A Timeless Wedding at the Indiana University Memorial Union in Bloomington, Indiana

Madison Turner (23 and a global mobile marketing analyst) and Griffen Dahlstrom (24 and a financial analyst) planned a sophisticated soiree that startled the line between traditional and modern couture chic for their mid-summer wedding. “Out of the multitude of wedding options available today, we chose to go back to a time when the options were fewer and the look was simpler,” says Madison.

Having met during their freshman year at Indiana University, the pair thought it only natural to tie the knot at their alma mater. “The Indiana Memorial Union and its surroundings was the ideal setting to achieve the look of our dreams,” says Madison. “It was handsome and beautiful—a perfect combination with such sophistication.” They hosted their ceremony outdoors in front of the Rose Well House, a charming stone structure built in 1908, where a strings and trumpet ensemble played classic wedding songs and a close friend performed Chris Tomlin’s “All to Us.” After exchanging vows, the couple made their getaway in a cream-colored 1964 Mustang convertible belonging to Madison’s grandfather.

Guests made their way into the Indiana Memorial Union for cocktail hour and the reception, where they nibbled on passes hors d’oeuvres and swayed to the beat of tunes provided by the Jacob School of Music jazz trio. The ballroom’s awe-inspiring cathedral ceilings, ornate windows, herringbone wood floors and wood-paneled walls set the tone for the decor, with each table topped with one of three different centerpieces bearing garden roses, dendrobium orchids, lilies and hydrangeas in classic shades of blush and white.

Guests danced to an upbeat mix of classic and current hits and were treated to homemade heart-shaped cookies, made by Madison herself, at the end of the night. Custom-designed stationery, created by Madison and her mother, an IU football helmet groom’s cake and a late night snack of cheeseburgers on the dance floor further personalized the day.