A Magical, Whimsical Winery Wedding in Aurora, Ohio, Inspired by Italy and Vintage Decor

Arielle and Sophia’s love story began at a library, more specifically, an engineering-themed event involving robots. The two attended separate high schools at the time, but this serendipitous meeting snowballed into Arielle giving Sophia her number. Years later, when they were both in Cleveland on summer break, the couple were preparing to spend two months farming in the Italian Alps when they took a short side quest. While on a walk in a park they often visited, Arielle surprised Sophia by leading her to a secret picnic decorated with 200 tea light candles and white roses over a cozy blanket.

With their time spent in Italy and both of their Italian ancestry, finding the right venue near Cleveland that had the vibes of Bel Paese was an easy process because of Orchid House Winery. To elevate this already beautiful space, the brides-to-be focused on a “whimsical, magical and completely unique” feel, full of florals, vintage finds and handmade touches. They say, “We really wanted the wedding to feel like you’ve wandered into a secret garden or a fairy-tale library hidden away in the woods. We took inspiration from the cluttered, eclectic feel of vintage curio cabinets.” That included a color palette of saturated and earthy tones: sage green, cool tan, terracotta, navy blue and cream with a hint of warm browns.

Since the venue had an abundance of natural greenery and sprawling trees, Sophia and Arielle hoped to immerse their guests in nature with fresh summer florals. “We relied heavily on greenery—primarily camellia, wild smilax, ivy and sword fern foliage— to create that feeling of fullness,” the couple says. Their florist also utilized a wide variety of textured blooms and dried flowers, from poppy pods and fruiting green blueberries to anemones and roses. 

The crafty couple infused personalized elements throughout the decor, invitation suite and more. Sophia created illustrations for the invitations and menus, Arielle designed the lettering and Sophia’s mom added custom touches, like wax seals. Sophia's mom even spent weekends leading up to the wedding looking for vintage decor at estate sales, such as old books, birdcages, teacups and even an accordion as a nod to Sophia’s work as an accordion repair technician. One special task even took two years to make. “Sophia crocheted the chuppah that we were married under,” Arielle says. “She based it off of a vintage 1912 filet crochet pattern featuring chickens and chicks among plants, inspired by the time we spent together farming.” Other Jewish wedding traditions the two brides added to their day were a ketubah signing and breaking the glass.

But the DIY didn’t stop at decor. Arielle, who loves sewing and historical fashion, undertook the design and creation of both their wedding dresses. They say, “Arielle’s dress was inspired by stained glass leading, by the dress designer Chotronette, and by heavy floral embroidery from the 18th century.” With its dark tan silk fabric and blue-and-white floral appliqué, the boned bodice and sweetheart neckline evoked the whimsical and magical vibes of the theme. Arielle adds, “Sophia’s dress was heavily inspired by designer Frieda Lepold, whose stunning night sky dress is made from a navy silk with pearls sewn onto the bodice and sleeves to look like stars.” To contrast Arielle’s look, it had a high-neck bodice and detachable bishop sleeves, with a star-and-moon crown.

The ceremony itself was especially meaningful to the two brides, as their officiant was one of their closest friends, Anna. The skies opened up an hour before, but by the time of the ceremony, birds were chirping and the sun was shining down on the winery. “Anna’s speech was an incredibly dear and thoughtful reflection on what we’ve meant to one another and what she looks up to in our relationship,” the happy couple says. “Arielle wrote unique vows that captured the spirit of our love and the life we’re building together, and Sophia quoted love letters that she’d written from when we met,” the couple adds. 

During the reception,  Anna (not just an officiant but also a jazz singer) sang “What Is There To Say" by Ella Fitzgerald for the love birds first dance. Another highlight of the reception was the love from their close friends and family. “The toasts during the reception were hilarious, sweet and completely unexpected, and we should have filmed them because it was incredible to hear such kind things from the people we love,” say the brides. Guests also enjoyed custom tea blend wedding favors, which were displayed with vintage suitcases and DIY signage. Later, a doughnut truck brought sweetness to the end of the night. 

For Arielle and Sophia, personalizing their day crafted the wedding of their dreams in many ways. “As with many LGBTQIA+ weddings, we had an opportunity to look at wedding traditions with a critical eye and decide what we wanted to carry forward and what we wanted to leave behind,” the two say. They also said hiring a wedding planner and vendor team who can handle all the details is essential. They add, “Both in wedding planning and in marriage, don’t sweat the small things. Nothing is ever perfect, and you’ll be happier if you can look back on yourself enjoying being with your loved ones.”