A Chic, Modern Wedding Filled With Baby's Breath at the Baltimore Museum of Art in Maryland
While the tall ceilings and marble pillars of the Baltimore Museum of Art impressed Hawa Boyce (27 and a registered nurse and soon-to-be-licensed esthetician) and Tony Douglas (29 and an entrepreneur), the museum’s art collection—which would serve as a backdrop to the big day—sealed the deal. With the art and architecture as a starting point, Hawa and Tony planned a wedding with a theme of modern elegance. “We wanted to complement the design of the museum rather than hide it,” explains Hawa. Their minimal wedding was filled with baby’s breath, lots of candles and black-and-white details. “The contrast of our decor against the marble was striking yet not abrasive,” Hawa says. “I wanted guests to walk in and feel like they entered an ethereal evening of magic.”
Baby's breath anchored the design of the couple's modern museum wedding. “The softness of the flower makes me smile every time I look at the photos,” says Hawa. “We make it a point to have baby’s breath in our home almost weekly. I couldn’t find any other flower that complemented the space so well. Everything else seemed to compete with the venue.”
When it came to the menu, “it was important to honor my family’s heritage with our food choices,” says Hawa. The menu included Liberian chicken gravy, Chianti-braised short ribs, jollof rice and fried plantains. “At the tasting, I actually shed a tear because I was hit with a wave of nostalgia.” The tasty food didn't stop there, however. “I’ve always said ‘I’m going to have Popeyes at my wedding,’” says Hawa. She did just that by serving the chain’s chicken tenders as a late-night snack.
Beyond tasty food, meaningful family moments filled the couple's wedding as well. Notably, Hawa’s mother gifted her a crystal headband that she hopes to give to her own future daughter one day. Additionally, Hawa’s parents surprised her by flying her grandmother in for the wedding, something she hadn’t initially thought possible due to COVID-19.
Hawa used the wedding favors to showcase Edamommy, the skin care company she is building. “We couldn’t think of a better way to share the hard work that I put into creating my brand’s first product,” says Hawa. “For favors, we handed out bottles of my skincare brand's first product. My company, Edamommy, is a maternity-focused wellness brand with our first product, earth oil, launching soon. It was an amazing way to share my favorite skin care product with everyone that I love, while getting feedback before our official launch.”