I must have heard that question at least 50 times, followed by a look of bewilderment when I responded that we didn’t really have one. I know it makes things easier and helps you to visualize a final product, but flea markets didn’t have color schemes. Alas, in the end, one ended up emerging, but it literally wasn’t until the few weeks before the wedding!

It started with my dress, which is “Leah” by Elizabeth Fillmore. I found it on my lunch break with my co-worker (also one of my best friends and bridesmaids). It was not a big event, my mom and sister weren’t there and there was no champagne clinking. It was low-key and mellow, very much as I had wanted. Although, Alana did make me hug her when I said this was the dress.

Then came my three bridesmaids. I never wanted all of the girls to wear matching dresses and I did not want them to spend a lot of money for them. I knew I wouldn’t be getting the dresses from a bridal salon so I hit the internet for cocktail dresses. Nordstrom, Macys, Dillards, everywhere I could think that might have some affordable options that they might actually want to wear again.

The decision was made pretty quickly that a Maggie Sottero silver strapless cocktail dress would be a great choice for two. They both liked it a lot, and it was reasonably priced, so that was settled. My sister’s dress took a little longer to decide on, like three weeks before the wedding. A bargain at $30, her light light peach dress eventually ended up setting the tone for the wedding. A quick DIY flower sash gave it a little extra pop.

The guys were easy. Jon knew tuxes weren’t appropriate for our wedding, nor did he see himself ever wearing one. And he was the one that wanted to wear the converse (even before he knew it was a “trendy” wedding idea!) So grey suits and converse it was. The peach striped ties came into play two weeks before the wedding and I made the boutonnieres out of some fabric and feathers.

So somehow our “late-in-the-game” wedding attire ended up dictating our color scheme, since we didn’t decide on flowers until three weeks before the wedding as well! You’ll see those later.

* images by Aaron Ingrao, edited by me