This Couple Wanted Guests to Feel Like They Were at a Concert in a Forest on Their Big Day

Georgia and Andy met while working at the same sleepaway camp back in 2004. The pair developed a friendship (and a mutual crush) over the next 14 years, and after sharing their first kiss in the summer of 2018, they officially started dating. In April 2020, Andy arranged hundreds of yellow tulips, Georgia's favorite flowers, in the couple's living room to set the scene for their proposal. When she got home from work, he got down on one knee with his grandmother's wedding ring as Dan Aurbach's "Never In My Wildest Dreams" played on the record player.

The couple began planning their wedding for August 7, 2021, hoping that was far enough out to avoid pandemic-related uncertainties. (To keep everyone as safe as possible, they asked their 210 guests to get vaccinated before the event.) The duo made an easy decision to host their wedding at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio; Andy took Georgia there on (what he thought was) a date years prior. "It was the first thing we booked for our wedding," Georgia says. 

The pair wanted to bring their love of the Pacific Northwest, where they once lived, to Ohio for their big day, so they teamed up with Gina Jokilehto-Schigel of Shi Shi Events to execute their vision of a rainforest wedding, complete with a tree-inspired escort display, a thoughtful lighting concept, and an unexpected rain storm. "Once guests were on the dance floor, we wanted them to feel as though they were at a concert or festival in the middle of a Pacific Northwest forest," says Gina.

House Party

The couple got ready at Andy's lush family estate ahead of their wedding ceremony. 

Fern-Inspired Invitation Suite

Georgia and Andy worked with Oblation Paper in Portland, Ore., to create their invitation suite, which featured letterpress and fern imagery on handmade paper. 

Yes to the Dress

For her walk down the aisle, Georgia wore a Lela Rose satin crepe modified slip wedding dress with a low back and plunging V-neck from Something White Bridal. After looking at many gowns with lace, the simplicity of this option stood out to the bride. "It was the total opposite of what I thought I was going to go with," she says. "This was the first one I tried that was different."

Finishing Touches

Georgia paired her gown with diamond earrings, which her friends gifted her the night before the big day, and Bella Belle shoes. She held a loose hand-tied bouquet featuring Golden Mustard roses, white and green Lady Slipper orchids, Kiki Look garden roses, Linda's Baby dahlias, and Sahara spray roses.

Dashing Groom

Andy wore a gray three-piece suit from Kilgore Trout in Cleveland, Ohio. He took Georgia's middle name in the marriage, so he had his new initials inscribed inside his jacket. Plus, he sported a boutonnière made with green ranunculus, ferns, and foliage.

Thinking Green

Each bridesmaid dressed in a shade of green. "One bridesmaid sewed her own green jumpsuit!" Georgia says. "I wanted everyone to feel comfortable choosing a shade and style that they liked."

At First Glance

Ahead of the ceremony, the couple shared a laughter-filled first look at Andy’s family estate. "It was my favorite part of the day and my favorite photos," Georgia says.

Dressed and Ready

The groomsmen rounded out the wedding party, sporting two-piece suits from Kilgore Trout. Andy’s right-hand men wore boutonnières filled with green hellebores, ferns, and foliage.

Ceremony Views

The duo held their ceremony outside of the Cleveland Museum of Art with a fountain serving as the backdrop. Fern arrangements in industrial steel vessels lined the aisles for a modern touch.

Contemporary Chuppah

Molly Taylor and Co. created a chuppah embellished with cascading flowers and foliage, which gave it a natural, contemporary feel.

Here Comes the Dog

Henry, the couple's dog, walked down the aisle with one of the groomsmen. He served as Andy's "best boy" on the big day.

Ready for Anything

Shortly after Georgia and Andy met at their floral chuppah, a surprise rain storm rolled in, forcing them to relocate the ceremony indoors.

Rain or Shine

To couples planning their weddings, Georgia and Andy have one big piece of advice: focus on each other. "If you’re marrying the right person, nothing else matters. It rained during our ceremony, but it was such a memorable experience seeing all the guests come together to help and rally," Georgia says. “We're told rain during a wedding is a good omen in Judaism."

Atrium Oasis

The planning team guided guests through the museum gallery to the atrium, complete with lush, greenery details, for the pair's I dos.

All's Well That Ends Well

Once all of the pair's loved ones made their way to the new setting, they formed a circle around them as they exchanged vows. "Andy wanted a ceremony in the round from the beginning, so we had very much the best of both worlds in the end," Gina says.

Honoring Tradition

Although the duo noted that their ceremony was not overly religious, they included traditional aspects of their Jewish heritage, including the breaking of the glass.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

The bride and groom signed their ketubah, which included the same letterpress and handmade paper used for their save-the-dates. "The typography and layout were designed by one of the bridesmaids," Georgia says. The content of their ceremony and ketubah were based on seven values they commit to live by in their marriage.

Cheers!

Manhattans and palomas were served as the newlyweds' signature drinks. They also had a hand-illustrated sketch of their dog, Henry, on the bar menu.

Right This Way

For the seating chart, Georgia and Andy broke their guest list down into groups from various times in their lives. Rose Gold Studio then hand-illustrated and framed sketches of trees to represent each group.

Fresh Favors

The framed sketches, which also featured each guest’s name and table number, were offered as favors.

Reception Setup

The reception included a mix of wood-topped king's tables with metal legs and round wooden tables in the museum's atrium. The head table sat underneath a canopy structure with hanging pillar candles, which served as the makeshift chuppah for the indoor ceremony.  

Pops of Florals

Bright flower arrangements added a pop of color in contrast to the seating. "We wanted to create a wedding reception vibe that was moody, cozy, and inviting against the colder, sleek architectural elements of their venue," Gina says.

In Bloom

Centerpieces included stone bowls with foliage and florals spilling onto the tables, clusters of individual blooms under cloches, potted plants, and candles.

Pretty Place Settings

Matte black plates paired with black dipped gold flatware and stemless glassware topped each table. The menus were created with a blank space for the place cards.

Music to Their Ears

After the ceremony, Georgia's dress train ripped, so she quickly changed into a second outfit from Dress The Population for her first dance with Andy. The Wedding Crashers played Dan Aurbach's "Never In My Wildest Dreams," a nod to their engagement.

Love Is in the Air

The couple loved the dancing the hora with loved ones, as they played one of their favorite nostalgic camp songs in the background.

The Wedding Cake

Archie's Hough Bakery created the newlyweds' three-tiered almond wedding cake and accented it with decorative flowers and greenery.

Sources

Photography, Elizabeth Austin Photography 
Venue, Cleveland Museum of Art 
Event Coordination and Design, Gina Jokilehto-Schigel of Shi Shi Events 
Videography, Shark Pig 
Florist, Molly Taylor and Co. 
Invitations, Oblation Papers 
Paper Products and Favors, Rose Gold Studio 
Bride's Dress, Lela Rose, Something White 
Bride's Shoes, Bella Belle 
Bride's Makeup, Cleveland Bridal Makeup 
Bride's Second Dress, Dress The Population 
Groom's and Groomsmen's Attire, Kilgore Trout 
Music, Stellare Strings, Wedding Crashers 
Catering, Bon Appetit 
Cake, Archie’s Hough Bakery 
Rentals, Borrow Curated Furniture + Design, BBJ La Tavola, Event Source, All Occasion
Transportation, Barons Bus Lines, Company Car, A-1 Mr. Limo, Great Lakes Valet