Maddy + Colten
July 15, 2023 in Yakima, WA
Welcome back to the Ivory Bride Blog! In today's post, we’re excited to share the beautiful story of our real bride, Maddy, whose wedding was a vision of timeless elegance. Maddy had always dreamed of a classic black, white, and green color scheme, and her special day at Oakshire Estate was a perfect reflection of that. From the very start, she was decisive in her planning, focusing on the key elements like her venue and photographer, and working with an amazing wedding planner to bring her vision to life. With thoughtful touches like heartfelt vows and a lively dance party, Maddy’s wedding was everything she imagined and more! Her story is filled with love, joy, and unforgettable moments.
By our real bride, Maddy:
What was the vision for your wedding?
I wanted a timeless, classic wedding—lots of white and black with touches of greenery. Oakshire estate was the most elegant venue and it was exactly what I was dreaming of. My wedding turned out exactly as I had always imagined. As someone who has been dreaming of their wedding since they were a little girl, I had lots of time to imagine what it would look like. My Pinterest board was an exact replica of my dress and the wedding as a whole. When it came to choosing vendors, I started with my venue and photographer, as those were the two most important things to me. I’m lucky to be super decisive, so the planning process and choosing vendors was very easy for me! I knew exactly what I wanted:) I had an amazing wedding planner, Events by Edz, who did literally everything! Not having to worry about a thing that day was the biggest stress reliever. She had everything taken care of and I just needed to show up! Can’t recommend having a planner enough.
How did it go the day-of?
I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day. My bridesmaids and I stayed in a house on the property of the venue the night before the wedding which was so nice to be there already the morning of. I was expecting to be pretty anxious that morning, but I was more relaxed than ever. I had no nerves whatsoever which is so unlike me haha! Getting ready with the women I love the most was so special. I did a couple of first looks, one with my bridesmaids, the groomsmen, my dad, and Colten. These little moments were some of the most special of the day; especially with my dad and Colten. Take the time to slow down and enjoy these few moments where it’s just you and the people you love. The day goes so fast and most of the time you don’t get to be one on one with those people, soak it in. There were a couple of things I loved that we did at our wedding, one being reading our vows at the ceremony. It was very important to me that our wedding felt very personal and intimate, despite having 250 guests. Reading our vows was a way to let each guest hear our relationship and story from our perspective and I think it was a very intimate moment for everyone there. Something else that was very important to me was that we had a PARTY at the end of the night and oh did we ever! We had everyone on the dance floor; kids, grandparents, and many friends! we had so much fun which was exactly what I wanted, I couldn’t have asked for a better day!!
What is your #1 tip to future brides?
Take a moment with your partner to be a guest at your wedding. Slow down and take in how beautiful everything looks, all the people who came to support your marriage, and that you are finally MARRIED!! Also get a planner, or at least a day of coordinator. I truly can’t imagine not having someone there to manage the day.
