Hannah and Andrew from Quintana Creative on Vimeo.
It’s a really special day for us at Once Wed. Hannah is Emily Newman’s sister and a big part of Once Wed. Hannah has been a graphic designer for Once Wed for years, and besides Emily was one of the first people to make this blog possible. As soon as Hannah and Andrew got engaged, she immediately reached out to Emily to make her dream wedding a reality, and we’re so excited to finally share this beautiful day with you today! Keep reading for more from our Hannah.
From Hannah, the bride:
While Emily is my sister and best friend, we’re completely different. I am loud, boisterous, and intense while she is reserved, subtle and elegant. So when I asked her to help me plan my wedding day, I was concerned that we would butt heads on many things. I didn’t want it to whisper, I didn’t want it to be elegant- I wanted it to shout and make a statement. But as always, Emily’s vision and creativity lead to the most perfect interpretation of Andrew and I.
As most people who know Andrew and I would say, we are not a sentimental or emotional couple. But ironically, whenever I talked about what I wanted the day to be, the word “emotional” kept coming up.
The one thing I’m always asked is why I chose red for my wedding dress. And quite simply it was my vanity, because I thought red would be the most slimming color. While looking trim was important, I also chose red because it’s powerful and majestic. It was such a privilege to work with Emily, Joy and Cheryl on my dress. From our first meeting to the last fitting, I was so grateful and blown away by the creativity and skill these ladies possessed. When talking about the dress, phrases that I kept repeating were “I want to look decorated,” “it should be a talisman,” “have wings,” “texture.” For anyone else, this may have sounded like a hot mess. But to Cheryl, Joy and Emily they took exactly what I was hoping for and made it a reality all the way from the gorgeous antique german crown (that Cheryl generously let me borrow), to my ten foot long veil and the sculpted shoulders and long red train.
My headdress was a special item for me as I wanted something that was incredibly special and ceremonial. Krystle, the artist who created the headdress, is so incredibly talented and patient. She let me get all my thoughts out on paper and took each of my requests into careful consideration. It is definitely something I wear to any and all celebrations now.
Another important thing was how the day was captured. Both through photography and videography. I had no idea where to begin looking for a photographer. But Emily and Joy knew exactly who would be able to capture our special day. From our first conversation Christina was so enthusiastic, engaged, and flexible (especially when we had to change the venue from outdoor to indoor at the last minute!). She understood how I wanted everything to be meaningful but not necessarily serious, and that color was a huge part of the day. Her talent poured over from the camera by engaging Andrew and I to the rest of the wedding party.
I am lucky enough to have friends that not only love me, but are incredibly talented. My very best friends Jorge and Jessica, of Quintana Creative, have been doing videography for years. I have always admired their craft and was so grateful when they agreed to shoot our special day. Not only how they shot the wedding, but the way they edited each piece had (and still does) have me teary every time I watch our video, which is big for someone who doesn’t like emotion.
The flowers and paper pieces set the tone for the evening. Because we had a small budget, we had to rely on the flowers to bring in the color and life to the space. Megan, of Victory Blooms, was able paint the neutral brick industrial studio with color and life. Megan Kay Sadler’s genius and generosity showed in her beautiful invitation design with florals that were bold but not girly. Oh, and the space! The beautiful canvas that this came alive in. After realizing we didn’t have a rain plan, and desperately needed one. Amy Osaba generously offered her studio to us. Without her we would have been melting in the southern humidity and rain. It’s huge windows and warm brick walls were the perfect compliment to our intimate evening.
Ultimately this day would have never happened without the amazing Ginny Au and Kaela Rawson. These two ladies, patience, vision, and diligence made everything look easy. Their attention to detail and follow up were the reason I kept my sanity.
From Emily:
I guess you could say my sister and I had somewhat of a tumultuous relationship growing up. Maybe it was the 4 year age difference or our polar opposite personalities, but we always seemed to be at odds with one another. During my freshman year of high school, our dad got very sick suddenly while visiting family in Hawaii. He was never the same after waking up from his coma, and the impact of his sickness would change the trajectory of our lives forever. Sometimes tragic events can pull people apart, but I’m grateful it drew Hannah and I closer together. As the years have passed, I have seen a wonderful shift happen in the dynamic of our relationship. Not only are we so much closer, but I have seen her grow into the incredibly bright, driven woman she is today. Whereas I always used to be the older sister watching out for her, I find myself leaning into her more and more. My sister is my best friend in every sense of the word, and I’m grateful for the kinship we share with one another.
When she met Andrew, I could tell they shared something special. My sister is a lot of woman to handle (I know!), but his calm and kind heart is the perfect match for Hannah. Andrew does a wonderful job of loving my sister well.
Photography Christina McNeill | Creative Direction Emily Newman | Wedding Planning Ginny Au | Coordination Kaela Rawson for Ginny Au | Dress Design Joy Thigpen | Wedding Dress Cheryl Taylor | Vintage Headpiece Cheryl Taylor | Head Dress Krystle Loudermilk | Videography Jorge and Jessica of Quintana Creative | Rentals 12th Table | Hair and Makeup Rachelle, of The Halcyon Agency. | Floral Design Victory Blooms | Arch Construction + Florals for Arch Mary McLeod for Amy Osaba | Invitation Suite + Paper Goods Meghan Kay Sadler | Venue Amy Osaba Events Studio
