Two's A Charm: A Unique, Second Wedding Blends Fancy With Fun

Photos ByMatthew Provoast Photography

Written By

Carri Fras

Date

July 31, 2017

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Cindy Wojtysiak and her husband, Mike, likely faced a question that many couples planning their nuptials face—what is the best way to make their union unique and special to them? For this pair, the answer was simple. “I wanted the day to be a fun party for all to enjoy, including myself,” says Cindy. Keeping this goal in mind, they designed a truly fun, out-of-the box affair complete with elements that aligned with their non-traditional tastes.

South Bend’s The Brick was the ideal venue choice for both the ceremony and location. The beautifully renovated warehouse offered a clean, elegant space with tons of blank slate appeal. “We picked The Brick because its unique look fit perfectly with our overall wedding theme,” says Cindy. “The colors were metallic, which worked well with The Brick’s clear chairs and exposed lighting.”

Her bridesmaids, or handmaidens, in fact, wore bronze silver and gold. “Their zodiac signs dictated what color they would be,” explains Cindy. “Tina is an Aries (fire sign, bronze), Jackie a Pisces (water sign, silver) and Kim a Taurus (earth sign, gold).” The ladies wore dresses by Sue Wong—one of the bride’s favorite designers—while the men wore tuxes from Men’s Wearhouse in Mishawaka.

Yet another element unique to the overall theme was Cindy’s cloak. “The Cloaking is something Mike and I saw on our favorite TV series, Game of Thrones,” Cindy says. “It’s said that if a groom places his cloak around the bride, it’s a symbol for his protection around her.” The theme song from the couple’s beloved series also served as the bridal processional music.

The ceremony was personalized as well, featuring a candle lighting and a special handfasting or binding of their hands—an ancient tradition for some cultures. “I understood the handfasting ceremony to be an old Celtic tradition that has a certain elegance to it,” Cindy says. Reverend Sandy G. Vanik of Unity Church of Peace in South Bend served as the officiant.

Other evening highlights included catered appetizers from Ruth's Chris and a live band from Chicago—Final Say. Cindy says, “They played locally once and we fell in love with them and invited them to play at the wedding. They were awesome and we still get comments about them from the guests that attended.” The wedding cake was from West End Bakery in Mishawaka—a childhood favorite of the groom’s. When describing her day, Cindy simply echoes what every bride dreams of, “It was everything I could have hoped for.”