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| Knot Name: urbanaim | ||
| About our wedding: Amy Menzer and Scott Holupka October 16, 2004 | Druid Hill Park Mansion House | Baltimore Professional photographs by Michael DiBari Please credit my bio if you use our photos. Click to go to specific sections of this bio: Wedding Photos | Invitations and Other DIY Designs Instructions for DIY Invitations | Vendor Information Advice to Brides and Ring Photos | Favorite Knot Bios Other Links: More About Our Wedding Location | Our Website If you get a "locked" message for our website, try again later-- it is a problem with Verizon's web sites, not your computer!! Wedding Photos Before and after the ceremony there were actually rainbows. No kidding. It was bright and beautiful before the ceremony while we were taking pictures. We were on the grounds of the Baltimore Zoo, next to our wedding site in Druid Hill Park. My bouquet was black calla lilies with beaded sprigs in blue and gold and a collar of rooster feathers. My florist, Dundalk Florist, did an amazing job turning what I was thinking into a reality and let me order extra calla lilies cheaply online to add into the bouquets from FlowersBulbs.com The Mansion House was built in 1801. In the 1860s a Victorian-style porch was added, and this is where our wedding and reception were held. The ceilings are 14 feet high. Half an hour before the ceremony there was a hailstorm-- here the clouds are looming over the Mansion House. The hail...on our garland of grapevines and preserved leaves. The glass-enclosed porch set up for our ceremony. We had about 130 people. The space felt wonderfully intimate and was filled with light, but protected from the weather. The aisle runner is gold silk duppioni from DenverFabrics.com. We will re-use it to make drapes and tablecloths in our home. The programs, made using cardstock and paper from Scrapbook.com and Paper-Source.com. Both sites are very prompt and reliable. I got most of the feathers used in the wedding at Featherplace.com The wedding had a bird theme because the porch was used at one time as the Bird House for the Baltimore Zoo. I used a victorian font from Paper-Source.com for the programs and invitations to reflect the history of the site. I copied the font in embroidery on the ring pillow I made using the same gold silk duppioni as the aisle runner. The plum velvet ribbon is from RomanticFlowers.com. I designed my dress and had it made in a rich ivory silk satin and beaded lace-- the process of having a dress custom made was so special and about the same as a moderately priced wedding dress-- about $1,600 including fabric for the dress, veil, purse, and shawl. The silk is from The Silkery. Yassie Hodges, my seamstress, did a great job and was very easy to work with. I had the veil copied from a 1940s cocktail hat I bought on Ebay. It was the only kind of veil I could stomach wearing, and it was really fun. A great site for millinery supplies including face veiling and fabric flowers is JudithM.com. The necklace was costume jewelry, but it went perfectly with the dress, didn't it? The purse I designed to go with the bird theme. My seamstress made it using an antique-style metal purse frame I bought on EBay. Our flower girls, Rainey and Cora. The aisle was filled with light during the processional. I had initially planned for them to toss feathers, but decided to use a petal toss instead that combined the flowers our mothers had used in their weddings. (photo is by one of our guests) My Dad and I heading for the aisle as our string trio plays Handel's Largo from Xerxes. Scott's contribution to the dress design was suggesting the buttons all the way down the back. My husband made the pyramid trellises that defined the front and back of the aisle. We used them to define the dance floor during the reception and now have them in our garden. My attendants, Darlene, Bill, and Caroline. The women (two Bride's and one Groom's attendant) carried bouquets of black calla lilies with beaded sprigs collared with silvery seeded eucalyptus. The bouquets looked very striking against their dresses, which were Seamist separates from David's Bridal. I had necklaces and earrings made as gifts from pearls and amazonite stones. The men wore Celadon "Freedom" vests from After Hours which matched pretty well. (photo is by one of our guests) Our nephew, Ryan, Scott's Sister Lori's son sits ready and waiting for his cue. He took his job as ringbearer extremely seriously and was the first person to welcome me into the family after the ceremony! Lori is behind him. The unity candle ceremony felt very intimate. We stood with our backs to guests for a minute or so after lighting the candles while listening to our cellist play Bach's Suite No. 1 for solo cello. Just as we were pronounced husband and wife, there was a huge clap of thunder-- what a change from the bright light as I walked down the aisle! Everyone laughed. The weather was more dramatic than in any movie. Our photographer did a great job of capturing how happy we both were that day, all day. Our wedding party. The flower girls had dresses made with fabric ordered from David's Bridal to match the Bridesmaids dresses. Miriam, one of Scott's longtime friends and attendants, and Caroline, my Maid of Honor. Both of them were extremely supportive that day. Caroline did so much for me that day and in the weeks leading up to the wedding-- and she helped with the