Simple Inspirational Real Wedding stories

A Simply Classic Wedding at the Westlake Village Inn

Katy Chicotka (31, a veterinarian) and Scott Chicotka (32, a surgeon) dated throughout college until graduation, when they decided to go their separate ways. They both ended up going into the medical field and reconnected 7 years later, and it didn't take them long to pick up where they left off....

An Louisiana State University Hilltop Arboretum Wedding in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Lauren Lambert, an event planner and P.R. specialist, 25 and Zachary Tompkins, and archivist, 27, met while in college and were wed at Louisiana State University’s Arboretum. “The Arboretum had everything we didn't realize we wanted: it was secluded, simple, and naturally gorgeous,” says Lauren. ...

A Simple Wedding at Colarusso's La Palazzo in Pennsylvania Moosic, Pennsylvania

Mark Marianelli and Carla Stefano dated for several years and were parents to two children, Meghan and Julia, before getting married. Shortly after Meghan was born, the couple decided the time was finally right to get engaged, but didn't know exactly what they wanted for their wedding day. All Ma...

A Simple Wedding at Windows on the River in Cleveland, Ohio

Eva and Jeff met at a mutual friends party, and by the end of the night held hands to keep each other warm on the porch swing. Eva went to visit him at his university the next week, and the couple has not looked back since. One night, Eva came back home to find the whole outside deck strung with ...

A Simple DIY Wedding at Garden of the Gods Trading Post in Manitou Springs, Colorado

Heather, 32, a teacher, and Brady, 26, a first responder, met through a mutual coworker. The couple used blue as their main color, which was inspired by the blue line representing the family bond of police officers since Brady graduated from the police academy for the Colorado Springs Police Depa...

A Rustic DIY Wedding at Crooked Willow Farms in Larkspur, Colorado

Katie, 27, an attorney, and Marshall, 32, also an attorney, exchanged vows at Crooked Willow Farms in Larkspur, Colorado. With a yellow and white color palette, the day was simple, rustic and mostly DIY.

A Simple Classic Wedding at the Ramada Topeka Downtown Hotel and Convention Center in Topeka, Kansas

Melanie, 28, a radiologic technologist, and Drew, 30, works in construction, met through mutual friends. “I would say our theme was very classic,” Melanie says. “We wanted to keep it simple and keep with tradition. We wanted to look back and not see trendy, but see timeless.” They chose mint for ...

A Shabby Chic Wedding at Peeper Ranch in Lenexa, Kansas

Alyssa, 29, a financial representative, and Patrick, 28, an area director, met in high school, but didn’t start dating until they were students at the University of Kansas. They were together for eight years before getting married. “This wedding was a long time coming,” Alyssa says. “We've been t...

A Classic Wedding at the Rose Street Market in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Alabama-based couple Nicole Jackson (27 and in pharmaceutical sales) and Melvin Hitchens (27 and in packaged goods sales) returned to the bride's home state to tie the knot in a traditional church ceremony in Kalamazoo. "It was important to us to get married somewhere significant," Nicole explain...

A Simple Garden Wedding at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, Missouri

Grace, 26, a phD student, and Dan, 25, a senior analyst, met in college at the University of Chicago. Six years later, Dan proposed. Grace always wanted a garden wedding where there would be green everywhere. They decided on an intimate, outdoor ceremony in the Gladney Rose Garden followed by a r...

A Simple Wedding at The Elms in Excelsior Springs, Missouri

Whitney, 26, a mortgage loan officer, and Adam, 28, a project manager, met through Adam’s younger sister, who is Whitney’s best friend. “I truly wanted our wedding to feel like a small, intimate, romantic dinner party meets garden,” Whitney says. “We wanted the wedding to be stress free and feel ...

A Simple, Rustic Wedding at Ariel International Center in Cleveland, Ohio

Halle, 30, a pharmacist at Walgreens, and Dan, 30, director of player development at the Chicago White Sox Training Academy exchanged vows overlooking the Cleveland skyline and Lake Erie at the Ariel International Center. “Dan and I had agreed the moment we got engaged that we wanted to throw mor...

A Sophisticated Modern Wedding at the Wheatleigh Hotel in Lenox, Massachusetts

Fanny and Brian pulled off their modern, minimalist day with soft shades of green and white with bold black accents.

A Rustic Barn Wedding at Rodes Farm in Nellysford, Virginia

Freshly picked wildflowers, handcrafted stationery and simple, rustic decor gave Jocelyn and Daniel's wedding at Rodes Farm in Nellysford, Virginia a distinctly country vibe that played up the wedding's locale.

An Intimate Rustic Wedding at Sebasco Harbor Resort in Phippsburg, Maine

For their intimate wedding at the Sebasco Harbor Resort in Phippsburg, Maine, Laura and Lee allowed the beauty of the venue's natural setting to take center stage, keeping the decor to a minimum, except for a selection of handcrafted DIY details like fabric flowers and a wooden guest book plaque.

A Mountain Top Inn and Resort Wedding in Chittenden, Vermont

Katie and Jeff's wedding was inspired by their love of the mountains. When it came to selecting a venue, they chose Mountain Top Inn and Resort in Chittenden, Vermont, where nature could become the backdrop of the celebration. We both love the outdoors and enjoyed hiking. It was a no brainer we w...

A WinMock at Kinderton Wedding in Bermuda Run, North Carolina

Working with a color palette of midnight blue, golden yellow and pops of pink in a barn-meets-loft venue, Ryan and Matthew had a country-prep wedding that was perfect for late summer in North Carolina.

A Howell Opera House Wedding in Howell, Michigan

Lauren and Josh wanted their summer wedding to have an earthy, organic vibe. They chose an open-air chapel surrounded by lush, green gardens for their ceremony site and incorporated a green, pistachio, gray and ivory color palette into the wedding's decor, along with moss and succulents, for a fr...

An At-Home Wedding in Salt Lake City, Utah

Burlap and lace accents with a soft color palette of yellow, mint, blush and ivory gave Allysa and Kolton's wedding a romantic, shabby chic appeal that worked perfectly with the intimate garden setting.

A Calico Basin Wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada

Jo and Brett tied the knot in a simple, intimate ceremony in Calico Basin at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The couple chose a muted, neutral color palette to complement the natural setting, allowing the significance of the moment to take center stage.

A Simple Rustic Wedding in Washington, LA

Mary Ann and Joshua held a simple, romantic affair for their summer nuptials. The couple chose a pale pink and white color palette, which they incorporated into the rustic setting of the Wolff Banquet and Reception Hall that added a softness and femininity to the space. Elegant chandeliers offere...

A Modern Country Wedding in Bridgehampton, NY

Nora and Michael wed on Ludlow Farm in Bridgehampton, NY at a simple, outdoors wedding. The ceremony was a modern take on a traditional Jewish ceremony, where the couple wed underneath a simple wood and floral huppah. The reception was adorned with sweet country touches like Japanese lanterns, ma...

A Simple Summertime-Inspired Wedding in Syracuse, NY

Tracy and Mike's wedding in Syracuse was a unique play on a summertime backyard gathering. They incorporated baseball, a favorite summer pastime, into the decor as well as old-fashioned bottles with custom labels used as vases for a hint of nostalgic charm. A bright blue and white color palette a...