Real Talk // Doyinsola + Dunell’s Cultural Wedding
We love weddings – from the design to the little details, and everything in between! One thing we love about weddings is working with couples from different backgrounds and learning about their cultures. Doyinsola + Dunell held their multi-cultural wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate and it was such fun experiencing their big day with them!
How did you meet?
We met as first-year law students at Penn State Law. Because we had a lot of mutual friends we knew of each other but didn’t necessarily speak. As time went on we started hanging out one on one and the rest is history.
Were there any unique elements you incorporated?
I’m Nigerian and my husband is Haitian-American and I think we did an awesome job celebrating both our cultures. On the Friday night before our wedding, we had a traditional Yoruba Engagement ceremony where our entire families met and formally gave their approval and blessings to our union. Additionally, as music and food are very important in our respective cultures, we made sure we had some Nigerian and Haitian dishes for our guests and danced the night away to Konpa and Afro-beats.


What made you choose your venue?
I like to think that my style, especially for special events, is very classic and timeless. I want to look at my wedding pictures decades from now and still appreciate the aesthetics of that day. However, it was important the venue was charming and full of character. Luxmore checked all the boxes. From the stunning wallpaper in the parlor to the quirky library and the grandiose chandeliers, it’s truly a magnificent building. Did I mention it’s also really practical? The bridal suite is huge and there was so much parking for our guests.


What factors did you consider when choosing your vendor team?
We were an out of town couple so it was important that our vendors were efficient without needing to be micro-managed. This meant finding a team of people that we clicked with and understood our vision without numerous meetings. It was also extremely important that our vendors were diverse and small business owners. Looking back on the wedding that’s one of the things we’re most proud of.

Any planning tips you’d like to share with other couples?
Be proactive about setting aside time to not talk about the wedding. It seems counterintuitive but wedding planning can honestly take over your lives and relationships, and you can lose sight of what’s important. So once in a while, (i.e., as often as you can) do things not wedding related. Also, compromise. Two months post-wedding you won’t care about the thing that you’re digging in your heel about.
Xoxo,
Kim
Real Talk // Kristina + James
This sweet couple met about three and a half years ago; Kristina was looking for a roommate and James turned out to be the perfect match in more ways than one ?

How did you meet?
“We met in New York in January of 2016. I was looking for a roommate to rent the second bedroom of my apartment in Chelsea. I posted an ad for a roommate on Craigslist and James answered the ad. He was moving from London to New York and needed a place to stay. We met up and I gave him a tour of the apartment. He loved the place and we got along instantly. Less than a year later, we were together and not too long after that, we were engaged! If you ask him how we met, he would simply say Craigslist, which has definitely gotten us some strange looks along the way!”

What made you choose Luxmore as your venue?
“We loved the venue the moment we stepped inside. It sold itself. Our ideal venue was an outdoor wedding and the space outside was perfect. With Florida weather being as unpredictable as it is we needed to feel good about getting married in the backup space the venue had. The room the Luxmore presented to us was just as beautiful as the outdoor space which made us feel it was the perfect place for us.”

Cake ::
What was your design inspiration?
“We both had the same idea for the wedding decor which made things much easier. White and ivory with touches of silver and gold. Simple, elegant, classic! It turned out to be everything we envisioned. “

What was your favorite part of the event?
“When my new husband sang to me! And also the cake! He would say the open bar lol.”

What factors did you consider when choosing your vendor team?
“Reviews, reviews, reviews! It was important for us to hear what other couples had to say. It really influenced our decisions when we chose our team. I would also say communication. Since we had to plan the wedding remotely, it was extremely important to us that our vendors were able to help us via phone and face time. “
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