Traditional Inspirational Real Wedding stories

A Storm Almost Cancelled This Couple's Wedding on Martha's Vineyard

All of the details of Katie Donovan and Chris Waltham's wedding came together so seamlessly, you would never know their wedding almost didn't happen. During the week leading up to their Martha's Vineyard celebration, a storm blew across the island with winds up to 70 miles per hour, shutting down...

A Black Gown Wows at This Wedding in the Woods of Ottsville, Pennsylvania

As a wedding photographer, Sarah Fry (31) knew she wanted to execute her own wedding vision with her groom, Jim Landwehr (39 and a hot rod builder). The duo decided to break the rules and throw a surprise wedding at their log cabin in the woods. “We didn’t want all of the normal hubbub that surro...

White Decor Brought Snowy Winter Charm to This Wedding at The Anderson House in Washington, DC

Brought together through their shared media careers, Brittney McCrae (30 and an entertainment marketing director) and Tracey Todd (31 and a digital strategy director) know how to make an editorial vision come to life. A cozy holiday vibe à la Richard Curtis (the screenwriter famous for Love Actua...

This Indian Wedding at Villa Del Lago in Austin, Texas, Had the Most Epic Gold Details

Puja Chugh (28 and a business and technology consultant) and Karan Chaudhary (27 and a technology investor) placed special emphasis on adding meaning to all the components of their wedding. “Every part of our wedding day was either cultural, traditional or sentimental,” Puja says, especially the ...

This Romantic Wedding in the Colorado Foothills Paid Homage to the Bride's Japanese Heritage

In a way, Kaylee Yoshimoto and Karl Johnson's wedding paid tribute to her grandmother, who passed away in 2009. "When she would talk about me getting married, she would say, 'I can't wait for you to be married so I can see your beautiful dress. You could even wear my wedding kimono if you wanted,...

Hot Pink and Lucite Dominated the Aesthetic of This Wedding at Skylight in Denver, Colorado

Caroline Smoke (29 and a project manager) and Joey Swanson’s (32 and a VP of sales) venue was as urban as they come, but the guiding vision for their day was purely Mediterranean. “I wanted people to feel like they were in a different world,” Caroline says of the inspiration behind the Grecian co...

An Elegant Winter Wedding at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Illinois

Roshni and Elliot fused the bride's Hindu culture and the groom's Western roots for an elegant, luxurious wedding at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago. To start the day, Roshni and Elliot got ready with close family and friends. She wore a traditional red and gold lehenga, henna, bangles a...

A Classic Estate Wedding at Flying V Ranch Event Venue in Decatur, Texas

Page Warner and Justin Gruetzner wed at Flying V Ranch Event Venue in Decatur, Texas. The ceremony took place outdoors against a background of trees and grassy land. Potted trees lined the aisle, and low flower arrangements decorated a two-step platform that served as an altar.  After the ceremon...

A Traditional and Rustic Wedding at Lost Mission in Spring Branch, Texas

Anyone passing through Lost Mission on the day that Rachel Lewis (36 and an event planner) and Roy Mathews (36 and a lawyer) got married might have been confused about where they were. The property maintains a Spanish-style church, and the couple brought in Indian jewelry, Mexican cuisine and Dr....

A Traditional Hindu Ceremony Mixed with a Classic Western Wedding in Atlanta, Georgia

Nirali and Ray Koh had a two-part wedding that featured their different cultures. "We wanted to have a day that celebrates not only us as a couple, but the union of our families. Our hope was to illustrate our amazing Indian and Korean cultures, as well as Hindu and Christian traditions," Nirali ...

A Classic, Elegant Multicultural Wedding at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Neela Rao and Nathan Wruble planned a two-day wedding that celebrated their Western and Indian cultures. On the first day was a traditional Hindu ceremony at The Rookery. The couple went with a neutral color palette of gold, ivory and green to complement the gilded walls and marble floors of the ...

