Video games, crystals, pie and soot sprites!

We loved every nerdy detail of this brunch wedding!

two brides hold hands while sitting on swings

We aren’t big on following wedding trends, and we are seeing more and more couples plan alternative activities for their wedding receptions. We are especially loving the gaming trend! Planning with Lauren & Matt was a blast, as they knew from the start that they wanted to skip the dance floor and instead offer video game lounges to entertain their guests. We were able to incorporate their favorite games, movies, shows, and characters into their wedding day design, while keeping to their purple-leaning jewel tone color scheme!

two brides hold hands while sitting on swings
two brides hold hands while sitting on swings

Lauren wore a two piece outfit, with a skirt and top she found on Etsy from Wardrobe by Dulcinea and SeniDey. And boy does Lauren know how to accessorize! Her beautiful veil was from Noon on the Moon, and we just adored her bejeweled lavender flats. And that crown! And basically everything she wore. #bridegoals

A pair of lavender colored ballet flats with clear rhinestone embellishments.
A bride with bright electric blue hair stand holding her veil over her left arm as she looking down toward the floor.
Close up side angle of a bride with electric blue hair in an updo. She's also wearing a silver jeweled tiara and a veil.
Close up on a pair of white hands holding a silver necklace against a wedding dress.

While Lauren worked with several Etsy designers on her bridal attire, Matt decided to get a completely custom suit from SF Tailors! The suit was lined with fabric he ordered from Spoonflower, and he was not to be outdone by Lauren’s accessorizing- check out his sweet cuff links, tie, and boutonniere pin!

Close up of a groom's wrist as he puts on custom cufflinks.
A bald groom with his back turned to us appears to be buttoning up his vest. He stands in front of a mustard yellow curtain.
Close up on the inside of a vest, so we can see the pattern of the lining.
Close up on the chest of a groom dressed in a dark grey suit. The suit is buttoned, but we can see a white shirt and matching dark grey vest underneath, along with a blue tie. He also wears a succulent boutoinere.
A groom in a dark grey suit holds out his blue tie for us to see. On the tie are outlines of 20-sided dice.

Lauren & Matt got married in the round! Round ceremony seating works great for lower guest counts, and really adds to the intimate feel. We worked their officiant so that they all turned a few times during the ceremony, giving everyone a good view! Lauren has an eye for design and created a lot of the paper details herself, including the floppy disc shaped reserved signs for the ceremony seating.

They also did a ring warming, passing their wedding rings around in a little bag (the Bag of Holding) during the beginning of the ceremony so that guests could fill them with good vibes before they exchanged the rings. And speaking of the rings… these custom bands from HTY Jewelry are definitely on our list of top 5 most amazing rings of all time!!!

Round ceremony seating, chairs in a circle.
A groom holds a tiny black bag with one hand while gesturing to it with the other. His bride stands smiling nearby, holding a colorful bouquet of paper flowers.
Three white gold wedding rings sit on a table. The rings are clearly custom made, with a variety of clear and blue stones and a star shape.

Guests enjoyed cocktail hour in the Cookery’s front room with Zelda themed signature cocktails. The Cookery’s chalkboard wall was designed by The Oblique Pen, and showcased some of Lauren & Matt’s favorite fandoms including Zelda, World of Warcraft, and Pokemon. Their card box was the Weighted Companion Cube from Portal, and for their guestbook they asked guests to write messages on postcards and place them in an “Up” style mailbox! In addition, we had brain teaser puzzles placed throughout the room along with crystals and wood flowers. 

Chalkboard on a brick wall, showing colorful chalk drawings of various video game characters, including Zelda.
A metal and wooden brain teaser puzzle sits on a wooden cocktail table along with colorful crystals.

As guests moved to the ballroom for brunch, they were directed to find their seats at, you guessed it, fandom themed tables! Table names drew inspiration from Lord of the Rings, Borderlands, Star Trek, and World of Warcraft, and The Oblique Pen created amazing centerpiece signs for each table!

A gold ring lays around a white sign on a grey table.

Lauren opted for sola wood flowers instead of fresh, and so she was able to keep her bouquet (no preservation required) and resell the individual blooms used for decor! Pine & Petal Weddings provided the beautiful custom bouquet, and an assortment of loose wood and paper blooms we used along with crystals and stones that Lauren already had. 

Purple blue and white wood flowers bouquet, held by a white bride wearing white.
Purple blue and white wood flowers bouquet, held by a white bride wearing white.
Flower blooms made from book pages sit on a dark grey surface.
A small round sweetheart table is decorarted with a adark grey velvet cloth and topped with book page flowers. At the center is a metal vase holding a bouquet of purple and blue wood flowers.

Just because you have a brunch wedding doesn’t mean you don’t get to do dessert…. this epic dessert table featured a variety of pies along with a small cutting cake. And these cake toppers were just perfect- Link & Zelda!

A small cake sits on a silver cake stand. On top of the cake are figurines of Link and Zelda.
Close up on pies displayed on a table.

When the party came to an end, guests said farewell by tossing paper airplanes at Lauren & Matt as they left! This was one of our favorite exits ever, and definitely a fun one in the daylight! Lauren ordered these intricate paper planes on Etsy with sheets of music, but you could totally ask your guests to make paper airplanes themselves! Guests were also invited to take a thank you favor- lotto scratch off lotto cards with cute little “Quest Complete!” tags that Lauren designed herself!

A bride with electric blue hair and a groom in a dark suit walk toward us arm in arm, as guests throw paper airplanes around them.
A black metal basket holds a bunch of paper airplanes folded with music sheets.

Big thank you to all the vendors who worked on this super fun wedding! 

Venue & Bar: The Cookery
Planner: Emily Katherine Events
Photography: Timmester Photography
TV & Video Game System Rentals: Island Sound
Catering: Sage & Swift
Dessert: East Durham Pie Company
Florist: Pine & Petal Weddings
Rentals: American Party Rentals

Lounge Rentals: The Prettiest Pieces

Hair & Makeup: Color Outside the Lines
Officiant: Sanctuary Interfaith Spiritual Care
Lauren’s Attire: Wardrobe by Dulcinea and Senidey
Veil: Noon on the Moon

Matt’s Suit: SF Tailors

Invitations: Alicia’s Infinity

Chalk Art & Centerpieces: The Oblique Pen
Rings: HTY Jewelry

Childcare: Platinum Sitters