Combining classic and feminine wedding details with a dark and pretty palette, this navy and burgundy wedding is downright lovely. The couple’s favorite shade of blue was the main color of the day, and Jamie and Adam accented it with a dramatic shade of red and a girly pop of peach. The mix was a soft yet seasonal one, perfect for their early fall wedding date. In addition to his-and-her most loved hues, a lot of inspiration came from Jamie’s affinity for pearls, lace, and anything sparkly. Her wedding dress incorporated all three accents, glitzy escort cards greeted guests at the Circuit Center reception, and even the cake was adorned with pearl dots, rhinestones, and a satin bow. Other party details included fresh greenery runners, centerpieces of floral arrangements and black lanterns, and soft uplighting to create a romantic yet relaxed atmosphere. The best part though? The 1,800 piece Pittsburgh cookie table, a tribute to the bride’s nightly cookies-and-milk tradition. Yum-o! Traditional and sweet, this wedding was captured by Madeline Jane Photography. Enjoy!
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!
In January 2012, I returned to Slippery Rock University, ready for a new start to my educational experience. Little did I know that when a handsome man with dark brown eyes sat next to me in Human Development, he would one day be my husband. Our friendship took off immediately and as time passed we realized how much closer we were growing together. When graduation day came for Adam, he left to start his career in Madison, Wisconsin and our long distance relationship added a new component to our lives. The more that we were apart from each other, the more we realized how much we needed to be together. So a few months later, I followed Adam to Madison and our relationship blossomed even more. Soon after, our plans changed again and we both decided to continue our education and moved back to Pittsburgh to pursue our dreams.
As July 2015 came around, I started having feelings that a proposal was in the near future. On July 16, Adam had dinner reservations for us. As we were getting ready for dinner, I had a quick glance at Adam’s pocket because I noticed a square box outlined in his jeans. My heart stopped for a moment. I thought, “Oh my gosh, that’s a ring box! I can’t look! He’s going to propose tonight! But I can’t act like I know anything.” So we arrived to dinner and everything was perfect. After eating, Adam kept expressing his love to me and I thought here it comes…he reached into his pocket and pulls out a padlock with our names engraved with a heart. Ahh…so that is what was in his pocket! We always mentioned how it would be nice to add a lock to the Roberto Clemente bridge. After dinner, we walked to the bridge, admired the beautiful city skyline, and made a wish together before finding a spot for our lock and tossing the key to our lock into the river. Shortly after, Adam was down on one knee asking me to marry him. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. He had me fooled and hid the ring in his sock the whole time. Of course, I said yes!
Describe the wedding and what inspired it. What was unique about it?
Adam and I enjoy dressing up and exploring new restaurants often. When we do, I always make sure to add pearls to my attire. I love the classy and timeless look of pearls and this was my main inspiration to our wedding. After finding my dress, which had a nice balance of pearls, lace, and sparkle, I knew this is what I wanted to incorporate into our wedding details along with our favorite color – navy. This rich color is flattering on everyone. Adam couldn’t wait to wear his navy tux with sharp brown shoes and a pop of color to his bow tie. We also wanted to pair navy with other rich fall colors such as burgundy, peaches, and eucalyptus. I wanted to fill our reception with a lot of soft candle light from lanterns and votives to create a romantic and comforting environment. I realized throughout my planning that I was constantly drawn to my initial inspiration of bows, pearls, and gems, which were seen in every detail including my shoes, cake, invitations, place cards, etc. We also wanted to include a large cookie table area for our guests and ourselves. I am quite a cookie lover and knew this had to happen. (Confession: I always have cookies and milk at 10 p.m. – ever since I was a kid). Thankfully, we had several family members who made all of our delicious cookies – over 1,800 filled the room!! Of course, when our dancing had to come to an end at 10, I had to sneak some cookies. 🙂
What was your favorite moment of the day?
All day getting ready, I couldn’t believe that it was actually my wedding day. It was so fun but it didn’t feel real. Once I was at Saint Paul Cathedral and everyone in the bridal party made their entrance, everything got quiet. It was just me and my Dad waiting at the back of the church for a few moments. Now it started to feel real. I could hear my heart beating faster. The doors were closed and I could not wait to see my groom. The moment the doors opened and I saw the breathtaking views of the church, filled with our loved ones, I started feeling butterflies of happiness. The walk down the long aisle getting closer and closer to Adam was my favorite moment. I suddenly didn’t notice anyone else but him. Adam looked so happy and I couldn’t help but smile the whole way. I couldn’t wait to grab his hand and be on our way to be married and that’s just what we did!
Is there any advice you would give to other couples planning their big day?
My advice to other couples would be to not worry about the finer details of the wedding planning. I was easy-going with all wedding plans because the most important thing to me was the actual marriage to my best friend. I think this is what helped me stay calm and stress-free throughout the process. It’s a beautiful time to celebrate the love of your life and officially beginning your lives together. Embrace every moment.
Vendors
Bride’s Dress: Sophia Tolli at Cocoa Couture | Bride’s Jewelry: Tiffany & Co. | Bride’s Shoes: Macy’s | Bridesmaids Dresses: Bill Levkoff at Cocoa Couture | Cake: Cakes by Tammy | Caterer: The Fluted Mushroom | Ceremony Location: Saint Paul Cathedral | DJ: Klock Entertainment | Flowers: Rosebud Floral | Hair: Wendy Caripolti | Lighting: Klock Entertainment | Menswear: Top Hat Tuxedo | Photobooth: Klock Entertainment | Photography: Madeline Jane Photography | Reception Venue: Circuit Center | Stationery: Cards & Pockets | Videography: Light Motion Studios
Photography: Madeline Jane Photography
