Chris & Jen

Chris and I had our wedding in my parent’s beautiful tree lined back yard in Fairport, New York. There was some rain but it was a perfect spot for an outdoor wedding. We had a big tent with a small dance floor. We wanted the wedding to have a “handmade” kind of feel, and used paper lanterns, handmade origami objects (that we made ourselves), tea lights in pretty cupcake cups and wild flowers in vintage blue Ball jars to decorate. The flowers came from generous local friends who arrived with buckets of flowers before the wedding. Amy, my sister, arranged the flowers and created bouquets with wild sweet pea flowers.

My dress was a miracle, it was a gown by Carmen Marc Valvo found on sale (75% off!) at Bergdorf Goodman’s in NYC. The color was perfect for me, I didn’t want a white dress and I loved the cut and tiered layers. Chris’s clothing and shoes were from Barney’s in Boston, his suit was by Jill Sander.

We really wanted live music for our wedding and found a fantastic band from Boston willing to travel out to Fairport. They played bluegrass and covered a few songs we requested, including a song during the wedding ceremony. Our phenomenal photographer Levi Stolove did an amazing job — capturing our wedding. His energy and eye for detail come through in his pictures.

How did you guys meet?

Chris and I met when we were 17. His girlfriend knew my boyfriend and we hung out together one day to watch the movie, A Clockwork Orange. I was immediately stuck by him, he was so beautiful. I’m pretty sure he barely noticed me! We didn’t get together until years later, but I always remembered that first day, he left an impression.

What was the best highlight of your wedding day?

The best part of the wedding day was walking down the aisle, having all of our friends and family together — smiling and crying with us. It was such a thrill to see everyone we love together sharing that moment.

What Advice would you give other couples in the planning process?

I think it’s important to plan your wedding the way you truly want it, not according to what may be standard or traditional, (unless of course, that’s what you want!). Many guests at our wedding remarked that our wedding was so original and creative. We really tried to bring our own personal touches to everything.

Our Wedding List: