A Whimsical Wedding at Terrain: Elizabeth + Kevin

The other week I was looking at some lucky bloggers photos of their trip to Terrain – a gorgeous garden center + home store owned by Urban Outfitters in Glen Mills, Pa. I was thinking what an amazing location it would make for a wedding and then after lots of googling, I stumbled across the most gorgeous wedding held at Terrain and I’m so excited to share it with you all today! Elizabeth is also a wedding + event planner, so you can be sure her wedding is chuck full of personal details and prettiness. Elizabeth + Kevin wanted to make sure their day was about them and the things + people they love. From the food to the music to the outdoor venue to the whimsical decor – everything was a reflection of them. Thanks so much to Heidi at Our Labor of Love for the gorgeous photos.

terrain-garden-wedding-01

pink and white wedding bouquet

From Elizabeth, “The overall vibe of the ceremony and reception were very important to us. Despite the tremendous amount of detail that we infused into every part of the wedding, we wanted it to feel relaxed, magical and most importantly fun for both ourselves and our guests. We held the ceremony under the antique Indian wedding temple with guests seated and standing in the round. We liked the idea of being surrounded by our family and friends, and the sight of them lining the aisle as we entered was truly special. Dinner was held in the antique glass greenhouse and lodge with twinkling lights all around, and dancing took place under the stars on the outdoor patio. Lucky for us the weather was perfect!

pink wedding invitation

terrain garden wedding

The bridal party attire reflected the relaxed and fun atmosphere as well. My dress was a tea length, vintage-inspired confection by Melissa Sweet. The short hemline was perfect for the outdoor venue, and for showing off my glittering Louboutin heels (I had to work in some glamour here and there!). I wanted my bridesmaids to look chic and to be unique to their personalities, so I asked for them to choose their own dresses which differed both in color and style. They all accented themselves perfectly too, with the most fabulously stylish shoes and jewelry. I love the image of our feet all lined up – the purple satin Kate Spade’s, the black and white striped strappy Betty Mueller’s, and my sister-in-law’s exuberantly-ruffled stilettos all came together like a dream, and I didn’t even know what they were wearing in advance!

bride with short wedding dress

wedding party in a field

fabric bunting

purple pillows

The decor was very much a representation of my aesthetic – girly, vintage, and playful, with touches of glamour. A crazy mix of color and pattern are also my thing, so bright, bold colors (fuchsia, violet and mango) accented with turquoise and black and white stripes, and tempered with soft peach and lavender were the palette from which we worked. I love animals (luckily Kevin does too!) so critters were a major theme and were featured on the gorgeous letterpress invitations and programs by Loveleigh Invitations. We specifically requested bears, ostriches and monkeys, and really wanted a “romantic carnival” vibe. The top hats and boutonnieres worn by the animals were a special (and hilarious) added touch! Animals reappeared on the seating table – I collected plastic toy animals which were spray-painted solid ivory and tied with the guest names and table numbers – and again on the dinner tables which showcased my collection of vintage ceramic and brass figurines.

punch before wedding

ring bearer pillow with vintage fabric

We also worked in personal details that meant a lot to us – my mother, who is Japanese, lovingly folded 1000 origami cranes which we hung over the ceremony space, and Kevin’s mother sewed beautiful table runners (vintage black and cream cotton ticking with fuchsia-finged edges) and custom aprons (from pink floral Liberty print fabric) for the waitstaff. Even the ring pillow said something about us – it was made of two vintage souvenir handkerchiefs, one from Alabama and one from New Jersey, our respective home states!

origami cranes hanging above ceremony

origami cranes hanging above ceremony

origami cranes hanging above ceremony

terrain at styer's garden wedding

wedding at terrain in glen mills

fabric bunting for wedding

Guests were greeted by the music of West Philadelphia Orchestra, a nine-piece brass ensemble that plays funky, klezmer-style music. The tuba was the best part for sure, and certainly contributed to the carnival atmosphere! They entertained with their own original music pre and post ceremony, and were kind enough to create some special arrangements for the processional and recessional. Hearing their version of Beirut’s “Postcards from Italy” as I walked down the aisle was probably the most memorable moment for me, other than the actual getting married part or course! And their recessional version of Kanye West’s “Robocop” was a playful moment for Kevin and myself, and allowed us to laugh as we walked back down the aisle. 

terrain at stylers wedding

terrain at stylers wedding

The event design by Matt Muscarella continued with the romantic carnival vibe and featured striped, hand-painted canopies over the dinner and cocktail spaces, and coordinating hand-painted signage, including the amazing banners with our names on them that greeted guests at the entrance. I spent months collecting an assortment of vintage floral fabrics which Matt worked into dreamy, tattered buntings that were then hung along the wedding aisle and inside the dining room. The same fabrics also turned up in hand-sewn pillows which were strewn over the patio seating. Other special accents included hand-sewn seat cushions and chair back covers which Matt designed from burlap coffee bags and accented with scraps of striped and boldly colored fabric; and delightful, stenciled muslin bags into which votive candles were placed.

wedding with hanging striped fabric

white ceramic elephants at wedding decor

terrain-garden-wedding reception

The whole wedding was accented with spectacularly lush garden flowers designed by my dear friend Dillon Douglas, who understood exactly what I was going for and created the most gorgeous bouquets ever. The bridal bouquet was made up of peonies, ranunculus, hydrangea and Queen Anne’s lace, and tucked into the blooms were a collection of my favorite vintage brooches. Additional brooches were pinned onto the stems of the bridesmaid bouquets, and made appearances in the tabletop arrangements as well.

flags to wave at wedding

wedding reception plates

cupcakes for wedding dessert

Food is one of our favorite shared loves, so Kevin and I chose to go with yummy, Southern-influenced dishes that reflect my Alabama heritage and his time attending school at Clemson University in South Carolina. Terrain’s chef Keith Rudolf created a completely personalized menu which featured amazing, elevated versions of Southern classics such as barbecue lamb ribs, macaroni and cheese, truffled fried oysters and homemade spoon bread. The signature drink at the bar was our favorite cocktail – Dark ‘n Stormies – and the dessert table was heaped with cupcakes and salted caramel French macarons.

terrain at stylers wedding lights

root beer floats wedding

dancing outdoors wedding

Any advice for those planning now? Be unique, but most importantly, be yourselves. Serve the food that you love, play the music that you love – make it the party you’ve always wanted to attend. If you are gracious hosts and make your guests feel comfortable and wanted, they will love the night no matter what.

Thanks so much Elizabeth + Kevin for sharing your magical day with us!

vendors

photography: Heidi Geldhauser from Our Labor of Love // venue name: Terrain // event design: Matt Muscarella of Ryan Jane Co. // wedding dress: "Fiesole" by Melissa Sweet // hairpiece: bride's hairpiece by Twigs & Honey // bride's shoes: Christian Louboutin // bridesmaid dresses: J. Crew // groom attire: custom made by Ernesto Custom Clothiers // paper goods: LoveLeigh Invitations // catering: Terrain // music: West Philadelphia Orchestra // floral design: Dillon Douglas Designs // custom signage: Matt Muscarella of Ryan Jane Co. // event planner: Elizabeth Nettles (bride) of Peacock Feathers Event + Style // invitations: LoveLeigh Invitations // jewelry: bride's rings by Gabriella Kiss, earrings by Ted Muehling // day of event coordination: Styled Creative // cupcakes: Flying Monkey Patisserie // favors: French macarons from Garces Trading Company // cinematography: Freddie Patane

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