Mara + Michael – Part 2::How To Create Rustic Elegance On Your Wedding Day
If you’ve been able to peel your eyes away from Mara + Michael’s insanely gorgeous wedding featured in Part 1 last week, come on over for Part 2 and plan to be glued to your screen for another day or two :) We decided do something a little different with Part 2.
M+M did an AMAZING job combining romance and elegance with a relaxed and very organic feel to their wedding, and we were majorly impressed at the way they pulled it all off. Creating a rustic/laid-back atmosphere that still feels elegant is a challenge….but M+M did all of the right things to achieve just that, along with the help of their amazing wedding planner Tara from Bluming Creativity.
Here’s a few tips from Mara + Michael’s wedding that you can use to infuse a perfect combination of rustic and elegant.
1. Choose One Venue For the Ceremony and Reception – M + M chose to get married AND have their reception at the same location – The Foundry at Puritan Mill. From what we’ve seen, this immediately sets the mood for the entire night and tends to create a bit more of a relaxed vibe from the get-go. Guests arrive settled, and aren’t worried about getting to the next stop in the night.
2. Choose A Venue With A Lot of Ambiance, Without a Lot of Work - The Foundry at Puritan Mill is full of gorgeous, old exposed brick that was the perfect backdrop for this elegant, but relaxed event. Want to add a touch more romance? Just drape some translucent white fabric up and let the warm glow of any natural light nearby do the rest.
3. Succulents, succulents, succulents! - The GREAT thing about this unique plant is that they have this really relaxed, earthy, organic vibe, and yet for some reason – they also seem really expensive! This isn’t a plant you see everyday, so you get this great combination of earthy and exotic.
4. Incorporate a combination of rustic and sophisticated into your decor and centerpieces. M+M pull this off BEAUTIFULLY. They used tree-bark wrapped containers filled with leafy green plants, mixed in with mason jars, moss, woven wooden baskets, and pine cones. We just love the way the spotless glasses offset this organic setting and infuse it with a little extra elegance. They also used the lids of wine barrels as centerpieces – nothing more rustic and elegant than wine! An alternative would be to use a cross section of a tree trunk - this also makes a cute cake stand!
5. When it comes to food, think outside the box! A break from tradition can create a more relaxed atmosphere. – In a similar fashion to holding your ceremony and reception in the same space so as to keep your guests in the greatest sense of ease, choosing foods that feel fun and relaxed can accomplish the same thing. Mara + Michael chose to forego the cake and stuck with fun mini desserts, such as cheesecake pops and little chocolate mousses. These types of desserts are reminiscent of foods we all loved as young’ins, and so don’t make anyone too worried about following all the rules of ettiquette and manners.
**M + M, your wedding was the epitome of rustic elegance and we loved each and every second of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you for allowing us to be there to capture each moment, we wish you both the very best!! x’s & o’s**
Venue: The Foundry at Puritan Mill; Wedding Planner: Bluming Creativity; Florist: Let’s Celebrate; Officiants: Rabbi Analia Bortz and Rabbi Mario Karpuj; Hair Stylist: Jen Freeman; Makeup Artist: Kelly Whitman; Invitations/Programs: Made by Mara and Michael!; Caterer: Added Touch Catering; DJ: Lethal Rhythms