Issue 03
THINE VENDORS THINE STORIES THINE WEDDINGS
F EEL ING S It was an emotional summer. Suddenly, we had the ability to travel and get outside after so many days distancing ourselves, and then a relapse paired with the realization that maybe things still weren't quite what they seemed. The wedding industry had a sudden boom as couples finally could begin planning their weddings, and all those weddings put off a year were now happening. With us all staying so acutely aware of the present, the world (and wedding world) has become rather nostalgic. That nostalgia seems to have seeped into every element of our designs; 80s inspired color pallets, Pre-Raphealite paintings, many vintage dresses, and a 70s road trip playlist all held their place in the creation of this issue. In spite of our visions of the past, the present holds it's importance too. Couples can become so caught up in how their weddings will be perceived in the future. There's a sense of shame attached to your wedding photos suddenly becoming dated, and so its important to note that our view of the past is only an interpretation. It's the joy you feel in the moment of your wedding that counts, and looking back knowing you were utterly yourself in that very moment. Editor Juliana Jumper
Writer Riley Mortensen
Graphic Designer Michael Jumper
Cover & Back Cover Shy Myrtle
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photography Camryn Lee Creative venue No Vacancy rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental florals Solstice Floral Studio dessert Stacey Moore Cake Design stationery The Authentic Hand
CAMRY N L EE CR E AT I V E photography | camrynlee.com
Camryn Lee Creative is a wedding and lifestyle photographer located in Dodge City, KS and serving the Midwest at large. Camryn’s effortless and romantic photographic style captures the love between couples like no other. Camryn’s laid-back, adventurous spirit is sure to make your wedding photography experience truly exceptional!
attire Bridal Extraordinaire jewelry Ann-Marie Designs hair & makeup Naturally You Makeup Artistry models Macy Laskowsky & Nevin Laskowsky
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Bianca & Lucas “ The more fun you have during the process the less stressful it truly is. Before you know it, it's another beautiful memory and another part to your love story so enjoy every moment.” June 5, 2021
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venue Hoover Pavilion design D' Gala photography Camryn Lee Creative entertainment Sistema Hermanos Garcia stationery Minted dessert Luna Delights caterer Maria's Catering bartending A Better Bar Service waitstaff Gallegos' Meseros transportation Diamond Limousine Service gown Suite Bridal veil Dress Gallery Bridal menswear Men's Warehouse hair & makeup Demi Brows colors
hair & makeup Naturally You Makeup Artistry venue The Station at 28 Event Space planning Hooch & Honey photography Juliana Noelle Jumper rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental florals Blush & Blossoms gown Stephanie's Bridal Boutique
NATUR A L LY YOU M AK E U P A RT I ST RY
vintage gowns Private Collection
hair and makeup artistry | naturallyyoumakeup.com
veils Veronica Couture
Naturally You Makeup Artistry is a team of hair stylists and makeup artists dedicated to creating timeless looks that enhance each bride’s unique features. Emphasizing professional products, cleanliness, and luxury skin prep Naturally You Makeup Artistry creates their signature romantic ‘elevated from the everyday’ style while providing a stress-free and seamless experience for the entire wedding party.
models Heather Slusher, Mariah Kelli, Rebekah Partridge, Riley Mortensen, & Stacy Cayla
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W EDDI NG STOR I E S 101 the details of each vendor’s day paints a picture of not only a cheerful celebration, but a lesson or two they’d like to pass on.
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Melissa Chesnut, Naturally You Makeup Artistry Melissa Chesnut is the owner and lead makeup artist behind Naturally You Makeup Artistry. Chesnut has been in the wedding industry for six years and the beauty industry for 15. Naturally You strives to help clients create a timeless look that accentuates you and your best features. How long did it take to plan your wedding? It took about 16 months to plan because my husband became catholic, which is laughable now, as well, because everybody thought we were crazy back then, but now most people have two-yearlong engagements. That’s the norm. How many guests attended? 325. That was another thing too, at least back then, most people had pretty big weddings and most people had church weddings too, which most people don’t do now. Times have changed. Did you have colors or a theme to your wedding? Yes, it was fall, so we had gold, rust, deep purple and like a copper brown. I would say those were primarily our colors. Did you do your own makeup for your wedding? Yeah. We did our own makeup. My best friend is also a professional makeup artist in Manhattan. Back then people really didn’t offer professional makeup services like they do today. We went to the salon as well, they did not come to us. Was your wedding one of the first weddings you did makeup for? No. I had sorority sisters, and I wouldn’t say a lot, but I definitely had a few clients that had asked me to do makeup before I got married. Probably for about four years before I got married. It was maybe like four or five people a year that I would help.
