Happy first anniversary to one of my best friends and her incredible husband! Since I never blogged about their elegant Book Cadillac wedding initially, I figured a post on their anniversary was appropriate. Elana and Andy celebrated their marriage surrounded by lots of family and friends, in a gorgeous Detroit ballroom, decked out in black, gold, pink, and white. It was a joyful day, and I was thrilled to stand by their side as her Maid of Honor – as well as serve on their vendor team to bring their vision to life.
The Invitation
I loved their simple and timeless invitation suite, perfect for an elegant Book Cadillac wedding. It was black letterpress printed on a creamy natural white, 100% cotton cardstock. I provided custom spot calligraphy for all of the headings throughout the invitation, and then Elana and Andy worked with Carlyn of The Bash and the team at Lee’s Specialty to incorporate those into the complete printed design. Once the invitations were finished, I then also provided envelope addressing in calligraphy for each of their recipients. Custom postage featuring their custom modern calligraphy monogram made this invitation feel cohesive and complete. Plus, it worked well for their day-of-wedding event branding, too!
Getting Ready and the First Look
We had so much fun in the bridal suite all morning, getting ready! I knew Elana would be nervous for the big day, so as her Maid of Honor, I knew it would be my job to help keep her calm. Before my arrival at the Book Cadillac for the day, I stopped at PartyCity and got an enormous unicorn balloon and showed up to the hotel with it. This was just because it’s totally ridiculous and knew it’d make her laugh upon my arrival. It worked – she loved it and it even made it into a couple of getting-ready photos. When I walked into the hotel lobby, someone asked me if there was a children’s birthday party happening… mildly embarrassing, but all in the name of good fun!
All the ladies looked so beautiful and felt relaxed, thanks to Jill Sollars for her makeup expertise.
Elana’s dress was exquisite – a three-quarter sleeved, all lace gown with buttons down the back. Her makeup look was simple but had a bit of a smoky eye, making her green eyes pop. Her hair was worn down and curled. She carried an all-white, fragrant bouquet created by Parsonage Events.
Their first look was full of anticipation and this black and white portrait from Abby Rose Photography is a forever favorite.
Outdoor Portraits
On a January day in Detroit, outdoor portraits can be tricky, but we made it work. Andy and Elana looked amazing together, and that white fur was the perfect bridal accessory for a winter wedding. As part of our bridesmaid gifts, Elana gave each of us a cozy white scarf, which worked perfectly for these portraits. Our bridesmaid bouquets from Parsonage Events were also neutral, but incorporated blush sweet peas – they smelled amazing!
Shop Elana’s Bridal Look
If you’re looking for a great winter wedding accessory, this would be great for brides:
Shop for a Bridesmaid gift
If you’re looking for a cozy gift idea for your bridesmaids, this would be a great option:
The Ketubah Signing
Prior to starting the main ceremony, Elana and Andy signed their Ketubah. This is the Jewish marriage contract, and it outlines their promised made to one another. The bride and groom, two witnesses, and their rabbi all sign this document. Generally, they are artistic pieces and hang in the couple’s home as a piece of art after the wedding. As their wedding gift, I created their custom Ketubah with a watercolor landscape and calligraphy for the text. The scene outlines the Charlevoix lighthouse, to commemorate where they got engaged. However, the scene is depicted in the winter, to honor the season of their wedding. It was such a treat to paint this for such a special couple.
The Ceremony
The ceremony setting was elegant and lush, with pink uplighting, white and pink flowers, and gold chiavari chairs. Their chuppah was one of the most dramatic I’ve seen. The whole setting was sophisticated and classic. Elana and Andy were married by Elana’s family’s childhood rabbi, who spoke beautifully of each of them. The ceremony was full of love, but of course, the couple’s niece stole the show, as the adorable flower girl.
The Reception
Elana and Andy’s elegant Book Cadillac wedding was full of black, white, pink, and gold details throughout their reception. Carlyn from The Bash, together with Sara from Parsonage Events, created a room that felt timeless and elegant, but with little details to make it feel fresh. I personally loved the black taper candles and chairs as a bold detail to feel new.
I provided gold calligraphy on black cardstock for table numbers, as well as white calligraphy on black escort cards. Their event branding was on point – we used their “EA” monogram as a repeated detail throughout the event. Cocktail napkins passed at their bar, as well as on stickers for the late night snacks (shown here – churros!). Everything felt cohesive, from their invitations all the way through to the end of the evening.
Adam and I had a blast celebrating two of our favorite people – and I didn’t pass out giving my speech! We all danced late into the night, and had the best time. I couldn’t be happier for these two, and it was an honor to be part of their elegant wedding one year ago, today.
For more goodness of this amazing day, check out their video from Blue Racer Productions!
Vendor Love
Venue: The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel
Planning and Design: The Bash Event Planning and Design
Photography: Abby Rose Photography
Floral: Parsonage Events
Videography: Blue Racer Productions
Calligraphy: Leah E. Moss Designs
Makeup Artist: Jill Sollars
Want to keep inspiration from Elana and Andy’s wedding in mind? Pin this for later!
Heads up – This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll get a small commission… girl’s gotta keep the lights on! Thanks!