Colorful 501 Union Jewish Wedding

 Karen Lederer (32 and an artist) and Eli Blood-Patterson (32 and a lawyer) envisioned their wedding with the sunny skies and bright colors of Mexico City in mind. “I was inspired by the paper flowers and textiles we’d seen in Mexico,” Karen says “I’d call our day a tropical garden party.” Karen got creative when designing the cheerful paper goods, which included an illustration Eli drew of the pair’s pup. After vows under a DIY chuppah of bright paper flowers, the newlyweds entered the reception to “Walking On Sunshine."
A gerbera daisy added a bright, cheerful note to Eli’s blue suit, which also included a rainbow-striped tie. Cut dragon fruit, oranges and kiwi atop runners made from colorful Mexican blankets added a tropical vibe to the tables. Having studied printmaking in school, Karen decided to design and print the couple’s thank-you notes, escort cards and table numbers herself. Though she calls their color palette “all the colors,” Karen took particular inspiration from a yellow wall in the couple’s house. She then worked with friends to set the type and letterpress all of the stationery. “It took us days of printing to finish everything, but it was a lot of fun,” Karen says.
Karen and Eli filled their reception with dancing, including the traditional hora, which was one of Eli’s favorite moments of the day. “Dancing the hora was amazing,” Eli says. “We got the whole room up, and I will always remember the thrill of seeing Karen lifted up by my friends.” The couple followed up a dinner of family-style Southern faves like mac and cheese and fried chicken with a colorful funfetti cake from Ovenly, a local bakery, as well as plenty of pies.