Our Boston Public Library Wedding

Today’s post is very personal, and I’m so excited to finally share it with you guys: our wedding at the Boston Public Library. After being together for over 10 years, Nick and I tied the knot in the city where we met and started a life together. The majority of our friends and family are from out of town (and the country) so we wanted to show them Boston and everything we love here. We only visited one venue and knew right away that was it. The BPL embodies the history and charm of the city, and has a lot of meaning to us in little ways…we studied there together as college students, dug up the blueprints (from ~150 years ago!) of our first home together, walked by it daily to work, and to top it off, Nick’s mom is a librarian.

YouTube video
 

And here begins an overload of photos from the course of our day. Also, I wanted to share a few more of our favorite vendors for any brides-to-be planning a wedding!

boston library wedding flowers

Wedding Photographer & Videographer

After the venue came the search for a photographer and videographer. We assumed the day would be a whirlwind, and felt there’d be no better way to capture the sentiment and movement of everything (or in this case, our blubbering exchange of vows ; ) than on video. I feel this is a vendor that’s often overlooked and thought of second to photography, but was top on our priority list. We chose Long Haul Films based on recommendations from friends and could not have been happier (update: unfortunately, they no longer do weddings!). I wanted to repost their trailer video that they make for each wedding – we love how they incorporated the vintage inspirations from ours by using an old school Super 8 film camera for part of the footage.

Long Haul Films has offices in Boston, LA, and London but travels globally, and our photographer Katch Studios is based out of Edmonton, Canada. Both were a dream to work with. After initial meetings about our style and sharing of Pinterest boards and other inspiration, we were able to trust both teams fully on our wedding day.

boston library lazaro lace wedding gown

Our Florist

Pollen Floral Design (based in Boston but also does global projects) was another friend’s recommendation. We were very last minute with planning – I mentioned vaguely what I liked and the color scheme (soft ivory, pink, and a hint of french blue) and she completely ran with it. We got so many compliments on her bouquets and hairpieces!

wedding floral hair combs

manolo blahnik something blue jeweled wedding shoes

Something Blue (Wedding Shoes!)

I searched high and low for open-toed “something blue” shoes but couldn’t find any that were right. I ended up getting these Manolo Blahniks (here’s a very similar pair for under $100!), and borrowed a friend’s idea of DIY stitching bracelets to them as temporary embellishments.

east meets west chinese wedding dress

bridal robe getting ready shot

Bridal Hair & Makeup

Hair was first on my schedule for the day. I partnered with the TRESemmé team on both of my bridal hairstyles and absolutely loved the results! I had requested an updo first for the tea ceremony and a romantic, hair down-to-the-side look for the wedding. I wanted a clean look to show off the high neckline of my tea ceremony dress, and then loose curls to frame the shoulders for my strapless wedding gown. My TRESemmé stylist, Tyler Laswell, started by curling all of my hair and teasing volume up at the top. He then styled it into a twisted braid low-bun set a little off to the side.

wedding hair braided side bun updo

After the tea ceremony, Tyler transitioned my hair by leaving the volume up at the top and letting out the bun, which fell into those side-swept waves I wanted. We used a fresh floral comb made by my florist as the finishing accent in both looks.

boston library wedding getting ready

I was nervous in my search for a makeup artist as I’ve had several poor experiences in the past. The artists I had worked with before were often not familiar with playing up smaller, hooded eyes and short, stick-straight lashes. I went with Lisa Chy, another friend referral, and would highly recommend her in return. I did a trial with her during which we spent a lot of time working on the right look, plus I got to test out a full day wearing the makeup to note any issues (even watched a good ol’ sad movie to test the eye makeup lasting power ; )

boston library wedding lazaro lace dress

A few makeup tips for fellow brides – it was my first time trying airbrush makeup and I loved it for several reasons. When applied properly, it has: 1. awesome, build-able coverage that kept my face from becoming purple and splotchy when tearing up (this was a priority as I’m an ugly crier, through and through!); 2. actually felt light and “air”y to me; and 3. I found it to rub off a little less than regular foundation. Lisa also used it to mitigate some stark tan lines on my back and shoulders and I didn’t get too much color transfer onto my dress. On the eye makeup front, I don’t love strip falsies so Lisa used “flares” or singles lashes which I thought looked and felt better. They are applied one-by-one and can easily be layered based on how full you want them.

