Climbing Vines Turned This Ohio Country Club Ballroom Into an Indoor Garden

bride and groom smile holding hands
Jenny Haas

When Annie and Bob first met through mutual college friends, she says, "I tried making small talk with Bob—with little to no success." But two years later, when they were both living in Chicago, she had better luck: They reconnected and began dating.

In early 2019, the couple were living together in New York City—with their dog, Wally—and talking about getting engaged. After the three of them returned from a walk one evening, Bob and Wally ran ahead into the couple's apartment. "When I turned the corner into our apartment, Bob was on one knee in the doorway," says Annie. "I screamed and jumped from being caught off guard. Bob says I immediately went for the ring without saying a word (debatable); he told me the first time he knew he loved me was when we were walking Wally together, and asked me to marry him."

Annie and Bob planned to hold their wedding at a historic landmark's ballroom in July of 2020, but postponed three months in advance. When they decided to reschedule for July 17, 2021, they also switched their venue, opting for the Cincinnati Country Club, which allowed them the flexibility to move parts of their day indoors or out depending on both weather and COVID-19 guidelines. "Our original venue was entirely indoors, and we would not have been able to do any aspect of the wedding outdoors if need be," says Annie, who worked with Viva Bella Events to bring her vision to life. "I was very drawn to lush outdoor weddings, but knew I wouldn't do well with the uncertainty of how weather could impact my day. Cincinnati in the summer is very humid, and prone to random rain showers, so I felt the best option for me was an indoor space that we could transform with florals and greenery."

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Berry Suite

green and white wedding invitation suite
Jenny Haas

Annie and Bob worked with Cheree Berry Paper Design to personalize their invitations. "I am a sucker for great paper, and went for every upgrade that was offered to me," says Annie. Square ivory cards were letterpress printed in beige ink, incorporating both traditional script and contemporary sans serif fonts. Annie also contributed to the design: She sketched a picture of the couple's dog which was printed under the return address, and she sourced a botanical image that they used for the envelope liner. "We ended up taking the print for the envelope liner and applying it to a vellum wrapper that went around the invitation, and was sealed with a sage colored ribbon and wax seal," she says. "The vellum with the wax seal was my favorite part!"

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Sweet Details

bride wearing monogrammed white pjs
Jenny Haas

On the morning of the wedding, Annie and her attendants got ready in custom embroidered pajamas.

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A Perfect Fit

bride smiling wearing strapless a-line wedding dress
Jenny Haas

Though Annie imagined herself in "a simple crepe or satin wedding dress," trying on Mira Zwillinger designs changed her mind. "Anyone who has tried on a Mira Zwillinger gown knows how good they make you feel!" she says. "They are so much lighter than other dresses, and their built-in corsets are so flattering. As I started trying on options with intricate details, I felt so much more special. I also loved that each dress is custom made to your body—I had to get 37 measurements taken." She accessorized her floral embroidered gown with a matching veil, Aquazzura stiletto heels, and a tennis bracelet that Bob gave her ahead of the big day.

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White Bouquet

bride holding white floral wedding bouquet
Jenny Haas

Understated bouquets, the neutral color palette, and the venue's classic architecture worked together to create a timeless aesthetic for Annie and Bob's big day. "Nothing prepares you for wedding planning during a pandemic," she says. "We were planning the wedding for about two-and-a-half years by the time we got married, so we were all really excited to see the decisions actually come to life."

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Pretty Formal

bride standing with six bridesmaids and two flower girls
Jenny Haas

Annie created a cohesive, formal look for her bridal party by choosing champagne-colored faille gowns from Amsale for her bridesmaids and Isabel Garretón taffeta dresses for the flower girls. "I liked that the fabric was a bit thicker, which made the bridesmaids' dresses look more structured and formal," she says.

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Men in Black

groom with groomsmen in classic black suits with bowties
Jenny Haas

While the groomsmen wore classic black-tie looks from The Black Tux, Bob created his own bespoke attire from Alan David. "We went together to pick out all of the fabrics and style of the suit—it was so fun!" says Annie. "He wore a watch I purchased for him as a wedding gift in early 2020, which I let him wear for an entire year before we actually got married."

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So Happy Together

groom smiles at bride during first look
Jenny Haas

Annie's nerves kicked in just before the couple's first look, but seeing her future husband soothed her immediately. "Bob and I aren't super sentimental, and I didn't know what his reaction would be," she says. "We ended up laughing the whole time. Right after, my nerves calmed as it became less about stressing about how the day would go, and more about just living in the moment."

Though the newlyweds cherished the opportunity to celebrate with their loved ones, they also made the most of their brief periods of solitude. "You are around so many people on your wedding day—the time spent with just him felt so intimate and special," says the bride.

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Ringed in Flowers

various floral decor wedding ceremony set up
Jenny Haas

On the venue's brick patio, wooden chairs coordinated with the officiant's podium, while oversized floral arrangements and garlands created a half-circle altar where the couple exchanged vows. "I wanted all of the ceremony elements to be able to be repurposed for the reception," says Annie.

