A Playful City Wedding at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

With so many storied venues to choose from in their hometown of Pittsburgh, newlyweds Emily Hitechew (27 and works in finance) and Samuel Blake (27 and works in business advisory) booked one of the city’s newest boutique hotels for their nuptials. “We wanted an elegant, luxe wedding with a modern twist,” Emily says of filling Hotel Monaco with acrylic details and houndstooth accents inspired by the property’s curtains. “We were both blown away by the rush of emotions you get while twirling in a room full of your closest family members and friends,” Emily says. A fresh palette of green, white and black appeared throughout, topping everything from the couple’s botanical invitation suite to the grosgrain-ribbon-wrapped arrangements. “Every bridesmaid carried a full bouquet that consisted of a single bloom found in my own bouquet,” Emily says. “Our florist came up with the idea, and I absolutely loved it.” Gold-rimmed chargers, modern Lucite table numbers and clusters of all-white blooms anchored the lavish reception space. Rather than use a traditional topper, Emily and Samuel covered their almond-and-chocolate-chip-flavored cake with fresh phalaenopsis orchids, and later sent guests home with signature macarons from the Duquesne Club. “It was fun to incorporate something we love as a final ‘farewell’ and ‘thank you’ to our guests,” Emily says of the treat.