An Extravagant Boho Celebration in South Bend: The Real Wedding of Jessica and Robert Kauffman

After spending multiple months locked down in California during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jessica came home to Indiana to go out with her best friend. Two drinks into the evening, their server told them that a gentleman at the bar was buying them another round of drinks and would pay their tab. With three drinks of liquid courage and some food in her, Jessica was ready to thank the guy who had paid for their drinks, but he had already left. "When we were ready to leave the bartender came and handed me a paper with Robert’s name and phone number on it," Jessica recalls. They went on a date the next night, and Robert proposed during a Labor Day party in 2021!
 

"Dress shopping was my favorite part of the whole wedding planning process. I’ve always loved fashion so anything to do with clothing has always really interested me," Jessica admits. After following a few bridal salons on Instagram for a while, Jessica had an idea of some stores she wanted to check out. She tried on a few styles in another store before finding one she liked and heading to the boutique she wanted to check. The second dress she tried on ended up being 'the one'. Jessica fell in love with the beaded bodice and extravagant tulle skirt, and we did too! 
 

One of our favorite touches of this elegant affair was the addition of their harpist, Meg Rodgers, to the ceremony. Nothing is more unique or opulent than having your own personal musician to serenade your guests! We think she was the perfect addition to this wedding and very fitting for the venue's ambience. 

 

Some of the member's of Jessica's bridal party were married within two years of her own wedding, so they were a huge help to her when it came to planning. Many of the vendors she hired—from recommendations by her married friends—also helped her vision solidify. "My wedding theme was neutral boho. I really liked the movement and fullness of pampas grass, so that was a lot of my theme was based around," Jessica explains. "I was really drawn to the color rust but I knew it can be a very overpowering color so it needed to be used sparingly. I also really like the elegance of the bright white so I wanted to find a way to blend that in with the bright rust color." We are obsessed with how B Graves Photography captured the beauty of this day!
 

 

What We Love

Jessica made sure that both her father and step-father were included in her wedding. "I was able to have both my father and step-father walk my down the aisle and take part in the father daughter dance. I lost my step father on December 10th, so having this opportunity on my special day is priceless," Jessica shares.
 

 

Advice from the Couple

Jessica and Robert advise, "Decision fatigue is a real thing! Don’t be afraid to let other people make some decisions for you. For example,I let my mother decide what food we would have while getting ready for the wedding. The most expensive vendor is not always the best vendor! Do your research, make sure you aren’t spending more for something you could get at a more reasonable price with a great vendor. Send your invitations early and expect RSVPs to arrive extremely late. I was still getting RSVPs in the mail weeks after the wedding!"
 

 

 

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