1. Real Weddings

A Modern-Meets-Natural Downtown Wedding at the Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri

Mimsy Win (37 and an event planner) and Jeff Tallent (34 and in banking) met online, but they believe fate played a role in bringing them together. Bo

Mimsy Win (37 and an event planner) and Jeff Tallent (34 and in banking) met online, but they believe fate played a role in bringing them together. Both were born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, moved to Kansas (30 minutes from each other) and worked at banks. In fact, Mimsy met Jeff's dad before she met Jeff—she worked with him at a bank and used to talk to him whenever she visited his branch, sharing stories about Philly (yet never realizing he had a single son). When Mimsy and Jeff finally connected, their first phone conversation lasted for three hours. When they finally met in person, it was pretty obvious they had a love connection. Their caring, compassionate personalities spilled over into their wedding planning: Their main concern was that friends and family had a good time, evident in their focus on food, fun and convenience. Their interfaith wedding blended Jewish and Catholic traditions into a ceremony at the Gallery Event Space, with their personal touch of a tree-planting ceremony. The modern loft-style space was completely transformed with a white, gray and orange motif that "was unique but not kitschy, elegant but not snooty," Mimsy says. "It was very much a modern-meets-natural kind of wedding, with fresh florals, wood, rocks, moss and glass." The reception featured uplighting (first white, then purple when the dance began), a head table with moss topiaries, lanterns, candles, bouquets and a hanging wooden box filled with candles and greenery and excellent food options. The couple served three appetizers during cocktail hour at the swanky neighboring Kill Devil Club; followed by filet mignon, grilled salmon or grilled vegetable Napoleon for dinner at the Gallery; then by eight dessert options and flatbread pizza and a soft-pretzel bar for late-night snacks. Their first-dance song—selected by Jeff—was to Jimmy Durante's "Young at Heart," a classic starting with the lyrics: "Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you, if you're young at heart." It was easy to maintain a rhythm while on the dance floor, Mimsy says, but "it represented our love for each other perfectly." —Chrissy Sorenson

Mimsy gave her bridemaids clutches before the wedding as a symbol of her appreciation for all their hard work before the big day.
Mimsy originally thought she wanted a simple lace sheath but fell in love with a dramatic Serencia gown by Maggie Sottero. She loved the mermaid-style fit, Swarovski crystal details, layered skirt and illusion back. "I'd never seen a bride in this sort of dress before," she says.
Mimsy's bright orange and white bouquet showed hints of yellow and greens. She specifically requested orange lilies (in the bouquet) and hydrangeas (in the chuppah and centerpieces).
The groom and groomsmen wore charcoal gray suits with matching orange ties and pocket squares, orange boutonnieres and orange, gray and white argyle socks.
Mimsy and Jeff got married in front of large windows at the Gallery event space, overlooking downtown Kansas City. The wooden chuppah was decorated with sheer ivory drapery and beautiful white florals and greenery. Aisles were lined with large moss topiaries atop glass vases and gray pillars.
Mimsy, who used to work as a graphic designer, created quirky, fun infogram programs telling the story of how she and Jeff met.
The ring bearer rode down the aisle in a push car, decorated with a "Uncle Jeff, Here Comes Your Bride" sign.
"My favorite part of the entire day was the ceremony," Mimsy says. "We were all smiles, surrounded by the people we love most." They combined traditions from Jeff's Catholic faith (a special prayer and a pope-inspired quote) and Mimsy's Jewish faith (the chuppah and Jeff "breaking the glass") and created a new tradition of planting a unity tree, with the "Tree of Life" symbolizing both religions, the roots of their relationship, and their continued growth of their love, as they became each other's family.
Each escort card was a printed chalkboard sign with the guest’s name and a drawing of a cow, a salmon or a carrot (depending on the chosen entree), attached with a white clothespin to a small succulent in a black container.
"I absolutely loved our head table," Mimsy says. The farm table was decorated in moss topiaries, lanterns, candles, bouquets and a hanging wooden box filled with candles and greenery.
Lanterns added a distinctive element to the head table decor.
The main cake was a two-tier lemon with lemon curd scraped cake decorated with fresh flowers.
The dessert table featured four mini cupcakes, mini oatmeal cream pies, mini fresh berry tarts and mini pots de creme, all from Dolce Bakery.