Modern Romantic Wedding Ideas with Family Heirlooms

We’re getting back to our vintage roots with this stylish shoot from Lissa Ryan Photography, Ivy and Honor, and Le Fleur du Jour, created around incorporating family heirlooms into a romantic wedding ideal for modern couples. With moody hues, a custom cocktail, and some of the most beautiful blooms on the east coast, this shoot is ready to inspire!

From the photographer, Lissa Ryan Photography: In developing the concept behind this shoot, we wanted to focus on meaningful details that reflect the couple and/or family and from there we decided to incorporate the theme of “heirlooms.” Cate of Ivy & Honor decided that the best way to incorporate heirlooms was to use actual heirlooms, so she turned to her own families’ treasured items: the large family Bible used in the ceremony has been passed down through her family for generations; the copper tray is from India and has hung above Cate’s grandparents’ fireplace as long as she could remember; the vintage Dior frame features pictures of her in-laws’ wedding day in Burgundy, France; and the chairs at the table are from the dining room table that was in Cate’s husband’s grandparents’ house–a family run vineyard in France–that they now sit at for their family meals. Each item has so much significance and family meaning, weaving that heirloom thread throughout the shoot.

Other touches were also meant to mimic family heirlooms. Orange pomanders are placed on the table as a way to spread a seasonal fragrance, but it’s also a Christmas tradition from Cate’s own childhood. The Trumpet and Horn ring is vintage-inspired and meant to look like something that had been passed down. Our bride wears a vintage wax crown that could have been worn by her grandmother at her wedding. Although we wanted to incorporate heirlooms, we didn’t want the shoot’s theme to be overly vintage–we had couples in mind who still wanted a stylish, modern big day while incorporating family traditions. So we used a fresh and modern palette of marmalade, cream, greens, deep grayish raspberry, balanced off by a french blue – we pulled that incredible floral palette together with organic white plates, linen napkins, and copper accents with our flatware and floral vessels. The beautiful invitation suite by Lady G features a hand drawn sketch of the Black Horse Inn. Our couple has a signature cocktail featuring a rye whiskey, Catoctin Creek, that is made just down the road from our venue.