It's so cool and special when couples think outside the box with their wedding venues.

Which is why we were so excited when Leslie and Bill's Atlanta art gallery wedding landed in our inbox.

Candidly captured by the fabulous Mary Margaret Smith Photography, we just love how this gorgeous couple created a day that was quintessentially them.

With local landmarks, lots of laughter and a modern feel, this wedding is a breath of fresh air for couples looking to take a side-step from tradition while still keeping it chic.

The Wedding

Bill and I wanted a wedding that reflected who we are as a couple. We wanted our wedding to feel modern and age appropriate (as we are in our 30's). Mason Murer was the perfect spot for both the ceremony and the reception. It is a modern industrial space with amazing art in every corner. We wanted somewhere we could make our own and Mason Murer was more than happy for us to do so! We took pictures at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens before the ceremony to get some shots of Atlanta. We met and live right in Midtown Atlanta so we wanted our city in some pictures! We wanted the ceremony to be simple and heartfelt. Affairs to Remember and Tulip made sure to create the intimate and romantic feeling for the ceremony I wanted. Including lots of drapery and candles! Our minister had us answer questions separately months before and did not reveal our answers until the ceremony. Our guests witnessed our reactions and experienced an intimate and funny moment with us. The Wedding Players String Trio provided beautiful music for the ceremony. Once again Affairs to Remember and Tulip created the perfect reception with beautiful chandeliers, flowers, candles, and décor. Mason Murer is a large space but they made it feel like the perfect size. After the ceremony our guests went over to a small area for cocktails and hors d'oeuvre's while Bill and I had a few moments. Our band was MVP -who was AMAZING. They played a great version of our first song "You are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne and "My Girl" for the father/daughter dance. They played everything from Motown to Top 40. Our guests were on the dance floor all night and they really kept the energy up. It was a night full of dancing and laughter! I feel we all had a blast. We made our exit with a sparkler send off.

The Bridesmaids

Our theme was basically simple and modern. I wanted a light pastel color palette. I allowed the girls to pick whatever style they wanted. Everyone ended up in a different style and I thought it looked great! They were all long Amsale chiffon dresses in four different colors.

The Flowers

Tulip really just listened to what I said and made the most gorgeous arrangements! I just sent her a Pinterest page and she did it from there!

The Photography

I found Mary Margaret's website after a recommendation and just fell in love with her pictures. Every person looked so beautiful and timeless in her pictures - and NATURAL! I didn't want to look stiff and posed in my wedding pictures.

Favourite Moments

Taking pictures in the Botanical Gardens was "so us" as we live only two streets away! Our ceremony filled with laughter felt like Bill and I - as we are known as being sarcastic and funny.

The Ceremony Reading

Love Is Friendship Caught Fire by Laura Hendricks

"Love is friendship caught fire; it is quiet, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection, and makes allowances for human weaknesses. Love is content with the present, hopes for the future, and does not brood over the past. It is the day-in and day-out chronicles of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working toward common goals. If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you do not have it, no matter what else there is, it is not enough."

The Refreshments

We had a buffet. The wedding cake was layers of white cake with raspberry/lemon filling and chocolate cake with salted caramel and ganache filling (so yummy!)

I just love how Mary Margaret Smith has captured the sweet stolen moments. Leslie's description of the ceremony is lovely too, how thoughtful of their minister to have been gathering snippets for months? And that reading? Just beautiful (consider it stolen for ourselves!)

Thanks so much to Mary Margaret Smith Photography and of course Leslie and Bill for sharing their intimate art gallery wedding with us.

Love this wedding? See more Chic + Modern real weddings from the archives.