Red roses, giant candelabras, layers and layers of red tulle strung from the rafters — this is a red wedding ceremony like NO OTHER! And with a couple to match. Their brilliant photographer told us that together, Sarah and Max absolutely fill up a room with their warmth and personality! Their big day featured celestial elements and an insanely beautiful, moody, and ornate ceremony. Here’s the inspiration from Sarah:
Our wedding celebration was a space to land the culmination of our spiritual, energetic, and earth-based practices in devotion to our commitment to marriage. For us, marriage is a sacred, conscious union of our hearts, minds, bodies, spirits, and souls. What can we say? We’re two hippies in love y’all! Through our ceremony, we used the modality of ritual to bring our friends & family into the intimacy of our partnership and sacredness of our story.
The aesthetic was very inspired by “if Stevie Nicks had a wedding” and “if Dario Argento’s 1977 film Suspiria and ABBA had a baby,” which our wedding planner/installation guru/visionary, Audrey, executed flawlessly in tandem with her co-creator and QUEEN of florals, Kim, of August Floral and Event Design.
Autumn Nicole Photography captured every detail — and told us she wish she could have captured even more! Here’s a look at how it all unfolded:
First Look at an Abandoned Train Station
Sarah stunned in her mom’s wedding dress from the ’80s! Cannot get over that cuffed neckline and wrist on the gown.
Paint the Town: The Red Ceremony
Seeing red…and we adore it.
Those florals! Are you kidding?! Bravo to August Floral and Event Design!
Processional: Gone Clear by William Tyler + Love Me Foolishly by Phosphorescent
Recessional: Sweet Wanomi by Bill Withers
First Dance: Rock Your Baby by George McCrae
Hand-Dyed Bridesmaids Dresses
Sarah took a super cool approach to her bridesmaids’ dresses by having them botanically dyed by a friend with goldenrod and marigold flowers! Each girl chose her own white linen dress or jumpsuit for the occasion and we love the way they turn out!
That look!
Just Married!
Sarah’s reception look channeled her collection of vintage robes with a super dance-able detail — pants!
Channel your inner child. Would they be proud of the wedding you’re planning and want to hang? If so, cool, you’re probably on the right track. If not, put your hand on your heart, take a deep breath into your belly and ask yourself what YOU want. Ask your partner to do the same and come together in unity to create something totally unique, special, and sacred for you. When you show up that day and see it is all an authentic reflection of you and your partnership, you’ll care far less about all the little things that will (inevitably) go differently than planned and be able to exhale into the overall tone and vibe of the experience. Your friends and family are coming to honor and celebrate you! It’s the perfect time to share who you are, without reservation or apology. Invite them into your world.
Oh, and HIRE A VIDEOGRAPHER! Our videographer Lauren Mueller of Love Bug Pictures is insanely talented. We did our Master of Fine Arts Degrees together at Duke University and her approach to filmmaking is as a documentarian and fine-artist. She is truly the bee’s knees.
Reception with Celestial Surprises
How. Dreeeamy.
We LOVE this constellation wedding cake with a simple starry arch as the topper!
Sarah: Walking into the ceremony space with my dad on one arm and step-dad on the other; seeing all of the people who have loved and supported me through so many seasons; looking up and seeing this gorgeous red and pink tulle hanging from the ceiling; the roses at the altar; the honey hue of my bridesmaids (bridesbabes!) dresses; wearing my moms dress from the 1980s that fit like a glove while I married the coolest and hottest dude on the planet and then changing into a garment inspired by my collection of vintage robes and meticulously and magically executed by the artist and genius that is Aisha McShaw Design and her team; the lavish Dutch still-life inspired tables; the farm-to-table food created by the Current Catering team; performing a choreographed dance with my dear friends to Beyonce’s End of Time for Max as he sat in a vintage velour throne-like chair; the amazing toasts that had me laughing my butt off/crying tears of gratitude and dancing my face off with all of the people I cherish so deeply.
Max: I don’t think there was a “moment.” It was the experience of having all the people I love and have known from all the different periods of my life being in one incredibly beautiful and meaningful space. It was so cool. Also, we all descended upon a local bar after the reception and there was a Cure cover band that serenaded our wedding guests amongst the Savannah Saturday night crowd into the early hours of the morning. It was pretty special.
What’s better than ending the night with a surprise choreographed dance?! Love it. All our congrats to Sarah + Max!
For more, see the whole thing come to life in this RAD video from Love Bug Films:
photography: Autumn Nicole Photography // venue name: Georgia State Railroad Museum, Savannah, Georgia, USA // event design: August Floral and Event Design // planning: Tara Skinner Weddings and Events // florals: August Floral and Event Design // wedding dress boutique: Mom’s wedding dress // bride’s shoes: Custom // videography: Love Bug Films // calligraphy: Elisabeth Rose // cake: Vanilla & The Bean // furniture rentals: Savannah Vintage Rentals // second wedding dress: Vintage consignment shop