Charcoal & White

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Set in Coal Valley, Illinois, Spencer and Caitlin's wedding was chic with a touch of vintage charm. Their vintage style wedding was brought to life in charcoal and white hues with hints of deep plum florals and glittering golds, which are perfect colours for the Fall or Autumn season, as seen in this Plum & Gold Fall Bridal Style {Trendy Tuesday} feature.

Rebecca Marie was there to capture every detail including the handmade touches added by uber talented Caitlin who created all of the stunning headpieces. Take a peek at a few of the prettiest moments of their day!

Charcoal & White Vintage Wedding Look

(Above) Vintage Inspired Bridal Headpiece: Caitlin created her own headpiece in a glittering vintage inspired style that really stood out against her beautifully long dark locks, which she wore in a side-swept style.

(Above) Vintage Inspired Wedding Gown: Caitlin loved her wedding dress and boy did she look incredible! Her wedding gown was crafted from an elegant lace that looked vintage, yet was created into a silhouette that was more chic and modern.

(Above) Vintage Brooch Bouquet: Caitlin's brooch bouquet keepsake was made up of many vintage, new, borrowed and blue pieces in it that helped bring her vintage inspired bridal look to life.

(Above) Charcoal Bridesmaids Dresses: The bridesmaids wore long flowing one shoulder chiffon gowns in charcoal, which worked really well with their bouquets that had cream, green and grey florals.

(Above) Bridesmaids Bouquets: Caitlin envisioned garden-like blossoms for the bridesmaid's bouquets. Seasonal flowers were put together to create lush and natural looking bouquets.

(Above) Bridal Bouquet with Vintage Brooch: A brooch was added to the lace-wrapped handles of each of the bridesmaid's bouquets.

DIY Vintage Bridal Headpieces: Caitlin also made the headpieces worn by her bridesmaids and flower girl. As their dresses were the same style, each headpiece was created to look uniquely vintage and whimsical.

(Above) Succulent Boutonnieres: Cute little boutonnieres created from green succulents were worn by the groomsmen. The groom's boutonniere stood out with an additional white rose.

(Above) Ring Bearer Bow Tie: Caitlin created the stylish vintage inspired bow tie worn by the ring bearer.

(Above) Floral Flower Girl Headpiece: The flower girl looked like a little princess wearing her custom made white headpiece crafted from white fabric flowers and pretty beadwork.

(Above) Paper Confetti: The flower girl carried heart-shaped paper confetti inside her white sequinned clutch purse, which she used to decorate the aisle at the wedding ceremony.

Vintage Handmade Wedding Ceremony

Spencer and Caitlin's Love Story

Caitlin shares their love story: We crossed paths many times before we actually knew each other's names. Rewinding back to freshman year of college we lived, ate, and worked out in the same dorm and cafeteria hall, but never met. Since Spencer and I both majored in business, we attended most of the upper level courses in Stipes Hall. We sat five seats away from each other in Business Law; however, that is not where we met. The next semester we both had Finance 301 together. When I was running late to the first day of class I saw this guy sitting in the front, so I just sat next to him. The guy in the front was Spencer. The next class, Spencer was not sitting in the front. He moved all the way to the back of the classroom. I was not sure if he moved to the back row because he did not want to sit in the front or because he did not want to sit next to me. Either way, I did not care and decided I would go to the back row and sit next to him. Who would know that decision would change our entire lives. I knew that I loved Spencer after only a few months and after four years of dating that love only grew. During our two year engagement, the love between us only confirmed that it was meant to be.

The Tale Of Their Proposal

Caitlin reveals the tale of Spencer's shocking proposal: Our four year anniversary was on Sunday, November 6, 2011. I finally decided that we should enjoy the beautiful day going to lunch, but before we left Spencer wanted to exchange cards and gifts. Spencer's card was so beautiful, which is not common for him. He traditionally likes to shop for the humorous and inappropriate cards. Underneath the card was a photo album that Spencer stated "had pictures from the beginning of our relationship to current." I flipped through several memories. The very last picture was a picture of an engagement ring. I was SHOCKED and tah-dah: Spencer proposed! We spent the day sharing our joyous news with our family and friends.

