May 18, 2019 was the date I literally dreamed about for our wedding day. Being a floral designer, most weekends are booked with everyone else's wedding day. I had no clue when I could fit my own in. Despite all my efforts to squeeze in my day, I finally gave it to God. I asked Him when I should get married. That night I had a dream, in the dream I was able to interpret it would be on the next blue moon. God knows me! Every night I see the moon it is magical to me.
Got my date and Joe agreed! And so our watch begins!
May was an extremely busy month for me. Mother's Day is my biggest event! This Mother's Day was no exception. I had a staff on hand, sold out of flowers, and even had to make some deliveries myself!
I was on my feet for an enormous amount of time but resting had to wait! I was getting married the following weekend and I wanted to have my hands involved in almost every part of it! This wedding was definitely DIY and I had help from those I love and a few key businesses I asked to help create my vision.
The Attire
I am very different and most of the things I love, I make myself. I chose to create my own dress with the help of Rebel Madness who designed my Corset and Skull Lace was designer of the appliques. I had found a plain lace maxi dress and wanted to sew some appliques and jewelry on it. I went on a treasure hunt to find things to include in my dress!
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| Champagne Applique by Skull Lace |
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| This Opal was from a necklace that belonged to my Grandmother My Wedding Ring is also an Opal! I had a skull button I added to it for fun! |
I wanted to wear a birdcage veil for my wedding. I love pin up & Hollywood glam, but I also am obsessed with Victorian Gothic Styles. I shopped everywhere to find a look that I would love. After much searching, I decided I am just going to make this too! I just couldn't find the right look, so I decided to do it myself! This was my first attempt to create a birdcage veil and I was extremely happy with the outcome. I purchased light lilac birdcage tulle, pink and green rooster feathers, and I had a cameo that I have always loved and decided she would be used to complete the look.
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| This cameo I found at street fair over 15 years ago an older gentleman was selling many different cameos This one reminded me of the Shulamite in Song of Solomon. |
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| I've kept this cameo on display in my house. It is a piece of art to me and means a lot. Also, Joe and I love the story of Song of Solomon and refer to each other as Solomon & Shula. |
This project has sparked my hair flair designs at my Etsy shop
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| I used 2 different shades of Manic Panic for my hair Mermaid and Sea Nymph. |
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| The cameo is a woman collecting grapes from a vineyard I am always reminded of Song of Solomon when I see her. |
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| Birdcage Veil by Jamie June The Maven Raven |
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| The opposite side, I wore a gold beaded clip My earrings were pearl and crystals plugs by PlugParlour |
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| Matron of Honor, Heather Hindes tying me up! |
Joe had no idea what I was creating. I was going to keep it all a secret until I walked down the aisle. He thought it might be possible I would wear black because of my love for Victorian Gothic. I never really pinned down a specific color palette. I love color and I love black! So, if I found an item that spoke to me it would become a part of our wedding day. I love to be unique, I love items that are artistic and have meaning. I knew I wanted extremely dark flowers so I decided that I would be light on my dress, at least a little. I had the original lace dress for years just sitting in my dresser. I saw it on a clearance rack and thought I'll wear that someday.
Years later, it was still in the dresser! When Joe popped the very unexpected question, I knew I would use this dress for our special day. Sewing on the appliques and jewelry made it a wonderful bridal dress. I wanted to complete my look with a corset. Nothing says Victorian Gothic like a corset!
I went on a search for a handmade corset and found an Etsy shop called Rebel Madness! There I found a corset that was EXACTLY what I had in mind! The work is impeccable, and the design was stunning. The cost was way under price for the craftsmanship of this beautiful piece. My shoes were found years ago and I had worn them at a couple weddings I attended over the years. They have a vintage look and feel and went along perfectly with my dress. It was as though all these pieces I had collected over the years were meant for this very day!
Overall, my wedding attire head to toe cost around $200.
I curled and styled my own hair and I wore no make up with the exception of Stiletto Mascara by Maybelline.
My nails were done by my friend, Miranda Mack owner of
A Dream Come True Parties & Spa. She had just the Vampire Blood shade I was looking for!
