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I encourage you to take everything you think you know about weddings and throw it out the window. Seriously, before you keep reading this blog post take all of your wedding thoughts, crumple them up, and toss them out. Ready? Ok great. Allie did that too when she started planing her perfect wedding day. Allie is one of my very very best friends. Like we’re more than 11 years into friendship this one and me. It was kind of a no brainer that I’d be there with her, making sure all of the best memories were captured. Just in case I wasn’t already aware of that, she made it a point to remind me multiple times throughout the months of planing. She trusts me more than anyone I’ve ever worked with, so much so that her answers to my couples’ questionnaire went something along the lines of “Do I need to answer this? You already know this answer. Not Applicable.” That last one made me chuckle every time I saw it.

I knew we were going to be faced with a day that was unlike any wedding day I’ve ever been a part of. The ceremony- a quick 15 minutes inside the court house. Love it. Simple and quick, intimate and exactly Allie & Andy vibes. We spent basically no time doing some family formals outside the courthouse and then we were off, running through downtown Erie together. We took some of my most favorite portraits in the city and made it to the Food Hall for the cocktail hour that I think every couple will forever envy. Their groups of friends filled the building, all excited to see the new Mr. & Mrs. Blakely. When we got inside, the room erupted with screams and clapping and tears. I felt very much like I just witnessed a celebrity sighting or something.

Onto the reception. Oh wait; you’re gonna want to scroll first before I get there. We had to make a quick pit stop at Salon 2112 to see our girl Sarah. There was one little wardrobe change that needed to happen before the big introduction…

Cold Hart · Cold Hart and Lil Peep - Me and You

A haircut pre reception? I think yes! When Allie told me we were doing this, and I do mean we here friends, I looked at her like she as nuts. Then I thought about it, looked at my best babe, and decided that why the heck not? Why not chop it all off? Why not go big instead of home? There’s no rules here. It was her day and she wanted it to be one for the books. Something she could look back on with her hubby and go, hey we DID that!

I encourage you all to take what you know about the wedding world : expectations, trends, and opinions of family and friends, and throw it all away. This is YOUR day. It’s a day that you will remember forever, your family will remember, and your friends will (hopefully) remember for the rest of their lives. Why not give them many, many reasons to? Who says you can’t have your reception at a diner that you frequent? Who says you can’t chop off inches of hair between your ceremony and reception? Who says you can’t take all of the “traditional” wedding trends and say no to them? Not anyone around here that’s for sure. Certainly not The Blakely’s. They’ll look you right in the eyes, a slight tear in them, and tell you just how perfect their wedding day was. It was everything that embodies who they are as individuals, and together as a couple. It was perfect.

I want to give a shout out to every single person who helped make this day come together in ways Allie & Andy only dreamed of. I don’t have all of them, but know that if you’re on the list at all, the gratitude given is beyond measure. I got to work with some of my all time favorite vendor friends and I encourage you to give them all a look if you’re in the market. (I’m actually doing this right now so…)

Allie’s Wedding Suit: Bridal Elegance Erie

Allie’s Hair: Sarah Lauer, Salon 2112

Makeup: Makeup By Kate

Florals: Allburn’s

Video: Hannah Forrest Films

Reception Catering/Venue: Gem City Dinor