A Paris-Inspired Wedding at a Bright, Modern Farm in Columbus, Ohio

Jessica Vitt and Joseph Razzano were both so dedicated to their studies at Ohio State University—she was a marketing major and he was preparing to be an optometrist—that they spent plenty of time in the quiet stacks at the school library. "We kept running into each other at the library first, and then realized we had mutual friends, so we started hanging out at social events," says Jessica. "We started dating in February 2010, with our very first date on Valentine's Day." Though Joe didn't propose until eight years later, he had a plan long before he popped the question: "Joe always knew in his mind that when he proposed, it would be under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France," says Jessica, who had studied abroad in the city. "We both love to travel, and it's a city that we always dreamt of visiting together."

As they began planning their dream celebration, Jessica and Joseph wanted to incorporate the romance of their engagement; they chose a dreamy color palette of gray and pale pink, accented by wine-toned shades of burgundy and rose. They booked their venue—Magnolia Hill Farm in Columbus, Ohio—while it was still under construction, relying on the blueprints and sketches for a vision of what the finished product would look like. "We wanted a venue that was different for us as well as our guests," says Jessica; they also loved that they'd be one of the first couples to marry there, and that the locale was close to home.

Tall windows, all-white walls, exposed beams, and a concrete floor created a blank slate that the couple personalized with trailing greenery and lush blooms, gauzy silk and rich velvet, gold detailing and natural wood. But when they tied the knot on October 12, 2019, in front of 170 guests, the venue paled behind the couple's personal touches—a dinner of the groom's favorite food, a photo shoot with their dog, a maid of honor speech-turned-rap by the bride's sister, and a ceremony officiated by the groom's uncle. "It was his first wedding that he officiated and likely not his last now," says Jessica. "He made the ceremony so personal for both Joe and I, and intimate for our guests attending."

Event designers Auburn + Ivory created an invitation suite with a custom watercolor design in pink and burgundy; the set previewed the couple's color palette, while an ornate scripted font hinted at the overall style of the celebration. Dyed silk ribbon from The Lesser Bear secured the pieces in a modern black envelope.

Jessica chose a lace Lihi Hod wedding dress with a plunging neckline and flutter sleeves, which was custom-made in Tel Aviv. "I was honestly worried about deciding on a dress, because there were so many that I truly liked," she says. "This dress really felt different for me when I tried it on."

She added pink Loeffler Randall shoes, sparkling Olive and Piper earrings, and a BHLDN hairpiece to finish her look.

The neutrals and pale pinks of the couple's color palette reappeared in Jessica's "lush, romantic, garden-style bouquet," which florists from Old Slate Farm filled with cafe au lait dahlias, garden roses, blush lisianthus, butterfly ranunculus, and black scabiosa.

Joseph and his groomsmen wore midnight blue tuxedos with black lapels from The Black Tux. "Joe appreciated the modern style of the tuxedos with the convenience of a rental option for his groomsmen," says Jessica. The groom added his own custom touches with an Armani watch and personalized cuff links.

Emotions ran high for both Jessica and Joseph during their first look on the veranda. "We both thought about this moment our entire lives. Before I even walked through the double doors to face Joe, I was in tears," says Jessica. "We both felt overwhelmingly happy—like, this is it, the moment we've been planning for, it's here. After was pure joy and excitement, knowing that in just moments we would be holding hands, standing before our entire family and friends, celebrating our love and the official joining of our lives."

Though the couple's dog, Teddy, dressed up for the occasion, he joined his parents for pictures only—not for the ceremony. "Our dog attending photos was one of our favorite memories," says Jessica. "Anyone who knows us absolutely knows our love for our puppy child. Unfortunately, we couldn't have him stay for the actual ceremony, because he would truly cry through the entire wedding if he wasn't able to stand next to us giving us endless kisses and tail wags!"

Tall gold candelabras anchored by overflowing floral arrangements defined the altar space at the front of the venue, while a table draped in gauzy mauve fabric and two taper candles pulled guests' eyes toward the sweeping views that backed the couple during their vows.