What kinds of flowers did you use? Mums. Lots of mums. My mom did all of them. She used different types of fall grasses and stuff for the boutonnieres and wheat in our flowers. My flowers were purple and cream with wheat and grasses in it, and then the boutonnieres had pheasant feathers in them. We didn’t have an extravagant amount of flowers simply because the church didn’t allow it, so you couldn’t decorate the church and then our reception had mostly mums. My mom and dad made these barn wood boxes that went on every table and then we put mums and the same kinds of flowers and grasses I was talking about in those boxes. There were 30 tables. What are some of your favorite memories from that day? Oh, I cried really hard. We didn’t see each other before we went down the aisle and I cried a lot. I was laughing during our vows and my husband had asked me if I was going to pull it together and I said, ‘that’s just what I do’. I laugh in very uncomfortable situations instead of crying. So I pulled myself together from crying and instead I was laughing during our vows. Our priest forgot to do part of our mass, and not that anyone from outside of the Catholic Church would have known that, but all of us who are Catholic at our wedding were like ‘oh’. That was a big component of the church service that he skipped over. Another fun memory was that my husband used to own a restored truck that he and his dad worked on when he was in high school, and that was our getaway car from the church that we took to the reception. It was just fun to have, because it’s about a 40 minute drive between Atchison and the Weston, Platte City area. It was fun to have 40 minutes of just him and I to drive and talk. That’s one thing that a lot of planners say you should
try to do on your wedding day is take time to be with yourselves. … I’m glad that we had that time to just talk and reflect on what happened and go to the reception. We also had a photo booth and I was nervous about having it because it was not cheap. At the time they were not cheap. I had even asked two of my cousins to make sure people went in there and used it, and it was a blast! Everyone from my grandparents, who two
of them are no longer living, all the way down to teeny tiny babies that were at our reception with their parents. Everybody got in there and got pictures! It’s kind of old news now, it’s not really even super interesting, but back then people didn’t really have photo booths, so it was just different. It’s so funny to look back at the pictures. We have a coffee table book that has all the pictures from the photo booth at our house.
photo by Laura Benitz Photography
Spouse’s name? Todd
Where? St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Atchison, KS
When did you get married? October 15, 2011
What time was your wedding? We had a 2 p.m. mass
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venue Rivers Lodge photography Jenny Shipley, Photographer film processor Photo Vision Prints rentals Good Stuff China circle arch Rustic Elegance Event Rental florals Flower House KC dessert Eclairs de la Lune stationery Morgan Riley Design ribbon Shy Myrtle bridal attire Stephanie's Bridal Boutique
RIVE R S L O D GE
event venue | theriverslodge.com Rivers Lodge is comprised of everything a couple needs in creating an exceptional wedding experience. Located on 300+ stunning acres, the estate includes multiple ceremony, reception, and lodging options, as well as guided outdoor experiences and ‘out of this world’ meals. Perfect for those looking for an inclusive experience, Rivers Lodge will quickly turn a one day celebration into a weekend event!
jewelry Ann-Marie Designs menswear Tip Top Tux hair & makeup Shanelise MUA models Tiyamike Ezala & Emmanuel Amuseli
rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental venue La Villa planning Hooch & Honey photography Juliana Noelle Jumper florals KC Wildflower stationery Ellipsis Design Co.
