When I worked at this wedding, I fell in love with the couple, their vibe, but mostly– the woman that took the show: 81 year old JoAnn. A friend of the couple, not actually their granny, was the first ever flower elder I had ever seen. The bride, Chloe, gracefully accepted my invitation at a conversation to learn more.
A – Chloe, Bride Q – Bridgett Blough, Co-Owner @ OTL
Let’s start in the beginning- where did you two meet?
I met my husband, Dave, at work- we both work at John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. We bonded together over animal deaths, falling in love with animals (my favorite animal is a goat). Our engagement was non-traditional as we’d been together for 5 years before the whole “ring” thing.
Now that you are already married, did anything surprise you about the process?
What I found the most surprising was how easy it was to plan our wedding at Of The Land. My friends had horror stories about being stressed doing all the wedding planning. I didn’t buy a single decoration.
How did JoAnn come to be your Bloom Bearar AKA Flower Granny?
We met JoAnn because she was a volunteer at the zoo as well. She was our bestie at work, and always had a crush on Dave. When we invited her to the wedding, she told us if I live long enough, I want to be your flower girl. She said it as a joke, but I told her it would be the perfect way to honor our special relationship.
Did she tell you she came all the way to the farm before the wedding?
The thing I loved most about JoAnn and having her as the Bloom Bearer is how seriously she took the job! We had meetings about it, she got a pantsuit that matched my color scheme, and she even took the liberty of giving an impromptu speech.
What aspects of your ceremony were non-traditional like the decision to have a Bloom Bearer instead of a flower girl?
We had delivered invites to our co-workers, I walked down the aisle with both of my parents, we had a tarot reader at the reception and all of our tables were themed from a tarot deck, and we were too busy having fun and talking to cut the cake.
What are some of your most memorable moments from your wedding day?
My 3 year old nephew interrupted the ceremony by shouting “I LIKE TRAINS!” We all laughed so hard and it just helped everyone to relax. Dave is bald and during the reception JoAnn kissed him on the top of his head and said to me “You won.”
Photos by Hallie Kohler
