Though Katharine + Kyle’s wedding might have been short(er) on the details we’re used to seeing on blogs and in magazines, it was full of the most important stuff: LOVE. Kyle’s two brothers and Katharine’s sister and best friend gave fabulous (hilarious) toasts, and there was not a dry eye in the house during Katharine’s heartfelt toast to her Dad and subsequent father-daughter dance.

There were a few details, though! The baby’s breath centerpieces Lara artfully arranged (with blooms from Fifty Flowers), and the candelabra and linens from Festive Occasions were all that were needed to set the Harvard Club of Boston off to its best advantage. Programs, escort cards, and table numbers were put together (for a great rate!) by 2bSquared on Etsy.

Love, details… but what about fun? Yep, there was PLENTY of that. Seven months later, my boyfriend is still talking about the insane dancing that went down at K + K’s reception. I’m sure guests are still talking about the funfetti-esque cake, too, a special request from the groom that was masterfully executed by Montilio’s Bakery. But my most memorable moment? Singing along to “American Pie” at the tail end of the reception, ringed in a circle around Katharine + Kyle with the rest of the guests. Magical? Yes, indeed.

Huge thanks to A Bryan Photo for these fabulous photos that truly capture all of the emotion. Check back tomorrow for a post from Katharine with a few things she learned from her wedding!

P.S. New reader? Check out this post for links to all the posts Katharine and I co-authored during her engagement!

A few last words from Mr. Gibler, the groom:

What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? My high school friends singing our St. Xavier alma mater. (We went to an all-boys high school. Don’t judge us.)
Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase/verse/or line? Yes, we did write our own vows… some sooner than others. Rumor has it Katharine started working on her vows several months before the wedding. I hashed mine out a few minutes before the ceremony. She cried, so it was all good.
What was Southern about your wedding? The bride. And her Southern lawyer father.
What advice would you give to someone planning their wedding? In the (censored) words of Ludacris: “Move. Get out [of] the way.” Translation: let the bride plan everything, and do whatever she says.
Who was your most honored guest at the wedding? My ninety-four-year-old Grandma Busam. (Just don’t tell Grandma Gibler!)
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? Eight months later, I’m looking forward to finally taking my wife on our honeymoon, which we had to delay because of my med school schedule. I’ve planned a trip to the Western Caribbean… and gotten Kat plenty of seasickness medication.

Katharine + Kyle’s ceremony was traditional, but also very personal. They used the age-old vows, but also wrote individual (tear-inducing) “promises” to each other, exchanged right before. They chose scripture from The Bible, but also a variety of readings with intense personal meaning, read by their closest friends and relatives. The ceremony was the part of her wedding Katharine planned most carefully and was most looking forward to, and I think it lived up to her expectations.

As for the details? Our happy pair were married at The Memorial Church of Harvard University. The Boston String Quartet provided gorgeous music throughout the service. Wiregrass Weddings printed the simple, classic programs, emblazoned with Harvard’s seal. Katharine added a custom lace cathedral-length veil made by Chaviano Couture to her Amsale ensemble for the ceremony. And those gorgeous photos (especially those portraits at the end)? All by the talented Bryan Johnson, of course!

The details from Kyle, the groom…

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The weather. 75 and sunny. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. I also loved going back to Harvard for the wedding. We got married five years to the day after we first met, and even had our “first look” back at the freshman dorm where we played that fateful “Never Have I Ever” game.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: Her dress didn’t have a turtleneck or sleeves (which I was legitimately worried about since she likes both), so I was fine. Also, it wasn’t beige.
Describe your wedding flowers: There were flowers? Kat tells me they were white….
Describe your wedding cake: As the lead designer of our wedding cake, I chose a funfetti cake, inspired by a birthday tradition my mom started when I was three. I dare anyone to tell me it wasn’t delicious.
Were there any wedding traditions or new ideas you included in the wedding? After my wedding, I’m pretty sure all my high school friends will adopt the tradition of singing our high school alma mater at the reception. Also, I think the wedding started (or perhaps continued?) our new family tradition of letting my wife make every major life decision. And so it begins…

Today, belles and beaus, I have the distinct pleasure of introducing my dear friend and colleague’s wedding to the love of her life. Katharine and Kyle are kind of an epic couple (they have the same first initial thing going for them, Kyle’s about six and a half feet tall, they met as undergrads at Harvard, etc., etc.), and their wedding was fittingly epic: classic, romantic, meaningful — everything you could hope for on the day you begin your new life as a couple. I was honored to be in attendance (and to be a bridesmaid, of course!).

But on to the details! Katharine’s gorgeous dress is the “Blakely” by Amsale, purchased on an epic (yes, again) trip to Kleinfeld last January. Its clean, structured style really set the tone for the rest of the wedding day, in my opinion. She paired Miss Blakely with the “Elke” shoes from Nina and a clutch from Davie & Chiyo (a shower gift from yours truly!). The ‘maids wore floor-length black gowns, and most of us wore gold and pearl jewelry from Erin McDermott, a gift from Katharine at the rehearsal dinner. We all carried white bouquets arranged by SW’s Editor in Chief, Lara Casey (the lovely blooms came courtesy of wholesaler Fifty Flowers)!

