1. Real Weddings

A Classic Ballroom at Intercontinental Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio

Decked out in all white hues with touches of purple, the grand ballroom at the Intercontinental Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio, embodied an elegant ambi

Decked out in all white hues with touches of purple, the grand ballroom at the Intercontinental Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio, embodied an elegant ambience for this classic wedding. Colleen DiFonzo (a public relations consultant) and Jarrad Lewis (an oil broker) initially chose the venue due to the convenient location with a large ballroom to comfortably fit their guest list of 300. The ceremony took place at Amasa Stone Chapel in Cleveland, Ohio, where the aisle had archways accented in colorful blooms and greenery that led all the way up to the altar, captured on camera by Anthony Vazquez Photography.  Colleen carried an elegant bouquet filled with purple speckled and white with yellow-centered orchids that complemented the chosen color palette for the wedding day, all arranged nicely by Pieters Bouters Studio. Thanks to the help of Christina Verger Event Planning & Production, purple uplighting filled the ballroom that had its ceiling draped entirely in white linens and glass chandeliers. Short and tall centerpieces decorated the dining table surfaces, filled with a mix of hydrangeas, roses, ranunculus and cherry blossoms. White candles were placed on top of glass candelabras what decorated the tables as well, adding a romantic touch with dim lighting. It was hard for us to ignore Colleen's beautiful ivory wedding dress in a mermaid style that was designed by Reem Acra, which had lace accenting the sleeves and bodice all the way down to the skirt that  flared out at the bottom. "I’ve worked in beauty and fashion for the past 10 years and always loved Reem Acra," Colleen says. "I love lace and beading, and knew I wanted to go in that direction."
 

Colleen held a lush bouquet filled with purple speckled orchids mixed with white orchids that had yellow centers, arranged by Pieters Bouters Studio.
Colleen wore an ivory Reem Acra wedding dress in a mermaid style, which had a beautiful lace pattern on the sleeves that trickled all the was down to where the tulle skirt flared out. She also wore a long ivory tulle veil to complement the look.
The ceremony took place inside Amasa Stone Chapel in Cleveland, Ohio, where the aisle had archways decorated in blooms and greenery that led all the way up to the altar.
"A lot of my wedding was inspired by 'The Sound of Music', and I knew I wanted a super long veil like the character Maria," Colleen says. "My mom sewed lace along the edge for a more ornate look." The veil blended in nicely with her Reem Acra ivory wedding dress that was accented in lace.
At the ballroom reception, dining tables were dressed in lace tablecloths and decorated with short and tall centerpieces. The short flower arrangements were filled with soft-colored hydrangeas, roses and ranunculus , while the tall centerpieces were arranged with roses and accented on top with cherry blossoms.
Colleen and Jarrad took their first dance together on the dance floor inside the ballroom at Intercontinental Cleveland. Jarrad wore a classic charcoal tuxedo accented with a bow tie, while Colleen wore an elegant lace wedding dress designed by Reem Acra.