Inside a Disco-Dream Wedding: Bold Colors, Sparkle & Streamers in Boston

The gray + drizzly New England weather definitely couldn’t dampen this spectacularly sparkly wedding in Boston, Massachusetts. Didn’t even come close. In fact, with the cloudy skies as a backdrop, Nina + Bryan’s bold + funky celebration shined all the brighter.

“I used to work as a bridal stylist, so I had been talking about weddings and thinking about my own wedding for years,” says bride Nina of how her time in the wedding industry prepared her to dream up her own big day. “We both decided we didn’t want our wedding to be generic and that we didn’t care if anything about our wedding was timeless or would be tacky in 10 years. We are happy, fun, lively people and we wanted our wedding to reflect that! Color was a must as were an ample amount of disco balls.”

Nina + Bryan collabed with event designers + planners from Contagious Events to bring their dazzling, color-drenched concept to life. Magenta, teal, orange, and sunny yellow dominated the vibrant color palette. And the unforgettably vivid vibe just feels so right for a love story as full-hearted + explosively romantic as Nina + Bryan’s: “We fell in love so easily and quickly,” the newlyweds say, “that we both separately googled when it is socially acceptable to tell someone you love them.”

Bryan’s a Boston native, and the two met on the apps while Nina was getting her MFA in screenwriting from Boston University, so Beantown was an obvious choice for the wedding’s location. “From day one, the thing we were most looking forward to was having our favorite people from all facets of our lives all in one room together to celebrate something so exciting. That’s why we decided to get married in Boston,” the couple shares, “and the ‘blank space’ nature of the Artists For Humanity Epicenter was the perfect venue for exercising all of our creative ideas.”

A “Funky Formal” dress code. A ceiling covered in streamers. So much disco shimmer. This one was pure joy.

“The entire day was filled with heart,” adds photographer Sara Bishop. “It was a privilege to document such a genuine and spirited celebration.”

“This wedding proved that great design and deep love can live side by side—and that a little rain never dulls the sparkle when the joy is this bright.”

Loving the retro fonts of these wedding invites! And the way they tease the day’s color palette!

You know you’re in for an unforgettable vibe when the mother of the bride dress is hot pink with feathers.

“My bridesmaids all wore different colors and dresses to compliment the color theming of the rest of the wedding,” says Nina of her besties’ bridesmaid dresses. “I gave them color guidance and let them pick what they felt most beautiful and comfortable in with an emphasis on different styles and textures.”

The day’s floral creations from Glass Onion Floral Design were nonstop vibrance + whimsy.

“Bryan got a custom suit made at The Grotto Menswear in El Segundo, CA,” says Nina of her hubby’s deep green groom attire. “We had so much fun picking out all of the different fabrics, buttons, and elements of the suit.”

“We knew we wanted him in a fun color to match the vibrant colors of the rest of the wedding, but we also wanted a suit that would work in the future for other events, so we went with an emerald green.”

“It also doesn’t hurt that Bryan’s favorite sports team is the Boston Celtics, who wear green. As a day-of groom gift, I gifted Bryan with cufflinks made from the parquet floor from the old Boston Garden, where the Celtics play.”

“I paired my dress with an Enaura veil from Anthropologie Weddings that had embroidered hearts with different textures, sparkles, and ruffles,” says Nina of her playful approach to her bridal accessories, “as well as some nude rhinestone fishnets from Torrid to bring more elements of kitschy fun to my look.”

“For my dress, I felt so privileged to be able to shop at a plus-size exclusive bridal boutique called Della Curva in Tarzana, CA,” former bridal stylist Nina shares of her journey to this stunning off the shoulder look. “Having worked in bridal, I know how difficult it can be for plus size brides, so I had done a lot of research to make sure every store I went to was inclusive, but with Della Curva I didn’t have to worry about whether I would be able to try something I liked.”

“I knew I wanted something clean and simple to contrast with how busy everything else was going to be. I wanted an a-line, off the shoulder gown, and in an ideal world I also wanted it made from organza and to have buttons down the back, but I figured all of those things probably didn’t exist together. About a week before shopping, I saw a picture of the Madi Lane Prestyn gown and I instantly knew it was my gown. At Della Curva, I was able to try it on and it had every single thing I wanted in my dream dress!”

When it comes to her super cute short wedding hairstyle by Leather and Lace Artistry, Nina embraced the sparkly retro vibes of the day: “I added tinsel to my hair and went for a flippy bob style for a retro twist.”

Photographer Sara recalls the day’s drizzly forecast “It happened to be a very rainy day, which often adds a layer of challenge, but Nina and Bryan—and their entire wedding party—embraced it with joy and laughter.”