bridesmaid gifts chanel earrings

First Look: Copley Square

We had our first look behind Trinity church, which was a surprisingly quiet respite during a bustling afternoon in Copley Square.

boston wedding trinity church first look lazaro dress

The Groom & Groomsmen Outfits

I left the guys’ stuff up to Nick and in true guys’ fashion, found ourselves 2 weeks before the wedding with unclothed groom and groomsmen. For affordable skinny ties and smaller-sized bowties in every color imaginable, The Tie Bar was a lifesaver.

boston wedding trinity church

boston library wedding bhldn lazaro

Unique Details

The Boston Public Library doesn’t need much dressing up, but we wanted to include a few small touches here and there to make the day feel uniquely ours. We got antique props, including these suitcases and gold mirrored vanity trays, from SOWA vintage market. We both love digging there on the weekends for small treasures. And below that, we stole an idea from a few friends’ weddings to serve treats before the ceremony. We had our caterers, The Catered Affair, make mini matcha green tea and mango ice cream cones for guests to enjoy while getting seated—a great way to cool off during a hot summer wedding.

boston library wedding vintage suitcases welcome sign

 

wedding mini ice cream cones

The processional ~ I’ve never seen my sweet grandparents so dressed up! And I thought Nick’s mom looked darling in her Eliza J fit & flare dress (comes in petites).

wedding processional grandparents

My mother had her hands full with my elementary school-aged brother trotting by her side!

mother of the bride sue wong dress

The Bridesmaid Dresses

I was swooning at my bridesmaids’ mix-and-match BHLDN dresses and bouquets. I worked with each of them to pick a style that flattered their body type, staying within our general theme of champagne and blush pink. We included a mix of beading, sequins, lace, and a statement necklace (recognize this Baublebar piece? : ) for the solid dress.

bhldn bridesmaid dresses bouquets

boston library courtyard wedding dress aisle

boston library courtyard wedding dress

We had our first dance later up on the Juliet balcony while two of our close friends sang and played a slower acoustic guitar version of “Love me like you do” – it was one of the few tunes that Nick and I could agree on…little does he know what movie it’s from, ha!

boston library courtyard wedding vows

Our recessional was to “Everything is Awesome” from the Lego movie, which little brother Schuyler thoroughly enjoyed…

recessional dance

The Food!

We probably spent the most time planning out the menu and the least amount of time enjoying it…looking back, we probably would’ve skipped extra photos to join our guests! During cocktail hour we had mini truffled chicken pot pies, mini lobster rolls, and the most exciting to me – the DIY noodle bar. As a noodle enthusiast, I was salivating thinking of the options (udon, soba, or lo mein noodles with garlic chicken, spicy thai steak, ginger lime shrimp, veggies, and a variety of sauces and toppings). Most of our guests were full before dinnertime due to multiple helpings at this station.

asian noodle bar wedding

boston library wedding placecards1

Library-Themed Wedding Cards

Our paper items and signage were all created by Yours Truly Calligraphy, another friend’s referral (clearly, we couldn’t have planned this wedding without the help of our married friends!). In a panic, I reached out her just a few days before our wedding and she whipped up everything and had it express mailed from the West coast. She even hand-made these antiquated library cards, stained using tea.

