A Contemporary Green-and-White Microwedding at Flat 51 in Columbus, Ohio

When the pandemic hit, Brianna and Theo were forced to put their large wedding on hold. However, the couple didn't want to put their love on hold and decided to move ahead with an urban, contemporary microwedding at Flat 51 in Columbus, Ohio with only nine of their closest loved ones in attendance. "Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we planned to have a traditional wedding with nearly 300 guests in October 2020," recalls Brianna. "As the pandemic continued throughout spring 2020, we decided to cancel the original wedding and plan a microwedding for September 13, 2020. We decided to change the date to commemorate our dating anniversary in September. Our planner, Lucretia Williams of Distinct Event Planning, guided us in adapting our original vision for a three hundred person wedding to an event for eleven of our closest friends and family. We had two style inspirations, city-chic aesthetic and elements of nature. The freshness and brightness of the greenery contrasted with the minimalism of the white and black."

The couple's all-white loft space provided a black slate backdrop to their contemporary wedding which was filled with plenty of greenery, sleek glass accents and pop of jet black. Since so few people were in attendance, the couple even sat everyone at one giant square table for an intimate dinner. "We like a city-chic aesthetic and elements of nature," says Brianna of what inspired the aesthetic of their wedding at Flat 51 in Columbus, Ohio. "We wanted to bring the freshness and brightness of the greenery to contrast the minimalism of the white and black. The combination of candles and greenery created a calm and tranquil environment. A simple arrangement of greenery on the wall was the backdrop for the ceremony. The simple touch cemented the city garden feel for the ceremony. Our table decor included candles in votives of various heights, white flowers, black china, and black silverware. When the sunset during dinner, it felt as though we were at an intimate garden dinner party." 

Beyond decor, the couple's fashion choices for the wedding in Columbus, Ohio, were also uber chic. Brianna rocked a robe with feather trim atop her wedding dress. "I did not want to wear my original wedding dress for the microwedding but I struggled to come up with a different vision," says Brianna. "I wanted to wear something unique and unexpected. One day about two months before the wedding while standing in a socially distanced line outside the grocery store, the vision for my look hit me. I wanted a look that incorporated elements of my everyday style but was unique for the wedding. I envisioned a simple sheath dress with an elaborate robe over it. I looked endlessly online to find the perfect dress and robe combination. My dress had a simply chic vibe - exactly what I was looking for. The sheath silhouette, mini shoulder pads, and side cutouts exemplified my preference for elevated basics. I wore a sheer white robe with ostrich feather sleeves on top. The ostrich sleeves were the perfect touch to elevate my bridal look. I wore baby’s breath statement earrings to compliment the organic greenery of our decor. I made the bold choice to wear a smokey eye and absolutely loved how Yodit of Amlaz Faces did my makeup. I wore my hair simple and sleek to keep the dramatic focus on my robe’s feather sleeves. I felt like a 70’s ethereal goddess." Meanwhile, Theo paired his green suit with a fun floral tie. "After discussing the theme of the micro wedding with Brianna I had an idea of what I wanted to wear. I knew from that day on I wanted to wear a suit that had green in it. My next job was to find the perfect green suit that I would want to wear. I ended up trying out a custom suit company called Indochino. I was able to customize everything I wanted on the suit and even put a monogram 'TB 9.13.20' into the suit jacket pocket. I chose peak wide lapels and a wilted chest pocket for the suit jacket. I went back and forth between how many buttons I wanted but I ended up going with a 4 button layout of a double-breasted suit jacket. I had the inside lined with a green tropical print. To complete the outfit I found some brown shoes, a nice white dress shirt with the perfect collar, and a floral tie with a little blue in it to really pop with the green suit," says Theo of his bold green look. Beyond the couple's chosen attire being stunning, the anticipation of finding out what Brianna was wearing was particularly memorable for Theo. "For me, the part of the wedding that I anticipated the most was seeing Brianna walk down the aisle. She did everything under the sun to keep me in the dark for what she was wearing," he recalls. "When she came into view I was stunned. She had never looked better. To this day I am still in shock."

Looking back on their contemporary green-and-white wedding at Flat 51 in Columbus, Ohio, Theo encourages all current to-be-weds in the throes of wedding planning to "take your time. Be patient. Take time to really bask in the engagement, it goes fast." Meanwhile, Brianna reflects on how "planning a wedding during the COVID-19 pandemic made us all focus on what matters the most. Although our wedding may not have been our original idea, it was the day of my dreams more than I could have imagined. Our wedding focused on our love for each other and reflected who we are. I had the perfect day."