Puzzles, Pups, and Pastels: Livie & Ashley’s Taylor-made Wedding Experience
What do Taylor Swift, a golden retriever, and an escape room-inspired puzzle game have in common? Livie and Ashley’s unforgettable wedding!
Set against the sweeping mountain views of Sugarbush Resort, their pastel-powered, puppy-filled day was bursting with immersive details, real emotion, and personal meaning. This was no ordinary wedding. With a theme inspired by the Lover album and hearts full of pride, play, and partnership, the two brides set out to create a nontraditional wedding experience that felt like stepping into a world of their own.
And they did! From invisible ink clues and Taylor Swift lyrics on the cocktail napkins to a floral moon and paw-shaped cocoa bombs, Livie and Ashley’s wedding wasn’t just beautiful…it was unapologetically them.
With so many unique custom touches and Lover-era sparkle, this day earned a feature in Love Inc.’s annual print magazine…because “everything has changed,” and weddings can be whatever you dream up.
Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?
From the very beginning, Livie and Ashley knew they wanted a wedding that was fun, relaxed, and unmistakably them. They’d been together through long-distance, cross-state moves, lots of escape rooms, finding their beloved pets, and two surprise proposals (yes, two!)...and now they were ready to have a celebration that honored everything they’d built together. It just had to have three key ingredients: Taylor Swift, their pups, and plenty of personality.
The vision was there. The ideas were there (kinda). But figuring out how to actually translate that into a cohesive, experience-rich wedding felt...daunting. Between Ashley’s packed schedule as a medical student and Livie’s work as a nurse, there just wasn’t a lot of time (or brainspace) to plan something this creative on their own. “We had vague ideas,” they told us later, “but struggled with specifics or the know-how to bring them to life.”
They weren’t looking for cookie-cutter. They were looking for color, and uniqueness, and surprises. For personal moments that told their story: in rainbows, Swiftie references, puppy paws, and experiences that were utterly theirs.
And we were all in.
Masterminding Magic: From Daydreams to Wedding Experience Design
When Livie and Ashley first reached out, they had a vision. And a lot of question marks. They knew they wanted something vibrant, personal, and delightfully offbeat. They knew Taylor Swift’s Lover album was their north star. They knew they wanted their pups in the spotlight, their favorite lyrics woven throughout, and their guests to engage and connect in unexpected ways.
But they needed help to pull it off. It wasn’t just about aesthetics. It was about crafting an immersive experience.
We got to know all about Livie and Ashley through our signature process: in-depth questionnaires, thoughtful conversations, and some serious deep-diving into research (which even converted us into Swifties…). We learned what lit them up, what mattered most, and how they wanted their story to unfold in every corner of their day.
We designed every meaningful moment with intention: from the dreamy pastel linens to the delicate paper rings used during the ceremony, where loved ones pledged their support to the brides by slipping on a ring of their own. We created a custom interactive puzzle game with unexpected surprises that invited guests to collaborate, play, and discover. We even considered little moments to delight their loved ones, like affirming Taylor sayings on bathroom mirrors to delight and uplift guests.
We also thought long-term. The star-shaped bottle opener escort cards didn’t just help folx find their tables but doubled as keepsakes. So did the vibrant rainbow guestbook, now proudly displayed in Livie and Ashley’s home.
Every element had purpose. Every detail told a piece of their story.
“You guys took on a huge majority of the mental load and pretty much all of the physical load from us, which made the planning process so much less stressful and really let us enjoy more of our celebration.”
The Night was Sparkling: Wonderstruck & Spellbound by Every Detail
The moment Livie and Ashley walked into their reception space for the first time, they felt it: this was THEIR wedding. The pastel linens, atmospheric elements (moon, clouds, stars, rainbows!), and one-of-a-kind design details were everywhere. Surrounded by joyful surprises and personal touches, Livie shared, “I was absolutely floored. There were surprises literally around every corner.” Ashley echoed, “It was incredible how we managed to be surprised continually throughout a day that we spent two years planning, thanks to you!”
