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