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| My corset created by Rebel Madness, my shoe brand is Candies. My sister, Cheri Risner created these Crocheted Barefoot Sandals for Heather and Joe's Daughter to wear. My clutch is actually my everyday phone case. As you know, I love cameos. This phone case serves as a wallet and I use it everyday. I chose for Heather to wear a particular Burgundy Skirt She chose to wear a black top to compliment the skirt perfectly! She looked like a Gothic Queen and absolutely beautiful.    
Joe has great style. I didn't give him direction on what to wear, I knew he would be great at looking good! I gave him freedom to just wear what he wanted. I just wanted him to be comfortable. We both hate shopping but we love style! He chose the Men's Warehouse to obtain his look. He brought home 3 shirts and they all looked amazing, matching my secret apparel perfectly! He asked me to pick a favorite and my favorite was his as well. One of the extra shirts was used after playing in the rain! It was runner up and looked great on him at the end of the night. Joe had 2 best men, they too could just wear whatever they wanted to feel comfortable.
One asked if he could wear his kilt, we told him he could
but he choose pants instead. Chicken!
   Joe's Boutonniere is made with a Cobra Lily,Purple Iris Bud & Lavender Freesia  
Best Man, Brad Lake assisting
Best Man, Andy Lake with his tie.
 His shoes he found at a local store on clearance!
Ceremony
Our Ceremony would be held at Hazelberry Homestead which is owned by Joe's Uncles and Aunts. The property has a beautiful pergola where we decided the ceremony would take place. It had a chandelier in the center that Joe repainted and we hung sheer black fabric to blow in the breeze.
 
I painted these lanterns that belonged to my Grandmother and found these citronella torches at Walmart for $6. The flame was awesome and I use them on my back patio. These dark night stands belonged to Joe's Uncle Marc and Aunt Robin, part owners of the property. They allowed us to use them and we placed black tulle over top for a Gothic effect.
 Yes, I am a florist and could've gone over the top with ceremony flowers. However, I chose to create almost everything in the wedding so I kept that simple. I also chose to use elements that I could re-purpose. I placed Ivy plants to appear as though they grew on the pergola, we added mixed garland of Italian Ruscus and Plumosa and placed it in the center. I was able to donate this to one of my brides the following weekend for her wedding. I kept it well hydrated and cool so it looked fantastic for her to be able to use if she wanted. She was so appreciative. The flowers for the ceremony area were overflowing red, purple, and black petunias. They now decorate my front porch all summer long. They still look as beautiful as they did that day.  
The chairs were just folding chairs donated by an
XOXO customer that has grown to become a friend. She insisted I just borrow them!
  I included a poem Joe wrote to me a few years ago. It was during a time in our lives where we were separated and not sure if we could be together. It was also inspired by a dream he had of our love for each other. I used this poem in a June Dreaming song called Open Spaces and the line Our Love is Wonderment To All in the song Hiraeth
Behind the tinted glass
In the globe of snow
Her seas are hidden from me
The rises and falls
Wrapped in thick cloth
Only a memory lay where her warmth was
Bringing fire to the people
I lay in the cold
Ashes surround me of what was
Beauty strengthens me for what will be
Harken the day we reunite
For our love is a wonderment to all.
Our music selection was a collection of songs from a few of our favorite shows or movies. Including, Silent Hill, Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones, and Firefly. Heather walked to the song Lucia di Lammermoor by Eric Serra, soundtrack from The Fifth Element. My song of choice was Hold On Till May by Pierce The Veil. Joe and I love this song and have used it to reference our love for each other many
times.
Joe and I decided to have our children escort us to the ceremony. Joe's 8 year old daughter, Harlie wore a black lace dress. And my sons, Dontay & Payton walked me down the aisle. They picked their own attire, each represented their own style and personality. Our children are important to us and we love their unique characters.
After the boys escorted me to Joe, they took Harlie by the hand and then took their seats. 