An Elegant Barn Wedding at The White Sparrow in Quinlan, Texas

After considering dozens of Dallas venues in the seven months before their nuptials, Chloe Cosby (27 and a nurse) and Austin Rumminger (26 and a member of the US Air Force) immediately saw potential in The White Sparrow. “We didn’t need to spend a ton of money to give it that dreamy appeal, since...

A Romantic Garden Wedding Between High School Sweethearts in Meriden, Connecticut

Lacee and Preston wanted their wedding day to be as classic as their romance. After meeting freshman year of high school and dating for nearly a decade, the couple planned a celebration that incorporated their family history as well as iconically romantic touches. Guests found their way around th...

A Vintage Bohemian Backyard Wedding in Joplin, Montana

When Mikenna's sister got married a few years back, their mother built a barn on her property to host the festivities. “It just proves how great my mom is at designing and decorating,” Mikenna says. “She really is the mastermind behind it all.” So for Mikenna’s wedding to Chris, much like for her...

Bold, Urban Wedding in DC

Though Emma Lowenstein (32) works in event management and planning, she wanted her wedding to Drew Rudnick (35 and a named accounts manager) to feel like anything but work. “I’ve been to so many different venues in DC and I love my job, but this needed to be our own,” Emma says. In that spirit, f...

Classy, Upscale, Kansas City Wedding at Performing Arts Center

When it came to wedding design, Paige Kauffman (26 and works in marketing) and Chris Fellows (26 and a teacher) let the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts lead the way. “We wanted our style to complement the glass windows and stainless steel,” Paige says. “But we expressed our vibe with some...

Artistic Indian Wedding at Grounds for Sculpture in NJ

Paisley Singh (28 and a software engineer) and Joe Plantamura (28 and works in client success for point of sale software) wanted their wedding to transport guests to the storied land of Westeros. “We envisioned a sort of Game of Thrones meets Indian fantasy fusion,” Paisley says. A storybook- lik...

This Boho-Meets-Gothic Wedding at Sweet Olive Farm Animal Rescue in Winterville, Georgia, Had Alpaca Guests

Hien and Ryan's many shared interests include art, design, fashion and animals. “We wanted our wedding to bring all of that to life,” Hien says. At their venue Sweet Olive Farm, they decorated tables with vintage items brought from home and enlisted a friend to paint watercolor signs. Hien and he...

Charming, American Self-Planned Wedding in Connecticut

Years of experience prepared Caitlin Campbell (32 and a senior event coordinator and wedding designer) for marrying Zach Lavender (29 and a physician’s assistant)—but not in the way one might think. “Planning your own wedding isn’t as easy as working with a client,” Caitlin says. “Luckily, I have...

This Couple Tied the Knot With a Whimsical Wedding on The Groom's Family Farm in Malta, Illinois

After Kat Mullendore (26 and a floral farmer and designer) and Jake Willrett’s (26 and an organic farmer) engagement in Kat’s own field of blooms, the couple started planning their vows on Jake’s family farm “with a backdrop of corn planted by Jake himself,” Kat says. Kat’s mom, a seamstress, bro...

A Romantic and Intimate South Florida Beach Wedding in Islamorada

Above all, this couple wanted the vibe of their wedding to remain relaxed and breezy. After a spontaneous engagement, “I wanted everything to be calm and stress free, like a vacation,” the bride says. The couple went to the bride’s home state of Florida in search of a cozy, comfortable venue. The...

Bright Family Affair in California

Amaya D’Amico (32 and an ad agency strategic director) and Gerard Pitpitan’s (33 and in consulting) wedding was a family affair. The couple wed on Amaya’s parents’ 39th wedding anniversary and her grandfather, mother and sister designed the invitations and place cards, which highlighted the roads...

Magical Multicultural Hindu Wedding at Sands Point

Resident physicians Farnoosh Mahdavi (31) and Yaagnik Kosuri (30) turned their wedding into a weekend of different celebrations, each full of tradition. "Though we both tend to have classic taste, our wedding was a mix of cultures," Farnoosh says. "We decided on two ceremonies, each done in its o...