1. Real Weddings

Quinn & Austin: A Sunset Wedding in Toledo, OH

Thanks to a florist-slash-event-planner mom on call, Quinn Putnam and Austin Embrey's wedding was nothing short of spectacular. Two dresses, three cak

Thanks to a florist-slash-event-planner mom on call, Quinn Putnam and Austin Embrey's wedding was nothing short of spectacular. Two dresses, three cakes, and fireworks, anyone?! The Bride Quinn Ford Putnam, 24, marketing account manager The Groom Austin Cuyler Embrey, 24, life insurance sales The Date July 24 The marketing majors met during their sophomore years at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. It's a tale of two Washingtons. Living in D.C., Quinn and Austin decided to quit their jobs and move to Seattle for a change of scenery. During their month-long trek cross-country, they stopped in several cities along the way to see friends and family. One such stopover brought them to San Diego, where Austin proposed on a beach. Quinn did all the planning with her mom, who happens to be a florist and event planner. I always envisioned getting married outside at dusk with candles, but I didn't know if that was realistic, says Quinn. A traditional timeline of events wasn't working so Mom had the idea to have dinner before the ceremony and follow it with dancing and dessert. Quinn's favorite thing about the new plan? She got to wear two dresses!

The Escort Cards
The First Dance
The Couple
The five women in Quinn's bridal party wore platinum dresses from Aria Bridesmaid.
Centerpieces were designed in low rectangular containers that held sprays of green cymbidium orchid sprays accented with grasses, berzilla berries and lady's mantle.
Quinn and Austin added to the intimacy of a sunset ceremony by writing their own vows. The altar was composed of two large, rustic urns holding bouquets of white garden roses on zinc pedestals. These were flanked by freestanding, single-stem silver candle stands with white frosted cylinder candle shades.
The theme for the wedding was the couple's initials: Q&A, incorporated into the invitation, cake and favor bags. The palette was chartreuse green, platinum and charcoal with a splash of raspberry. The raspberry was mostly on display during the dancing and dessert part of the night, says Quinn. The outside gazebo was transformed into a lounge with raspberry colored lanterns, hundreds of candles, and raspberry sorbet in mini cones.
Quinn's first cake was one round tier, the second was three round layers with a sterling silver Q&A on top, and the third was two layers. The cakes were an assortment of French vanilla and Godiva chocolate flavors with bridal white butter cream frosting.
The Cocktail Hour