fell equally in love. The rest was history!
Right away, I knew I wanted to go with a soft, romantic theme. I chose blush and gold as my colors, which drove the majority of my decisions. My bridesmaids all wore different blush or gold gowns (a decision that I was slightly hesitant about at the time, but my vision came together PERFECTLY). My gown featured beautiful scalloped, ivory lace which paired perfectly with my blush and ivory bouquet (wrapped in my mother’s lace and pearls).
Our reception included a stunning King’s Table set for 25 people. A 14-foot floral garland ran across the table, along with mercury glass candles and several bouquets. Our other centerpieces included blush and ivory arrangements in gold footed bowls and floating candle cylinders on mirrored trays with blush rose petals. A major highlight of the reception was, of course, The Pittsburgh Cookie Table with over 140 dozen homemade cookies.
Our DJ, Andy Booth did an amazing job of keeping the dance floor full. We danced the night away until midnight, pausing only briefly for a few sunset photos with Annie O’Neill.
In lieu of a favor, we donated money to the animal shelter where we rescued our dog! We notified guests of this decision by printing a few sentences on the back of our menu cards, along with a special thank you message. We received great feedback from our family and friends and it felt good knowing that the money went toward a cause near and dear to our hearts!
My husband was born and raised in Italy and much of his family still lives there. Many of our guests (including his parents, sister and family, and grandmother) traveled from there to be with us on our wedding day! 🙂
What was your favorite moment of the day?
Gosh, my day was such a blur! With that said, Chris and I made it a point to stop a few times and really “take it all in”. During our first dance, we paused for a moment and looked around our ballroom. The most important people in our lives were all there, standing and watching us dance with smiles that exceeded the width of their faces. That was the point in which I realized that my blood, sweat, and tears had paid off. To see so many loved ones in the same place at the same time…all for YOU…is truly an indescribable experience. It is something I will never, ever forget!
Is there any advice you would give to other couples planning their big day?
I was an extremely detail-oriented bride. During the entire planning process, everyone told me not to worry about the details…that “no one would notice anyway”. I could not disagree more! Attention to detail is something I take pride in and it really paid off in the end. We had countless compliments on everything from our vintage key escort cards to our Pittsburgh Cookie Table to the 14-foot floral garland running across our King’s Table. I couldn’t have imagined it any other way! So I guess my advice would be…PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL! It will really take your wedding to the next level and make it unique to you as a couple.
Vendors
Bride’s Dress: Allure from Sorelle Bridal | Bride’s Jewelry: Sorelle Bridal | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Bridesmaids Dresses: BHLDN, Adrianna Papell, Dessy, and Allure | Cake: Omni Bedford Springs | Caterer: Omni Bedford Springs | Ceremony Location: Bedford Presbyterian Church | DJ: Andy Booth of Jeremy Ganss Productions | Flowers: Peterman’s Florist | Hair: PR at Partners | Makeup: Nicole Mitsos | Menswear: Menguin | Photography: Annie O’Neil Photography | Reception Venue: Omni Bedford Springs | Stationery: Cardinal and Straw | Transportation: McIlwain Charter & Tours | Videography: Rachel Wagner of Entwined Cinema
DJ: Andy Booth of Jeremy Ganss Productions
Do you happen to know the height of the glass cylinders?
i don’t; i’m so sorry!