Amy + Will: Old World Elegance

Friendship is a precious part of every committed relationship, so why not make it the cornerstone? In August 2004 on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus, Will, the captain of the Pitt drumline, and Amy, the newest member of the majorette team, Golden Girls, crossed paths for the first time. The two were instantly friends; they just “clicked.”

Amy and Will, newlyweds
They kept in touch through the years and grew a solid friendship, but it wasn’t until November 2009 that they began dating. And that’s when things really fell into place. They had each other, they had new jobs, life was good! On Monday, November 7, 2011, Amy came home from work to find Will, who generally gets home before her, dressed in a crisp white button-down shirt preparing sesame chicken for dinner. Amy was touched that her lovely boyfriend could be so spontaneously sweet, but she had no idea what Will had up his sleeve. She changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt, and Will opened up a bottle of wine and told her to relax. During dinner, Amy began to notice that Will was acting a bit “off,” but still didn’t suspect anything unusual was going on. After dinner, Will led her into the living room where he had a few candles lit and asked her to dance. As he held her in his arms, he told her just how much he loved her. In the middle of one of his sentences, he got down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. Completely and utterly stunned, Amy mumbled “Are you serious?” and with sincerity in his eyes, he answered “Yeah, I’m pretty serious.” She promptly delivered an enthusiastic “YES!”
Amy and Will's custom clutch pocket wedding invitation and wedding rings

Amy and Will wanted their wedding to have a timeless and classic feel to it, so they kept their colors basic with black and white with a few touches of gold. When envisioning their invitations, they wanted the same classic feel and simple elegance. The Green Kangaroo’s Design a Clutch product seemed just right – unique just like their special day would be! Starting with a blank slate, they chose regal script and block fonts, Textured Antique White paper and an Asphalt Shimmer clutch. For a personal touch, they asked TGK’s design team to digitally recreate Will’s family crest to use as a motif. Closer to the big day, they ordered coordinating programs on Champagne Shimmer paper, for a little extra dazzle.

Amy and Will's classic, vintage-inspired attire

Many elements throughout the day reflected the couple’s style and personalities. The overall décor was minimal; they chose to focus heavily on the details, starting with attire. Will wore traditional morning dress that included his grandfather’s pocket watch and Amy wore a vintage-inspired fit-n-flare ivory beaded gown.

Amy's handmade brooch bouquet

Amy’s biggest DIY project for the wedding involved a good deal of handy work. The boutonnières, corsages and bouquets were all handmade! When Amy began planning the wedding, she was quickly sold on the idea of a brooch bouquet – flowers weren’t an option. After pricing brooch bouquets, however, she realized that was not quite in her budget! Unwilling to let that kill her vision, she courageously took on the task herself (enlisting Will’s help to cut those sturdy wires!) To make her crafted bouquet extra special, each and every piece of jewelry she used came from her mother and grandmothers. “It was a great way to honor my heritage while maintaining that sparkle and shine,” Amy said.

The Grand Concourse restaurant located in the beautifully restored Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Station, Pittsburgh, PA

The reception venue — the Grand Concourse restaurant of the restored Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Station, a Pittsburgh historic landmark — further carried their theme of simple style and elegance. No centerpieces, no chair covers, no up lighting, just beautiful, natural architecture. To play off of the history of the venue, and because of their shared travel obsession, they chose to have vintage-train-ticket place cards and tables named after various cities they’ve visited. Guests loved dining around the world: in New York, San Francisco, Vienna, and beyond!

The smooth sounds of the Boilermaker Jazz Band finished setting the perfect scene, while guests satisfied their sweet tooth on red velvet cupcakes and 15 different types of cookies.

At one point that evening, all of the guests were asked to gather for one big group picture. One picture was ‘all smiles’ and one was ‘funny,’ complete with silly faces, bunny ears, and even some joyful jumping! When it came time to send out thank you cards, they used a bride-and-groom picture on the front, but tucked the group photo inside as a nice surprise for their guests.

Amy and Will's ceremony at Heinz Chapel

Nearly everything came off without a hitch, but what wedding doesn’t have a few hiccups? During the ceremony at the University of Pittsburgh’s Heinz Chapel, when the bride and groom were about to read their self-written vows, the justice of the peace turned to Amy first and asked if she would read her vows aloud to Will. And then it hit her: she didn’t have her vows with her! Not skipping a beat, she turned to Will, held his hand, and said “I cannot start our marriage with a lie. I left my vows in the limo.” This of course elicited chuckles from the guests, but Amy quickly recovered with heartfelt sentiments on the spot. In the spirit of the day, Will followed suit and spoke his feelings off-the-cuff, even though he had his vows safely stowed in his pocket.

Amy and Tim's emotional "first look"

Their very favorite moment from the day happened early on. They opted for a first look before the ceremony, which they found quite special and emotional. “I really recommend this for couples. Not only do the pictures turn out great, but you get to have that one-on-one moment that’s only between you two,” Amy said. “After that first look, everything else was a breeze.”

Amy and Will's blazing kiss

All photographs courtesy of Kristen Wynn Photography.

If you’d like us to feature your unique event, please email us at blog@theamericanwedding.com!

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