1. Real Weddings

A Formal Greek and Irish Wedding at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in Grosse Pointe, Michigan

When Alexa Caralis (31 and in digital advertising) and Reilly O'Toole were growing up, the two had little in common except for near-identical phone nu

When Alexa Caralis (31 and in digital advertising) and Reilly O'Toole were growing up, the two had little in common except for near-identical phone numbers. "Reilly and I attended the same high school and even graduated in the same class, but our social circles didn't overlap," Alexa recalls. While the two weren't close, they both ended up in Chicago and met through mutual friends in 2006. Eight years later and the Illinois-based couple finally became Mr. and Mrs. in their shared hometown at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. "It was important that we are close to 'home' since we no longer live in Michigan," Alexa says. "Plus, it was exciting to show our Chicago friends where we grew up!" A neutral palette of ivory and gold was offset with touches of navy blue for a traditional fete that felt classic and clean. To symbolize their respective Greek and Irish backgrounds, Alexa and Reilly made sure to incorporate as many cultural elements as possible -- including a custom-made family crest that was prominent throughout the stationary and reception details.

"Being petite, I knew I didn't want a large gown to swallow me," says Alexa. Instead, the bride chose a strapless, floral lace gown with a champagne silk chiffon underlay by Matthew Christopher. Since the dress had a modified chapel-length train, Alexa wore a cathedral-length lace veil to complement it. "The veil was exquisite and added the perfect amount of drama to my overall look," she says.
With a 5'2" bride and a 6'4" groom, it only made sense for Alexa to wear heels on her wedding day, opting for sheer ivory Badgley Mischka ankle booties. "They were so fun and different!" she says.
Each of the eight groomsmen was gifted a black velvet bow tie from MrsBowTie.com. But the bride's favorite style detail? Monogrammed suspenders!
A sweet, DIY sign counted down the days until the couple's October wedding.
“We sewed lace from my Mom's wedding dress into mine as my 'something old' and added a Greek Orthodox Cross given to me by my Godmother as my 'something blue',” Alexa says.
Alexa kept her jewelry to a minimum, opting for simple vintage earrings and a crystal J.Crew bracelet.
The ceremony took place at the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church with the bride's father escorting her down the aisle.
After the couple exchanges rings, the bride and groom are both "crowned" during the climax of the ceremony. Not only does the crowning signify that the two are officially husband and wife, but it traditionally signifies them as the queen and king of their "new kingdom."
"Greek Orthodox churches are naturally beautiful, with heavy gold accents and rich-colored iconography, so there was very little extra decoration needed," says Alexa.
With no official receiving line, the couple made their exit from the church to their guests throwing flower petals and ringing bells. “An old Irish tradition is to give a bell on the occasion of the wedding — it affords good luck and wards off evil spirits,” Alexa says.
To avoid the centerpieces from looking too "cookie cutter", Alexa instead displayed four types of centerpieces, all of which included mirrored tiles and mercury glass votives.
Intricate piped frosting added an elegant detail to the couple's white, three-tier cake.
Navy napkin holders were imprinted with custom-made gold crests and an Irish proverb to honor Reilly's heritage.
Each bridesmaid wore a navy blue, luxe chiffon Jenny Yoo convertible dress. “This allow each girl to select the type of straps they wore, so it was perfect for each body type,” Alexa says.
A dense garland of Mediterranean ruscus and olive branches hung from the fireplace mantle, draped with a dramatic gold ribbon.
Bells of Ireland and small olive branches were added to Alexa's bouquet to represent both the bride and groom's respective Irish and Greek heritage.
A three-tiered wedding cake by Elite Sweets adorned with white roses and green ruscus was served.
Like his bride, the groom kept his look classic with a black Hugo Boss tuxedo, Thomas Pink shirt and black velvet tasseled slippers.
Each of the ballroom's 27 tables were alternately covered with light gold or ivory paisley tablecloths.
Small, votive candles and lush, green centerpieces served as the main focal point for each of the elegant reception tables.
The Chicago-based couple chose the yacht club as their venue to show off their Michigan roots. "Reilly and I both grew up in Grosse Pointe, so it was important that we were close to 'home', since we no longer live there," Alexa says. "It was also exciting to show our Chicago friends where we grew up!"
The bride wore her up in a lightly-tousled updo with a modern, swirled bun at the nape of her neck. "I wear my hair up very often, so it was important to still look natural, but with a little extra 'something'," she says.
The large reception space included unique details, like a historic chandelier and a fireplace large enough to actually walk into!
The Michigan-based Newsmaker band played for a majority of the reception, stopping only when a DJ was brought in to play traditional Greek music. "In keeping with my Greek side, w danced to all the traditional songs," Alexa says. "This is an incredibly important tradition in our family and all of the 'non-Greeks' had a chance to learn and participate as well!"