Saturday, September 28, 2013- a magical day for this incredible couple AND for me! In almost 13 years of planning weddings, I have never been so captivated by a bride. I LOVE every bride I have helped and I have grown attached to many of them. But, this couple, and Jacqueline in particular, just had something that left me at a loss for words! 
The day began with a flurry of activity along with more love and giddiness than I can say. The bridal suite at Le Meridian was jam packed with friends of the bride, the bridal party, Beautiful Brides Philly, Gerard Tomko Photography, Lucky Productions, several little ones and Jacqueline- making sure that her mom, her sister and her best friend were feeling included. And, everyone was fussing over the bride! These two families literally came from all over the map to join in the celebration of Jacqueline and Mirko's wedding. Mirko's family came from Germany, Jacqueline's father came from Italy, mom came from California and I lost track of all the other places that guests arrived from. But, they were all her to be a part of this special day.
Jacqueline's best friend, since they met in daycare, went out for protein bars and yogurt. Jacqueline's mom had her ipad out and was showing photos of the girls growing up and how Jacqueline always wanted to be "shrouded" in her veil. I guess some little girls really do carry out their childhood dreams.
The day could not have been more perfect. The sun was shining, it was warm and we were on time! Jerry took the couple off for formal shots and I set to work. There were so many details that needed to be placed- from two big boxes of pillars to unwrap and place in the library for the ceremony, to the homemade jam jars that doubled as escort cards that needed to be arranged, to the family tree as a guest book and the family photos to be displayed. I had dads to pin and family to gather in the lobby for photos and Jacqueline got dirty outside, so I had to get out my baby wipes and clean her up. 
The ceremony was just beautiful and officiated by a dear friend of the family. The whole thing was so personal and tender. There were tears of joy and plenty of love to go around. And, it was translated into several languages. As were the programs and the menu cards.
The tables were all named after the places the couple have traveled. Each table had a photo of the couple taken in the country or city and Jacqueline made all the frames. Besides being beautiful, she is so talented and VERY smart!!
EBE Talent provided the DJ and Amanda and Ryan were amazing! There was not a time all night that the dance floor was empty. Everyone had a wonderful time. And, even though Jacqueline requested no conga line, her mom and her friends had other ideas. It didn't seem to phase our bride. She is so gracious and sweet that nothing could have dampened her day. 
As Mirko is German, Jacqueline wanted to perform a German marriage tradition. This is usually performed during the ceremony, but for obvious reasons, they decided to do it during the reception. In Germany, the couple saws a log to ensure they will be able to work a team in their marriage to overcome the obstacles that befall them. This is the first of those obstacles- to saw through a log. And, even the way they cut their gluten free cake was special. No doubt they will be a fabulous team!
I could keep posting pictures of these two, but this is getting long. I really wish I had some of the professional shots to share. Well, maybe later. I will share with you a slice of the party that I videoed on my phone. It is a perfect way to end this post! I can't tell you how I loved this couple. I was mesmerized by her all day and it was a truly magical wedding- like out of a story book. Jacqueline was the quintessential princess.
