The Wedding Story of Whitney & Sean Mooney

Photos ByKate Morrow Photography

Written By

Date

January 4, 2017

The Planning

Whitney is an event manager in Grand Rapids so she had a clear vision of what she couldn't live without and what she could do without right away. She shied away from a summer wedding because of the heat and was considering fall when she nonchalantly mentioned the possibility of a New Year's Eve wedding. “I thought he [Sean] would HATE the idea, but he loved it!” says Whitney. “We are always scrambling to make NYE plans and they never live up to our expectations, so we thought 'why not throw a huge party?!'” And that was the beginning of #midnightwiththemooneys.

Sean and Whitney consulted with Whitney's friend Kelly who also happens to be a planner at All Buttoned Up Events, a full-service planning company in west Michigan. Whitney credits Kelly for making her vision a reality, while keeping her grounded throughout the planning process. Since Whitney is in the event planning business, she had already networked with plenty of vendors making her selections a rather simple decision.

The Dress

Whitney wore a Casablanca Bridal gown from Renee Austin's bridal shop in Grand Rapids. The gown featured champagne-colored satin and a white organza overlay. The fitted bodice and pleated organza offered the romantic look that Whitney was looking for. She especially loved the crystal and pearls that adorned the bodice. The finishing touch was a veil by designer Erica Koesler.

The venue

The next venture for the couple was to locate a venue that matched Whitney's over-the-top, glitzy vision. It was, after all, a New Year's Eve celebration! They set up a tour at The Ballroom at McKay, a brand-new venue in downtown Grand Rapids. Whitney says as soon as the elevator doors opened, she knew her wedding would take place there. A mirror wall, marble pillars, amazing lighting—the venue simply wowed both her and Sean.

The DÉcor

The New Year's Eve holiday set the tone for the reception décor thanks to Grand Rapids vendors like Fancy Fray, Events by I Candy and RSVP Events. Whitney chose champagne sequins, ivory, gold, dark burgundy and a mix of lighter burgundy shades for her color palette. To add dimension, the reception had both long and round tables for guests, and each tablescape featured its own unique centerpiece using both mercury glass and gold containers. The rectangular tables held tall candles of varying heights. The table numbers included the couple's New Year's resolutions.

THE FLORAL

Posh Petals designed a celebration in each centerpiece using ombre patterns from dark burgundy to champagne. Peonies, roses, amaryllis, smoke bush, white orchids and berries were the main event in the flower arrangements.

Special Touches

As a nod to the holiday, the couple created a resolution board so guests could write resolutions for them. They took two gold frames and stapled strings of sequins along them with spray painted mini gold clothespins, and made little cards where guests could write down resolutions and pin them up on the board. Sean and Whitney also included the typical New Year’s Eve must-haves like noisemakers and “Happy New Year’s” hats to help guests get in on the dual celebration.

What We Love

Having weddings on a holiday can either be the best idea or the worst idea. It all depends on how the couple chooses to acknowledge it. In this case, Sean and Whitney went all out and threw a party for their guests making sure the night was just as memorable for them as it was for the couple. Champagne, sparkle, midnight kisses and resolutions were embraced wholeheartedly at the Mooney wedding. And as Whitney summarizes it, “what happens at the Mooney wedding, stays at the Mooney wedding.”