1. Real Weddings

A Bright Quirky Wedding at the National Society of Colonial Dames in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

DIY décor, vintage accents and a bright cheerful color palette came together to give Allarie and Bob's wedding lots of playful personality.

DIY décor, vintage accents and a bright cheerful color palette came together to give Allarie and Bob's wedding lots of playful personality.

I was originally worried about having short hair —- would this be feminine enough? Could it be styled to look 'bridal?' In the end, the gown and veil gave me all the femininity I needed, and my short hair proved perfect—stylish, easy to keep in place, and it was really 'me,'says Allarie. The morning of the wedding I walked to my salon, Andre Richard's in Philadelphia, and my stylist Chad Renninger gave me an elegant, smooth blow out.
Bright punchy flowers added a pop of playful color to the simple white cake.
My shoes were the hardest item to settle on. After months of searching, I realized that I kept coming back to the same pair. They were a lace bridal bootie, by London designer Harriet Wilde on BHLDN; expensive but stunning. One night I finally decided to just bite the bullet and bought them, says Allarie.
I didn’t intend to wear a veil at first. On the day my mom and I went to try on the dress, I decided to just put one on and immediately felt like a 'real bride,' says Allarie.
Allarie, her bridesmaids and her mother handmade the paper flower wall that hung behind the sweetheart table at the reception.
The tables were topped with bright spring flowers like tulips, rancunculuses, stock and roses arranged in blue mason jars and yellow hobnail vases.
Bob and his groomsmen accessorized their navy suits with classic brown oxfords and bright aqua socks.
Allarie's bouquet was a bright textured mix of orchids, roses, peonies and succulents tied together with a cascade of colorful ribbons.
The historic Stenton house, where the National Society of Colonial Dames is located, lent a vintage vibe to the reception.
Allarie's cousin, a graphic designer, made all of the ceremony programs, using craft paper and a custom monogram to create a rustic look.
The bridesmaids' bouquets complemented Allarie's own, with bright roses and ranunculuses in pink, peach and vibrant yellow.
for Allarie, it was important that the bridesmaid dresses be affordable and in a style that the girls not only loved, but would be able to wear again. They settled on a simple strapless style from J.Crew in a cheerful coral color, perfect for the spring wedding.
Elegant flourishes added a feminine touch to the kraft paper invitations, while printed envelope liners added a hint of playfulness.
Allarie and Bob took full advantage of the sunny spring afternoon and hosted their ceremony outdoors in the garden at The National Society of Colonial Dames.
Vintage playing cards were used at the table numbers and were held up by spools of pink thread.
Handmade paper heart garlands hung on the wrought iron gate that served as the ceremony backdrop.
Handmade owls perched on a small branch topped the couple's wedding cake.