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Here Comes the Bride

flower girl walking behind bride carrying her train
Jenny Haas

After diligently holding the bride's train, the couple's two nieces, Charlotte and Caroline, led Wally down the flower-covered aisle at the beginning of the ceremony. "The girls did so well throughout the day, but started to get a bit fussy right before the ceremony started," Annie says. "We tried to convince them that there would be candy waiting for them at the end of the aisle after they were done, but we ended up giving them lollipops right before. Sometimes bribery is the only option!"

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Arm in Arm

bride smiling walking down processional with father shaking guests hands
Jenny Haas

A string quartet, pianist, and trumpeter provided traditional music for the ceremony—including Clarke's "Trumpet Voluntary" as Annie and her father, Bill, made their way to the altar. "We joke that my dad is like a politician," Annie says. "He shook hands with all of his friends as he walked me down the aisle!"

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Saying "I Do"

groom smiling placing ring on brides finger
Jenny Haas

Annie and Bob exchanged traditional vows in a ceremony officiated by a family friend. "That added a very sentimental and personal touch to our big day," she says.

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Sealed with a Kiss

bride and groom share a kiss at wedding ceremony
Jenny Haas

"It was so special to have someone who truly knows us as a couple marry us," adds Annie.

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Cocktail Hour

guests chatting during cocktail hour outside
Jenny Haas

Guests mingled during the cocktail hour, which took place on an outdoor pavilion.

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Puppy Love

bride holding small white dog kissing it on the head
Jenny Haas

The bride snuggled Wally, fresh off his ceremony debut, after tying the knot.

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Natural Beauty

cream and white reception space
Jenny Haas

The club's all-white function room offered a crisp backdrop for Annie's nature-inspired vision, brought to life by Marti Heard Designs.

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Greens and Florals

large white floral wedding bouquet centerpiece
Jenny Haas

"I always loved the idea of bringing the outdoors in, and wanted classic garden vibes," Annie says.

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Textural Arrangements

green and white floral reception centerpieces
Jenny Haas

For centerpieces, the couple chose a combination of low arrangements, bud vases, and tall bouquets perched on towering glass vases.

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Draped in Greens

greenery hanging from white linen covered windows and walls reception space
Jenny Haas

"I wanted the flowers to be textural and lush with greenery growing all over the walls," adds the bride.

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Ivory and Gold

woven place setting under white plate
Jenny Haas

Delicate scallops edged the couple's plates, which sat atop woven wicker chargers with knot-tied ivory linen napkins and simple place cards. "For dinner tables we did a mix of beige-and-white striped linens and solid beige, and for the accent tables we did a gold floral embroidered ones," says Annie.

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Let's Eat!

guests sitting at long white linen covered reception tables with meals served
Jenny Haas

White taper candles flickered as attendees dug into their first course.

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Sweet and Summery

four tier white frosted wedding cake with berries layered
Jenny Haas

A four-tier orange butter cake with strawberry and cream cheese filling was a light, fresh finish to the meal of salmon and filet mignon. "In keeping with the summer garden theme, I wanted a simple white cake overflowing with summer berries," says Annie. "Maribelle Cakery did a beautiful job, and nailed my vision for the cake!"

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Canine Cookies

cookies frosted with dog decal
Jenny Haas

The couple's must-have treats—Bob's favorite pizza, and custom, Wally-decorated cookies brought in from New York City—were passed out as late-night snacks.

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Could Have Danced All Night

bride and groom share first dance inside
Jenny Haas

Annie heard the band Simply Irresistible play months before she and Bob were engaged, and booked them as soon as she began planning the wedding. "I knew they would make our wedding day truly special," she says. "To this day I get compliments, and guests telling me it was the best wedding band they have ever seen. They put on an epic show! We had the time of our lives on the dance floor, and did not want the night to end."

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Sources

groom kissing brides cheek holding her hand
Jenny Haas

Photography, Jenny Haas
Venue, Cincinnati Country Club
Event Planning, Viva Bella Events
Flowers, Marti Heard Designs
Videography, Studio 213 Films
Stationery, Cheree Berry Paper & Design
Cake, Maribelle Cakery
Music, Simply Irresistible
Rentals, All Occasions Event Rental; BBJ Linen; La Tavola Fine Linen Rental
Bride's Gown, Mira Zwillinger
Bride's Accessories, Mira Zwillinger veil; Aquazzura shoes; Diamond Aupair jewelry; Tiffany & Co. jewelry
Hair and Makeup, AV Beauty Bar
Bridesmaids' Dresses, Amsale
Flower Girl Dresses, Isabel Garretón
Groom's Suit, Alan David Custom Suits
Menswear, The Black Tux
Transportation, Jimmy's Limousine Service
Engagement Ring, J&J Zaidman
Wedding Bands, Diamond Aupair

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