Megan & Chad || Elevator Factory || Oakland Cemetery || Atlanta Wedding Photography
Megan and Chad are the coolest kids! After getting married at The Elevator Factory with the most amazing group of people and after the festivities were complete they went across the street with us to The Oakland Cemetery to get their couple’s portraits done. It was my most favorite part! I had worked with Megan on a Styled Shoot a few years back so when they contacted me so we could be their photographers I was just over the moon! This time around we all got stuck in the cemetery and had the jump the fancy to get out, so I am pretty sure we will never forget their day. ;)
They both shared some more about their inspiration and love story bellow. <3
The inspiration behind our wedding day was the theme "our way". We did things according to how we wanted them done and not by traditional standards.There was no wedding party because we felt we didn't need to subject people to that.Our venue was easy. It is the bar we love going to and filling up on hot wings. Luckily, it has this awesome roof top bar that overlooks the Oakland Cemetery, Meg's favorite spot in Atlanta.We're both Jewish so traditional things did sprinkle into the ceremony such as the chuppah, signing of the the ketubah and the breaking of the glass. Chad's uncle performed the ceremony, keeping it personal and touching.Meg walked down the aisle to the 'Throne room song' from Star Wars: a New Hope. We even left in the parts with R2 and Chewie. As Meg walked down with her dad, one of our dogs Sienna decided to walk in front to lead the way to her dad standing under the chuppah. This wasn't planned, but we loved it.
Our decor was very minimal and personable. The ceremony barely had any decor except for the chuppah.The reception had a bit more items. We had pictures of us or our dogs on the table along with special bourbon bottles that we had commemorated sometime before (Chomp 'n' Stomp, Chad's bday party, first Valentine's day together). These had pretty fairy lights inside for ambiance. Lastly, we are known for growing super hot peppers and enjoying super spicy foods. So we made our own hot sauce for the wedding which was fitting because we had a wings buffet!
The florals were minimal. Meg and her mother put together fake florals to decorate the chuppah. It was dried eucalyptus and other burgundy/dark blue colors.Chad's mother is known for her green thumb and created the bridal bouquet from her garden complete with sage, roses, rosemary and baby's breath. She even made the groom a matching corsage.
We personalized through small touches including our homemade hot sauce bottles, memorial bourbon bottles and our dogs walking around during the ceremony. We kept it as simple as we could. That was our way. It wasn't coordinated by a wedding planner so some things went off the rails, but we wouldn't have had it any other way. It's these little mishaps that make a wedding memorable.We really enjoyed the hour we spent in the cemetery taking photos of just us with Aline Marin Photography. It was candid and just what we wanted.
We ask questions when presented with 'traditional' ways. So Meg looked up the meaning behind many wedding traditions and found out some weird things. The white dress is not a symbol of virginity; it may be that way now but when it was first worn by Queen Victoria, it was a symbol of wealth. White fabric was uber expensive and only royal blood could attain it. The rest of us had to choose the best dress in our closet, usually a brightly colored one to show our joy for the day. That's why we chose burgundy. It's one of our favorite fall colors and the bride looks good in it. The groom matched with a burgundy tie and a stunning European style blue suit. He looked sharped! The bride is not fond of heels so she wore shoes that meant a lot to her. These Star Wars themed Vans were gifted to her from her best friend and had barely been worn. Now they will live on as Meg's wedding shoes!
How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal.
We met on Bumble and during our first date, we realized that we had worked at the same pizza parlor fifteen years earlier! The proposal is not a "wow" moment; it was an "us" moment. We were in Alaska for an impromptu vacation. We had found a local restaurant and were on our third round of drinks. Chad got Meg's attention and said "Let's get married in a year." Meg responded with "I would love that." Then we ordered chocolate cake and smeared it on each other's faces. We walked home in the rain, drunkenly singing "Ironic" by Alanis. Later that month, Chad made Meg a ring out of eucalyptus wood to wear as a momentum for that day. We didn't tell anyone for about a month. We wanted to wallow in our betrothed bliss for awhile.
What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
It was many hours of special moments. One of the things that touched us the most was how many people admitted to crying during the ceremony. It was not meant to be a tear jerker. We had funny vows and laughed a lot during it. So the fact that so many people found it emotional just means we did it our way and it was special to those who know us best.Vows:*I promise to eat the wings...I promise to eat the drums*I promise to not come home with a dog without permission...I promise not to come home with power tools without permission.*I promise to keep you safe...I promise to keep you wild
Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you'd like to share with other couples planning their day?
MAKE IT YOUR OWN!This is your special day for a reason; do it how you want to do it for the person you are in the moment. You may have had an idea when you were younger but you are a different person now and there is another set of ideas/opinions from your fiance.If you look better in green than in white, wear green. Don't feel like inviting your mother's cousin's ex-wife? Then don't!You'll remember the sweet personal touches you made to your wedding, so go with your gut. You know you best. - Megan & Chad
