After becoming engaged in March of 2009, Stacy and Eric began to search for the vendors. They contacted Lawry’s through Here Comes the Guide. They also researched other venues but found that hotels didn’t make them feel like their event was special—they were just one of many weddings taking place the same day. “At Lawry’s we knew we were the only wedding that day and were promised the entire restaurant for our ceremony and reception. We felt special from the beginning.” They enjoyed working with Ellen in the planning, and they took her list of recommended vendors and continued to research for the perfect people to plan their wedding. They had selected me to be their Day of Coordinator and most of our communication was through emails. They also selected Floral Fields as their florist. Debbie Fields had a very big role in their wedding. She was able to transform their vision to a reality!
“In the end, after the wedding everyone was very impressed by it all. Everyone commented on how comfortable they were in their vintge outfits and how much fun it was to put it all together” – Stacy
“We would get calls and emails from our friends and family on sites they had found for inspiration on their outfits such as Recollections.”
When they first started thinking about doing a steampunk wedding, Stacy and Eric went online and found great sites to start the creative process. Stacy found her wedding dress at Etsy online, where you can find items that are hand made. Stacy tells us, “I had seen a corset in a neat jacket style. So, I had really found my dress six months before the wedding.” Eric didn’t waste any time in finding his outfit. In fact, he says, “I went and found twinrosesdesigns online – a site where you can custom order a costume. They had actually done a Steampunk Santa and were familiar with the theme. I had a painting of the suit in mind and just wanted them to change the color. I sent them the picture and gave them my measurements. “
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT:
Creating a Steampunk wedding took a lot of collaboration from Stacy and Eric and most of their vendors. Eric and Stacy had to educate Debbie on what a Steampunk theme was. “This was my first steampunk theme wedding,” said Debbie, “I searched online for descriptions of steampunk to wrap my head around this idea. Eric and Stacy were so helpful when we first met. They brought pictures that I could keep of what they were looking for.” As months went by, Eric and Stacy were exchanging links with Debbie on online resources of possible items they could purchase for centerpieces. “I soon realized I had cool things around my house that could be helpful to them and I started taking pictures to send to them as well” explained Debbie.
From a creative stand point; Debbie had so much fun working on this wedding. She enjoyed the collaborative effort and described Stacy as “a visionary bride.” Although, we should note that Eric was very much the visionary groom! He tells us how he worried about not having enough items to give Debbie. “I had an idea to find test tubes. I wasn’t sure how Debbie would use them. She turned them upside down and glued some of the smaller pieces,” said Eric.
THE CENTER PIECES:
“We worried about ruining the vintage books but we had these ideas of how to incorporate the books by tearing them apart and putting some of the pages rolled up in tubes. We also rolled empty wine bottles in the dirt to give them the look of being very old.” --Debbie Fields
Brides, be creative! Stacy went to a paper store and used a lot of scrapbooking items to create her name cards.
These centerpieces can only be described as secret gardens. Each centerpiece was original.
“We were so surprised at how well the Lawry’s décor worked for a steam punk theme. It was lovely to be able to use as many candles as we wanted without worrying about a fee or getting a permit. Another flexible item surprise was that Lawry’s offered you the choice to have up to three entrees without any extra charge.”- Stacy
This bust and Shakespearean medallion are part of Lawry’s décor in the Oak Room where the ceremony was held.
It was also important to have the right cake. How can you have a “normal” wedding cake for a Steampunk Wedding?? Eric and Stacy started searching online to find the perfect baker. “We wanted a distinctive cake that would match such a strong theme as Steampunk,” said Eric. They found one specific bakery in Orange County, Let Them Eat Cake by Christopher Garrens, who was being featured on the TV series Amazing Wedding Cakes. Christopher Garrens created sketches for Eric and Stacy to help visualize the concept. Eric and Stacy also loved his Grand Marnier Cake. After meeting with Christopher and seeing his sketches they were confident that the cake was a clear representation of their vision.
Cake Topper
FINAL MESSAGE:
The purpose of this article is to inform brides and grooms that they can have their wedding of their dreams if they take the time and do the necessary research. Vendors should be responsive to your calls and emails, behave professional, and, most importantly, have a passion for what they do.
“We found our vendors early on. It helps to find your vendors ahead of time and trust that they will do a great job. We had faith in our vendors and knew that we picked them for a reason…I had tears in my eyes when I saw what Debbie (the florist) had done in the end. It was a perfect wedding team” Eric Reardon-Groom
“From the beginning it felt like we had found the right people to do the job. From Kathleen Hagan our hair and makeup artist, to Hey Mister DJ and of course Lawry’s” Stacy Reardon-Bride
Most importantly, you have to create a realistic budget and be clear about it to your vendors! It is very difficult as a vendor to create proposals to the client when we do not have a budget to work with. Stacy and Eric had a budget and were practical about it. They mentioned to me that their original plan was to schedule their wedding much earlier, but realized that they were not going to have enough money saved. Eric and Stacy’s advice in planning a budget? “Be realistic and save money so that you do not have to worry about not including something that you really want. In the end if you wait and save the money, then you will have the wedding of your dreams.”
Thank you FremauxPhoto for the photos!!
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