The Fellas and Harlie marched to the song Dance of Dragons by Ramin Djawadi
  Heather, the Gothic Queen  
I decided to dance unexpectedly, just can't help myself
  
Hazelberry Homestead is co-owned by Scott and Angela Lake & Marc and Robin Robinson. Angela was our officiant as well. They all helped create a beautiful atmosphere for our wedding day! The property is beautiful and has a peaceful, country atmosphere. What I loved most about it is that it can be transformed to any style. I could create my Victorian Gothic Wedding without the appearance of a a rustic setting like most Ohio venues. It was a blank canvas to create my vision. The atmosphere is so relaxing and peaceful. Our backdrop was lush greenery that grows behind the pergola.
 Angela Lake, our Officiant put together a lovely ceremony inspired by the decree Joe and I set for our union. She kept it short, sweet, and to the point.
The Flowers
Oh my, I love flowers! It's my job! My life! All that I am! My business is XOXO Florals&Wine. I am a full service florist with the goal of opening an event venue someday. I started my business in 2017 and have quickly grown these past couple of years.
I wanted to tackle my own flowers. I feel I would regret it if I did not do them myself. I am so glad I did! I truly wanted dark flowers. The blacker the better. Yet, we are in May so just like I have to say to a lot of brides I had to say "The flowers you want are out of season."
Black Calla Lilies were 1st choice. They are my favorite and it's what I wanted. They are the beginning and the end of the bouquet. Following with Burgundy Peonies from my yard, Parrot Tulips & Black Beard Iris, and Clematis which I grew as well. The foliage is tropical greens, sword fern, and ornamental black grass. With creepy curly willow and Monkey Tails also known as Fern Curls. I added burgundy feathers and a purple cameo in the bouquet as well.
   Heather's bouquet is a roundish bouquet of the black Calla Lilies with the tropical greenery, black ornamental grass, and a few of those Monkey Tails. Just simply elegant and dark was what I wanted this to be. I love small huggable bouquets.  The peonies were the 1st of my crop that I had planted last year. I was so excited that they showed up just in time for the big day! And that magenta color of the clematis just popped!
The Boutonnieres were Cobra Lilies and Freesia.
The Rings
When Joe proposed, it was totally unexpected. Heather and I were painting Victorian Gothic Damask designs in my dining room that day. It took us forever, I was sitting on the couch covered in paint. She had left for the day and I was so thankful for her help. Joe walked in the living room as I was telling him all about the day. He had this smirk on his face. An ornery look. Followed by, "You're pretty." with a devious smile. I asked, "Is there paint on my face or something?" He said, "No, you're pretty. I had something made for you." He reached in his pocket and pulled out the cutest tiniest box. I am obsessed with boxes. I opened it and this beautiful Opal ring was inside. I tried it on some of my fingers and said, "it's too small." He said, "It's not meant for those fingers." I asked, "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" and then the question, "Well, will you marry me?" he asked.
I said, "Are you sure, you know I'm crazy?" He said, "Yes, I know. But I want to still marry you."
Unbeknownst to me, Joe had gone to M. Madinger and spoke with the owner Melissa. He told her that he didn't want a diamond. That we both love Opal stones and rocks. She suggested he didn't do an Opal because they are fragile. He told her it's what he wants because I am unique. If I break it we will get a new stone. He picked out the filigree setting as well and there are 2 black diamonds on each side. I've never seen a more beautiful ring. I am so blessed to have a man that knows me well enough to have this made for me. I also chose to have a lavender tattoo with Joe's name on my ring finger. I don't always get to wear my opal so this is my permanent symbol for our marriage.
 I purchased his band with RobandLean. I wanted Opal to be in his band as well and I fell in love with the green Malachite. It is inscribed with the words "I Agape You, Shula" 
Reception
I had decided that I wanted to use our Grandmother's China for our place settings. My Grandma left her china to me and Joe's Grandma wanted him to have hers to pass down in the family. I obviously needed more china to accommodate our guests. I started keeping my eye out for patterns I liked. I met with a bride and her mom for a flower consultation. We were discussing vases and how they would be willing to give me their unwanted vases. The mom asked if I knew anyone in need of china and I raised my hand, "Me!" "I plan on using mismatched china for my own wedding." She had boxes of china she donated to me. My sister Stacy and I drove around to every goodwill to gather what we could find. We were on a treasure hunt and had lots of laughs along the way. I loved the variety of China and they told stories. Even a couple of guests said that their grandmother used to have a set similar, pointing at a set they had recognized. When Joe's grandmother found her name tag she yelled, "That's my plate!" It literally was her plate. It was fun to share that with her.
