One glance at Emily and Matt’s luxe and romantic Riverfront wedding and the details are sure to make you fall in love. But their day came with a bit of a twist that had make all of the vendors think quick on their feet. 

The bride Emily is owner and lead wedding planner of Em and E Events; which of course means every element of the day was well thought out and planned to perfection. From the custom invitation suite with a personalized monogram to welcome baskets filled with Pittsburgh Popcorn company and other local goodies, guests knew they were in for such a joy-filled weekend!

Clear chiavari chairs and a modern greenery backdrop courtesy of greenSinner provided a minimalistic setting that looked stunning against the water. After the exchange of their vows we headed to the reception space, which looked like a total dream!

With the help of Emily’s good friend and fellow event planner Shayne, the open venue space was dressed with enchanting greens and floral designs, gold accents sat atop encrusted linens, glass chandeliers hanging above tablescapes, and a custom dance floor that was a show-stopper.

The two made their grand entrance, speeches took place, and dinner was about to be served. Emily had just taken off to change into her second wedding dress when the unthinkable happened. A microburst. Winds whipped through the reception space and blew through the decor. Centerpieces were flying as guests were screaming and running while ceremony chairs were already blown and flowing down the river. Within 15 short (yet, very long) minutes, the room had fallen apart all while Emily still had no clue what was going on.

The vendors quickly thought on their feet while maintaining professionalism. We kept Emily inside the bathroom so she couldn’t see the mess. Guests were directed to stay in the bar area for a “second cocktail hour” while Shayne completely reset the room. Although not ideal, Matt surprised Emily in the bathroom for their first look in her second gown and she instantly started wondering what was going on. He gently told her and she instantly started worrying, but we decided to sneak out the other entrance to take photos while the room reset and transformation was underway.

Their photo session turned out so sweet and once we got the okay to head back to the venue 30 minutes later, it was time to get the party started (…again)! Luckily Emily had not seen the room while it was in chaos, however seeing it all together again calmed her nerves and made for an evening that was enjoyable! Dinner was served, dancing commenced (even with the DJ’s equipment getting soaked, he found a way to make it work), and so many smiles were present as the love in the room was shared.

Considering that this would all happen on the wedding day of a wedding planner makes this story even more ironic, but worthy of noting that hiring good vendors truly makes all the difference!