Eliza + Brigham look like the kind of couple you just want to squeeze (as Kristin would say) because they look so happy and in love! The two met while teaching at the same school and made every excuse to see each other during the day, from relocating distracted students to another class to borrowing Sharpies. We love how their roles as teachers made its way into their big day. Guests chose an apple to find their seating arrangements and leave sticky notes of marriage advice and the couple used fun chalkboard signage throughout the day. The details sure did make Eliza + Brigham’s venue look sweet — but it only gets better when you learn that their big day took place on Brigham’s family farm. What a perfect place to start your married life!
Giant hugs to Abby Jiu who snapped all these lovely photos of E + B’s wedding!
Tell us about finding your wedding dress. The whole process was much easier than I expected! I knew I wanted a simple dress that didn’t overwhelm my (very!) short frame and one that went with casual, country feel of our wedding, and was lucky to find a dress I loved right away!
It was really important to us that we were able to spend as much time with our guests as possible once they arrived, so we decided to do a “first look” so that we could get all of our photos done before the wedding began, while also making sure that we did not miss out on the magical moment of getting to see each other for the first time. While we initially made this decision for pragmatic reasons, it ended up being one of our favorite memories from the day — a moment just for us before the excitement (and chaos!) of the wedding began.
What an amazing photo! I just love the laugh Eliza and her dad are sharing before the ceremony.
We put together our own vows based on a mix of phrases and verses that spoke to us. A favorite passage from our vows is: “From this day on, I will be your partner and companion, for you are my dearest love and my best friend. I look forward to the joy we will find in each other’s separate successes, as well as in those we share. I welcome the challenge of whatever obstacles we encounter, for I know that whatever we face, we face together.”
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? We got married on Brigham’s family farm in Poolesville, Maryland, so our wedding definitely had a Southern vibe built right in! We also added some “Southern details” of our own, such as using red bandanas as dinner napkins and serving comfort food like fried chicken and mac and cheese!
Our favorite detail of the wedding was: In keeping with our teacher theme, we had an easel to which our guests stuck post-it notes of advice for life and love.
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. Neither of us are big fans of wedding cake so we went with apple and chocolate pie!
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? Planning a wedding in September — the busiest time of year for teachers!
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? A fabulous band that got everyone out on the dance floor!
How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We met while teaching at the same DC charter school. The magnetism was there from the start, and we would invent every possible excuse to visit each other’s classrooms — relocating distracted students to “buddy class,” borrowing Sharpies, etc.
Describe the proposal. Brigham came over to my apartment after work on a Friday, and awkwardly asked me to join him for a glass of wine on the building’s rooftop deck overlooking Rock Creek Park. I found his urgency strange on a cold, windy evening, but was still shocked when he took to a knee on the roof and asked for my hand. My response was “Are you kidding me?!” which he took for a “yes.”
In what month did you get married? September
How many guests attended your wedding? 225
Describe your wedding flowers. We went a bright mix of rustic flowers in rich fall colors that would compliment the natural beauty of the farm where we were married.
Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. Our first dance was the Jackson 5’s “ABC,” which got the party started as only two teachers could. We relieved Brigham’s dancing anxiety and my fear of public performance by having everyone join us on the dance floor after 30 seconds or so. The band ‘Round Midnight got the party going with all our Motown favorites, and channeled everything from Van Halen to Lady Gaga.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? Looking back at all of our family and friends as we walked through the evening sunshine at the end of the ceremony!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Try not to sweat the details so that you can really enjoy what the day is all about!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We’re taking a long-awaited honeymoon to Italy this summer, then we both start in new roles at DC charter schools, which will keep us busy but growing. Our new puppy, Otis Redding Kiplinger is a trial run for the family we look forward to starting some day!
[…] out Eliza and Brigham’s adorable wedding on Southern Weddings blog. I loved helping this amazing couple bring their wedding to to life. Abby Jiu did an amazing […]
Thanks ladies for blogging this sweet wedding!
xo
[…] Enjoy these pretty photos by the talented Abby Jiu. You can also check out their lovely wedding on Southern Weddings blog. xo, […]