Art Deco Elegance in Grand Rapids: The Real Wedding of Kiley and Taylor Boonenberg

Before Taylor was slated to go back to college in the Upper Peninsula, he met up with some friends for a boys' skate night. They ended up in a bar, where he met Kiley for the first time, but both of them were too shy to get to know one another. As fate would have it, a few months later Taylor was back in town and ran into Kiley again! With some encouragement from her friends, Kiley plucked up the courage to ask him to dance and they ended up dancing the night away and then exchanged phone numbers. In July of 2022, Taylor took Kiley on a surprise date to Blanford Nature Center where Kiley worked as a planner and even planned Taylor's brother's wedding. Choosing a spot in front of Mother Maple—a giant maple tree on the property—Taylor got down on one knee and asked for Kiley's hand!
 

Right after she got engaged, Kiley went dress shopping with her mom to find what style she liked best. "Months later, my girlfriends all wanted to go dress shopping with me so they made the appointment," Kiley shares. "I tried on five or six dresses before trying on my dress. I got full-body chills and I just knew this was my dress." We think the elegant fit-and-flare, off-the-shoulder gown that she chose it simply stunning! Her classic bun, polka dot veil and bold red lip are also beautiful touches.
 

Since Kiley was an event planner for several years, it was easy for her to narrow down what she wanted for their big day. Kiley explains, "I knew I
wanted a 'moody' vibe with less traditional activities. My main goal for the whole planning process was to have a great party." Getting married in November meant that darker colors were a must for Kiley and Taylor. They landed on black, gold and red hues mixed with a touch of pink and white. It all came together for a gorgeous Art Deco-style celebration!
 

Family means everything to Kiley, so she wanted to find ways to honor them throughout the day. "I had a photo of my great-grandmother that we attached to my bouquet. She was the person I looked up to and had a very close relationship with," Kiley gushes. Kiley also sported a bracelet with three pearls to honor her parents as an only child. Other ways she honored her family included asking both her parents to walk her down the aisle and wearing her grandmother's wedding ring. Kiley's mom had a surprise for Kiley, too, when she had Kiley's baby blanket turned into a garter. However, Kiley's dress was just a tad too fitted for her to be able to wear it.
 

 

What We Love

When it came time to choose their vendors, Kiley and Taylor fell in love with their photographer, Love Photography by Katie VanderWal.  "We picked Love Photography because I got along so well with Katie. We had a quick Zoom call and I knew she was the one," Kiley raves. "She totally captured the moody vibe I was going for. The photos are AMAZING." We love how Katie was able to perfectly photograph the rich colors they used in their wedding color scheme, along with their love for one another.
 

 

Advice from the Couple

Kiley and Taylor advise, "Honestly, hire a wedding planner. Someone needs to be the 'go-to' for day-of issues that happen. Remember that you control your attitude which will control the experience. Allow for space for things to not go as planned. You will remember these the most. I forgot my vows and it was hilarious and embarrassing, but totally memorable. At the end of the day - this is really for you and your partner so do what is best for both of you. Good luck!"
 

 

 

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