1. Real Weddings

An Outdoor, Baseball Themed Wedding at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio

Deidre Gerbing (29 and in sales) and AJ Gerbing (30 and in the US Department of Justice) wanted their nuptials to be different, so having their weddin

Deidre Gerbing (29 and in sales) and AJ Gerbing (30 and in the US Department of Justice) wanted their nuptials to be different, so having their wedding at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio, made sense. The venue inspired Deidre and AJ to incorporate baseball-themed details into the decor—from the "guest book" jersey to the anemone arrangements inside vases filled with peanuts. Deidre walked down the aisle shaped by red and white rose petals that led to home plate, where she and AJ said their vows on the open field inside the stadium. The bridal bouquet was filled with purple calla lilies and green leaves to match AJ's white calla lily boutonniere and his groomsmen's purple calla lily arrangements. The cocktail hour and reception took place inside the outfield deck, where guests enjoyed their sports-friendly cuisine that included a hot dog bar, fried chicken and plenty of chips and dip. We adored the baseball-inspired desserts: From the white-chocolate-covered strawberries that looked like baseballs to the jersey-shaped sugar cookies that had "Gerbing '15" written on the front, it was clear that they saved the best for last. "We heard from multiple people that the whole wedding reflected us," Deidre says. "It was a chill day at the baseball field with fried chicken and hot dogs."

The invitations and save-the-date cards incorporated baseball accents into the design, from the light gray baseballs printed at the top of the invitations to pictures of Deidre and AJ in jerseys.
Deidre's ivory strapless wedding dress designed by Pnina Tornai had a sweetheart neckline embellished in jewels, which matched the thin band of silver beading that wrapped around the gown's waistline.
All the groomsmen had a single purple calla lily pinned to their white dress shirts, paired with light gray pants. AJ stood out with his white calla lily boutonniere pinned to the lapel of his light gray jacket, custom-made by Peter Millar.
The ceremony took place on the field at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio, where Deidre walked down the aisle shaped with red and white rose petals—the colors of a baseball.
Deidre held a elegant round bouquet filled with dark purple calla lilies and green leaves wrapped on top of the flowers. The blooms matched the groomsmen's boutonnieres perfectly, and also went with AJ's white calla lily boutonniere.
Deidre and AJ had their ceremony on the field at Canal Park, the wedding location they had both hoped for. Deidre wore her hair in a low bun throughout, showcasing her elegant thin silver necklace that hung right above the sweetheart neckline of her dress.
AJ proposed to Deidre with a princess-cut diamond in a thin silver setting, displayed here on top of the two wedding rings exchanged at the ceremony. The entire collection sat on top of a white baseball, symbolic for the day's theme.
Special guests at the wedding wore corsages filled with white roses and calla lilies, mixed with pieces of tulle and ribbon that created an elegant look.
Deidre wore a thin silver necklace that added another touch of elegance to her already elegant look. The necklace fell right above the sweetheart neckline of her dress, embellished on top with beads.
On the dessert table, sugar cookies shaped like baseball jerseys followed the theme. Each cookie had a personalized touch, with "Gerbing '15" displayed on the front.
Fresh strawberries dipped in white chocolate and designed with red stitching resembled the look of baseballs, following the day's theme. Jersey-shaped sugar cookies personalized with "Gerbing '15" also added another baseball-inspired option to the dessert display.
The reception took place inside the outfield deck at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio, where Deidre and AJ shared their first dance. Deidre swayed to the music in her Pnina Tornai white strapless dress purchased from Kleinfeld Bridal. It had silver embellishments accenting the top of the bodice and the waistline.