I think KTW was a bit nervous about how her wedding day “look” was going to come together, but it’s safe to say that the inimitable Scoobie West surpassed everyone’s expectations, not only creating flawless updo’s and faces for everyone who asked, but keeping the getting-ready room light and nerve-free. (He did scold us for eating pre-ceremony pizza in our dresses, but we’ll forgive him that.)

Take a peek at these portraits of the ladies, gents, ladies + gents, families, and “first look” (outside of K + K’s freshman dorm — awww!) then come back quick for all the ceremony details! Gorgeous images courtesy of Bryan Johnson of A Bryan Photo, who perfectly delivered on Katharine’s request for black and white images.

Readers, you should know that Mr. Kyle stepped up and filled out the interview on behalf of the happy couple… enjoy!

Occupations: Professional student debtors.
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. I was lucky to meet Katharine on my first day of college freshman year during a dorm-wide game of “Never Have I Ever.” (We were both assigned to the “Hurlbut” dorm. It was fate.) While I was immediately attracted to her, she was just as quickly suspicious of me. A cat and mouse… or, more accurately, a Kat and Kyle… game ensued. Eventually, I wore her down with weekly dates to Dollar Scoop Tuesdays at Baskin Robbins. And my devastatingly good looks.
Describe the proposal: The short version? Kyle got down on one knee, and Katharine said yes. The longer one? I took Katharine back to Harvard, where we first met, and arranged for a candlelit dinner of Chinese cuisine by the river. It was hopelessly romantic. Just like I am. The catch? I apparently overlooked the fact that Cambridge in December is a little chilly, to say the least. After accepting my heartfelt proposal, Katharine proceeded to inform me she had never been so cold in her entire life. To that end, she couldn’t even put on her engagement ring for a full hour until her hands had thawed.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Tigerblood, #winning and Sheentastic. Fast, 2Fast and 2Furious. No, but really: classic, elegant and timeless.
What was the design inspiration for your wedding? Whatever my wife told me it would be. Next question?
Favorite design element of your big day: The vintage Rolls Royce my father-in-law surprised us with after the ceremony. Thanks, Dad!

Is there anything more magical than an open-air wedding reception? After seeing Lindsay + Jonathan’s celebration at a family friend’s private estate, I think not! The new Mr. + Mrs. toasted their nuptials with a garden reception catered by Events, Etc., followed by poolside dancing and revelry to the tunes of Jazz Mafia’s Supertaster. Flory Photo’s crisp shots of the evening fun make us feel like we were actually there for L + J’s California bash. (We totally wish we had been, by the way!) Anyone else notice how the bride’s adorable blue cardigan perfectly matched the lush hydrangea centerpieces? Major swoon!

When I think about a Southern wedding, I imagine an intimate backyard affair attended by the bride + groom’s closet family and friends. Add lush blue hydrangeas designed by Events, Etc., a traditional portrait collar gown from Priscilla of Boston and wheat fields ripe for picture-taking, and you have Lindsay + Jonathan’s celebration. The catch? The newlyweds (who initially met on match.com!) were married all the way out on the west coast – proof that the Southern sentiment and famed hospitality transcend geography. California-based Flory Photo documented L + J’s wedding at a family friend’s private estate, and Events, Etc. planned the West Coast celebration.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met on Match.com. I had just moved to San Francisco and was looking to meet some new people and get a few drinks out of it along the way. My plan was spoiled when I met up with Jonathan for a beer at the Plough and Stars on Clement Street. Both conversation and beer flowed longer than planned that night. There was something there and we’re still enjoying it today.
Describe the proposal. (From the groom) I’m not able to surprise Lindsay too often – she’s much brighter than me! My first thought was to plan a backpacking trip to the Trinity Alps, but a solo couple trip could tip her off to the real motivation. As a distraction, I invited some friends, but, big surprise, they couldn’t make it. So it was off to the woods by ourselves, with a surprise in the making. Our destination was Lake Anna, an alpine lake perched a vertical mile above the trail head. It was slow going as the trail disappeared and we threaded our way through thick Manzanita. Daylight began to wane and we hadn’t reached the little alpine lake yet. In fact we sat at the base of a 300 foot scree field unsure of the exact location of the lake. At this point, the last thing on Lindsay’s mind was marriage. We scurried up the last few hundred feet of scree with the sun cresting the horizon. When we reached the top, I pulled out a Nepalese ring and kneeled (partly from exhaustion). Lindsay’s initial reaction was confusion which was overcome by joy. Success.
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: The weekend with family and friends was amazing. There were so many details that made our day special including the personal touch of our wedding at a family home, our friends playing the ceremony music, and Jazz Mafia’s improvisation of a New Orleans street band when the power went out. But the best detail was being immersed in the love of our friends and family.