clean-up and post-wedding brunch too. I made the seating cards using free clip art bird paintings found online. Each table was a different kind of bird. Our card basket. Guests moved from the ceremony to the other side of the porch for cocktail hour, which felt energetic and full, while the ceremony setup was being transformed for the reception. (photo by one of our guests) I found vintage postcards of Druid Hill Park and the Mansion House on Ebay and mounted them on fabric-covered pieces of foam board to display in the cocktail hour area. They were hung with more plum velvet ribbon. Selections from this collection of postcards, from an era when urban parks were fashionable and received substantial public investment, will be framed and hung in our house interspersed with wedding photos. (photo by one of our guests) The ceremony area transformed for the reception. Our centerpieces were freshly-pruned tree branches-- I had hoped they would be taller and out of people's line of sight but unlike my prototype, the real ones didn't stay balanced so we had to cut them lower. Still, they brought the outside in even more. We had four delicious food stations, including mussels, crab legs, and jambalaya, thai curry, pasta, and carved meats. There was one menu card on each table describing them. The caterer, Aaron Gold from Zeffert and Gold, also went around and explained the food to each table individually like the chef-owner at a small restaurant. It was a nice touch. We found out later his wife was the chef that night-- they did a wonderful job. I designed the cake to combine architectural and naturalistic elements. The topper, in white chocolate, is a replica of the cupola on the Mansion House where the wedding took place (another one of Scott's design contributions). I immediately connected with Marcella, the cake decorator, when she understood my reference to Eastlake Victorian ornament and I learned she had studied architecture. SHE could understand me!! The cake layers alternated between chocolate with raspberry and chocolate ganache, and almond with Grand Marnier butter cream. Our baker, Patisserie Poupon, was amazing. My mother was touched when I gave her and Scott's mom bouquets combining the flowers they had each used in their own weddings as part of my speech. Scott's cousin Noah got married a month after our wedding, and I gave my bouquet to his fiancee, Sarah. I hardly knew Sarah, but we both have smaller families and are entering into the same large, warm, and welcoming family. Part of my point was that the families we choose and create in our lives, through marriage or friendship, are just as important and appreciated as the families into which we are born. Our DJ, Mike Brilhart, kept people on the floor all night-- including my shy husband! Scott's mom, Peggy, helped out with everything-- including getting her son spiffed up. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful person as a mother-in-law. We had hoped to do a big group photo on the front steps of the Mansion House following the ceremony. It was drizzling, so our photographer improvised and we did a great group photo inside instead! Vendor Information We highly recommend all of the following vendors-- we were incredibly pleased with them: Our Site: The Mansion House porch was a great space, because we had cover from the rain but had tons of light and foliage from outside! It is owned by the Baltimore Zoo (which is right behind it). They were extremely accomodating in when we could come to decorate, etc. Many of our guests commented on how beautiful the site was, and it was not at all cookie-cutter. Rental is $2,000 for four hours and includes 15 round tables, 150 chairs, and several rectangular tables. They can easily handle 180 people for a seated dinner, if not more, and up to 400 or so for a cocktail reception. Contact: Baltimore Zoo Facility Rentals I have more rental details on the Mansion House Porch, including interior photos, dimensions, floor plans, etc. in the baltimorezoobio I created on the Knot. Planning/logistics/decorating/site coordination: Heidi Paremske, Gifted, vernonajoe@yahoo.com, affordable, creative, and very professional Invitations and Other Paper Designs I used www.scrapbook.com and www.paper-source.com for all the cardstock and paper in my DIY projects. Both sites were extremely reliable and prompt. Scrapbook.com has colored vellums, colored translucent mulberry paper (which has nice texture), and cardstock in a huge rainbow of shades from Bazzill Basics. Paper Source has great envelopes, interesting fonts and bookbinding/album supplies, decorative papers, and stocks-- I used their metallic stardream stock and paper, including backings for invites and reply cards that they sell pre-cut, which saved a lot of time. Both sites highly recommended! Feathers and Feather Tape Feather tape used on the invitations and on voitve candle holders, and peacock feathers used in reception centerpieces, are from www.featherplace.com. They also sell strung rooster feathers similar to the ones I used as a collar for my bouquet. Favors The recipe books are small, 4 x 6 plastic photo albums made by Pioneer, $.95 each, with "insert your own" covers, which provided 36 slots for recipes plus the front and back covers: www.archivalusa.com. The organza envelopes are the 51/2 x 71/2" size (smaller ones won't fit the albums), $1.49 each, sold in packs of 12, in the CD/DVD Gift Envelope section from