page 128 X metropolitan weddings X WINTER / SPRING 2021
written by | MICHAELA SATTERFIELD photographed by | JESSICA YAHN Photography
�picture perfect�
Murphy ’ s law , which says anything that can go wrong will go wrong , took a break for David and Amber Martin ’ s big day . Other than forgetting to eat during the reception in the whirlwind of talking to guests and dancing the night away , their wedding was flawless . “ If anything went wrong ,” Amber said , “ they didn ’ t tell us .”
The couple met at work five years ago and got engaged November , 2019 . The proposal fell into place much like the wedding , but not without some trial and error . David had the perfect spot picked out to pop the question while sightseeing on a weekend trip in Chicago . However , the Windy City showed its true colors and the spot ended up being too windy for his perfect vision . He went with his second plan , an equally memorable spot – on an observation deck at the top of a building overlooking the city . He advises all grooms-to-be to have multiple plans in place for the proposal .
They began planning the wedding right away . Working with a wedding planner , Allie Chaney of Allie Rose Events , was one of their first moves . “ She helped a lot ,” Amber said . They only had to visit a few venues before landing on the perfect one : the Veridian Events . The space was roomy enough to allow for social distancing . The couple invited fewer people than originally planned due to covid-19 , but it was important to them to keep the same date . The downtown location of their venue also made it easy for out-of-town guests to find a nearby hotel .
Amber quickly found the perfect dress at Gracie ’ s Bridal . There was debate about whether it was the right one initially , but everyone was in agreement by the time she walked down the aisle . The white popped next to the grey and maroon color scheme , which Amber had always wanted . She also loved eucalyptus leaves , so including lots of greenery from Shannon ’ s Custom Florals in the décor was a no-brainer . Pinterest provided the rest of the inspiration .
With the help of Amber ’ s mom , the wedding was planned in a couple of months with plenty of time to spare before the wedding day . The last task the couple completed was setting up catering . After that , they had several months to eagerly anticipate the big day without any stress .
When the day finally came , David got to see his bride for the first time that day walking down the aisle , as there was no first look photo . Instead of a flower girl , Amber ’ s arrival was announced by a junior bridesmaid , David ’ s niece , carrying a balloon that said , “ Here comes the bride .” Three bridesmaids and three groomsmen stood by David and Amber ’ s side . The couple opted for traditional vows so they wouldn ’ t cry in front of everyone , but exchanged personal letters beforehand . Amber said their officiant , Pastor Phillip Wright , made the ceremony special . They didn ’ t know the pastor before asking him to officiate their wedding , but he made the ceremony so personable that everyone thought the couple had known him for a long time .
David and Amber both agreed the speeches were one of their favorite parts of the day . Amber ’ s sister , the maid of honor , and David ’ s best friend , the best man , each gave heartwarming speeches . Amber ’ s dad , however , stole the show with a speech he started planning as soon as he found out about the engagement – almost a year before the wedding .
Amber ’ s advice to future brides is simple : “ Don ’ t sweat the small stuff ,” she said . Following this advice is , no doubt , one of the reasons David and Amber ’ s wedding ran so smoothly . She said , in the end , it will all work out . If not , just make sure no one tells you what went wrong . Murphy ’ s law will have nothing on your picture perfect day . XmW