It may be small but it sure was mighty – this intimate, eclectic wedding at Smallman Galley packs a power punch! Inspired by a rich autumn color palette of blush, marsala, navy, and gold, Lauren and Shane’s day was nothing short of amazing. An events industry professional herself, Lauren knew to trust her vendors to make all of her wedding dreams a reality. And let ua tell you – they did not disappoint! The Buhl Planetarium of the Carnegie Science Center hosted a starry ceremony complete with a laser night show for the sci fi-loving groom! Afterward, Smallman Galley hosted the cocktail style wedding reception for close family and friends. There, Mocha Rose worked their magic with hanging floral installations, uniquely shaped table arrangements, and even a papier mache octopus in honor of Lauren’s favorite animal. Marbella Event Furniture & Decor Rental even replicated the design of Lauren and Shane’s invitation for a stellar, personalized welcome sign and DJ booth for Pittsburgh wedding DJ Jeremy Ganss Productions. And since this small wedding had an emphasis on family, it wouldn’t be complete without a heartfelt touch. The bride’s mom surprised her with a hand-sewn handkerchief made from her own wedding dress and beading from Lauren’s grandmother’s dress. Cue all the happy tears for this sweet detail, and all of the other ones captured by Caitlin Thomas Photography!
About the Couple
Shane and I met during our senior year of college. We originally started talking online and then met in person for the first time at a coffee shop in Shadyside. We ended up spending time together every weekend for about a month before becoming “official”. After being together for a couple of years, we decided to do something fun together for Christmas instead of getting each other gifts. In December of 2016, we decided to spend a night at Hotel Monaco and Shane proposed to me after dinner that night. I had helped pick out my ring, so I had an idea it was going to happen soon. But I talked myself out of thinking it would be that night, so I ended up being surprised anyway! It was so sweet and intimate just being the two of us, although Shane did let me call my family and closest friends immediately after, before we celebrated with some champagne!
About the Wedding
Since I work in the events industry, I had a really good idea of what I didn’t want. I knew I wanted a unique, non-religious ceremony and a cocktail party style reception where everyone could have a good time. Since we started officially dating in October and it is my favorite month, it made perfect sense to me to have our wedding in October. The autumn time inspired my color palette, but I let Mocha Rose have a lot of freedom with the flowers since I knew they would create something beyond anything I could come up with. My mom was a big help in planning and she suggested the ceremony and reception venues. We met with the planetarium staff and immediately knew that was the perfect ceremony venue for us! We chose Smallman Galley because good food and drinks were really important to us and having four different chefs cater your reception is the best thing ever. Plus, I love the industrial vibe of the space and it made the perfect backdrop for our cocktail reception. It was also important to us to have a smaller wedding with only our closest family and friends, so we kept our bridal party to just our siblings and our guest list small.
Favorite Moment
Wow, I have so many I don’t think I can pick just one! Dancing around our hotel suite with my mom and sister while getting ready, seeing Shane for the first look and giving him the floral pocket square my mom made for him, marrying my best friend, the star and laser show during our ceremony, dancing the night away with my nearest and dearest, having the best wedding ever…the list goes on!
