Shelby + Eric
A Romantic Spring Vineyard Wedding at Daniel's Vineyard
Shelby and Eric dreamed of a romantic spring wedding surrounded by the peaceful vines at Daniel's Vineyard. When we first began working together, their exact color palette was still undecided, but the feeling they wanted to create was clear: romantic, abundant, and filled with flowers and candlelight.
Through conversations and design planning, that vision evolved into a palette of soft pinks, creams, whites, and fresh greenery.
And when it came to the decor philosophy? Lots of florals and lots of candles.
Their wedding day brought that vision to life with overflowing tablescapes, a statement installation, meaningful family details, and an outdoor ceremony surrounded by the vineyard. Behind the scenes, it also brought unpredictable Indiana weather, a wedding cake emergency, plenty of room flips, and all of the little logistical moments that our couple never needed to know were happening.
The Vision
Shelby and Eric wanted their spring vineyard setting to feel romantic and full without losing the natural beauty of Daniel's Vineyard.
Our hurricane vases and bud vases became the perfect additions to their design, filling the tables with varying heights of candlelight and florals. Shelby's mom spent hours leading up to the wedding preparing flowers for the bud vases and creating bouquets, making the finished design even more meaningful.
On wedding day, our Navi Coordination team got to put on our florist hats.
We completed the tablescapes with custom greenery and added peonies, roses, and other fresh flowers throughout the arrangements. Hydration tubes were added to individual stems where needed to help the flowers remain hydrated and beautiful throughout the evening.
Then there was the statement installation.
Shelby had debated between subtle drapery, candlelight, or a floral installation for the space.
Ultimately, she decided she wanted all three.
So all three is exactly what we delivered.
Layers of drapery, florals, and glowing candles came together to create a romantic focal point that tied the entire spring vineyard vision together.
Bringing It All Together
As beautiful as the forecast for their design was, the actual weather forecast required a little more attention.
We continually monitored the radar throughout the day as rain threatened Shelby and Eric's plans for an outdoor ceremony. Thankfully, we were able to make the call to move forward outside, just as they had hoped.
Daniel's Vineyard has a beautiful, long ceremony aisle, but it also comes with limited places to keep a wedding party hidden before the processional. So we got a little creative.
As Shelby and Eric and their wedding party made their way into position, everyone gathered closely around the couple, creating a moving wall that kept them hidden from guests until it was actually time for them to be seen.
The result was an outdoor ceremony surrounded by the vineyard, complete with fresh florals and guests tossing rose petals as the newlyweds made their way back down the aisle.
Once the ceremony ended, our team immediately began flipping the ceremony florals back inside so those beautiful arrangements could continue to be enjoyed throughout the reception.
And while all of that was happening, another situation was unfolding behind the scenes.
The Things Our Couple Never Saw
The wedding cake arrived cracked, melting, and unfortunately beyond a simple touch-up.
It needed far more than a little emergency repair.
In a stroke of incredible timing, a cake decorator from Daniel's Vineyard happened to be dropping off another order around the same time. We were able to explain what had happened and show them the vision for what Shelby and Eric's cake was supposed to look like.
Then they got to work.
The damaged icing was completely scraped from the cake, fresh buttercream was made, and the entire cake was re-iced and restored.
There was one more problem: the cake had arrived on the wrong size cake board, making it too wide to fit on the rented cake stand. So while the cake itself was being saved, we quickly sourced a larger stand that would actually accommodate it.
By the time Shelby and Eric saw their wedding cake, it looked phenomenal.
They cut it after their reception entrance without ever knowing the chaos that had unfolded behind the scenes. It wasn't until after the wedding, while reminiscing and sharing some of the day's funny stories, that they learned what had happened.
The photos tell the best part of the story: no one was the wiser.
And that's exactly how we like it.
From Ceremony to Celebration
Some of our favorite parts of Shelby and Eric's wedding were the moments when they intentionally slowed everything down.
They shared a first look and spent time together around the peaceful vineyard before the ceremony. Later, after signing their marriage license, they stepped away to enjoy some pizza and appetizers, share a glass of Daniel's Vineyard wine, and simply take in the fact that they were officially married.
Amid a day filled with people, photographs, timelines, and celebration, they gave themselves permission to stop and enjoy it together.
Family was woven into their day in meaningful ways, too. A calla lily was presented to each of their aunts as a special way to honor them.
Once the reception began, Shelby and Eric cut their newly rescued wedding cake before we relocated the barrel it was displayed on to open the space for their first dance.
During dinner, our team coordinated with catering to identify exactly where guests requiring vegetarian meals were seated, helping make service as seamless as possible.
Formal speeches and parent dances eventually led into a traditional anniversary dance, giving everyone the chance to celebrate the couples in the room whose marriages had already spanned decades.
And then it was Shelby's turn to find out who might be next.
Her bouquet toss was set to the trending "Where Is My Husband!" audio, and it was an immediate crowd pleaser.
The Final Result
Shelby and Eric's wedding was everything their spring vineyard vision called for: soft, romantic, floral-filled, and glowing with candlelight.
But some of the most meaningful parts of their day weren't found in the decor at all.
They were in the quiet glass of wine shared after becoming husband and wife. The flowers given to beloved aunts. The couples who had been married for decades still standing on the dance floor.
The rose petals flying through the air as Shelby and Eric walked back down the aisle.
And behind all of those moments was a lot happening that they never needed to think about.
As the evening came to an end, our job wasn't quite finished. We made sure guests successfully boarded the provided shuttle so no one was left behind and everyone had a safe ride. Leftover food, cards, gifts, and their marriage license were gathered and entrusted to Shelby's mom for safekeeping.
Because after celebrating all day, the last thing Shelby and Eric needed to do was keep track of which bag held their marriage license or wonder whether everyone made it onto the shuttle.
They simply got to leave their wedding as newlyweds.
Exactly as it should be.
THE DETAILS
Venue: Daniel's Vineyard
Coordination & Florals: Navi Coordination
Photography: Shelby Horton Photography
Catering: Jacquie's Gourmet Catering
DJ: Circle City Sound
Hair: Christina Palmer
Makeup: Erica Foit
Officiant: Groom's Godfather
Transportation: Royal Transportation
Bridesmaids Apparel: Birdy Grey
Bridal Gown: Sophia's Bridal & Tux
Jeweler: Shane Co.
Hotel Room Blocks: Hyatt Place & Hyatt House Indianapolis Fishers
Hotel Room Block: Courtyard by Marriott