wedding calligraphy bar signs

mini donuts stand wedding cake

My Wedding Dress & Veil

From the dresses in my closet, I’m sure you guys can tell I love a good lace and fitted pencil silhouette. On my wedding day, I wanted those same elements but with a little more drama, and this Lazaro dress (Style #3415) had everything I was looking for. I got a size 2 with hollow-to-hem customization, which is when they measure your height and then create the entire dress to be scaled lengthwise proportionate to that height. For ladies who are significantly shorter or taller than a sample size, I’d highly recommend this option if your gown designer offers it. I was pleasantly surprised that a bridal size 2 was completely fitted on me at the bust, waist, and hips with no alterations needed! The bottom skirted portion is very full so I did have a local tailor reduce that volume on both sides and also taper in the knee area (note: this was a pretty significant alteration given the amount of fabric). I also had them leave the lace flower corsages off while producing the gown, so I could addd them back on where I wanted them, along the back train.

boston library wedding bates hall1

My birdcage veil and sash belt were both easy DIY projects (UPDATE: here is my video tutorial on how to make both!). Being a true procrastinator, it was stressful working on these the day before our wedding, but it was worth it to be able to wear pieces that I made.

boston library wedding lazaro gown

My best advice for brides-to-be is that although the planning process can be stressful and a lot of things will go awry, never forget what you are doing it for and try to let go of the small stuff. I also wanted to give a heartfelt thank you to each one of you who shared kind words and congratulations on our marriage – Nick and I read every message and it means so much to us.

Our vendors:
Videographer: Long Haul Films
Photographer: Katch Studios
Wedding gown: Lazaro Style #3415
Tea ceremony dress: custom by Khatu Ho
Reception dress: Aidan Mattox (exact sold out) sz 0 hemmed
Bridal accessories: vintage earrings, DIY belt & veil (purchase similar veil)
Floral robes thanks to Plum Pretty Sugar
Bridesmaid dresses thanks to BHLDN
Florist: Pollen Floral Design
Hair in partnership with TRESemmé
Makeup: Lisa Chy
Tuxedo: J.Crew Ludlow
Men’s accessories: The Tie Bar 
DJ: Alamada Events
Lighting: Design Light Co
Tea ceremony coordination: Lemon Drop
Catering & day-of coordination: The Catered Affair
Mini donuts: Union Square Donuts
Bridal suite: Judy Garland suite at the Lenox
Venue: Boston Public Library

Previous wedding-related posts: you can read about Nick’s proposal here, our engagement photos in Paris here, our coed bridal shower here, and our Chinese wedding tea ceremony here!

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216 Comments

  1. Emma Celeste wrote:

    Ahhh! this gave me the chills AND made me tear up! What a beautiful love story and to have this captured so elegantly on video is priceless. You looked stunning and beaming with happiness. Wishing you lots of love!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  2. Isabel wrote:

    Absolutely stunning, Jean! I love that everything from the venue to your dress to the details of the flowers and color scheme all played beautifully together. There's no evidence of procrastination at all! I totally agree, having a perspective of relishing what the wedding represents as a lifelong commitment is far greater than any minute detail that can (and will) fall through the cracks.

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  3. Anonymous wrote:

    Thanks so much for sharing your special day with us! I feel like I've gotten to know you over the years and am truly happy for you both. Wishing you two a lifetime of happiness!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  4. Cassie wrote:

    I'm surprised you used a photographer all the way from Edmonton! We do have some great talent in the region though and based on your pictures I'd definitely say you made the right decision 🙂 Your photos are gorgeous! Everything came together so nicely. I loved the personalized vows in your wedding video. You two are such an adorable couple. Congratulations again!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  5. Cynthia Zalewsky wrote:

    Absolutely stunning Jean! I loved all of the unique and personal touches from the clothing to the food selection. Your video was so heartfelt and you will treasure these memories for many years to come! Thank you for sharing your beautiful and special day with us readers!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  6. Keri H wrote:

    Omg, wedding photos make me so sentimental and these are gorgeous! You look stunning and I love the keyhole back in your dress. Congratulations and thanks for sharing <3

    Enclothed Cognition

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  7. jaime wrote:

    Also forgot to ask – what are your plans for the wedding dress? Will you save it or try and rehab it for a different look? This is probably the first time I've seen coordinating bridesmaid dresses that can be worn in the future, I'm sure your bridesmaids appreciated that!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  8. Maggie Moore wrote:

    You looked GORGEOUS! This wedding looks like perfection.

    http://www.maggiealamode.com

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  9. jaime wrote:

    Thank you for sharing your special day! Absolutely beautiful color palette, especially that french blue. That florist definitely nailed it!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  10. bebe wrote:

    Thank you so much for sharing your wedding details — your vows brought tears to my eyes! I'm so happy for you both!!

