1. Real Weddings

Aly & Nik: An Outdoor Wedding in Ann Arbor, MI

With no real theme in mind, Aly and Nik planned an intimate affair filled with personalization and color. “We just wanted the wedding to be comfortabl

With no real theme in mind, Aly and Nik planned an intimate affair filled with personalization and color. “We just wanted the wedding to be comfortable and laid-back like we are,” Aly explains. The Bride Alyson (Aly) DeQuardo The Groom Nikolas (Nik) Thompson The Date June 4 Aly, 24, and Nik, 26, could’ve let the trials and tribulations of wedding planning get the best of them. And who could blame them -- five weeks prior to their wedding, a fire in their apartment wiped out nearly everything, including most of the invitations. But they kept wits about them, phoning and emailing friends and family to spread the word of their impending nuptials. “We didn’t let it stress us out too much,” says Aly, an impressive bride. The two, both students, met playing softball on a team of friends; “I thought she looked cute fielding ground balls,” says Nik. He saved for three years to buy the perfect ring, which he used to pop the question during a Valentine’s Day dinner.” I proposed on one knee in front of hundreds of people,” remembers Nik. “Aly was caught completely off guard.”

The Couple
The Ceremony
Aly chose the color (periwinkle) and then let her bridesmaids choose their own skirts and tops from David’s Bridal.
Aly accented her simple white A-line gown with a mix of vividly hued roses, alstroemeria, gerbera daisies, and mums.
Aly and Nik chose to accent the guest tables simply with galvanized tin vases of gerbera daisies.
The First Dance
The Rings
Slices of wedding cake, created by Aly’s former boss, were served for dessert. “I just told him to surprise me and he did a great job,” she says, of chef Mike Bush’s confection with its chocolate, white chocolate, and carrot layers.
The Bride
The Couple
After the ceremony everyone caravanned (with horns blaring) to the Cobblestone Farm, where the huge barn had been converted into a charming reception site complete with oak-beamed cathedral ceilings and a loft area. Aly and Nik loved the building’s character.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house during the ceremony, which Aly and Nik wrote themselves using meaningful prose from various sources. Light classical music, performed by a friend on the acoustic guitar, further set the mood. Nik’s father officiated and their siblings read poems, making the vow exchange in Nik's parents' backyard that much more personal for the couple and their 160 guests.