RUSTIC EL EG A NC E E V E N T RE N TAL event rentals | rusticeleganceeventrental.com
Rustic Elegance Event Rental is a wedding rental and design company with an eclectic, creative vision. With a vast stock of hand selected vintage and vintage style items, Rustic Elegance creates beautiful custom tablescapes, lounge seating areas, and ceremony setups. Perfect for all couples looking to add a unique touch of individuality to their wedding celebration.
ribbon Shy Myrtle bridal attire The One hair & makeup Roxana Dolson Hair & Makeup model Rachel Klewicki
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Jessica & Alex “Being surrounded by our family and friends, feeling all the love and support was amazing. Everything had fallen into place and it was time to celebrate the happiest day of our lives as husband and wife.” May 15, 2021
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venue The Rhapsody photography Mariam Saifan Photography florals Flower House KC cake Water to Wheat Cakery bartending Erin Cook Bartending catering Hy-Vee shaved ice Hawaiian Ice KC gown Stephanie's Bridal Boutique menswear Indochino hair & makeup Whitney Lowe colors
ribbon Shy Myrtle studio & rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental
SH Y M Y RTL E ribbon | @shymyrtle
Shy Myrtle is a luxury ribbon shop containing thousands of color and material options perfect for every wedding day detail. Shy Myrtle’s collection adds luxury and refinement to any tablescape design, stationery suite, wedding attire, or even to wrap those 'oh so important' thank you gifts. With countless uses and numerous designs, Shy Myrtle ribbon adds a special touch of elegance to any wedding day detail.
photography Juliana Noelle Jumper veil Veronica Couture gown Bridal Extraordinaire hair & makeup Hello Lovely model Hanno Riak
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ST Y L E TH ROUGH TH E DECA DE S A look back at the trends, patterns and details that have shaped the bridal gown industry
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The wedding dress. A garment many have dreamed of since childhood, the personification of a bride’s personality, a signifier of wealth and class and a symbol of the American Dream. Over the last 100+ years, wedding dress styles have changed just as dramatically as the world at large. Hem lines have been up, down and all around, sleeves have come and gone, necklines of every variety have emerged and pops of color have even had a moment. THINE took an afternoon to chat with a few experts in the field on the history of wedding gowns and stroll down memory lane. Noelle Schmidt, the store manager of True Society By Belle Vogue Bridal in the Crossroads, walked us through the decades. Let’s start at the very beginning. In the beginning, there was white, or was there?
venue The Station at 28 Event Space planning Hooch & Honey photography Juliana Noelle Jumper rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental florals Blush & Blossoms gown Stephanie's Bridal Boutique vintage gowns Private Collection veils Veronica Couture hair & makeup Naturally You Makeup Artistry models Heather Reimann Slusher, Mariah Kelli, Rebekah Partridge, Riley Mortensen, & Stacy Cayla
Schmidt says it was originally Queen Victoria who popularized the color white when she wore ivory silk during her 1840 wedding to Prince Albert. All the biggest dressmakers then followed suit and thus the white wedding gown, often referred
to as the “bridal hue” became the major symbol of weddings and the bridal industry. 1910's | The 1910’s saw lots of floaty, floorlength dresses that were easy for brides to move in. Dresses had high necklines, as brides were typically covered from the neck down. Long sleeves and ruffles were also popular. 1920's | The Roaring Twenties gave birth to flapper dresses and the jazz age, and the Art Deco movement of the ‘20s swept across the bridal industry. We saw elaborate beaded gowns, flapper style gowns with a drop-waist silhouette, cathedral length veils and geometric designs. Some brides also took a walk on the wild side showing off calves in shorter gowns. 1930's | In the ‘30s, WWII and the Great Depression influenced dresses. Dresses during that era were less flashy. Brides kept it simple with silk, or rayon for those that couldn’t afford silk. The skinny gown silhouette was very popular, as were romantic styles, high necklines, long sleeves, and minimal ornamental design like appliqués and embroidery.
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1940's | Trends between the 1930’s and the 1940’s didn’t change much. Slim fits, high necklines and long sleeves were all still in; however, V necklines were introduced as a new luxurious style. Brides also started wearing corsets to give more shape. Brides married during the war in the early 1940’s often wore formal pieces they already owned. Queen Elizabeth also married Prince Philip just after the war in November of 1947. Her dress featured a pearl embroidered scoop neckline and ivory silk. It was considerate, but also glamorous.
