The whimsical elements and dark green, navy, and white color palette of this garden inspired wedding is going to make it a quick favorite among Burgh Brides readers. With the help of floral genius GreenSinner, Susannah and Bryan were able to take several themes – including Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, AND a party under the stars – and create one cohesive look that combines modern elegance with light-hearted magic. An floral print Hayley Paige dress from Bridal Beginning, a belt of fresh flowers, and an ENORMOUS bouquet of eucalyptus, anemones, and roses adorned with long, flowy silk ribbons brought some garden inspo to Susannah’s bridal look. To continue the theme, the Pittsburgh Golf Club was dripping with fresh greenery, tall taper candles, glass hurricanes, floral chandeliers, and metallic accents when it hosted both the ceremony and reception. In a heartfelt touch, each guest was greeted with a hand-written note of thanks from the bride and groom. Wedding must-haves and steal-worthy ideas abound in this delightfully darling wedding captured by Palermo Photo.
From the bride…
Tell me about yourselves! When and how did you meet? How long have you been together? How did you get engaged? All the juicy details!
Bryan and I met at his New Years Eve Party in 2012. I was home on winter break from college in DC, whereas Bryan had already graduated and was working in Pittsburgh. One of my best friends introduced us. We met and hit it off immediately. I remember thinking to myself that this was the guy I was going to marry. Even though he knew I was going back to school in a few days and I had no idea what I was doing after graduation, he called (not texted!) and asked me out on a date before I headed back to DC. We had a wonderful first date and shut down the restaurant because we were talking so much! We kept in touch and visited each other, but it wasn’t until a few months later, when I accepted a job in Chicago, that we seriously talked about our relationship and decided to date long distance. When my fellowship ended, I came back to Pittsburgh to attend law school and be in the same city as Bryan.
About three and a half years after we met, Bryan proposed on June 14, 2016 (my birthday!) in the lobby of his old apartment, which was the spot where we first met at his party. After he proposed, he suggested we go to his old apartment where two of his friends still lived to tell them the exciting news. When we walked in, thirty of our closest friends and family were standing there to congratulate us! It was a truly special moment and the perfect way to celebrate our engagement.
Describe the wedding and what inspired it. What was unique about it?
The theme of our wedding was “a modern garden party under the stars,” but we also had several sub-themes, such as Alice and Wonderland and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We decided to incorporate every theme and the team from GreenSinner did a fantastic job creating a romantic yet modern vibe filled with eucalyptus, crystals, endless taper candles, and metallic woodland creatures! Our color scheme was dark green, navy, and white with mixed metal accents. Overall, we wanted to create an intimate and romantic setting and to make our medium-sized wedding (168 people) feel personal. For example, our escort cards were handwritten thank you notes to ensure we got a chance to tell each guest how happy we were to have them help us celebrate our marriage. We also wanted to add personal touches to our ceremony so we asked several members of our bridal party to participate in reading blessings and we wrote our own vows. I also chose to surprise Bryan by not telling him which song the acoustic guitarist would strum as I walked down the aisle. Bryan and I are HUGE Dave Matthews Band fans and have seen them perform every summer since we met. So it only felt natural to choose our favorite DMB song, “Crash Into Me,” to walk down the aisle to. Because there were no lyrics, most people didn’t recognize the song, so it felt like a secret message from me to him and the second the guitarist played the opening chords, we both started to cry.
What was your favorite moment of the day?
My favorite moment of the day was our first look. Bryan and I decided to not see each other for the ten days leading up to the wedding to make the whole experience more special. That didn’t quite end up happening as I found out I passed the Bar Exam the week before the wedding and couldn’t resist having a celebratory brunch together. However, we tried not to talk or text for those ten days so I was very anxious to see Bryan on the wedding day. From the moment I woke up on the big day, I was counting down the moments to our first look. When the time came, I started running in my dress towards where Bryan was waiting for me, while my mom and bridesmaid, who were holding my train, tried to keep up. My mom had to yell at me to stop running because I was going too fast! Once I got to Bryan, my mom and bridesmaid left so that we could share the moment privately. When I told Bryan to turn around, I never felt more beautiful. It was the perfect moment and Bryan (who is usually pretty stoic) had the biggest smile on his face and started to tear up. We stood there talking and catching up until our photographer, Maria, started to pose us for pictures. In those moments it felt like we were the only people on earth. It was truly magical!
Is there any advice you would give to other couples planning their big day?
My advice is to have fun and to stay true to who you are. Not all your friends and family will get your wedding ideas, but if you are able to, find vendors who understand you and your vibe and your vision will come to life! I would also recommend using online resources like Burgh Brides to explore local venues and vendors, as this is how we chose many of the amazing people and companies we ultimately worked with. Lastly, don’t forget to have “wedding talk free” date nights in the final weeks leading up to the wedding to ensure you and your special person have time to step away from the planning process and enjoy time together!
Vendors
Band: Bachelor Boys Band | Bride’s Dress: Hayley Paige from Bridal Beginning | Bride’s Accessories: Kate Spade | Bride’s Shoes: Banana Republic | Bridesmaids Dresses: David’s Bridal | Cake: The Pittsburgh Golf Club | Caterer: The Pittsburgh Golf Club | Ceremony Location: The Pittsburgh Golf Club | Flowers: GreenSinner | Hair: Lacy from White House Salon | Lighting & Draping: Illume Lighting | Makeup: Kiss and Makeup | Menswear: David’s Bridal | Photo Booth: Your Photo Booth | Photography: Palermo Photo | Reception Venue: The Pittsburgh Golf Club
Bride’s Dress: Bridal Beginning | Flowers: GreenSinner | Photography: Palermo Photo