www.papermart.com. Dress, Veil, Purse, Shoes and Jewelry: Yassie Hodges made my dress to my design, and the veil and purse...and did a beautiful job at an affordable price! She is a fashion designer as well as having lots of experience as a seamstress for brides, and is very easy to work with. She is based in Columbia, MD 410 312-4731. I ordered a cocktail hat off ebay that she used as the model for the veil. My shoes were from www.bridalshoes.com, which dyed them for me to match the dress. My jewelry was from Carolee, bought at Hecht's. Hair, nails, brows: Sima's in Canton, 410 276-SIMA (the brow threading was well worth trying, and at only $17, is a beauty boost you shouldn't miss!) Wedding Party: Women attendants wore Make a Match separates from David's Bridal in Seamist. We ordered extra fabric that was used to make the flower girl dresses. Male attendants wore "Freedom" vests and ties in "celadon" and tuxes from After Hourse. Different makers' versions of celadon were different-- this vest style was the best color match with the "seamist" separates. Jewelry: Custom made for Bridesmaids and flower girls by Merey Barden , Hummingbead , MBarden@IKON.com-- she is great! Florist: Dundalk Florist 410 284-1600 very willing to work with my ideas, affordable, great job Caterer: Zeffert and Gold -- delicious, very professional, lots of pride in what they do!!! Wine: The Wine Source in Hampden-- very helpful and fun store with regular tastings. Wedding Cake: Patisserie Poupon-- take tremendous pride in what they do-- Joseph and Marcella were great! The 18" square silver cake plateau was rented for $50 from Hannah Elizabeth, 410 296-4600. Photographer (photojournalist): MichaelDiBari.com, 410 740-0442, mike@michaeldibari.com-- we are extremely pleased!!! DJ: Mike Brilhart/The Music Box mikebril@comcast.net. Mike did a great job and was very easy to work with and listened to what we wanted. Engagement and wedding rings: Nelson Coleman in Towson. Jaci, their designer, was wonderful to work with! Rehearsal Dinner: Birches Restaurant in Canton-- incredibly delicious food, very accomodating, second floor party space is beautiful. Birches is a pub and restaurant with a "neighborhood" feel serving upscale, New American food. It has a relaxed but warm atmosphere. The second floor space has exposed brick, wood columns, lots of windows, and a small antique wood bar with mirrored back. The servers are all extremely nice people, and they will work with you on budget and menu options. The space can hold about 35 people max. Post-Wedding Brunch: We hosted this at our home for the wedding party and family (including out of towners). While it sounds nuts, it was very nice and relaxing and well worth it to be able to visit with folks. We made a few easy casserole dishes (egg bakes and overnight french toast), cut up some quick breads, family brought cookies, and we bought some croissants. It probably would have been more convenient for our guests to do brunch at the hotel. We were trying to save some money-- and people got to see our house... Invitations and Other DIY Designs unless otherwise noted I designed and made these Our Invitations. For instructions on how to make, see section below. Reply Cards and Directions Rehearsal Dinner Invitations Post Wedding Brunch Invitations Thank You Cards Ceremony Program pages. The program cover had a current photo of the Mansion House that Scott took. The back cover had an 1811 painting of the house as originally built I found online at the Maryland Historical Society. Inside there was a gold vellum lining, followed by a welcome page with an overview of the timing of the evening. There were two pages describing how we met, two pages of readings, the centerfold wedding party/ceremony guide, two more readings pages, two pages of history on the Mansion house and Druid Hill Park, and a final acknowledgements page for all who helped make our day work. I had the text pages set in one quarter inch so that when folded, they remained neatly inside the cover sheet. All of it was printed on my home printer, adjusting fonts and ink colors. Camera Tags. I used vintage photos of the park found online to make the point: "please help us remember this day". Velvet ribbon and matching tassels found online for $1 each were tied to the single-use cameras where a strap would go, one for each table. To go with the bird theme, we special ordered cocktail napkins and guest towels by Caspari in pattern Tamarind in blue, from www.papershop.com. Menu Cards described the four wine selections, the food stations, and the wedding cake. One was leaned against a centerpiece vase on each table. Recipe Book Favors. These were a collection of family recipes and favorites of ours, many tied in with our courtship, as well as quotes about food, cooking, love, and marriage. They were printed on cards, cut, and stuffed into mini photo albums. The albums were then presented on the reception tables in gold organza envelopes with feather-shaped gift tags. The plastic albums will protect the recipes as they are used. Each album has 38 recipes plus a message from the Bride and Groom and the cover. It was a lot of work (formatting, printing, cutting, stuffing) but everyone loved them and they were another way for us to personalize the wedding and invite participation from friends and family. For details on supplies, see vendor information section above. The french toast, for example, Scott made for a brunch where