Photography by Danielle DeFiore.

We may be barely out of winter, but just looking at this wedding is like taking a sip from an icy Mint Julep on an August day... which just happens to be exactly what these newlyweds and their 160 guests did! With beautiful photos from Snippet & Ink Select vendor Danielle DeFiore, this is a classic country club wedding that feels so fresh!

Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Something old: my everyday lipstick / Something new: my dress! / Something borrowed: my grandmother's sapphire and diamond popcorn ring / Something blue: my underwear / (...And I even had a sixpence in my shoe, given to me by one of my bridesmaids!)

Bride Emily tells us, "I had been collecting all sorts of statement jewelry for my bridesmaids since I had gotten engaged, and I displayed them all on a silver platter in the bride's room at the venue. When we arrived, all dolled up, all the bridesmaids got to choose 1-2 pieces to wear with their dresses."

The Ceremony

What was your ceremony music? Your classic wedding ceremony songs! Processional: Pachelbel's Canon in D and Wagner's Bridal Chorus. Recessional: Handel's Water Music from Hornpipe.

Who officiated your ceremony? How did you choose him/her? My former figure skating coach, William Schneider, officiated. I grew up as a competitive figure skater, so my coach was a very big part of my life both on and off the ice. When Sam and I got engaged, it was Sam who asked Billy to officiate!

Billy opened the ceremony by surprising us with his own greeting and what it meant to him to be asked to officiate our big day. He told the story of how he would often joke that one day I was going to grow up and forget all about him and my skating days, such that he wouldn't even be invited to my wedding. So, he was quite surprised to learn that not only would he get the invite to our nuptials, he would be asked to perform them!

What was your favorite thing about your wedding ceremony? Our good friend, Charles, played And I Love Her by The Beatles on the ukulele.

Your ceremony in three words. Non-religious and traditional.

How did you go about planning your ceremony? I wrote the ceremony using a template from a wedding my father had actually officiated. I wanted to incorporate readings, music, and our own vows as well as traditional vows.

Did you include any traditions in your ceremony? Lighting of unity candles, a moment of silence for our loved ones who couldn't be with us to celebrate, and the stomping of the glass.

What were your ceremony readings? Colossians 3:12-17 and a discussion of the term "Bashert" ("meant to be") and Rav Yehuda's teachings from the Talmud about a "match made in heaven".

What were your vows like? We included vows we wrote ourselves as well as traditional, "repeat-after-me" vows.

The Reception

Why did you choose this location for your ceremony? We imagined our wedding to be a timeless, summer, al fresco, black tie affair and really wanted to be able to have everything outside at one location: the ceremony, the dinner, the band. It was VERY difficult to find a venue that allows the band outside. We toured, and even put deposits down, on many different venues, but eventually we realized that one of the very first places we had seen, the Cherry Hills Country Club, was perfect. They were so accommodating and willing to work with us to make everything exactly the way we wanted it... and we could have everything outside! The piece-de-resistance was that Sam is an avid golfer, and to have our wedding at such an iconic golfing venue, was the icing on the cake.

How would you describe your reception? Al fresco, black tie, classic but romantic, timeless.

Did you have a signature cocktail? We had three! Cucumber Margaritas, Mint Juleps (because we were engaged on Derby Day), and Tea Time Gin Cocktails (lavender and grapefruit infused bitters with green tea and ginger beer). They were passed around on silver trays following the ceremony.

What was your wedding menu? Passed hors d'ouevres: Pork belly wonton taco / Chile spiced cured breast of duckling / Boursin stuffed artichoke / Smoked duck breast // Displayed hors d'ouevres: Crab claws on ice // Seasonal salad: Mixed spring greens, French feta cheese, macerated strawberries, shaved fennel, golden raisins, macadamia nuts and crispy onion strings, tossed in a white balsamic vinaigrette // Entree: Domestic Rack of Lamb or Grilled Ribeye

What type of cake or dessert did you serve? Classic European cake: Citrus poppy-seed accented with fresh juice and zest and Caribbean lemon Bavarian frosting by Elegant Bakery.

What advice do you have for other couples in the midst of planning a wedding? The guest list is the hardest part. The rest is all downhill from there.

What was your favorite moment or part of the reception? I remember sitting at my seat just as it was getting dark, and looking around at all my closest friends and family in one spot, with the most perfect candelabras twinkling, and thinking that it turned out even better than I had imagined it.

Please tell us about any other special details or moments from your reception. The black and white checked dance floor - my had-to-have item! And Suga Bear and the Showtime Band! My family has known this band for a long time and have somewhat become their groupies!

What was your first dance song? Father/daughter or mother/son dance? First dance: Fly Me to the Moon, Frank Sinatra // Father & daughter: My Girl, The Temptations // Mother & son: What a Wonderful World, Luis Armstrong.

Bride Emily told us "it's always a good idea to sleep on a big decision. Or a little decision! You don't want to have to undo something later if you change your mind." I can only guess she took her own advice, because it's definitely hard to imagine she and Mad Men-esque groom Sam wanted to undo even a tiny part of this utterly gorgeous day!

If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently? I would do it again, in a heartbeat!

Is there anything else that helps tell the story of your wedding? Our wedding video!