Ashley and David's luxurious fall Inns of Aurora wedding was absolutely stunning. Located on Cayuga Lake, the couple married lakeside surrounded by their closest family and friends. Ashley and David's wedding was inspired by their love of art and nature where tradition and history met clean and contemporary. Because of this, Inns of Aurora was the perfect fit. The venue offers a combination of art, culture, and history while remaining classical and elegant. It quickly has become one of our favorite places to recommend to clients. We can't wait to share all of the details on the blog here today!
Are you getting married at the Inns of Aurora? Or are you still looking for a New York wedding venue? Well, you're in luck because this is our specialty! When you're ready to plan your own wedding, you can learn more about working together here. We would love to help you plan your own heirloom occasion or destination wedding weekend!
The Stationery
For their invitation suite, Ashley and David incorporated multiple printing methods. Vintage postage stamps paid homage to Ashley's home in Hawaii and their love of gardening, while providing contrast to beautiful maroon envelopes with white ink addressing. Inside, guests found their invitation tucked into a pocket decorated with blindpressed ginkgo leaves and tied with a velvet ribbon. The invitation itself was accented with gold foil while blind-pressed ginkgo leaves framed the text.
The Ceremony
Ashley and David truly had the most beautiful late fall day. I mean, 70 degrees on October 22nd in Upstate NY is unheard of! The warm sun was glistening off the lake creating a sparkling reflection throughout the ceremony. It was magical. Plus, since it was a late fall wedding, there were no boats on the water which made for the most peaceful backdrop. A big bright blue calm lake. There's nothing better than that. It truly was the perfect setting. We couldn't have picked a better day.
Since the beginning of designing, Ashley had a vision of a long ivory velvet aisle runner that led her down the aisle to her groom. It really completed the whole ceremony setup. The aisle runner gave a softness next to the wooden chairs and tied in nicely with the white cushions. It allowed for a sense of grandness without being over the top. The ivory velvet was the perfect touch.
Can we talk about the flowers? I mean… the colors were beyond stunning. They matched the fall leaves that dwindled from the large trees perfectly. Not only did we have aisle arrangements at the end of every other row but we also had large pedestal arrangements as guests entered the ceremony seats. They were bountiful and lush. And, of course, we can't forget about our altar piece. This large ring was the perfect backdrop for the couple to marry in front of. It was simple yet a statement.
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Cocktail Hour
Cocktail Hour took place just a short walk away. On the lawn and into the lakeside room, guests mingled with signature drinks and passed hors d'oeuvres. The signature drinks were an autumn dream. The first was a Maple Cider Bourbon Smash made of Maker's Mark, maple syrup, and fresh apple cider. The second was a Cinnamon Roll Martini made up of Bailey's Irish Cream, Kahlua Liqueur, half and half, and cinnamon schnapps.
Escort card displays have quickly become our thing over here at Verve. We love thinking outside the box to do something more personal to the couple and their personalities. Ashley LOVES to read so we thought having a grand display of bookmarks as escort cards would be a perfect combination. Plus, they doubled as a favor! Each guest had their name and table number on it that escorted them to their seat. The right side of the display had a large scroll with a romantic quote from one of Ashley's favorite authors, J.R.R. Tolkien. We absolutely loved how this statement piece turned out.
If you've been following Verve for a while, then you know we love a good lounge. Lounges aren't just for looks (even though they look super pretty) but they're also extremely useful for guests who may want to sit and relax as they have conversations. We always recommend a lounge to our clients because it also doubles as decor and is a great photo op!
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The Reception
Following cocktail hour, guests made their way into the dinner tent. Upon entering the tent, guests were invited by beautiful, candlelit tables adorned with gorgeous flower arrangements. At Verve, we almost always go with a mosaic floorplan with alternating rectangles and round tables. The mosaic layout breaks up the monotony and affords multiple looks for the elegantly appointed dinner tables.
Above the tables, guests admired the chandeliers which were decorated with flowers and greenery. Ashley and David's reception design was nothing but luxurious. Neutral creams and nudes with subtle peaches formed the base. Pops of maroon and Turkish rose represented the season and the venue. Dark teal and depth represented the Finger Lakes while gold accents added formality. Beautiful china sat atop crisp textured linens that were accompanied by taper and votive candles. Fun vintage glasses added an unexpected touch to the table setting.
As for the table numbers, we kept with the theme of Ashley's passion for reading. We had a local calligrapher hand paint each table number on thick gold books. It added a fun detail that you normally wouldn't expect. Every piece has a purpose behind it!
Sweet Treats
Ashley and David went all out for their dessert table and we weren't complaining! Their main white three-tier wedding cake had cascading 2D gold ginkgo leaves along with flowers from the florist that tied in perfectly with the color palette. The top tier was a champagne cake and salted caramel buttercream. The middle tier was cinnamon cake with apple bourbon buttercream. Lastly, the bottom tier was vanilla cake with raspberry buttercream and fresh raspberries.
But, wait! We didn't stop there. Ashley and David chose to have two additional smaller cakes which were super fun for the display and delicious. The marble-swirled maroon and blush design was an almond cake with raspberry buttercream with fresh raspberries. The marble-swirled teal design was a chocolate cake with blackberry buttercream and fresh blackberries.
As for mini desserts, around the cakes, we also served mini grape, pecan, and apple double crust mini pies, berry strudel tarts, lemon meringue tarts, and chocolate mousse cups from Inns of Aurora. It was a sugar lover's dream!
The Favors
Ashley and David sent their guests home with some local favorites inspired by their signature cocktails and their favorite meal: breakfast! Mini bottles of maple syrup from Kettle Ridge Farm along with a local coffee blend from Finger Lakes Roasters. Two admired favorites that were perfect for the season. We love sending guests off with a small gift to remember such a beautiful day.
Planning a Wedding at Inns of Aurora
Are you feeling inspired yet? We absolutely loved helping Ashley and David create something both luxurious and timeless for their day. At Verve, we believe great planning and designing need to feel just like you. In my humble opinion, that's exactly what we accomplished here. If you are planning an Inns of Aurora wedding, you can connect directly with me, Desiree, here. We would love to work with you to brainstorm ways to make your wedding uniquely and incredibly yours.
Photo Credit for this post goes to the talented Coryn Kiefer Photography.
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We absolutely adored working with Ashley and David. They trusted us with their vision for their special day and we were able to bring it to life. I have to take a minute to gush over this sweet review from them. If I don't say it enough, I really do love what I do.
“We wanted to thank you once again for all the effort and time that went into making our wedding such a special and unforgettable experience! Ashley and I are overjoyed and are incredibly thankful to you.”
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