See a Unique Color Palette in this Elegant Southwest Michigan Fall Celebration: The Real Wedding of Katie and Nick Knowles

After meeting virtually during COVID, Katie and Nick went out for the first time in June of 2020 when restaurants had started to reopen. Nick even stopped by a gas station beforehand to make sure Katie would have a mask if she didn't bring one, then became a jokester at dinner. "My favorite food is mac and cheese, which, I (of course) ordered for dinner on our first date," Katie admits. "Nick joked that 'If you order mac and cheese two dates in a row, I’ll put a ring on it,' and eventually he did!" On the shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, Michigan, Nick got down on one knee and asked Katie to marry him on June 1, 2021.
 

When it came to wedding dress shopping, Katie thought she knew exactly what she was going to walk out with, but she was happily surprised. thinking that she wanted to have more of a princess look with an A-line or ballgown silhouette, Katie tried those on at her first few appointments and actually walked out with an A-line dress. As time went on, she second guessed that choice and decided last minute to go for another fitting. "The second dress Katrina put me in ended up being my dress. It is a mermaid dress," Katie explains. "The more fitted style immediately gave me the feeling I was looking for (but couldn’t identify). I felt like the dress became part of me, rather than like I was playing dress-up." We think she absolutely made the right choice and looks absolutely stunning in that gown!
 

Having been to too many weddings that feature warm-tone colors, Katie knew she wanted to go a different way with a highlight on the floral arrangements. "I wanted something bolder and more playful to fit our personalities," Katie shares. "I came up with the palette for our day which I monikered 'bright jewel tones.' The deep ruby and plum tones pulled in classic fall colors, while the pops of brighter pinks made it feel fresh and new." To complete the palette, Katie and Nick decide to add various shades of blue. 
 

With a blended taste herself, Katie struggled to find a venue that fit for them in near their Grand Rapids home. Nothing seemed to be the right blend of rustic, romantic, and elegant without leaning too far one way or the other. So, Katie expanded her search and found the right locale in Revial Wedding Barn. Katie raves, "I fell in love with the Dowagiac area as it reminded me of where I grew up without having to travel quite as far." Once they were able to fill the space with an array of rentals from Burns Special Events, Katie saw her romantic and rustic vision come to life right before her eyes!
 

 

What We Love

Katie and Nick found ways to inject their personalities and favorite things into their wedding. Being a long time lover of Cinderella, Katie walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of "So This is Love" from Cinderella's soundtrack. They also asked the DJ to read short explanations for the dances with their parents to show the guests why they mean so much to them. The desserts represented somewhere they each worked, and Katie's sister designed all of their stationery. However, the sweetest moment was an unsuspected guest. Katie's stepfather, David, is battling cancer and due to health risks couldn't attend their wedding, or so Katie thought. Katie gushes, "While we said our vows, I noticed a man standing in the back of the ceremony with a mask on—I thought he was part of the catering team. I smiled right at him as we recessed down the aisle, clueless until I got close enough to realize it was David there to witness our marriage."
 

 

Advice from the Couple

Katie and Nick advise, "Don’t compare your wedding to others! One of my bridesmaids got married a few weeks after me (we were both in each other’s weddings) and it was so hard not to compare our weddings to one another. I constantly had an internal struggle of “is our wedding good enough?” and wanting to measure up to the picture-perfect events I saw online. Dear bride, your wedding is enough. You are (more than) enough. Your day is all about celebrating you and your honey. Guests will be grateful for the invitation and the chance to witness your union. No one is judging you, promise."
 

 

 

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