1. Real Weddings

A Colorful Brunch Wedding at the Wine Loft in Birmingham, Alabama

Mary Frances Bennett (26 and a floral event specialist) wed Brennan Vaughn (32 and a chemical engineer) in a brightly colored summertime brunch weddin

Mary Frances Bennett (26 and a floral event specialist) wed Brennan Vaughn (32 and a chemical engineer) in a brightly colored summertime brunch wedding at the Wine Loft in Birmingham, Alabama. “Flowers inspired my style. Since I'm in the floral industry, I always see muted color tones come across my desk,” Mary Frances says. “I wasn’t interested in that, I wanted bright and vibrant colors. We got married in May because the flowers in bloom then were exactly what I wanted for my wedding.” Throughout the day, pops of coral and red were accompanied by fresh bright greenery. After the ceremony at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Hoover, Alabama, the newlyweds hosted their 180 guests at a brunch at the Wine Loft. For dessert, guests had a traditional wedding cake and a cinnamon-roll-flavored groom's cake drizzled with caramel. When it was time to go, Mary Frances got creative. “I made 200 ribbon wands for our send-off,” Mary Frances says. “We got married at 11 a.m., and the reception was over by 4 p.m. I wasn't able to have sparklers or throw petals, so I had to come up with something else. I was so worried that they weren't going to have much of an impact. But as soon as we stepped outside, the wind kicked up and those ribbons were flying. It was a magical day.” —Carolyn Meers

Brennan gave Mary Frances a simple diamond engagement ring.
Fine Paperwork created an elegant, romantic invitation suite for Mary Frances and Brennan that centered on a classic monogram and gold and blush calligraphy.
Mary Frances wore glittery gold Betsey Johnson heels to complement her tulle and lace dress.
Mary Frances chose a grand tulle and lace Stella York gown and added cap sleeves.
"My hair was pulled back on one side with a clip that had ranunuclus on it," Mary Frances says. "The groom and groomsmen wore gray Vera Wang tuxedos. The bridesmaids wore a two-piece set from Bella Bridesmaid. The color of their skirts was called Fire Cracker. It was a bright, fun color that went well with my flower girl dresses."
Mary Frances's bridesmaids wore two-piece dresses from Bella Bridesmaid. "The color of their skirts was called Fire Cracker. It was a bright, fun color that went well with my flower girl dresses," Mary Frances says.
Mary Frances and Brennan said their vows in a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church.
On the patio of the Wine Loft in Birmingham, Alabama, guests enjoyed more colorful floral arrangements.
Cakes by Kim crafted both the wedding cake and the groom's cake. "The bride's cake was a classic vanilla bean cake with buttercream frosting with watercolor blooms on the bottom layer. The top layers had coral charm peonies for a little pop of color," Mary Frances says.
A cigar bar was part of the patio's offering at the Wine Loft in Birmingham, Alabama.
Cakes by Kim crafted the groom's cake, which was a cinnamon-roll-flavored cake with caramel drizzle.
Mary Frances, a floral designer by trade, wanted colorful arrangements. She used ritillaria, coral and peach peonies, beehive ginger, cymbidiums, coxcomb, flowering grevillea, garden roses, scabiosa and pomegrante buds, among other blooms.
“I made 200 ribbon wands for our send-off,” Mary Frances says. “We got married at 11 a.m., and the reception was over by 4 p.m. I wasn't able to have sparklers or throw petals, so I had to come up with something else. I was so worried that they weren't going to have a much of an impact. But as soon as we stepped outside, the wind kicked up and those ribbons were flying. It was a magical day.”