1920s Art Deco Themed Wedding in Atlanta at the Biltmore Ballrooms

If there’s one era our brides are inspired by the most, it’s the 1920s.  There’s just something about that era that screams glam.  The ostrich feathers, the strings of pearls, the fancy hairstyles – we love it all.  In today’s featured wedding, one of our very own tied the knot in grand art deco style.  Angela, our Editorial Assistant, whose love stories are read here daily by you, is sharing her love story with you all today:).

She met her hubby John William (instrumentalist John William Flautist)  in 2007.  She was a Language Arts teacher for a middle school and he was hired as the new band director.  It didn’t take very long before they hit it off and became a pair and eventually, John proposed to Angela while on a date visiting Niagara Falls.  You can read more of their engagement story here.

For the wedding, Angela envisioned art deco with a more feminine feel.  So instead of the traditional reds and blacks you normally see in weddings inspired by this era, Angela went with soft lavender, ivory and blush tones to contrast the masculine art deco elements.  And it all fused together perfectly.

Some highlights from the wedding include the gorgeous art deco cake, the non stop food which included three stations, and the groom’s dessert bar inspired by Batman.  Enjoy this lovely wedding photographed by Project Duo Photography + you can also view it in the Spring/Summer issue which is on newsstands today.

Bride: Angela Washington
Groom: John William Conner
Wedding Date: 7/7/13
Location: The Biltmore Ballrooms, Atlanta, GA

Quick Facts
Wedding theme: Art Deco Elegance
Wedding Colors: Ivory, Blush, and Lavender with Gold and Silver Accents
Wedding flowers: Roses, Hydrangeas, Orchids, Peonies
First Dance: “Lady in My Life” by Michael Jackson
Wedding Cake Flavors: Strawberry, Cupcakes- Chocolate, Red Velvet, Key Lime
Wedding Menu Favorite: Fried Green Tomatoes
Bridesmaids Gifts: Pajamas, Personalized Hangers, Wedding Accessories, Travel Bags
Groomsman Gifts:. Personalized Flasks, Cigars

Description of Event
We wanted to have an elegant wedding that had a timeless vintage feel. I love the creativity, fashion and the flashiness of the 1920’s and the Harlem Renaissance. So I decided to plan our décor around 1920’s design elements. Our ceremony and reception took place at the Biltmore Ballrooms in Atlanta, Georgia. It was the perfect venue because it was built in the 1920’s, and it exudes all of the opulence and glamour of the era.  Our invitations included a custom 1920’s Art Deco font, and intricate Art Deco laser cut designs.  Our cake was a gold and silver Art Deco masterpiece. I also included the characteristic metallic associated with Art Deco, by deciding to have both gold and silver accents in everything from our stationery to our table linens. To contrast the edgy and masculine elements of 1920s Art Deco, I went for a softer color scheme, of mostly ivory with pops of blush and lavender.  I decided to include more feminine elements from the 1920s by incorporating feather, pearl and lace accents.  For the reception, we had tall silver and crystal candelabras that featured a grand arrangement of fluffy white ostrich feathers, white dendrobium orchids and garlands of pearls of hanging pearls.  The low arrangements featured a pearl filled glass compote with ostrich feathers nestled in a beautiful floral of hydrangea, garden roses, spray roses, and peonies in shades of ivory and blush.

Since John is a musician, it was important that our ceremony include live music. In a unique twist, our officiant, who is John’s musical mentor, also performed during the ceremony. We wrote our own vows, and afterward we placed them in a memory box that we hope to add to throughout the years.

Our reception was a non-stop party. We love good food and great music, so we didn’t mind spending a good portion of our budget on superb catering. We offered our guests three stations that featured, braised beef, glazed salmon, and country fried chicken.  Our only complaint from our guests is that they couldn’t take a to-go box home. We also had Cold Stone Creamery come and serve their delicious ice cream.  In lieu of a groom’s cake, we decided to have a groom’s dessert bar. John loves Batman so we had a candy bar and cupcakes all decorated in classic Batman gold and black.

Wedding Style
Shopping for a wedding dress was not easy, because I was trying to please everyone else. However, when I decided to go with my heart, I found my dream ball gown. I love the wedding dress designer Lazaro, and when I heard he would be in Atlanta for a trunk sale, I knew I had to meet him. I ended up purchasing an ivory Lazaro ball gown that featured a sweetheart neckline with flower appliques over the lace bodice, and a full tulle skirt. I also purchased a lace mermaid dress by Maggie Sottero for the reception.  For a more vintage feel, I decided to go with a birdcage veil for the ceremony.  Some people feel that ballgowns must be worn with cathedral veils, but I wanted to show off the beauty of the dress and do something a little more fashion forward.
?Incorporation of Culture
Our officiant has known John since he was little and he was a good family friend. We had a ceremony that incorporated African Call and response, which really got our guests excited and involved. During cocktail hour, we decided to have a wall covered with white crushed satin on which we hung pictures and artwork. I provided family pictures and personal art that John and I had either created or collected over the years. We intentionally displayed art that revealed an aspect of our history or personality. We wrote a description for each art piece that, so that our guests would be able to walk around and learn more about us as individuals and as a couple. It was a great way to keep our guests busy while we took pictures.

The Most Memorable Part of the Day
Since John and I met at our job, and our co-workers helped bring us together, it was really heartwarming to share this moment with them. We both started teaching at the same school straight out of college at 22 years old. Many of our co-workers have watched us grow as individuals and as a couple. So looking out during our reception and seeing the smiles and tears of joy from our friends and family made us feel enveloped in love.

Love Notes..

From the groom… I love Angela because she is the true embodiment of a woman virtue, morals, beauty, scholasticism, grace, and peace.

From the bride… I love his sense of humor, his dedication to helping others, his talented ability to articulate his emotions through words and songs, and his unwavering support of all of my dreams.

Vendors:
Wedding Planner/Designer:  ellyB Events http://ellybevents.com/
Photographers: Courtney and Zahra- Project Duo Photography http://www.projectduo.com/
Videography: White Dress Media http://whitedressmedia.com/
Stationery: Papered Wonders  http://www.paperedwonders.com/
Floral and Event Design: Andy Beach and Co. http://www.andybeach.com/
Wedding Dress (Ceremony): Lazaro http://www.jlmcouture.com/Lazaro
Wedding Dress (Reception): Maggie Sottero http://www.maggiesottero.com/
Bridal Veil and Flower Headpiece: Powder Blue Bijoux  http://www.powderbluebijoux.com/
Bride’s Shoes: Steve Madden, Badgley Mischka
Hair and Makeup: Tori Williams
Bridesmaids Dresses: Sorella Vita http://www.essensedesigns.com/sorella-vita
Groom’s and Groomsmen’s Tux: Savvi Formalwear http://www.besavvi.com/splash.aspx
Venue: The Biltmore Ballrooms, Atlanta, GA
Caterer: Bold American Events 
Wedding Cake: Lisa Humphries- Couture Cakes  http://couturecakesinc.com/
Cupcakes: Cami Cakes  http://www.camicakes.com/