“Bryan’s groomsmen wore burgundy groomsmen suits from Generation Tux,” Sara remembers of the stylish wedding party, “adding even more personality to the palette.”

“For portraits, we made our way to Rowes Wharf, where the covered arches provided the perfect shelter from the weather while still giving us that classic Boston skyline backdrop,” Sara says. “Despite the cold and drizzle, their wedding party and family were all smiles, so excited to celebrate the couple.”

A Ceremony in Full-Blown Color

Nina + Bryan’s color-drenched design vision filled Artists For Humanity to the brim with joyful energy. “The space was electric with color,” Sara recalls.

“Instead of sticking to traditions that didn’t resonate with them, the couple focused on making the day feel joyful and true to who they are,” shares Sara. “Color, movement, and meaningful connection were at the center of every choice.”

“Our guests seriously delivered!” say Nina + Bryan, remembering the wedding’s “Funky Formal” dress code and the way it “brought home the vibrancy” of their day.

Photographer Sara describes the couple’s unique unity ceremony. “Guests arrived to find an envelope on each seat containing a small piece of glass. After the ceremony, each guest added their piece to a shared unity bowl during cocktail hour—a symbolic way to include everyone in the beginning of their married life.”

“It was intimate, thoughtful, and a creative way to bring their people into the moment.”

The Bold + Funky Festivities

“The reception was one big celebration,” remembers Sara. “Guests packed the dance floor all night, many wearing personalized colored glasses handed out during the evening as guest favors. A live disco band kept the energy high while mirror balls bounced light across the room. Everyone was on their feet, dancing, laughing, and soaking in the fun.”

Disco balls are by far one of the most popular wedding decor details we see in the weddings we cover. And it’s obvious why! They’re basically the universal symbol for party vibes, and they pack such a playfully retro punch in any day’s design. Check out this disco dinner party wedding and this disco-meets-rock wedding in NOLA (with a disco ball dress) for two of of our fave disco-ball-forward wedding days.

Oh, and take a look at this garden glam wedding, and this maximalist technicolor DIY wedding to see two other killer examples of the magic that happens with you combine disco balls and colorful streamers like Nina + Bryan did!

Party Rental LTD supplied the celebration with all of its chic black bistro chairs and its round table reception setup.

What better way to pay tribute to your furry BFF on your big day than custom pet cocktail napkins??

Our Favorite Memory
Right after our ceremony, we were ushered up to the holding area we all gathered in prior (which was actually an art studio). A table had been set up with portions of the passed hors d'oeuvres for cocktail hour as well as each of our signature drinks (a French 75 for me and a Fiddlehead IPA for Bryan). We got to enjoy the peace and quiet by ourselves, have a bite to eat, and toast to our marriage before greeting everyone and getting the party started. It was such a lovely moment alone after spending most of the day apart. Our wedding day was such a whirlwind, so it was really special to us to have an intentional moment alone. 

Okay, we are 100% obsessed with these amazing neon table numbers.

“One item I allowed myself to be ‘bridezilla’ about was the ceiling streamers,” Nina shares of the day’s jaw-dropping hanging decor installed by Simplistic Charm. “I knew I wanted them from Day One and nothing was going to stop me!”

Our Advice
Our biggest piece of advice would be to throw away the idea of having a "timeless" wedding and just make sure your wedding reflects who you are as a couple at this moment in time. Who cares if you look back in 20 years and cringe at some of the choices you made? Our wedding was exactly what we wanted and it reflected us so fully. Capture who you are and that will be what makes it timeless! 

“Our amazing planner, Joe Rogers with Contagious Events and his team spent hours and hours trimming hundreds of feet of streamers to give me the installation of my dreams and it was absolutely everything I ever wanted! They truly brought the room to life and infused every photo with the joyful energy we felt on the day.”

James Biller Lighting Design filled the celebration with off-the-charts sparkle.

How deliciously nostalgic is this heart-shaped vintage wedding cake from Yum Bunnies!

“The main goal for us,” Nina + Bryan say, “was emphasizing that our day was a celebration of our love and the love that surrounds us from our family and friends.”

Our Musical Choices
Processional
Bridesmaids: You've Got a Friend - Carol King, Bride: Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
Recessional
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - Natalie Cole
First Dance
Just the Two of Us - Bill Withers & Grover Washington Jr.

“By all accounts, the love was palpable,” Nina adds, “and the whole room was on the dance floor all night celebrating with our disco-funk band, Booty Vortex (a favorite of my mom and many others in the Boston area)!”

Congrats, Nina + Bryan, on your bold + dazzling Boston wedding. A total disco dream come true. All the best from GWS!