How to Create a Wedding That Feels both Editorial and Personal

Alana & Sam’s wedding didn’t just look like a magazine spread. It felt intentional, emotional, and unmistakably them. The secret was simple. They treated their wedding like a fully art-directed story, not a checklist of traditions.

Here’s a breakdown of how they achieved their signature style and how you can apply the same ideas to your own wedding, no matter your venue, budget, or guest count.

1. Start With a Venue That Already Tells a Story

Their approach: They skipped the blank slate. By choosing a venue filled with color, texture, and personality, they let the space do some of the design work for them.

Why it worked: A venue with character becomes part of your aesthetic instead of something you have to cover up or decorate around.

How to do this for your wedding:
Look for spaces that feel like art on their own. Museums, galleries, historic buildings, eclectic restaurants, or homes with strong architectural details are all great options. If the room already has mood, your design will feel richer instantly.

2. Use Florals as an Experience, Not Just Décor

Their approach: Florals were not an accent. They were the moment. Sculptural installations, flowers suspended from the ceiling, and citrus woven into arrangements made the florals feel alive and immersive.

Why it worked: Statement florals set the emotional tone and make the space feel transportive.

How to do this for your wedding:
Work with a florist who thinks in installations, not just centerpieces. Ask about movement, layering, unexpected ingredients like fruit or dried elements, or hanging florals that turn the room into an environment.

3. Dress Like Yourself and Turn the Volume Up

Their approach: Fashion-forward, but deeply personal. A clean, structured gown with no fuss. A groom in deep green velvet. Both looks felt confident, intentional, and timeless.

Why it worked: Their outfits photographed like an editorial while still feeling natural to wear.

How to do this for your wedding:
Forget trends for a moment and focus on identity. Choose silhouettes, fabrics, or colors that feel like an elevated version of your everyday style. When you feel like yourself, it shows, and it photographs beautifully.

4. Design Every Detail With Intention

Their approach: Nothing was random. From the custom watercolor of Baltimore in the invitation envelope liner to disco balls tucked into florals to dried citrus on the cake, every detail spoke the same visual language.

Why it worked: Consistency creates impact. When everything feels connected, the wedding feels designed, not decorated.

How to do this for your wedding:
Instead of picking a color palette and stopping there, think in textures, moods, and memories. Choose details that reference things you love, including materials, places, flavors, or eras, and let them repeat in subtle ways throughout the day.

5. Carry Your Aesthetic Through Every Touchpoint

Their approach: Paper goods were part of the art direction. Invitations, signage, menus, and programs all shared the same visual DNA with bold typography, warm tones, and a cohesive feel.

Why it worked: Guests experienced the design before they ever arrived and continued to experience it all night long.

How to do this for your wedding:
Do not stop at the invitation suite. Extend your visual identity to envelopes, table numbers, bar menus, escort cards, and programs. Thoughtful paper goods quietly elevate the entire guest experience.

6. Lead With Feeling, Not Just Style

Their approach: Every design choice had emotion behind it. The wedding was not just beautiful. It felt joyful, creative, and deeply personal.

Why it worked: Guests did not just see their style. They felt their story.

How to do this for your wedding:
Design from the inside out. If you love velvet, wear it. If citrus makes you happy, use it everywhere. Let your personal obsessions and comforts guide your choices. Beauty lands harder when it is honest.

The Big Takeaway

A wedding that looks editorial does not have to feel cold or over-styled. When it is built with intention, it becomes personal, emotional, and unforgettable. This wedding looked like a magazine spread. It felt like a love story. And that is the goal.