There can never be too many bows
Olivia & Creighton
Held in her hometown of Birmingham, Michigan, Olivia’s wedding was a dream come true – the perfect realization of her creative vision. From dance lessons, to pre-ceremony moments in her childhood home, to the pleated bow shoes she’ll wear for years to come, read on for Olivia’s story behind her day now.
Photography by Ashley D'Orazio Photography
"I LOVE Loeffler Randall, and anything with bows! The Dahlia Heel was the obvious choice for me — I didn’t look at any other shoes. I felt very elegant, sophisticated, and fashion-forward while wearing them. Since I was wearing a column gown, I knew that my shoes would be showing throughout the day, and it was important that I found a pair that I absolutely loved. I loved the delicate material paired with the perfect heel height. I have narrow feet, and it's nearly impossible for me to find shoes that work, but I was truly comfortable. It was so easy to dance all night long! I'll keep these shoes forever, and I'm so excited to have such a timeless staple in my closet."
Shop Dahlia in Pearl
"I knew I wanted a wedding dress that stood the test of time. I have always loved fashion, and I put a lot of thought into my wedding look. I fell in love with a textured Robert Bullock column gown from Ivory Loft in Fenton, Michigan. It was actually the first dress I gravitated towards in the salon, and it's not the style I had expected for myself. Once I put on the gown and saw the detachable bow, I knew that it was perfect. The dress set the stage for the rest of the wedding, and I decided to incorporate bows throughout the rest of the event in a subtle way. I asked my mom ‘Is it too many bows?’ and she replied with ‘There can never be too many bows.’
"My second look was a short Sachin and Babi dress with chunky rhinestone bows. I loved it! We also incorporated bows in our wedding signage, champagne tower, cake, and of course, my Loeffler Randall Dahlia heels. I completed my outfit with a vintage beaded Bottega Veneta bag and pearl earrings. My husband's tuxedo was from Ted Baker, and it embodied the classic 'James Bond' look that he was going for."
"I grew up in the Birmingham area and have always loved it! Although my husband and I currently live in Chicago, I knew that I wanted a wedding in my hometown. Downtown Birmingham has a great mix of shopping, restaurants, and activities. The city has a quaint and elegant feel, and it's truly a hidden gem in the Midwest. My husband had never visited Birmingham before we met, and he quickly fell in love with the charm of the city. We've had so many great memories there together, and we knew our wedding guests would love the city, too. It was so much fun to take wedding photos around the town and hear endless cheering and ‘congratulations!’ as we made our way throughout the city. The Community House is located right on Shain Park, a beautiful park in the center of the city, and it's truly magical. I loved the indoor/outdoor feel of the venue, and I especially loved the hidden garden where we did our first look. Overall, The Community House has a classic, timeless feel, and it was a perfect choice for our wedding. It's a staple in the Birmingham community!"
"My favorite aspect of wedding planning was bringing my creative vision to life. I have always been very interested in design, which has inspired my love of fashion. It was incredible to curate the event with my amazing wedding planner and designer, Samantha Sant, from 21 Jane Events. I enjoyed creating Pinterest boards, finding the perfect vendors, and narrowing down my ideas. Along the way, I found that it's important to pick a few 'must haves' for the wedding and prioritizing those. For us, we really wanted a band and vintage car for photos! We rented a 1940 Ford Packard from Motor City Vintage Rentals, and it was one of our best wedding decisions. The photos turned out amazing, and the car was an excellent complement to the classic and timeless vision I was going for. My best advice to future brides is to savor every moment of the planning process and wedding day; it's over before you know it!"
"Our wedding day was truly the best day of my life, and I cannot wait for the journey ahead with my wonderful husband."
"My design vision was bringing ‘southern charm’ to the Midwest, with a focus on blue and white chinoiserie with pops of color sprinkled in. I let my bridesmaids choose their own dresses, which was a mix of solid and patterned blue gowns. They all blended together seamlessly, and the dresses looked amazing with the white parasols for photos. We kept an all-white floral design scheme for the ceremony, and then began to incorporate more color during cocktail hour and the reception. I loved the mix of chinoiserie vases and colorful flowers throughout the reception.
"Our champagne tower was also a fun addition! We poured two bottles of Veuve and then handed the glasses to our bridal party for a toast. Our food and cake from The Community House were truly outstanding, and we received so many compliments. I was obsessed with our cake! We went with a delicious berry cake with cream cheese frosting, and it was adorned with a large fondant bow and pearls sprinkled throughout. I loved that the cake tied in the bows from my dress and shoes, along with the pearls from my veil and earrings. All of the details throughout the day made it so special and memorable."
"There were so many special moments throughout the entire day, and it felt like I was floating in a dream. I really enjoyed getting ready for the big day in my childhood home, and our family dog (Bentley) was even part of it! It was really special to prepare for such a memorable event in the home where I grew up. The 'just married' feeling after walking down the aisle was also indescribable. I was so happy to finally be married to my best friend! I'm a huge Swiftie, and my bridal party walked down the aisle to 'Enchanted' on the piano, and I walked down to 'Love Story.'
"I'll also always remember the speeches from my father, maid of honor, and best man. It was so touching and surreal to hear how much everyone cared for us. Lastly, I'll never forget our first dance! We prepared for weeks and took dance lessons to master our dance to the classic song 'L-O-V-E' by Nat King Cole. Our hard work paid off, and it was such a fun and exhilarating experience. Our wedding day was truly the best day of my life, and I cannot wait for the journey ahead with my wonderful husband."
