On a sunny day in September, real Essense of Australia bride Laura said “I do” to groom Shawn in front of their closet friends and family. With a golden wheat field and the setting sun in the background, this incredible couple promised to love and honor each other forever. We love how Laura chose to wear a very effortless and boho-inspired wedding dress for her big day.
From the bride:Â The night before a flight to Atlanta, Shawn and I traveled home to Cleveland, Ohio. It was sweet and simple. The original plan was that he was going to bake alphabet cookies to spell out “WILL YOU MARRY ME?” (I am a cookie baker and that would have been adorable!) But it’s not like us to have a plan work out so perfectly, so Shawn picked up the ring early and was afraid to take it through security the next morning. That night, he got down on one knee in the house I grew up in. The cookie idea was sweet, but just us and Shawn’s loving words were even sweeter.
Before I started looking for a dress, I know I wanted my dress to be effortlessly beautiful and comfortable. My best friend, Kelley, was in town last January and I decided it would be fun to try on dresses. I told myself, “Do not find the dress!” because I wanted my mother and sister to be there too. As I was gazing at the second dress I tried on, a beautiful waterfall of fabric on the mannequin up front caught Kelley’s eye. She immediately told our consultant, “That one”. Well, I slipped it on, and that was it. Essense of Australia happened to have a trunk show that weekend and the designer was there as well. This particular dress was still in the designing stages but as she came around, I told her not to change a thing. It was perfect.
Our ceremony took place at “golden hour” at a barn, in front of a beautiful golden field, surrounded by our closest family and friends. My girls dressed in navy, the guys in grey and suspenders. Shawn’s older brother officiated, my brother DJed, my aunts, and uncles made all the desserts (I made cookies of course). We vowed that we wouldn’t overdo it. Decorations were minimal because the location and the barn itself were so darn beautiful. Baby’s breadth and wildflowers scattered around the tables. The night was relaxing and it was all focused on the two of us and the marriage we vowed to one another.
After the ceremony, Shawn & I spent five minutes to ourselves to reflect on the day, laughing, crying, holding each other close so that we could remember the moment that was so perfect as we said: “I do”.
