Wedding Recap: Bri+Andrés
Bri and Andrés had their beautiful fall wedding on a sunny day in September 2019. Before I even met them, I was already scheduled to work their wedding. I work closely with II Sisters Event Design and Rentals, and they had asked me to assist with setup and teardown. I was super excited because that’s one of my favorite parts of the wedding day - seeing all the beautiful decor come together to bring the couple’s vision to life. During my conversations with II Sisters, they said Bri and Andrés were also looking for a day-of coordinator. Would it be possible to do both? In this case, yes! (Note: as a day-of coordinator, I don’t usually commit to full decor setup because I don’t feel I can be as present for the couple and their vendors, but in this case we had a great team.)
When I first met Bri for our initial consultation, I knew we were going to be fast friends. She explained to me that she was looking for a day-of coordinator who would share a brain with her, someone who would make decisions like she would. I appreciated her organization but also her willingness to put her trust in someone to execute her vision. (She also told me they would be on the dance floor the entire night, and she wasn’t kidding. ;)) After they booked, we met several times before the wedding including dinner at their home, drinks at a local brewery, and a walk with their adorable pup Leo. As a wedding planner, getting to know my couples is one of my absolute favorite parts of this whole thing.
GETTING READY
Bri and her best gals spent the morning getting their hair and makeup done at Jenni’s Salon and Spa. Afterwards, they headed to the church to relax, put on their gorgeous deep purple dresses, and take some fun group photos before the ceremony. Andrés and his guys also got ready at the church, but we made sure they stayed on the complete opposite side of the building. I just love the wedding day energy and excitement as everyone is getting ready and trying to figure out how the heck to pin their boutonnieres. Bri and Andrés had a huge bridal party - 12 on each side! - which made the day extra fun.
FIRST LOOK
Before the wedding, Bri did a first look with her grandfather, and it was the absolute sweetest moment. His face when he saw her…. oh my goodness, it was such a privilege to witness their relationship and the love in their entire family. Bri and Andrés did not do a first look, which always makes that moment right before the ceremony a little more breathtaking. Since I’m usually trailing behind the bride, making sure her train and veil are perfectly draped for her walk down the aisle, I don’t usually get to see the reactions when couples see each other for the first time. However, I always do my best to sneak a peek at the groom’s face and cross my fingers for a few tears. ;)
CEREMONY AND PHOTOS
Andrés walked both moms down the aisle, and Bri walked down with her grandfather to a song that was saved for the wedding day only (we didn’t even play it at the rehearsal!). Bri and Andrés wanted to make sure that moment was completely sacred. After the ceremony, I hurried over to the reception venue to light candles and handle last minute logistics, while the bridal party boarded a trolley to go take photos. I’m obsessed with how their bridal party and couple photos turned out (as demonstrated by the 80+ photos below…). The bouquets for Bri and her bridesmaids brought the perfect splash of color to add to the day. They were full of soft, romantic shades of white, lavender, and greenery, and pops of bright purples and pinks.
DETAILS
As I mentioned earlier, I was on double duty on the wedding day, bopping back and forth between setting up the reception and checking on everyone at the church. We began reception setup bright and early with II Sisters. Scroll down and you’ll see a glimpse of the magic: one of the beautiful lounges, the soft lavender color palette, the centerpieces with sweet bud vases and elegant crystal candle holders, the custom watercolor Reserved signs designed by Elyce B. Art, and the dessert buffet full of cutie little cupcakes. Jana and Elyce from II Sisters did an amazing job pulling together Bri and Andrés’ vision with their unique rentals and eye for design - I was just honored to be part of making it all happen. Also, special shoutout to my favorite intern, my mom, for showing up to help light the 100+ candles before the reception.
RECEPTION
When it was time for introductions, Bri and Andrés did not disappoint. I can’t remember if they choreographed their intro at all, but it definitely stole the show and brought the energy to the room. The rest of the night was spent with a full dance floor and some killer dance moves, including an epic mother-son dance between Andrés and his mom. I asked her later if they had practiced that and she basically said they’ve been practicing since he was a baby. Like I said before, Bri and Andrés stayed true to their word: if anyone wanted to find them throughout the evening, they could find them on the dance floor. We ended the night with a magical (and massive!) sparkler send-off, which I’m so grateful we could pull off with the help of the photographers.
I absolutely loved helping Bri and Andrés make their wedding day perfect. Keep scrolling to relive the day through their gorgeous wedding photos (click to make them bigger and enjoy the amazing work of Jacy Hermes Photography!).
Vendors:
Event Design and Rentals: II Sisters Event Design and Rentals
Photographer: Jacy Hermes Photography
Florist: Country Florist
Reception Venue: Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts
Caterer and Cake: Hy-Vee Catering and Bakery
DJ: Twenty Twenty Entertainment
Videographer: Rebecca Campbell Photography
Hair and makeup: Jenni’s Salon and Spa
Transportation: Bloomington Normal Limousine and Shuttle
Invitations and programs: Brittnee Snodgrass
Wedding Coordinator: Flowers and Leather Events
