Samantha Schindler and Russell "Rusty" Brown were married on July 30, 2011 at St. Clarence Church. It was a beautiful thing to watch the priest who had married Sam's parents, George and Karen Schindler, and baptized Sam, officiate their wedding ceremony. Sam looked incredible; her wedding dress with sweetheart neckline, beaded bodice, and layered, ruffled skirt was so stunning! The bridesmaid dresses (Jim Hjelm) were one of our favorites to date, a modified mermaid with gorgeous neckline embellishment in the color “Sunset”. We kept the bridesmaids’ bouquets clean and simple using two white Cattleya orchids hand tied for each girl. Samantha’s bouquet was an all white mix of Cattleya orchids, calla lilies, hydrangea, spider mums. Vase to Vase provided all personal flowers for the wedding. We also have to mention Mrs. Brown’s hat - OMG Rusty's mom's hat!!! It was spectacular!
The reception was held at Weymouth Country Club in Medina, OH. Sam & Rusty's wedding day was all about bold, bright, fun! Samantha wanted a tropical "hot" feel to their wedding day, which we achieved by incorporating vibrant pinks and oranges into their color palette and design. The first hint guests received of what the wedding day would hold in store for them was the save the date. Sam wanted to keep it light, and being that she is a diehard Browns fan and Rusty is a diehard Bengals fan, and both teams have orange in their team colors, and we were using orange in our color palette, (see where this is going?) we created a save the date with Paper Trails that featured "The Battle of Ohio Unites" with the couple smiling in their jerseys and the wedding date circled on a July calendar. We also custom created Sam & Rusty's invitation suite and accessories with the lovely gals at Paper Trails. Sam wanted the invitation to be formal, but still have a fresh, fun feel; an iridescent white card stock complimented by a phenomenal card stock in a color called "Pout" (a sassy deep honeysuckle) brought the two worlds together perfectly. We all loved the abstract rose motif we used on the invitation's cover so much that it made it's way onto all of Sam & Rusty's paper accoutrements and even made an appearance in their lighting design! Samantha's table numbers showed the couple's playful side by showcasing a photo of Sam & Rusty each at the age corresponding to the table number. To view all of Samantha and Rusty's paper wonderfulness, visit their album on our Facebook page.
Being that Sam's father George is a restaurateur; it was of the utmost importance that the menu be memorable. Sam & Rusty had one of our most diverse and extensive menus to date! For cocktail hour, not only did they serve the expected stationary and passed hors d'oeuvres, but they also brought in the unexpected Sushi Rock to hand roll custom created "Sam" and "Rusty" rolls for the guests! Servers passed splits of Perrier Jouet with orange straws and guests enjoyed Weymouth Country Club's terrace in lounge spaces we created with rattan furniture. Cocktail hour was just the beginning!
Guests were seated for dinner at a mix of estate and round tables with tabletop arrangements from Vase to Vase. Weymouth has a very tall vaulted ceiling and on the estate tables we highlighted that feature with towering tropical leaved "trees" as the focal point of the design. For dinner, guests were served a plate of citrus honey glazed chicken with mango cilantro salsa, coconut basmati and wild rice, and petite carrots and haricot verts. After dinner, guests were treated to an exceptional dessert buffet featuring four different flavors of wedding cake (almond, red velvet, carrot, and chocolate), and assorted pastries (including two different types of cake pops {lemon or lime}, 3 different kinds of brownies {dark chocolate, peanut butter, or dried cherry with ganache}, caramel nut bars, lemon squares, and chocolate dipped coconut macaroons) all from Flour Girl. The cake's top and bottom tiers were modeled after the bride's dress and the middle tier after her incredible hand made garter! If that wasn't enough to calm the guests' craving for sweets, there was also a chef making Bananas Foster to order!
The dance floor was packed all night thanks to the DJs of TKO Entertainment, and for those taking a break from the dance floor, Shutterbooth was onsite with a photobooth. Our favorite moment of the night? The surprise fireworks display! Only Sam and her vendors knew; all of the guests including both sets of parents, and her groom were surprised! It was an incredibly magical and touching moment made even more special by the "fireworks mix" Ted from TKO created to accompany the show. It was all so perfect.
The party went until 2 AM, and with one of Sam & Rusty's favorite meals of the day being breakfast, it was only natural that we should serve a breakfast buffet at Midnight. Guests loved the french toast sticks, silver dollar pancakes, mini McMuffins, and classic cereals! It was a sweet ending to a sweet, sweet day.
Want an experience like Sam & Rusty's? Here's the rundown on our experience essentials partners:
Ceremony: St. Clarence Church
Reception: Weymouth Country Club
Wedding Planning & Design: Shi Shi Events Wedding Planning & Design
Photographer: Z Media
Floral: Vase to Vase
Linens: La Tavola Linen
Cake and Pastries: Flour Girl
Event Lighting: Shi Shi Events Lights, Sound, & Swag
Photobooth: Shutterbooth
Fireworks: Mad Bomber Fireworks Productions
Sushi: Sushi Rock
Guest Transportation: Lakefront Lines
Bridal Party Transportation: First Class Limo