 
The glassware I found was super exciting. On one of my china dish hunts, I stopped to pick up china from Jenni. I told her I was on my way to collect a few more dishes. She recommended a place that opened in Pickerington, Ohio. Volunteers Of America Thrift shop was just down the street and she was on her way there to collect a few items for her daughter's wedding. Her daughter was getting married the following weekend and I was blessed to do the flowers for it as well. While searching, I found these beautiful dark purple glasses. Debating on if I felt the price was worth it, an announcement was made that the entire store was half off. SOLD! I left with the last set of dishes I needed and the dark purple glasses that I use every night with my glass of wine. I paid $8 for 16 piece mix of flutes and wine glasses. My mother had lovely rose glasses that she gave me and the rest I collected from Dollar Tree. I had a mix of the dark purple, green, rose, and teal. I love color! This mix of color sat on a black canvas, I purchased the black linens and donated them to Hazelberry Homestead for future events. Scott and Angela designed and created these long tables for us to sit at. Joe and I went out there and we helped put them together! In the center of the table I placed crystal candelabras with black candlesticks. They now sit on my dining room table. I wanted our Tuscan table to be a family gathering. Joe and I helped serve our guests. I wanted to celebrate our union as a family and serve rather than be served.
   Scott and Angela created a drink cart out of an old sink he rescued from being thrown out. It held so much ice and kept the beverages cold. My friend Tawna Bare was a huge help to me throughout this whole journey. She came over several times to help me get the china organized. She did grocery shopping and helped set up most of the items. Mindy Lake and her daughters helped with setting up as well.         
Brad Lake helping me with my flowers!
 Joe's Grandma, Ann McCullough
My sisters Stacy Griffin (left) and Cheri Risner (right)
  Showing off my flowers to my friend Pam Tigner the flowers. She is an XOXO Floral Designer She taught me during my years at Claprood's and continues to do so!
Cake
I found some molds of a skull cameo Bride & Groom on Etsy that I purchased and gave her to be created in gold. I told her she can use them for Halloween decorating if she wanted to as well. The cake was beautiful and the French Vanilla flavor tasted so good.
 I placed the cake on a silver platter that belonged to my Grandma.    The size of my piece compared to Joe's are quite different! Our song for the cake cutting scene was Sabotage by The Beastie Boys.
After the ceremony, Joe and I were getting some dramatic photos taken. I can't wait to share them! All of us just got underneath the porch when a pop up thunderstorm appeared. The rain was so beautiful and I love thunderstorms. This storm lasted long enough for a rainbow to appear in the sky. My dream come true wedding. Intimate, Fun, Hot, Stormy, and the sky full of wonder. Sunshine and Rainbows and of course the Blue Moon. It was a day God created just for me. I loved it so much. Thank you God! You are always good!
  This hawk was captured circling the property! How awesome to see God's creation!
My good friend Jenni DeCamp
(Jim always behind the camera)
Photographs
Jim and Jenni DeCamp are amazing people. I met them a few years ago as they hired me to do their youngest daughter's wedding. We connected so well! They are awesome people. When I told them the news of our engagement, they told me they wanted to give us the amazing gift of Jim's services with these photographs. I am overwhelmed at how they have captured this day to give me an everlasting gift such as these. Our Dream Photos by Jim DeCamp is truly that. The day of our dreams captured forever! He was extremely professional and helped us get the look we wanted. I told him I would like the photos of Joe and I to be dramatic with smoke and he provided just that! So without further ado....Our Dream Photos by James DeCamp
          
Thank you to everyone who helped be a part of our precious day!
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