1. Real Weddings

A Purple Wedding at La Massaria at Bella Vista, in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania

Sarah Luchansky (23 and a food-safety coordinator) and Matthew Sholly (23 and an IT specialist) put a whimsical twist on their formal purple wedding w

Sarah Luchansky (23 and a food-safety coordinator) and Matthew Sholly (23 and an IT specialist) put a whimsical twist on their formal purple wedding with personalized details, fun hydrangea centerpieces and an eye-catching lighting design. Josiah and Steph Photography captured each moment of the day, which began with a traditional religious ceremony and ended in a fun reception under pink uplighting at La Massaria at Bella Vista. “The staff at La Massaria could not have been more helpful and on point,” Sarah says. "They had everything under control, from the start of our day to the very end.” One fun detail at the reception was Sarah and Matt’s centerpieces. The team at Chantilly Floral Boutique mixed tall and low whimsical arrangements of pink and purple hydrangeas with two forms of branches. They were just the right touch against the couple’s all-white linens and the room's exposed-brick walls. Sarah and Matt's florist also designed classic arrangements for the ceremony. Sarah and her bridesmaids carried white bouquets of roses, hydrangeas, peonies and stock flowers. Yellow roses and white tulips were also used to distinguish the bridesmaid bouquets. Sarah and Matt made their wedding that much more personal with a few smaller accents. Each of their 80 guests was given a custom pizza-cutter wedding favor to complement Matt’s favorite food and a DIY escort card made from hockey pucks. The couple also had a custom candy bar filled with their favorite treats at the reception. For future couples, Sarah shares a tip: “Don't stress out about the details. Just enjoy yourself and the big day.”

The team at Chantilly Floral Boutique made eye-catching arrangements for the couple’s reception and added a whimsical flair to the day. Purple hydrangeas were mixed with pink hydrangeas and two types of branches in tall trumpet of low cylinder vases. Each added an unexpected accent to the La Massaria at Bella Vista’s exposed-brick walls.
While Chantilly Floral Boutique designed whimsical centerpieces for the couple’s reception, they also complemented the couple’s religious ceremony with more classic arrangements. Each bridesmaid carried a bouquet of white and yellow roses, white hydrangeas and white tulips. Sarah carried an all-white bouquet that paired nicely with the floral embroidery on her A-line wedding dress.
Sarah complemented her A-line wedding dress with a few classic touches. She paired her curled down hairstyle with a floor-length vintage veil during the ceremony, as well as a fun headpiece. She wore a crystal and pearl tiara with a floral design that complemented the embroidery on her wedding dress.
“Out of all of the stressful things that go into planning a wedding, my wedding dress was actually the easiest to choose and one of the first things I checked off the list,” Sarah says. “I tried on maybe four dresses and chose my dress in about an hour.” She wore a white strapless wedding dress with an A-line skirt. Floral embroidery covered the bodice as delicate beading accented her waist.
With Sarah's favorite color in mind, each bridesmaid wore a floor-length eggplant dress from David's Bridal for the wedding. A ruffle detail on the skirt and one-shoulder strap added a fun accent to the gown as each woman wore her hair in either an updo or side-swept hairstyle with a white accent.
All-White Bridal Bouquet
“The flowers were unique,” Sarah says. The couple’s florist, Chantilly Floral Boutique, accented their all-white decor with fun arrangements of purple hydrangeas, pink hydrangeas and branches. Each low or tall centerpiece was paired with a simpler gold and purple table number with a dotted design.
Wanting simple and formal stationery throughout their wedding, each table at Sarah and Matt’s wedding was accented with a gold and purple table number. Gold frames were paired with a gold dotted design surrounding the number for a fun touch. With a whimsical hydrangea centerpiece on each table, the numbers added a welcome, simpler touch.
Dice's Creative Cakes baked a three-tier white confection for the couple that complemented their whimsical centerpieces. Once again putting a fun twist on their formal wedding, Sarah and Matt had purple hydrangeas placed on each tier and topped the dessert with a fun silver “S.” “Speaking of cakes, as a surprise for Matt I had a groom's cake made in the shape of an Xbox, which he enjoys playing in his free time,” Sarah says.
Sarah and Matt added a few fun accents to their reception with white fabric draped along the ceiling, which was covered in string lighting. Each white linen-covered table was also met with a fun hydrangea centerpiece. “The place even had a patio. We had a fire pit there where people could get warm and make s’mores,” Sarah says.