Lucite chairs caught the natural light, and didn't distract from the romantic view at the front of the room.

The couple's two ring bearers—their five- and two-year-old nephews—both skipped the walk down the aisle because of nerves (and meltdowns), but the rest of the party processed to arrangements of popular tunes—including Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" and "Avicii's "Wake Me Up"—from Vitamin String Quartet. Jessica and her father walked down the aisle together to Florida Georgia Line's "Meant to Be."

Joe's uncle, Vince Brancaccio, officiated the service which was "absolutely one of our favorite highlights of the day," says Jessica. Though the couple wrote their own vows, they didn't wait for the ceremony: "I knew if we shared our vows before others, I would barely be able to talk through the tears," says Jessica. "Therefore, we shared our vows with each other in private the week leading up to the wedding."

Jessica and Joseph tapped mobile bar cart Short & Stout to serve handcrafted drinks during their cocktail hour, including their two signature sips (Joseph chose an old fashioned, and Jessica opted for a seersucker, made with vodka, basil simple syrup, and water). While the newlyweds and their family posed for portraits, guests ate small bites that included arancini, crab cakes, and open-faced meatball sandwiches.

A full bar, boasting wine, beer, and mixed drinks, was also waiting for guests inside; it was decorated with trailing greens and a pink menu.

Four square white columns draped in dark green leaves and flowing vines held guests' table assignments.

Long, natural wood farm tables contrasted the venue's white walls and concrete floors, while acrylic chairs added a modern element. Overhead, deep green leaves hung from white wooden beams. "The venue was new, bright, and white which complemented some of the darker, moodier colors like mauve, smoke, and black," says the bride of the reception décor. "I pictured textures like silk and velvet, with lots of gold accents and romantic greenery."

Along the tables, low arrangements of blush, mauve, and ivory blooms were accented by dark green and black foliage. Mauve silk runners, gold flatware, and gray napkins added a lavish touch to the natural wood of the tables, while black taper candles provided a cozy glow.

Gray velvet table numbers received an extra dose of DIY glamour from hand-applied gold filigree.

Jessica and Joseph chose two Cameron Mitchell restaurants to provide their dinner menu—Martini and Marcella's. "These two restaurants are both Italian, and our absolute favorite restaurants in Columbus," says Jessica. "With Joe being Italian, it is well-known by all friends and family that his favorite food groups are pasta and chicken parmesan. Yes, chicken parmesan is in a category of its own for him—he's a connoisseur." In addition to the chicken, the couple served penne pasta with fontina cream sauce, fingerling potatoes, roasted vegetables, and salad.

The lace on Jessica's wedding gown inspired the floral detailing on the couple's white-on-white dessert from Miam Cake. A pair of gold macarons sat on top, while the three layers included flavors of vanilla-cinnamon-rose and chocolate-espresso-caramel.

The newlyweds prepared for their first dance—to Kane Brown's "Good as You"—by putting together a practiced routine. "We chose to take lessons to perform a choreographed dance to our song, which was an experience that we both enjoyed throughout the wedding planning process," says Jessica.

Photography, Henry Photography
Venue, Magnolia Hill Farm
Event Design, Day-of Coordination, and Stationery, Auburn + Ivory
Catering, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants
Flowers, Old Slate Farm
Videography, Prodigy Weddings
Cake, Miam Cake
Music, Vitamin String Quartet; BeatSquad Entertainment
Rentals, Aiden & Grace; Got Ya Covered Linens and Event Rental; La Tavola Fine Linen Rental
Bride's Gown, Lihi Hod
Bride's Accessories, Etsy veil; Loeffler Randall shoes; BHLDN hair crown; Olive and Piper earrings
Hair, Sarah W. Hair Design
Makeup, Angie Warren
Bridesmaids' Dresses, Monique Lhuillier
Groom's Attire and Menswear, The Black Tux
Groom's Watch, Armani
Transportation, Cardinal Transportation
Bartenders, Short and Stout Bar
Engagement Ring, Brilliance
Silk Ribbon, The Lesser Bear
Wedding Rings, Diamond Cellar