A Classic Spring Wedding at Lafayette Grande Banquet Facility in Pontiac, Michigan

College sweethearts Jackie Blaida (25 and in graphic design) and Phil Ranoni (26 and a systems analyst) met while Jackie was moving into her first apartment during her sophomore year at school. "Phil was one of the cute older guys next door," she explains. They quickly fell into sync and got engaged five years later when Phil took his bride-to-be on a weekend trip north to Traverse City. "We were on the tallest, scenic overlook of Lake Michigan when he popped the question at sunset," Jackie says. "It was perfect." As traditional Catholics, the two wed in a classic church ceremony before celebrating with 200 family members and friends at the Lafayette Grande Banquet Facility in Pontiac. As guests trickled into the venue, they were met with a winding staircase that led to a cocktail hour which overlooked the reception space. Thanks to a color palette of pale yellow and grey, the room evoked a feeling of spring that was matched by bright, warm-weather elements scattered throughout the space. "I have a fascination with honeybees and they made quite a few appearances at the wedding," Jackie says. "And as a graphic designer, I even custom made our save-the-dates and wedding invitations." As for wedding advice, the bride says" "Try not to get caught up in the bells and whistles. Looking back, there were a lot of little details that we stressed about, but in the end, none of it mattered."