1. Real Weddings

A Classic Wedding at the Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colorado

This modern, eclectic celebration ended up being a destination wedding. Even though the bride, Leah Jacoby (30 and a doctor), and groom, Dan Groves (3

This modern, eclectic celebration ended up being a destination wedding. Even though the bride, Leah Jacoby (30 and a doctor), and groom, Dan Groves (33 and a doctor), had lived in Denver, Colorado, for years before tying the knot, they moved to Washington, DC, for work two months before the wedding. The pair chose the sleek, modern sophistication of the Denver Art Museum for their wedding, happy to have the versatile space, which allowed for an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour with an indoor reception. They added customized, bright, geometric accents throughout the space for a funky touch of fun amid the couple’s otherwise classic aesthetic. One-of-a-kind sculptures like a giant-size broom and dustpan provided a fun backdrop for photos.—Rory Kress

The bride wanted a dress that would be simple and elegant, and that would be comfortable for her to dance in. "My favorite part of the dress was that it had blue stitching, so I was excited to get blue shoes to match," Leah says.
Leah's matching blue shoes featured a custom imprint with her newly married name and wedding date on the soles.
"I just wanted to look like the most beautiful version of myself—not too overdone," Leah says. She pinned her curly hair into a relaxed updo and kept her makeup natural. The groom opted for a classic black suit with a blue tie.
The predominantly white bridal bouquet featured antique hydrangeas in blue as an accent color.
The bridesmaids included Leah's sister-in-law, her best friend from medical school and two childhood friends. She wanted to keep their look informal, so she let them pick their own long, gray dresses in a shade of their choice. This low-key bride had not even seen what her bridesmaids were wearing until the wedding day arrived! The flower girls were her two nieces, who wore matching white dresses and gray sashes to match the bridesmaids.
The bride wanted to incorporate her Jewish heritage into the day, including a colorful ketubah featuring some of Colorado's natural beauty.
The couple blended the bride's Jewish background with secular traditions, writing the entire ceremony on their own. A close friend of hers from medical school officiated, and two of the bride's friends recited the traditional seven blessings. Dan even stomped on a glass at the end of the ceremony.
The couple said their vows under a birch chuppah with curly willow branches and a canopy made from cascading greens. The aisle was lined with wooden boxes filled with ethereal white floral arrangements.
The couple's custom stationary helped to guide the day's aesthetic. The invitations featured sleek triangles that were echoed in the reception's escort cards and even in the centerpieces.
The bold colors of the Denver Art Museum's outdoor sculpture collection matched the couple's bright, modern design.
The museum's reception space was a blank canvas that the couple customized to feature their bold, geometric thematic elements. Their designers custom-built large, wooden geometric pendant lights to hang above the guests.
Centerpieces incorporated the bold golds and greens of the couple's stationary. Blue and glass vases featured the vintage Dutch green hydrangeas. All the tables featured silver linens and silver chiavari chairs to match.
The pair brought the bride's Jewish heritage into the reception with a traditional hora dance.
The couple had a geometric honeycomb wooden background built to highlight their wedding cake and bring soft candlelight into the sleek modern space. The cake was designed to evoke the couple's love of the mountains: inspired by birchwood elements and snow-capped peaks.
The pair kept their exit low-key after the reception. Leah says that using a wedding planner helped make the day a breeze, and she recommends that other couples not sweat the small details.