A Modern Industrial National Park-Inspired Celebration: The Real Wedding of Amanda and Vinny Schnayer

When going out for a night of fun with her college roommate, Amanda had no idea she would meet the love of her life. Vinny asked Amanda for a dance at Slugger's Sports Bar after going to a Zac Brown Band concert with friends. The rest is history! Over Labor Day weekend, Vinny proposed to Amanda at Starved Rock State Park in Illinois. Amanda shares, "His family has gone there every year for Labor Day weekend since he was a kid. He proposed in St. Louis Canyon because we lived in St. Louis together at the time." Afterward, there was an engagement party with both families and Amanda's best friend!
 

We love the unique rose details on Amanda's dress. "I only tried on three dresses at their studio before I tried the Rosa gown, and I knew it was the one right away," Amanda gushes. "The chai underlay accentuated the beautiful lace, and I was inspired to bring the white roses from my gown in to the floral design of our wedding day." This subtle color change makes the roses pop off her dress! We love how it complements Amanda's natural beauty. Amanda's classic bun also shows off the low-cut back of this stunning gown perfectly.
 

Amanda and her friends knew exactly how to start wedding planning. "The planning process started as a wine night with a friend looking at venues online and reading wedding magazines," Amanda explains. While she was looking, Amanda prioritized venues that had industrial touches with a modern feel. Once Amanda and Vinny had the venue booked, Amanda was able to use Instagram to find vendors who had worked with their venue before and knew how to best show off the space!
 

With the modern industrial theme in mind, Vinny and Amanda began to decide on décor for their wedding. "Vinny and I love the
National Parks, our goal is to visit each one together," Amanda says. They used their love for National Parks to inspire the table number cards. Each table was a different National Park. Terracotta, forest green and chai were the earthy tones they chose to highlight in their color palette to ground the National Park theme even more. And we love the way Danielle Schury Photography was able to capture all the unique details from Amanda and Vinny's day!

 

What We Love

For their first dance, Vinny and Amanda danced to "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley. Since they have always been a couple to dance like no one is watching and their relationship began with dancing, they took dance lessons to choreograph steps to this truly unforgettable moment. Amanda raves, "Performing our first dance together was one of my favorite parts of our wedding day. The faces of our guests (and vendors) during the overhead lift is a memory that will make me smile for years to come." Instead of a traditional guestbook, Vinny and Amanda asked guests to sign an Elvis vinyl as another nod to their special dance.
 

 

Advice from the Couple

Vinny and Amanda advise, "Take a private moment for yourselves after the wedding ceremony. I was not expecting to be so emotional after the ceremony, but I was overcome by the emotional magnitude of my dream day coming to life with all of my favorite people in one room. We took fifteen minutes to be alone in the bridal suite, enjoying our signature cocktails and appetizers. We got to sit together and process the emotions of the day in gratitude, reflecting and appreciating the various elements that made our day special."
 

 

 

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