I’ve known Melissa for years, so I was incredibly honored when she asked me to be a part of her wedding day. She has always had a great eye for fashion and style and you can clearly see she had an incredible vision for her wedding day. I loved that Melissa and Jake had a very intimate wedding with just their families, because family is so important to both of them. An extra special detail was that they asked Melissa’s grandparents to sign their marriage license!
From The Bride:
When did you first fall in love with your spouse?
Oh man, I don't want to embarrass Jake, but it was only our second or third date and after he walked me back to my car, he kissed me in the rain. I hate getting stuck in the rain, but it was a bit of a movie scene feeling and I knew at that point it was game over for me.
How would you describe the style of your wedding?
We wanted an intimate, Italian feel since our heritage means so much to us. Incorporating family and food was the base of everything. Onesto was a great venue for us because it had a lot of natural light and weathered wood to feel more European countryside.
What was the most fun detail of your wedding to plan?
We love food, which was a big factor in picking Onesto. I didn't want to do a sit down or a buffet style. Instead we opted for a charcuterie style meal which includes different cheeses, meats, spreads, salads and pasta. So not only was it SO good, it looked really beautiful on the tables.
Were there any unique details at your wedding?
My cousin, Maria, was our officiant. She was able to really personalize the ceremony for us. There were two parts that were different from any other wedding we've gone to- we had a moment where we exchanged childhood pictures of one another to remind ourselves of the person we married (their spirit) when we may be equally as annoyed with them (haha). The other part was handing out bonbonniere, an Italian wedding favors with the classic sugared almonds. It has always been a tradition in our Italian family to have this as a favor and each almond represents something important (there are 5): health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity.
What’s your number one piece of advice you have for couples just starting to plan their wedding?
Don't stress out over the details of every little thing. Know your priorities and put emphasis on that. Whether it's where you want your pictures taken, the food being served or having flowers incorporated in every element of the day.
Which moment of your wedding was the most memorable for you?
Walking out and seeing family for the first time was a bit surreal. I'm not used to having attention on me, and neither does Jake so we felt more comfortable keeping everything small. Feeling how much love and support we got from everyone is something we won't forget.
Describe newlywed life in three words.
Teamwork, growth, comfortable
Would you recommend a wedding planner to other couples?
I would for sure recommend a wedding planner. If you don't know what vendors to work with, a planner will give you the best options based on your overall budget. They also know who will provide the best customer service, which is important today. Krista was so seamless in the background of our wedding and even though it was a smaller event, she kept everything on time, organized and even helped after guests were leaving!