    P.S. I've come to rely on your excellent taste and sizing advice (I'm 5'2" 106#) and am so grateful for your tips 🙂

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  11. Alyssa Gap wrote:

    Such a gorgeous wedding! Everything was so beautiful!!

    Alyssa | Glitter and Grey

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  12. Kat F. wrote:

    Jean, I'm pretty sure we're meant to be friends! I've followed your blog for quite some time (thanks, Google) and have always thought about the similarities in our lives. I, too, moved from Sunny San Diego to the east coast (Virginia) and met my future husband on the first day of freshman year. We dated nearly a decade before getting engaged (we did so shortly before you did) and are getting married in about a month. We have the similar wedding colors (champagne, blush, dusty blue) and I chose my bridesmaids dresses from BHLDN in January. It was a little crazy (and creepy) seeing it all unfold on your Instagram as we have such similar tastes! Did I mention that I'm also Filipino? I'm sure I'm sounding a little creepy now. Haha. Anyway, your wedding is absolutely stunning! Congratulations to you and Nick!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  13. Unknown wrote:

    Absolutely gorgeous and thank you for sharing with us your special day. Congratulations to you both.

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  14. little random happiness wrote:

    Awwww Jean! Both of your vows are so beautiful :*) Thank you for sharing your love story with us. Still swooning over the gorgeous details every time you share them hehe.

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  15. FranishTheBlog wrote:

    Oh Jean, that video made me tear up just a little. It looked like the most beautiful day, and your love for each other definitely shown through. Congrats again!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  16. tellmeyblog.com wrote:

    Such a pretty wedding! As a long term fan of yours, I am so touched to see you and Nick tie the knot. Congratulations again, Jean!

    xx
    Yvonne
    http://tellmeyblog.com

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  17. Kie wrote:

    Your wedding looked gorgeous! Can you please, please share the two tutorials for the birdcage veil and the bridal sash?

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  18. Carla Krae wrote:

    Wow, your wedding looks like it's from a movie. And they did a great job on the video. I teared up a bit when you guys did.

    One bit of advice I've always heard is that the bride and groom get very little to eat on the wedding day, so it's a lifesaver to ask the caterer to pack you a meal you can enjoy after it all ends.

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  19. Anonymous wrote:

    The video was so heartwarming! You looked perfectly beautiful in your wedding dress! Congratulations on your wedding! :')

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  20. prudence yeo wrote:

    Your wedding dresses are stunning and all these pictures are so heart-warming! Congratulations and wishing you the best!

    Love the idea of layering a slip dress over a polo neck top, very chic style!

    Prudence
    http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  21. mybeautrip wrote:

    Congrats! Your wedding dress is a drem and you look really happy!
    xx

    http://www.mybeautrip.com

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  22. Pauline Dao wrote:

    Hi Jean, what were the bridesmaids' accessories? I loved reading about your wedding and everything else. Congrats!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  23. Eden's Mirror wrote:

    this is so intensely personal wow thank you for sharing!! i wish you guys every happiness in your new life together 😀

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  24. Unknown wrote:

    Congrats! I walked by Nick Tuesday at lunch and almost had a fan girl moment, you two are adorable. Can I ask who your tailor was? I'm also in back bay and haven't found one I love yet!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  25. cherylnguyen wrote:

    OMG Jean, your wedding looked so beautiful! We share so many similarities! I didn't know your husband was from San Diego! That's where I'm from! And my wedding dress was from the dreamy Lazaro as well! I've been with my husband for 14 1/2 years total and married for 4 1/2 years with two kids now. :). We got married on our 10th year together! It's so nice to see other people who've been together for a long time. Wishing you and your hubby a lifetime full of everlasting bliss, love and laughters!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  26. winnie.fred wrote:

    Congratulations ! Loved your dress and all the little details ! Would love to see a tutorial on how to make the birdcage veil and sash !