our parents first met. The favors cost about $3.50 each in materials, but we only needed to give one per couple or household. We felt it was worth it and so much nicer than some plastic throwaway item. Years of putting on large public events for work had taught me: good signage is important and shouldn't be an afterthought. So, I made my signs a month ahead of time by pasting together printouts using the same font as my invitations and cute hand graphics that came with the font, copying them, and taping them over "garage sale" signs with metal stakes you can find at Home Depot. I also covered them with clear plastic laminate, so they were waterproof. It was a charming way to welcome guests into the park and direct them to the right place, since most had never been there. This is a sample of the vintage postcards of the park I found on EBay and mounted on fabric-covered foam board. A historic pavilion by the lake can also be rented for covered, outdoor weddings through the Baltimore Zoo at the link noted above! Instructions for DIY Invitations Pick your envelopes first. Everything else needs to be made to fit into the envelopes. I chose cream-colored ones from paper-source.com, in the 5x7 (A7) size, and reply card envelopes to match (4 bar size). I ordered about 50 extra envelopes, in case of last-minute guest add-ons, addressing or printing errors, etc. I printed our return address on the back flaps of the invitation envelopes, and I printed our names and address on the front of the reply card envelopes in the same font as the invitations. Envelope Liners. I used Stardream paper in metallic antique gold from paper-source.com. I made a template by tracing the shape of the envelope, flap open, onto paper and cutting it down with scissors by trail and error to fit properly. Paper Source also sells a liner template. I traced the template onto 8 ½ x 11” sheets and used a rotary blade cutter ($60 from Office Depot) to cut them. A corner punch found at Staples produced a nice rounded corner for the top of the liner flap. Double sided tape works best to adhere the linings to the envelope flaps—particularly here because the envelope flap moves and in the process the paper comes loose from the envelope, and also because the metallic Stardream paper resists staying glued. I put adhesive on the back of the triangle-top part of the liner only, and fed the liner into the envelope, centered the liner on the shape of the flap, then pressed down to stick. You don’t need adhesive on the bottom part of the flap below the fold, and if you put it there, it can get lumpy as the envelope flap opens and closes and the liner moves…give it a try and you’ll see what I mean. For the rehearsal dinner invitations, I made liners out of the plum mulberry paper I used on the invitations (see below), and it was easy to adhere and created nice texture, but because of the translucence of the mulberry paper, use Tombo Mono adhesive (at Michael’s) for this instead of tape. Mulberry paper invitation wrapper. I opted to have a mulberry paper wrapper instead of an inner envelope, to tie together the wedding colors. The mulberry paper, available in many shades, 8 ½ x 11”, is made by Bazzill Basics, about $.60 per sheet, from scrapbook.com. I cut about an inch and a half off the long side of each sheet so it would be 7” high, then I used the full 11 inch wide part to fold over the invitations. I made stickers to hold the wrappings in place by using a pale blue vellum bought at Michael’s (I think it was 20 cents per sheet) and a feather stamp and a Xyron sticker maker (the small orange X model, $10 plus more for refills). I stamped the vellum using a gold-colored ink pad, let them dry, then cut them out closely each by hand with scissors, then fed them each into the Xyron separately to make each sticker. Some other sort of seal for the wrapper could have your guests’ names on it. Invitation and Reply Card Backings. I chose Stardream cardstock in antique gold (5 x 7 size) and reply cards (the 4 bar size)—I bought this from paper-source.com pre-cut in packets of 25. It was worth it in my opinion to buy these items pre-cut—the edges were perfectly cut, the measurements exact, gave me a nice base line, and saved me lots more labor. As it was, I spent about 16 hours cutting and printing for the invites and envelopes and liners—that was enough, thank you! Printed Invitations. I used a robins egg blue card stock, 8 ½ x 11” sheets, $.22 each, made by Bazzill Basics from scrapbook.com. Two invites fit on each sheet so you need half as many blue sheets as gold backings. (order extra in case of errors) I cut down the blue stock to the size needed for each 5 x 7 invite— which meant making them ¼ inch less on each side so I’d end up with a nice gold border around them: 4 ½ by 6 ½ “. I used the cutter mentioned above from Office Depot, with a rotary blade—it has a large platform work surface, an arm that holds your paper in place, and the cutting blade with safety housing you slide across the stock to cut. Cutting took some time because I only did a few sheets at once to ensure consistent sizing and clean edges. Invitation Sashes. I found a gold “paper ribbon” at Michael’s in the gift wrap section that matched the antique gold color of the Stardream, and used Tombo Mono Adhesive (best product for this part) to stick feather tape on top. The feather tape I found at Michael’s for $4 per yard, and I used about 5 inches per invite (to save