1950's | In the 1950’s, the wedding industry changed dramatically. We saw ball gowns, sweetheart necklines and fancy, full skirts. Shorter veils also became the style of choice. Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding dress in Father of the Bride influenced the decade with a full-skirt, fitted bodice and sweetheart neckline. Then we saw Jackie Kennedy’s ball gown in 1953 as she wed John F. Kennedy. The dress was ultra feminine and romantic. In 1954, Audrey Hepburn got married and wore a tea-length dress with ball gown sleeves, a satin sash and elbow-length gloves.
1960's | In the 1960’s we started to see shorter and slimmer dresses. High necklines were paired with short hemlines as mini skirts and the “flower child” movement set the scene a blaze. Shorter length veils stayed popular. Structured fabrics and ¾ length sleeves were also a trendy choice. Elizabeth Taylor, in one of her many personal wedding dresses, wed Richard Burton in 1964 in a canary yellow chiffon dress. This kicked off the non-white bridal look. Taylor’s elaborate flower adorned hair was very on trend. Audrey Hepburn also remarried during the ‘60s, this time opting for a long-sleeved,
funnel neck, pale “ballet pink” mini dress. Hepburn paired the dress with white tights, white flats, gloves and a matching headscarf for a simple yet stylish take on bridal. 1970's | The 1970’s gave a nod to styles of old with fitted, slim gowns, full sleeves and lots of layers. This era was post the Vietnam War, and also the era of “hippie boho.” High collars and big bell sleeves were a hit during the ‘70s, as well as bohemian gowns and the decade’s “peasant style.” Brides also often chose hair ribbons in lieu of veils.
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1980's | The 1980’s were all about poof! Poofy gowns, poofy sleeves and poofy shoulder pads. Pop culture and rock and roll stole the show in the 80’s, and brides took note. Lady Diana Spencer, later known as Princess Diana, wed Prince Charles in 1981 wearing a puffy-sleeved, long-trained, taffeta gown that set the stage for the ‘80s bridal era. 1990's | In the ‘90s, slimmer fitted styles made a comeback, as did sheath dress silhouettes. The mid-‘90s saw the rise of offthe-shoulder. “Luxury” styling encapsulated the ‘90s with lace, bows and skirts circling
back to the Father of the Bride style. During the ‘90s, Vera Wang specialized in strapless and spaghetti-strap designs. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr. were married in 1996, with Bessette sporting a sexy, simple, silk, slip dress with sheer gloves. 2000's | The 2000’s were about the simple, understated style. Tighter A-line strapless gowns were in with simple embellishments like lace and beading later added. Icons of that era who got married include Katie Holmes to Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman to Keith Urban and Jennifer Aniston to Brad Pitt.
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2010's | Around 2010, long-sleeved wedding dresses reappeared, especially after Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding to Prince William at Westminster Abbey. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a gown designed by luxury fashion house, Alexander McQueen. Future brides around the world swooned and sought inspiration. Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry in 2018 wearing a simple boat-neck, Givenchy gown. Strapless princess gowns were also favored during the 2010’s. Modern Day | Today’s brides are all about finding the perfect dress to reflect their individual personalities, Schmidt says
It’s all about dreamy details, feminine bustlines and sophistication. Florals are also especially popular, evolving from the flat to laser-cut, hand placed, clusters that give texture and dimension to gowns. True Society by Belle Vogue Bridal has two locations in the Kansas City Metro, one in Lenexa and one in the downtown Kansas City Crossroads neighborhood. True Society is currently the only bridal shop in KC to carry the international designs of Essense of Australia, a Kansas City based company who also helped tremendously with this story.
stationery Ellipsis Design Co. venue Feasts of Fancy photography Juliana Noelle Jumper rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental specialty linens Citrus + Sage Co. florals Thorne Floral
EL L IP SIS D ESIGN C O.
stationery & calligraphy | ellipsisdesignco.com Ellipsis Design Co.’s love of stationery was born in her grandmother’s kitchen looking through handwritten recipe cards. Enchanted with the penmanship, wear, and care in their creation Ellipsis Design Co. creates stationery with the same bespoke design of the past. Using handcrafted paper, hand-drawn illustration, and stunning calligraphy her work captures the essence of each couple’s wedding day with a uniqueness all its own.
