Get your ‘pin it’ button ready because today’s wedding from Tara Nicole Weddings & Events captured by SB Childs Photography is every classic book lover’s dream! Literary inspired details are everywhere in this wedding. From the cute book shaped invitations, to the famous literary couple table names, to the groom’s boutonniere that included a page from Pride & Prejudice. I love the custom silhouette logo the couple created and used throughout the reception. What is your favorite detail?
I am a high school English teacher and have always had a love for old books and classic love stories, so I immediately knew that I wanted our wedding to take on a vintage literary theme. All of the tables were identified by a literary couple instead of a number, and the centerpieces included stacks of books, teacups, and flowers. We also used a variety of quotes and poems throughout the day, including a dramatic head table backdrop that also featured our silhouettes. These silhouettes were a common element of our wedding, seen on our invitations, doors into the ceremony, cocktail napkins, and cake topper.
As far as colors, I am a sucker for gold and shades of pink, and we felt this color scheme would also reflect the vintage romance feel. The ceremony already featured many hues of pink, from blush to mauve, and we carried these colors into the reception with our linens. We also used accents of gold with the votive holders and chargers. For the bridesmaids, I was worried about too much pink, so I chose a blue-gray dress that would pop against the mauve-colored curtains at the ceremony. Our flowers were a combination of pinks and whites, with a touch of blue to highlight the bridesmaids’ dresses.
It is impossible to narrow down our favorite parts of the day to only a few; however, there is one moment that we will both treasure forever. We had decided not to do a first look in order to catch our true reactions at seeing each other for the first time during the ceremony. (As a side note, seeing Jeff’s face as I walked down the aisle was another of my favorite memories of the day, and our photographers did a perfect job at capturing his reaction.) Instead, we decided to meet before the ceremony on either side of a door so that we could still talk and hold hands without seeing each other. It was only for a few minutes, but the emotion, excitement, joy, and anticipation we both felt during this moment cannot truly be described. We are so grateful that we took the time to cherish a few seconds alone before the start of the ceremony. And even though our photographers were there to capture this moment, they made it feel incredibly intimate and personal with their hushed voices as they brought our hands together; Jeff and I really did feel like we were the only two people in the room, sharing one final memory together before we became husband and wife.
Jeff and I wanted our wedding to be a reflection of the two of us and our relationship. Everything, from the personalized ceremony to our choreographed first dance, was tailored to fit our personalities. We wanted people to walk away from the night saying “That was SO Jeff and Caitlin” (and we were thrilled when one of our friends actually said this to us!). We even put our own twist on the popular shoe game at the reception: instead of using our shoes to answer the various questions, we used clarinets and trumpets (the instruments we played in the marching band).
I don’t even know where to begin with the DIY details! My mom is one of the most creative people I know and made our wedding décor personalized without it looking arts-and-craftsy. Every aspect and element was planned and designed with the vintage literary theme in mind. Our silhouettes were printed on canvas and framed in handmade book page rosettes; fabric bookmarks on two vintage dressing screens served as escort cards at the reception; book page and lace rosettes decorated the backs of the chairs and the front of the head table; pedestals for our cookie table were made from glass plates and candle holders; two signs made from book pages were printed with “THANK YOU” and “Then Comes Marriage,” which Jeff and I held on Slayter Hill at the exact spot we had met; and Jeff’s boutonniere featured a fan from my favorite page of “Pride and Prejudice”.
My mom and I also spent countless hours at thrift and antique stores looking for various items to use as reception décor. Some of our favorites were old cameras, a vintage typewriter, and an antique sewing machine, which was placed next to our guestbook quilt. My mother-in-law is a quilter and designed it as a bookshelf, with the guests signing strips of fabric that serve as the “titles” on book spines. The incredible finished product is now displayed on a wall in our home and will someday serve as an heirloom to our future children and grandchildren.
My “something old” was a vintage pin that belonged to my great-grandmother; I attached this to the front of my bouquet. My mom also held a small family bible that included the names and wedding dates of many of our relatives who had carried it at their own wedding ceremonies. Finally, my mom’s wedding hat was predominately featured on a table displaying family wedding photos at the reception.
Photography | SB Childs Photography | Ceremony Venue | Thomas Duncan Community Hall | Reception Venue | Purdue Memorial Union | Planner | Tara Nicole Weddings & Events | Florist | Rubia Flower Market | Cake | Dream Designs | Caterer | Purdue Memorial Union | Invitations | Limner Press | Entertainment | Velocity Sound | Linens | Chair Covers and Linens | Gown | Madison James from Perfect Fit | Veil | Bel Aire Bridal | Headpiece | Edward E. Berger Bridal Millinery | Earrings | Nefertiti Jewelry | Shoes | Something Bleu | Garter | Lucy Bridal Boutique | Bridesmaid Dresses | Alfred Angelo | Hair & Makeup | Christina & Company West | Ceremony Musician | Emily Ann Thompson | Custom Banner | Capital Imaging | Cocktail Napkins | For Your Party | Silhouette Favor Cookies | The Stone House Oven | Purdue Big Bass Drum Cookies | Cookie Cottage | Macarons | Le Bon Macaron | Cookie Table Cookies | Blue Button Bakery | Vow Books | LoRustique | Mothers’ Handkerchiefs | Canyon Embroidery
