From my initial call with Abby, I knew that her and Ben’s day was going to be a special one. The way her eyes glimmered and how her smile beamed when she talked about her husband-to-be, it was apparent that this was a day anyone would be honored to witness.
The morning opened in the cutest, small town of Chagrin. When I walked into Abby’s suite, she burst with joy at seeing me as it hit her that the day was really here. All the months of planning had led to this moment, and now there was no more planning to be done. It was time for her to sit back and enjoy her and Ben’s day, and for me to deliver to them their vision we had talked about in such great detail.
After taking some getting-ready photos of Abby and her bridesmaids at the Inn of Chagrin, we moved over to the stunning Orchid House Winery, where Ben and the groomsmen awaited. The gorgeous winery was the perfect backdrop for their outdoor ceremony and tented reception. The vibes were gardenesque and romantic, just like Abby had dreampt it would be. The star of the show was the whimsical and otherworldly arrangements put together by Katie with Fantasy Florals. She even snuck in a vine of baby watermelons into the ceremony arrangements that we were all oogling over.
After Abby and Ben’s ceremony, full of happy tears and personal vows, the newlyweds shared a sip of their signature cocktails, which were created in honor of each of their late grandmothers. The joy and celebratory spirits of their guests were infectious as Ben and Abby ran onto the dancefloor, kicking off the reception portion of the night.
As guests were enjoying their dinner, we snuck away for a few minutes to Abby’s grandfather’s vintage convertible that was parked out in front of the venue for some late-night portraits. As Abby and Ben skipped back to the party, Abby exclaimed, “you guys are the best!” which wasn’t the first time she had expressed her gratitude for their vendors.
In all of the intentional planning and thought that went into the Racines’ wedding day, Abby and Ben were able to simply enjoy it and soak in the beauty of their day. As a wedding vendor, I think that’s really the most lovely thing.
Orchid House Winery, Cleveland, Ohio
Video – Sara Ruth Film, @sararuthfilm
Cake – Holly @hearth.cle
Hair – Rachel Turner, @hairbyrachh
Makeup – MakeupbyJenna, Kelsey, @beautyby_kelseykay
String – @city6strings
Linens – L’Nique
Venue and Catering – Orchid House Winery
Florals – Katie Manfroni Fantasy Florals, @fantasyfloral_
Hotel – Inn of Chagrin, @innofchagrin
DJ – Nick Duve @djnickduve