This Romantic Woodland Wedding at Home in Michigan Exuded Cozy Autumnal Vibes
During a visit to North Carolina, Moriah met up with her childhood best friend and the friend’s boyfriend. Little did she know, another important meeting would occur during this fateful trip. Johnathan, a friend of the boyfriend and fellow Morehouse student, and Moriah immediately clicked, despite the eventual long distance between them. AT Johnathan’s graduation, he had a few tricks up his sleeve for Moriah, who thought she was simply there with his friends and family to celebrate his new degree. “He handed me the keys to a house he bought for us, and then he proposed. It was the most beautiful and sweet proposal,” she says.
Now that the two could start planning their future together in the same city (and under the same roof), finding the perfect venue for their wedding was a must. One crucial aspect of this search was somewhere that could honor the beginning of their union while bringing the cozy vibes of an autumn wedding. Moriah says, “We chose to get married at my parents’ estate because of the legacy and love it represented.” With a focus on tradition, romance and celebrating Black love as their key inspirations, beginning this new chapter at a place that already felt so welcoming was an easy choice.
The estate offered the couple a chance to tailor the day to their own tastes, with its beautiful woodland landscape, rocky pond and sprawling lawn, perfect for seating their guests around the waterfront. For this fall outdoor wedding, earth tones and bright colors came together to add to the space in their wardrobe, florals, decor and more.
To stand out amidst the color, however, both Moriah and Johnathan opted for all-white wedding attire. The first dress she tried on ended up being the one, an off-the-shoulder gown with a train, a wonderful mix of chic and classic for the backyard event. “Funnily enough, Johnathan and my dad guessed the style of my dress before they saw it, and they both got it exactly right. So they knew what dress I’d choose before I did,” she adds.
Florals played an important part in the day, injecting shades of light pinks, deep reds and purples to the “romantic and intimate vibe” of the wedding day. A vibrant blend of garden roses, poppy anemones and other seasonal blooms elevated the space amongst the natural greenery. To enhance these trees on the estate grounds, their wedding planner also sprinkled 1,000 tea lights in the tree line and bound their personalized menu books, complete with a floral motif. Moriah says, “Ashley, our wonderful wedding planner, crafted several wonderful details for us… She really made every detail so special and personal.”
One of the most special moments of the day? According to the bride and groom, the first look. “It reminded us what the day was about and that we were there for each other,” Moriah says of this time before the wedding began. And when it came time for the nuptials, the two brought both of their families into the ceremony in different ways. Moriah’s aunt read out the names of their ancestors to connect them “to each other and to [their] pasts” while honoring those who came before and “laid the path,” Moriah adds.
After jumping the broom together, the couple was officially married. To start the backyard reception, the bride says, “We also had a really special mother-son dance moment that began with Johnathan and his mom and ended with both of us and all of our parents dancing together.”
The same space where guests sat under parasols to watch the ceremony had been transformed for dancing, dining under the stars and celebrating the newlyweds. Their vendor team says, “Shrouded in trees, the reception felt like a romantic woodland refuge with rustic furniture, bountiful greenery, and blooms of magenta, pink and white. The space was transformed as the sun set, with romantic taper candles and a thousand hanging tea lights… creating an intimate vibe akin to the coziest of family dinners.”
Guests enjoyed classic cozy meals with an elegant twist, like chicken biscuit appetizers and a dessert trio that included a peach cobbler. The night ended with a champagne tower and fireworks over the water, an unforgettable conclusion to an intimate wedding day that felt just like home for many of their loved ones.
One piece of advice the happy couple wishes to impart to anyone for their own wedding planning is to remember what the day is really about: the two of you and your love for one another. They say, “Take time to yourself on your wedding day, don’t rush anything [and] remember to be present for each other.” After all, it’s the start of your new journey together, and it’s worth making your wedding day memorable for you both.