Whimsical Pittsburgh Opera Wedding

There just aren’t enough words in the English language for me to properly capture how much I love this wedding from Hot Metal Studio. Not only is bride Betsy one of the cutest we’ve ever seen, but she knows how to rock a flirty dress like nobody’s business and pick the most perfect vendors for her wedding day vision, right down to her venue, Pittsburgh Opera House. Let’s jump in, shall we?

From the bride, Betsy: Ian and I are a bit of a non traditional couple, so we knew from the beginning of the planning process that things were going to be a little different. We wanted our guests to walk into the space and immediately know that they were celebrating our special day, so that meant having some things that might make most brides shudder, like a car to hold gifts and cards. In the car’s defense, it is Ian’s beloved 1960 Austin Mini named Duckworth, which is practically a part of the family since it forged the friendship of Ian and his best man, Scott, and also helped Ian and I take the next step in our relationship, as it was part of the proposal. We also wanted our guests to feel like they were a part of the celebration, and not just there to observe our wedding, so a feeling of intimacy and coziness was important to us.

Our wedding was very whimsical, with vintage elements. We didn’t have a theme, but we did work within a color scheme which was shades of blush and tangerine (think sorbet colors) with navy. We did have a few DIY projects for the wedding, but kept it limited to maintain our sanity. The table numbers, photos of Ian and myself at corresponding ages, were assembled by myself and Ian’s sister, who was also a bridesmaid. Ian and I worked on the ceremony program window together, as we didn’t want to have paper programs that would only end up in the trash at the end of the night (we found a vintage window pane and used a paint pen to trace the names of those involved in the ceremony). We also spray painted vintage shutters which held the printed escort cards.

Any advice for couples planning their weddings now? Don’t go crazy making sure that everything is absolutely perfect, as it’s an impossible task. My saving grace was knowing that only I, and a few vendors, knew what things were really supposed to look like. None of our guests knew what I was picturing in my head (or what I had on my secret Pinterest board), so if tables were out of place and the timeline was a bit off, no one knew or noticed. Do your best to get the big things out of the way as soon as you can, that way you can really enjoy the last several months of being engaged. Ask recently married friends for suggestions on everything! Most of our vendors were recommended by friends, or even other vendors, and they were all fantastic and exceeded our expectations.

See Also

Intimate Wedding in Georgia in Bold Pink

Wedding Music:
Processional: “In My Life,” The Beatles (acoustic guitar)
Bride’s Processional: “Hoppipolla,” Sigur Ros
Recessional: “You Make My Dreams,” Hall & Oates (acoustic guitar)
Introductions (parents and bridal party): “Don’t Stop Me Now,” Queen
Bride and Groom Introduction: “How’d You Like That,” The Kooks
First Dance: “The Guide,” Borne (acoustic guitar)
Cake Cutting: “Lover,” Devendra Banhart
Father/Daughter Dance: “Wildflowers,” Tom Petty
Mother/Son Dance: “Rainbow Connection,” Kermit version
Last Dance: “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough,” Michael Jackson

Wedding Location: Pittsburgh, PA / Photographer: Hot Metal Studio / Flowers and Decor: Jimmy Lohr of greenSinner / Coordinator: Kristie Caro / Venue: Pittsburgh Opera House / Wedding Dress: Coco Anais via Bridal Beginning / Bride’s Veil: Bridal Beginning / Bride’s Shoes: Sam Edelman via Nordstrom / Bride and Bridesmaids’ Earrings: Sorrelli / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Adrianna Papell via Nordstrom / Groom and Groomsman Suits: Tommy Hilfiger via Macy’s / Groom’s Shirt: Thomas Pink / Groom’s Bow Tie: PinchAndPull / Groom’s Shoes: Cole Haan via Nordstrom / Groomsman Shirts: Calvin Klein via Macy’s / Groomsman Ties: Alfani via Macy’s / Wedding Caterer: Pete Medure of Medure’s Catering / Wedding Cakes: Katrina Finn / Alcohol: Dreadnaught Wines / Musician/DJ: Joel Lindsey / Officiant: Amy Lindsey / Wedding Invitations: OliveandRuby / Vehicle Decor: B&W Autosport / Shuttle Service: Elite Transportation Group