ribbon Shy Myrtle dessert Taylor Elizabeth Cakes gown Stephanie's Bridal Boutique hair piece & veil Veronica Couture model Leslie Hacker
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venue On Broadway, Skyline Rooftops planning & florals Hooch & Honey photography Juliana Noelle Jumper rentals Foxcreek Design
SKYL I NE R O O FTOP S event venue | skylinerooftops.com
Skyline Rooftops offers four unique venues throughout urban Kansas City, each with beautiful skyline views. Ranging in size, Skyline Rooftop venues can accommodate events both large and small. With a flexible vendor policy, dedicated parking, and a generous rental period, Skyline Rooftops is sure to make your wedding day an experience to remember.
bridal attire The One menswear Suit Shop hair & makeup Hello Lovely models Morèe GuerraEuDaly & Evan EuDaly
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W ISH U PON A W EDDI NG wedding non-profit grants KC couple the vow renewal of their dreams!
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From the beginning, Ben and Heather Anderson’s romance seemed like something out of a movie. The pair felt the first inklings of love in February 2011 when they ended up trapped together in the breakroom at work waiting for a snowstorm to pass. They were friends instantly, Heather says, and after eventually going on a real date, knew that this was something special. “We had our first kiss as we were parting ways, and it was one of those that we both stopped and looked at each other really weird and backed up slowly,” Heather said. The two started dating in February, got engaged on Mother’s Day and then married in June of 2011. They eloped in Loose Park. She wore a white sundress and he wore slacks and a white button down as they exchanged vows underneath a willow tree, Heather says. When discussing the type of relationship they have, Heather says she and Ben challenge each other and it betters them all the time. Life has also challenged the couple. During their first year of marriage, Ben broke both his legs in a dirt bike accident, and two years later, Heather woke up one day and couldn’t walk. It took doctors nine months to finally realize it was a freak nerve issue, and in the meantime, Heather says, Ben carried her everywhere. Years of love and the craziness of life with three boys happily stole all of the couple’s time until a cancer diagnosis changed everything. After having allergy and cold-like symptoms that seemed to persist, Ben ultimately ended up at the doctor when he began coughing up blood. “You’re not going to hear many people say ‘thank God for Covid’,” Heather said. “But seriously, thank God for Covid.” When Ben went into the hospital, because he was experiencing respiratory symptoms during the height of the pandemic, doctors immediately x-rayed his chest.
“I’m pretty sure that had they not done that, he wouldn’t be here now because it’s a really aggressive cancer,” Heather said. Ben was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma and immediately began chemotherapy. While the first round of chemotherapy helped, and in February Ben briefly hit what is considered remission, a follow-up in June showed progression in his lungs and that the cancer had spread to his adrenal glands, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and other areas of the brain. Ben recently finished a second round of chemotherapy, and the couple is actively working with KU Medical Center for a treatment to keep the brain disease under control. In March of this year, Wish Upon a Wedding, a non-profit that grants weddings and vow renewals to couples facing lifealtering health circumstances, gifted Heather and Ben with a beautiful vow renewal in downtown Kansas City. Morgan Floyd, owner of Hooch and Honey, a Kansas City and destination wedding planning service, said Ben and Heather’s story immediately touched her and she knew she had to get involved. Floyd said the head coordinator at Wish Upon a Wedding reached out to her when she felt like Floyd’s funkier style and approach to weddings matched the moody, rocker, motorcycle vibe of the couple. “After meeting them, we just kind of clicked, and I knew that whatever I was going to do, it was going to have to be really great because I felt really, really, really invested in them,” Floyd said. Together, Floyd and Heather came up with the starry night concept based on dark, rich colors the couple liked and a series of questions Floyd asked Heather. Floyd showed Heather a mood board, which she was over the moon about, and took the reins from there. The rest of the details of the day were kept secret.