money, the feather tape was only on the front of the sash, the gold paper ribbon went all the way around) so each yard made between 6 and 7 invite sashes. I ordered the feather tape for $1 cheaper per yard at featherplace.com. So, for 100 invites, with 6 invite sashes per yard of feather tape, that means you’d need 17 yards, x $3/yd = $51 plus shipping. I taped a ruler to the table and measured the strips out using the ruler and scissors to cut—I was not obsessively precise about the paper ribbon, since that was overlapping in back and being stuck together with adhesive. The feather tape I tried to be precise about—cut one as a sample after making the paper ribbon sash and make sure it looks right, then use that as your guide for how long to cut the feather tape. Or if you don’t mind spending more, have the feather tape wrap all the way around, which looks nicer. Enclosures and Final Assembly. Once the invitations are assembled, wrap the sashes around them and use adhesive to attach the gold ribbon to itself in back. Gluing the sashes together as you put them on ensures they fit right. Do not glue the sashes to the invites—the sash should be able to slide off. Maps, reply cards, etc. can be tucked inside the sash behind the invite, or just rest under the invite. Then you wrap the complete package by folding the mulberry paper around it. Hold closed with a sticker. Costs. Our cost for materials was about $350 for 120 invitations, which was about half the cost of a nice William Arthur thermographed invitation with reply cards and lined envelopes. While it was not the cheapest DIY, they looked great, we got tons of compliments on them, they were totally unique, and we were able to tie in the font and colors, etc. to match exactly on our programs and other paper materials. Price things out. Make a list of the invitation elements, their cost per invite, and the quantities needed based on the total number of invitations including some extras. Not only will this help you design something to fit your budget, it also helps to make sure you order the right quantities of everything. However, you may want to order some extra stock or other items in case there are last minute projects or more invites. Weigh your prototype in its envelope at the Post Office to gauge postage costs. Advice to Brides and Ring Photos - Write out all decorating instructions and timelines and where items should be placed for the ceremony and reception a week or more in advance. (This includes little things like remembering to burn the wicks of the ceremony candles ahead of time so they light easier) I meant to do this but ran out of time, and spent all day Friday verbally describing things to everyone who was trying to help me, it was exhausting. - Make sure you do exact prototypes of centerpieces and other decorations-- my centerpiece prototype used dried out branches with much different (and better) results than the final products, which used freshly cut branches that were a lot heavier and didn't stay up as well. - Put your emergency kit together at least 1 week beforehand-- so it's ready to take-- again, I ran out of time and as a result forgot a few things... - Make sure you do a trial of putting the bustle up with your Bridesmaids before you get the dress on-- I forgot, and trying to show them how after it was on resulted in a bustle I kept stepping on during our first dance. - Something not staying put (on a shoulder, or whatever)? Try toupee tape, meant to stick to skin-- a trick I learned from my seamstress. - Ask a bridesmaid to stay with you and your groom while you take pictures, so she can help arrange your skirt and train to look its best. I felt guilty about asking for this, and regret it. - Make sure that when you're lining up for the processional, someone is designated to cue people when they should start walking, and that that person knows the music selections. Some of my attendants started going out on the wrong music-- one of the prelude pieces-- and because I was in the back of the line, there was nothing I could do. Oh well!! - The day-of, try to let go of all the details and enjoy yourself. I was pretty good about that and really glad. There were a few times I got freaked out, but I got over it. A day-of wedding coordinator really helps with this, because she can handle all the details and last-minute decisions, and interact with the vendors. You can focus on getting ready and enjoying the experience. Engagement Ring Photos Sapphire and diamond engagement ring and wedding band in platinum engraved with vines and flowers Engraving detail. There are bands of millegrain beading on the wedding ring that correspond to where the baguette diamonds are on the engagement ring. Favorite Knot Bios Mrs.MillyG | TheBridesMom | redheadbride2b HurricaneMB | sumthingblue | MrsSchu | ckcino canadiangirl2 | amy2004 | erin_927 | thatgrrl72 Knottie Bio Lookup ToolFeel free to steal this code and put it in your own bio.
Perform a To add this code to your bio, right click on google and click on "view source". Back to the Knot Talk Main Page Thanks for viewing my bio!! Feel free to email me at urban.aim@verizon.net with questions! Scott and Gingerbread play tug of war. Despite having numerous bedding options, Oliver much prefers this Amazon book box. | ||
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| Our Wedding Web Page: http://www.menzerholupka.com | ||
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