Vintage Handmade Wedding Reception

Their wedding reception was held indoors at the Oakwood Country Club. Simple glass and burlap decor touches were found on the wedding tables. A splash of colour was added by the understated and chic choice of florals.

(Above)Vintage Wedding Decor: Glass candle holders in all shapes and sizes were displayed on the tables at the reception. Caitlin's mother did all the decor. " She loves vintage and also threw in a little country chic with her burlap squares on the tables," says Caitlin.

(Above) Vintage Floral Centrepieces: The tall-stemmed flowers in a striking deep purple colour stood out against the rest of the table decor.

(Above) Wedding Keepsakes: The couple's names and wedding date were engraved on their cake knife and also featured on their drinking glasses as a keepsake of their wedding day.

(Above) Vintage White Wedding Cake: Their three-tiered white frosted wedding cake was adorned with dark green succulents and white flowers.

• Do not get wrapped up in all the details of the wedding. Enjoy the company that surrounds you and the new life that you are starting. Everyone is there to support you on your special day and when it is all done, those same people are all still there. Not the cake, the flower, the decor, or the food... The people!
• Take a few photos just before your wedding ceremony. My photographer stressed to take pictures beforehand because after the ceremony your mindset changes and it is hard to focus on getting pictures completed. I should have listened to her as it would of worked better to have pictures taken before the ceremony, especially since it rained during our ceremony and all throughout the evening. I will remember that moment when Spencer saw me walking down the aisle. However, we would of still had our special moment if we had seen each other before the ceremony.
• Check out Little Borrowed Dress for bridesmaid dresses instead of the traditional purchasing of bridesmaid dresses. I do bridal alterations and know that the average costs of a bridesmaid dress is about $150-$200, excluding alterations. The concept of renting a bridesmaid dress just like renting a tux is a great idea and extremely easy. My bridesmaids paid $75 for the dress I selected and after the wedding are not stuck with a dress they will never wear again. This is definitely something I would suggest to every Bride.
• Think outside the box on who might be able to do your flowers.Keep costs down by looking into a florist at a non-florist shop. I used the florist from Hy-Vee Silvis, which is a local supermarket in the midwest. Kathy Mystic used to own her own florist shop. Due to family circumstances, she sold her florist shop. She now runs the florist shop at Hy-Vee like it was her own florist shop but has the ability to charge less because of Hy-Vee prices. It is not about the most expensive florist shop, but about the experience behind the floral masters at the florist shop.

This beautiful wedding day in charcoal and white was a mix of vintage inspired style with chic elements that brought Caitlin's wedding day dream come to life! Take a look at this Mint & Coral Vintage Summer Wedding, Los Angeles that added a vintage spin to yummy mint and coral colours.

Vendors

Photographer: Rebecca Marie Photography & Design | Ceremony Venue: St. Maria Goretti's Catholic Church, Coal Valley, IL | Reception Venue: Oakwood Country Club, Coal Valley, IL | Decor: Sharon Mason, Moline, IL (Bride's Mother) | Bouquet & Flowers: Hy-Vee, Silvis, IL | Cake: Heller's Cakes, Geneseo, IL | Stationery: Adam Schneider, St. Louis, MO (Invitations) | Wedding Dress: Olia Zavozina, Nashville, TN | Bridesmaid Dresses: Little Borrowed Dress, New York, NY | Flower Girl Dress: Marchesa, Target | Shoes: Antonio Melani | Headpieces: Caitlin Elizabeth Alterations, Moline, IL | Hair: PURE Hair Studios, Davenport, IA | Make-up: Youngblood, PURE Hair Studios, Davenport, IA | Men's Attire: Ducky's Formal Wear, Moline, IL | Music: Craig Anderson, Monmouth, IL

Founding Editor: Storm Buckingham