An Industrial Black-and-Red Wedding at Commonwealth in Kendall Square in Boston, Massachuetts

Early in their relationship, Hannah and John-Paul took long walks around Boston. Before crossing the Longfellow Bridge from their homes in Cambridge, they often stopped at the Commonwealth in Kendall Square for a sandwich and a beer. So, it was a fitting location for their 115-person wedding. “The restaurant is fun, spacious and, most importantly to us, special,” Hannah says. The bride and her parents designed a romantic, candlelit space in burgundy, white, and soft greens. JP, who caters weddings on the side, took charge of the seasonal menu, choosing roast chicken and duck-fat fries, served family style. They dimmed the lights for dancing so that it’d feel like a night out in the city. “Restaurants are an incredible place for weddings, especially if you are tight on cash but don’t want to compromise experience,” Hannah says. “Commonwealth was fantastic because it had a dining room, space for a dance floor and cocktails, and saved us money on tables and chairs we’d otherwise have to rent.” The bride’s gold wedding ring belonged to her great-grandmother, and she designed JP’s silver band herself. During their first dance to Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” the couple sang along to each other and got the crowd to join in. Inspired by Hannah’s grandmother’s lemon squares, the couple chose a vanilla and lemon curd cake, which was topped with custom stacking dolls. Hannah’s mother collected sticks from her property to hang in the dining room. “I wanted to fill the space in a unique way,” Hannah says. The couple gave out scratch tickets as a favor, with a note that read: “We’re so lucky to have you with us tonight. We hope the luck carries over to you.”