Caitlyn Stego & John Anderson
February 18, 2018, at Kardinal Hall
Photographs by Amy Jackson
The plan was, there was no plan. A stylist by trade, Caitlyn didn’t want to overcomplicate the planning process by matching patterns and colors.
“I find it more inspiring to let the pieces that you find write the style of what you’re creating, as opposed to coming up with a specific vision and trying to find the exact pieces to fit into it,” she says. “It becomes a creative process, and the end result feels more organic.”
They started with the bridesmaids’ dresses (“they were navy, so they wore navy,” Caitlyn says). The groomsmen already owned dark suits, so that’s what they wore. Caitlyn had been coveting a certain fabric at The Second Yard for more than a year, so she and John’s mom made table runners out of it, and the rest of the table décor was kept simple: just the runners and “a hodge-podge of clear glass votives and vases we filled with candles, pea gravel and air plants.”
In the end, the specific details hardly mattered—what Caitlyn and John both look back on with the most fondness is less about a what, and more about a who. Many whos.
“We tried to involve as many friends as possible in the day,” Caitlyn says. They have close personal connections to the photographers, baker, officiant and jeweler they worked with for the wedding. “Having so many special details be touched by our friends was an incredible gift.”
Favorite moment
“[The ceremony] was a really emotional part for me. Up to that point, I had been pretty stoic and calm, but when Micah hit the first few notes of ‘Jupiter’ [from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” suite], I had a hard time keeping it together, since it meant I was going to see Cait walk down the aisle and it was actually, finally happening,” John says.
Good thought
With little interest in a more traditional vineyard or plantation setting, Caitlyn and John had a light-bulb moment at a favorite haunt: “A few minutes after grabbing beers and ordering food [at Kardinal Hall to watch a game] we were kicking ourselves for not thinking of the place sooner. It was totally our style, had an awesome beer list and plenty of space.” Plus, she says, in a restaurant the atmosphere is already built in.
Easy does it
Taking a cue from John’s favorite food (sandwiches), the couple opted for a no-fuss menu of beef, chicken or mushroom sliders, plus mac ‘n’ cheese, veggies and salad for sides.
The details
Ceremony venue The Haven Officiant Winn Collier (All Souls Church) Catering Kardinal Hall Cake Arleycakes Ceremony music Micah Hunter-Chang (violin), Caroline Fernandez (piano) Reception music Spotify playlist Bride’s attire BHLDN Shoes ASOS Groom’s attire Banana Republic Bridesmaids’ dresses ASOS Rings Elaine B Jewelry
