madeline & eli's timeless, spring wedding
Madeline wanted a wedding day that was “simple, bright, and timeless”. She and Eli were inspired by the 1920’s style architecture and interior details of Cincinnati’s historic Hilton Netherland Plaza and wanted the decor to emphasize the beauty of the elements already present. Madeline and her bridesmaids carried classic white bouquets paired with subtle blush florals and hints of greenery. The bouquet paired beautifully with Maddie’s elegant gown and fingertip veil.
We asked Madeline to share a little about her wedding day which like so many 2020 celebrations, was pared down to an intimate gathering of their closest family and friends. Native Iris Photography captured their beautiful day.
How did Eli propose?
We were in Denver to see our favorite bands (Caamp & Rainbow Kitten Surprise) play at Red Rocks. It was right after a stressful time of studying at the end of my 2nd year of med school and this was the perfect celebration!
How would you describe your wedding style?
Simple. Bright. Timeless.
Tell us a little about you and Eli. How did you meet?
We met in high school in Sandusky, Ohio! We started dating toward the end of senior year and then did long distance when we went off to college in Toledo and Boston. We then both moved to Cincinnati in 2017 when Maddie started medical school here.
Wedding Floral Vision
We had our wedding celebration at the Hilton Netherland Plaza hotel in downtown Cincinnati and I wanted the decor to complement the timeless 1920s Gatsby vibe of the hotel. My vision included simple bouquets of mostly big, white flowers with pops of color to match the wedding party. Everything looked perfect.
CREATIVE PARTNERS
Reception Venue - Hilton Netherland Plaza @hiltonnetherlandplaza | Photographer - Whitney Pelfrey @nativeirisphoto | Planner - Kate Petach @bluedahliaevents | Cake/Sweets- Kathryn Rowen @ardor_bakeshop | Hair & Makeup - Simply Makeup & Hair @simplymakeuphair | Music - Lobby Jazz Band | Catering- Orchids at Palm Court | Invitations + Paper - Poeme @poeme | Wedding Dress - Anne Barge Blue Willow @kleinfeldbridal | Trolley- @thefunbusadventures | Roger Swonger- Hilton point of contact. Roger was the most patient, professional and diligent person and was truly integral to the planning and execution of the whole day!
Take us back through your wedding day, what were your favorite moments.
Because of the game-changer that was 2020, we had to significantly downsize to a micro-wedding celebration. Our initial planned 250+ person reception with a band and dancing turned into an intimate seated dinner with just close family present. My favorite moment was being surprised by my dad during his speech. He convinced the jazz band playing in the lobby to play S'Wonderful so we could still have a father-daughter dance & Eli and I could have a true first dance at our wedding. I ended up having the most perfect day!
A note from Maddie
Thank you to everyone that helped make our wedding possible, and for being so flexible in executing a perfect wedding at a much smaller scale. Thank you to Yellow Canary for beautifully decorating the dinner space and adorning our cake with florals to make it still feel like a true wedding celebration.