Floyd said she tried to design something that maybe you don’t see everyday and realized immediately how this wedding had to be different from others she’d planned. “Because Ben has this terminal diagnosis, whatever I was going to do, it didn’t just need to be stuff,” Floyd said. “It needed to be as many tangible things that were memories as humanly possible.”
she tried on that ended up being “the one”. Family and friends came from near and far for the 50-person event that took place at 8th and Main Event Space on March 12, 2021. The day featured photography by Juliana Noelle Jumper, florals from Bel Fiore, hair and makeup by Hello Lovely, a three-course, plated, sit-down dinner from Blue Pot Catering and much more.
Floyd brought on all kinds of Kansas City vendors, all wanting to give the couple a special day and a brief escape from their daily struggles. Stephanie’s Bridal Boutique checked a gorgeous gown off the list for Heather, and the Groomsman Suit took care of attire for all the fellas, including the couple’s three high school-aged sons. Heather said she’d seen videos of brides crying as they tried on their wedding dresses for the first time, but didn’t believe the hype—until it was her turn. “I put on a dress, felt really pretty and bawled my eyes out,” Heather said, noting it was actually the last dress
Chef Mark Juhnke said Ben and Heather seemed just as excited on the day as a couple getting married for the first time. “It was neat to see that after all these years, they were still in love and looking forward to having a great time with all their family and friends,” Juhnke said. Diamonds Direct donated a wedding band which Ben and Floyd went to pick out together, later surprising Heather with the ring at a family photo session before the wedding. Cindy Scott, a live painter, commemorated the
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night on canvas right before everyone’s eyes. Heather said the painting, which they adore, now hangs above their bed and they look at it every single day. Fete Fone, a company giving couples an audio guest book option via vintage phone, both contributed to the interactive, tangible memory theme Floyd was after. Floyd even arranged for dueling piano players to come and set the night to music after Heather mentioned it during one of their initial meetings. Floyd said it’s rare that the wedding industry gets to give back to someone that genuinely deserves it, and gets to see the excitement on their faces. “It was so great to see the wedding community come together like that,” Floyd said. “I had vendors who came to help me that didn’t even donate anything, they just wanted to come help.” Floyd said there wasn’t a dry eye in the house during the ceremony. In the end, the
day was everything the couple dreamed of and more, Heather says, adding that it couldn’t have come at a better time. During Covid, while Ben was undergoing chemotherapy and living with a suppressed immune system, the couple had to send their boys to go stay with their grandparents for school while the couple isolated, Heather worked from home, and they tried to keep everyone safe. Heather says having an occasion for everyone to come out and hug and celebrate was completely priceless and they could never thank everyone enough. “Kansas City being Kansas City, they showed up and showed out, and it was just something that even with some of the stuff we’re going through right now, it’s just been nice to look back on and hold that one as ours,” Heather said. “There were so many people that gave it to us. It was overwhelming.”
Heather & Ben “Kansas City being Kansas City, they showed up and showed out … even with some of the stuff we’re going through right now, it’s been nice to look back on [the day] and hold that one as ours” March 12, 2021
nonprofit Wish Upon a Wedding venue 8th & Main Event Space planning & design Hooch & Honey photography Juliana Noelle Jumper videography Robot Monster Creative rentals Ultrapom decor rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental linens Nüage Designs Inc. florals Bel Fiore stationery By Sadie Rose signage The Authentic Hand guestbook FêteFone dessert Kate Smith Soirée catering Blue Pot Catering entertainment WillOKeys Entertainment photo booth KC Mirror Booth live painting Cindy Scott Artistry
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favors Popculture Gourmet Popcorn gown Stephanie's Bridal Boutique bridesmaids attire Bella Bridesmaids menswear Suit Shop wedding band Diamonds Direct earrings Ann-Marie Designs hair & makeup Hello Lovely colors
venue The Truman planning Dana Ashley Events photography Juliana Noelle Jumper rentals Foxcreek Design florals Jori Krensel | floral designer stationery Little Yellow Leaf ribbon Shy Myrtle dessert Eclairs de la Lune
THE T R UM A N
event venue | thetrumankc.com The Truman is an industrial event venue and concert hall in the heart of Kansas City. Situated conveniently in the Crossroads Arts District, The Truman is surrounded by beautiful downtown views and unique urban charm. Take center stage on your wedding day or utilize one of The Truman’s numerous other spaces including a large main hall, two full bars, an open air patio, and a second story VIP lounge. The Truman’s vast versatility and laid back yet polished design is the perfect setting for weddings both large and small.
entertainment The Crossroad Sound bridal attire The One hair & makeup Naturally You Makeup Artistry models Catherine Mangan & Brian Weidemann
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W EDDI NG STOR I E S 101 the details of each vendor’s day paints a picture of not only a cheerful celebration, but a lesson or two they’d like to pass on.