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  27. Anonymous wrote:

    Congratulations! Everything was absolutely beautiful & splendid. I hope one day I get to have an amazing wedding as you, it is honestly a fairytale!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  28. Lauren Drew wrote:

    Absolutely stunning photos and video! Congratulations again from a fellow Bostonian 🙂

    -Lauren

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  29. Lisa wrote:

    Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing. All the Boston brides are lucky to have your vendor recommendations. 🙂 Congratulations!!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  30. Sasa Zoe wrote:

    Congrats, Jean! Your wedding is beautiful and amazing! Love your dress so much<3

    Shall We Sasa

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  31. Trinitayy wrote:

    i am so happy for you both! your vows are truly amazing, and Nick really has a way with words. beautiful – just everything is beautiful

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  32. Adasyn wrote:

    Congratulations, Jean and Nick! I've been a long-time follower of your blog and am so incredibly happy for you both! Your video highlight brought tears to my eyes. I wish you two a lifetime of happiness! Congrats again!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  33. webmul wrote:

    As a future bride-to-be, I find this post incredibly inspirational! What a beautiful wedding! Congrats to you and Nick!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  34. Loretta wrote:

    Georgous wedding! Truly dream like!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  35. Erika wrote:

    Love every detail!! Best wishes to you and Nick!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  36. Margaret wrote:

    I visited the Boston Public Library for the first time this past weekend and immediately thought of the beautiful wedding pictures you had posted. What a classy venue! Thanks for sharing your vendor information. It does seem like the planning process can be super stressful, but you can also think of it as a fun personal project. The end result is gorgeous 🙂

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  37. Lena wrote:

    Congratulations! I've been eagerly waiting for this post and it didn't disappoint 🙂 Would love to see a DIY post on the sash belt!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  38. Anonymous wrote:

    This is soooo beautiful! I teared up.. I've been following your blog for three years now.. It feels like watching a family member or a close friend getting married 🙂 Congratulations once again and Wish you all the very best in everything you do..

    Shenu

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  39. Faith wrote:

    Congratulations again, Jean and Nick! Your wedding is a dream come true. To many more days and memories together.

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  40. Trang Do wrote:

    Amazing photography!! Congrats once again!!
    Hugs,
    Love from http://www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  41. Audrey (holes In My brain) wrote:

    Your wedding looked absolutely gorgeous! I love the colour themes, and the photographs are just perfect 🙂 The donuts are so cute, and your description of the food there made me hungry haha. Congratulations to the two of you!!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  42. Payton wrote:

    Jean, your video is so sweet. What a precious day.

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  43. Patti wrote:

    What a beautiful wedding, love all the little details and the story behind the setting. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  44. Ella Pretty Blog wrote:

    The video was amazing – your vows made me cry – they were so sweet! Your outfits could not have been more beautiful! Thanks for sharing a glimpse of your special day <3

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  45. Mai Lowe wrote:

    SWOONNNNN!!!! Love every detail so much, but most of all LOVE how happy you guys look!!! Congratulations again!!!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  46. Anonymous wrote:

    I can't imagine anything more perfect than getting married in a library. Looks like a beautiful wedding. Congratulations!!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  47. D D wrote:

    Beautiful video! I don't personally know you, Jean & Nick, but I can feel the love that you tow have for each other. You guys are inspiring & I only hope to find for myself what you two have for each other. Happy Late Congratulations! Cheers, Wendy

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  48. Petite Picks wrote:

    LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Thank you so much for sharing.

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  49. Valerie wrote:

    Congratulations Jean! Your special day looks amazing! I'm currently planning for my wedding and hope it will come close to looking as beautiful as yours! Cheers!

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply
  50. Bella B wrote:

    Wow that looks incredible you look stunning in that dress and congrats your a beautiful bride!

    http://xoxobella.com

    Posted 9.24.15 Reply

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