Sometimes we get the opportunity to work with a couple that has been sitting in our back pocket for a while. This was the case with Emily and AJ! Emily had been following us on Instagram for quite some time, so we were very pleased when she let us know that she was ready to book our services for her wedding. Emily and AJ both have a background in a bit of event planning, so our Management package was a good fit for them. We also knew that the couple was already booking awesome vendors who would make the day go great!
If we could describe Emily and AJ’s day from our perspective as their Planners, we would say it felt like organic clockwork. Everything ran smoothly on schedule, but felt free flowing all day long because of how chill Emily and AJ are.
In Emily’s words, the couple wanted a venue that was “giving the most fall, haunted vibes without being corny as hell” for their October wedding. They love Halloween and all things spooky, but cringe at the idea of doing a “Hallo-wedding”. The couple decided that Van Dusen Mansion was perfect for their vision! We love the space at Van Dusen as it’s like a progressive wedding with a new area for each part of the day.
The ladies kicked off their morning by getting ready with Cultivate Q Salon. During this time, Adrian Steinbach Photography made her way around the mansion to capture dreamy detail photos. She does a great job utilizing the space to its fullest. From the shoe shot to the flat lay with items from Paper Rock Scissor, no detail was overlooked!
Back in the suites, the wedding party was busy putting on their wedding attire. The bridesmaids wore various shades of orange dresses from The Wedding Shoppe and the guys sported suits from Indochino. Emily then slipped into her beautiful gown from The Wedding Shoppe that was perfectly designed to show off her tattoos. In each pocket, Emily carried a handkerchief from her maternal grandmother’s wedding. The pockets were lace and the handkerchiefs were white, so they served a dual purpose of blending nicely with her dress and allowed her to hide her emotional support lipstick!
Adrian Steinbach Photography then led the couple to the courtyard for their first look. We love how their reactions were so true to themselves and came naturally! A little bit silly and a whole lot of love.
The couple’s pup, Casper, then made a debut for a few photos. We love when couples include their furbabies on their wedding day! Then of course the couple made their way around the iconic mansion for portraits together, along with their wedding party.
The ceremony took place in the courtyard, which was popping with beautiful fall colors. The flowers from Ergo Floral perfectly tied in the natural autumn vibes while adding a touch of elegance. Even Casper had an orange flower crown to walk down the aisle!
When Emily made her grand entrance, emotions were high. The whole space was filled with teary eyed smiles. It was a beautiful moment! The couple shared a lovely ceremony surrounded by the love of their family and friends. They shared a kiss and made their way down the aisle as husband and wife.
The couple then made their way into the mansion for cocktails and cake. The perfect combination! After finishing their cake cutting, they spent the remainder of cocktail hour socializing with their guests.
As cocktail hour wrapped up, guests were invited into the reception space for dinner. Upon entering, they were met with a candlelit space filled with orange flowers and gold accents. It was stunning!
Once everyone was seated, Mintahoe served up a delicious dinner. The plating made the dishes look too good to eat, but guests couldn’t resist diving into that mouthwatering goodness for long!
As dinner came to a close, guests made their way back into the courtyard for dessert from Buttercream and first dances. Having the first dances outside was so magical and gave everyone an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful evening before heading inside for the dance party!
Inside, DJ Hampster Dance was ready to get the group moving and kept the energy on the dance floor all night!
For a late night snack, the couple wanted to have pizza ordered. It turned out that the pizza place never received the online order, so Dana had to call and get them to put a rush on it. When it arrived, guests still happily enjoyed every piece!
This was truly such a special day celebrating Emily and AJ. Whenever we get to plan a Van Dusen Mansion wedding it’s a great day. If you’re planning a wedding at Van Dusen, send us a message to see how we can help!
Shoutout to all the awesome vendors we worked with for this beautiful fall Van Dusen Mansion wedding!
Venue: Van Dusen Mansion
Caterer: Mintahoe
Dessert: Buttercream
DJ: DJ Hampster Dance
Florist: Ergo Floral
Hair / Makeup: Cultivate Q Salon
Photographer: Adrian Steinbach Photography
Stationer: Paper Rock Scissor
Bridal Gown: The Wedding Shoppe
Bridesmaid Dresses: The Wedding Shoppe
Suits: Indochino
Planner: Keyed Up Events
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol