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Emily Hansum, Sugarberry Blooms Hansum is the owner and visionary behind Sugarberry Blooms, a bespoke floral company inspired by nature and operating out of mid-Missouri. How long did you spend planning the wedding? We had a lovely long engagement of about two years. Tell me more: So Neal and I, we’re actually from the Midwest, but we were living out on coastal Massachusetts when we got engaged and were planning our wedding. We planned our entire wedding while living out east. I work with a lot of couples who are living remotely or states away and I always tell them I was in the exact same situation. We didn’t see our venue until the week of the wedding. What were your colors? My favorite flowers are dahlias, which is why we chose September, but really specifically I love corally, peachy dahlias. Leave it up to a florist to choose their wedding theme based on flowers. Very on brand for me. Now that I look back, I’m like oh, this really predicted my second career. I would say that the main color throughout our palette was a dusty peach coral color. I didn’t want to go too fall because it was already in an old barn and I did not want to go the rustic fall route. It’s a transition color. You’re kind of in between summer and fall in September. What was the vibe or theme of the wedding? I would describe our overall vibe of our wedding as botanical and organic with a very strong emphasis on local. I would do the exact same thing today. We threw out all traditions and really only brought in a tiny amount of traditions that really felt like us. We did not have a dance, we did not have a traditional wedding cake, we did not cut the cake, we didn’t do any of that. What we were really wanting was time to spend with all our close friends and family.
Walk me through the day then, if you threw out a lot of tradition, what did you do? So I would say we didn’t follow a lot of the norms, even through the whole process. I ordered my dress online from Nordstroms. We didn’t have a shower. On our day, everything was on the property, and the morning of my wedding I was in the basement of the barn putting finishing touches on the flowers. We got married under a big tree, and my dad was raking leaves that morning. We had our siblings stand up with us and our nieces and nephews. We have a wonderful group of friends, but we wanted them to come and celebrate with us and not worry about being part of the wedding party. We started like any day, breakfast with everyone and we had hair and makeup. We did end up doing a private first look, mainly I think to help with our photography schedule. The day leading up to the wedding, I was the bride who was out greeting people as they came because I was so excited to see everyone. These were family members and friends that I hadn’t seen in two years in-person, and it was very exciting. We had a very non-traditional, short wedding ceremony. We had a super fun outdoor game cocktail hour and then the reception was really focused on local. This was back in 2014 when it was just kind of becoming popular. Food and drink? We had local ciders and wine and local root beer. For dinner, my sister and brother-in-law, at the time, had a meat and vegetable farm, so they actually grew the majority of the vegetables and poultry that we served at our wedding. It was a beautiful meal. After dinner we had toasts. That was a traditional part I guess. We had toasts from my sisters and then my dad who really didn’t want to put the microphone down. Dancing and music? We didn’t have a dance because we just wanted to hang out with all our friends and family, but we did bring in music because Neal and I love music, and
especially live music. We brought in a very cool bluegrass band and they played all night. Anything that surprised you? The thing that kind of caught me off guard was my emotional response to having everyone that we love in one space together. To me, that doesn’t happen. It was so cool because we were living out east, so we didn’t get to see our family and friends that often, and all of our friends live
all over the country so everyone traveled for our wedding, and it was just really fun. We did gatherings the whole weekend. We didn’t do a traditional rehearsal dinner, we did a big welcome dinner with everyone that was invited to the wedding. Then we had a brunch because everyone was staying in little cabins together, so we just had a huge weekend of celebration. Neal and I walked away on our plane back to the East Coast just so happy
photo by Catherine Rhodes Photography
Spouse’s name? Neal When did you get married? September 20, 2014 What time was your wedding? 4:30 p.m. How many guests attended? 70
Where? A historic bed and breakfast property in Southern Illinois. It was great. We were able to have our immediate family stay there at the bed and breakfast and our reception was in a very old barn that wasn’t necessarily meant to be a venue space. It was extremely organic. The venue was beautiful. The owners were amazing. They gave us the space for like an entire week to set up and get ready and, of course, I did my own flowers.
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that we got to see everyone and celebrate together. It was a very manageable size where we felt like we could really have meaningful conversations with people at our wedding. Do you have any other special little details that you really treasure? When we were planning our wedding, Neal and I were caretakers out on a little vineyard. We were horticultural caretakers and we lived on the coast, on the ocean side, so one of the things we would do a lot is they had these beautiful pebbles on the beaches on Martha’s Vineyard, and we were able to collect them. That was kind of our thing; any time we’d go for a walk, we’d pick up a handful of rocks that we liked. We ended up getting enough that we brought them back with us to decorate for our wedding, so that served as our guestbook. We picked big enough ones where people could write little notes to us on our pebbles that we collected. Now we have a jar of those in our house and it’s really fun because some of them are hilarious and some of them are so sweet. That’s very special. The other special thing that was unique that no one really noticed, it’s one of those little special touches that I always feel like it’s great for a couple to have a secret special touch. Maybe they’re honoring
someone that they lost or something old. In my bouquet, I had a little plastic light blue bird that was the same bird that my mom carried in her wedding bouquet so I carried it in mine. We had so many touches. My parents brought down a beautiful antique table that served as our dessert table and that same table served as the cake table for my parents and my parents’ parents and their parents. So now that you’re a vendor, you kind of have this unique perspective looking back at getting married. Any advice? So one of my clients told me I want something that’s not going to go out of style, and honestly, I think with every celebration, every wedding, there’s always going to be something that you would change. For me, I have a very different design style now, but what I love looking back on when I look at our pictures, it’s like a time capsule of who we were in that moment. That is what Neal and Emily loved design wise in that moment, and it felt like us. I like looking back and seeing what I picked out. I try to tell my clients today, if you love it, then that’s what we should do. Don’t try and pick something because you think it’s going to stand the test of time in the design world, pick something that feels like you in the moment.
photography Juliana Noelle Jumper venue Feasts of Fancy rentals Rustic Elegance Event Rental specialty linens Citrus + Sage Co. florals Thorne Floral stationery Ellipsis Design Co. ribbon Shy Myrtle
JU L IA NA NO EL L E J U M P E R photography | juliananoellejumper.com
Juliana Noelle Jumper is a wedding and event photographer with a contemporary fine art style. Perfect for the unconventional or nontraditional couple, Juliana Noelle Jumper is constantly searching for unique, elegant, and somewhat brooding perspectives when capturing your wedding day.
dessert Taylor Elizabeth Cakes gown Stephanie's Bridal Boutique hair piece & veil Veronica Couture model Leslie Hacker
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Jamie & Melanie “ It was finally happening. All the anticipation and excitement that has built all day was there. It was magical to commit our love and lives to one another. We both thought the other looked absolutely stunning and the view was awe inspiring.” March 20, 2021
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location 'Merry Go Round Rock' Sedona, AZ photography Juliana Noelle Jumper videography The Lumen Studios transportation Pink Jeep Tours gowns Savvy Bridal colors
planning & florals Hooch & Honey venue On Broadway, Skyline Rooftops photography Juliana Noelle Jumper
HOOC H & HO NEY
planning & design | hoochandhoney.com Hooch & Honey is a planning and coordination company offering a wide range of service options. Whether you’re looking for someone to plan your entire day or only require some guidance along the way, Hooch & Honey is there to assist. Owner and lead planner, Morgan has 15 years experience using her impeccable eye for design and meticulous attention to detail to create each couple’s dream wedding day. Recently, Morgan has even added floral design to her list of many service offerings.
rentals Foxcreek Design bridal attire The One menswear Suit Shop hair & makeup Hello Lovely models Morèe GuerraEuDaly & Evan EuDaly
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