From the start of cocktail hour to the very last dance, guests were delighted by playful touches and personalized details. Some were big (like the over-the-top rainbow dessert display), while others were subtle (like the rainbow pencils for the puzzle game). Highlights included:
- Custom bar signs featuring their dogs (a Livie fave)
- Star-shaped, magnet bottle openers (the escort cards) floating on clouds in front of a silhouette of the brides and their fur-kids
- A puzzle based on their pets’ thoughts about their wedding, incorporating silly accents and nicknames they use at home
- ME!-inspired mini-purses holding custom “record” coasters and bone- and paw-shaped hot cocoa bombs as puzzle game prizes
- Festive florals in one of the wedding attendant’s hair
“Everything turned out so gorgeous and has so much sentimental value and meaning to us,” Livie said. “Our wedding design conveyed exactly what we were hoping for: fun, love, acceptance, celebration, warmth, pride, joy, and whimsy.”
The interactive puzzle game, tucked into custom Swift-themed boxes, was a standout. From disappearing ink to hidden magic wands and personalized puzzles, the game sparked curiosity, laughter, and connection. “We were immediately competitive,” the couple laughed. “Guests kept coming up to us asking for hints and we'd say, ‘We didn’t design it, but we wouldn’t tell you if we knew!’” (We, on the other hand, were happy to give anyone a hint.) In the end, someone else claimed the win, but everyone walked away smiling.
Even more powerful than the decor or the games was how the day felt. The day was punctuated by tender moments, like the brides’ first dance to “Lover,” the song that had soundtracked their journey from a new apartment to a lifelong partnership. The atmosphere was playful, fun, romantic, and undeniably them.
Every detail was meant to evoke emotion, spark joy, and celebrate the heart of their story. And that’s the part that lingers. Long after the cocoa bombs, the cake, and the final songs, what guests remember most is the feeling: of being seen, welcomed, and part of something magical.
“Seriously, nobody who went to our wedding can stop gushing about how amazing it was,” they told us on their anniversary. “We received endless compliments…It really felt like we put on a party to be proud of, and it’s really all thanks to Whimsically You and the rest of the marvelous team that all came together to make it possible.”
Are you ready for it? Say it with us: “This wedding is OURS.”
If you’re dreaming of a wedding that’s immersive, imaginative, and unapologetically you, we’d love to help bring that vision to life. If you’re planning a nontraditional or themed wedding, looking for creative ways to reflect your personality, or just want something that makes your guests say “wow, this is so them”, we’re here for it.
Whether your vibe is rainbow pastels, witchy woods, cozy cottagecore, disco fever, or whatever else fits, we can’t wait to help craft the you-est version of your celebration.
From wedding experience design to interactive puzzle games, we help couples create unique weddings that celebrate who they are in ways that are playful, heartfelt, and totally personal. We're proudly LGBTQ+ affirming, woman/ally-owned, and love working with couples who value connection, creativity, and a little bit of whimsy.
If this sounds like you, we’d love to chat!
Or, read on!
- Explore our wedding design services
- Discover how we create custom puzzle games that your loved ones will be talking about for years
- Read how we helped other couples make their day uniquely theirs (for more offbeat wedding inspiration)
Vendors Who Made This Day Possible
- Design & Puzzle Experience: Whimsically You
- Desserts: Friday Harvest Bakery + Goods
- DJ: Green Mountain Sound
- Florist: Anaphora Flowers
- Gowns: Kyha Studios' “Duke” (Livie) & “Phoebe” (Ashley), purchased from Hinterland Bride
- Hair & Makeup: Alexandra Angelone Bridal
- Linens: Vermont Tent Company (plus a few from Sugarbush & Whimsically You)
- Officiant: Greg Trulson
- Photography: Dubay Photography
- Rings: Brilliant Earth (Livie’s engagement ring), Fascinating Diamonds (Ashley’s engagement ring & wedding band), and Northern Royal (Livie’s wedding band)
- Stationery: Vine in the Wild
- Venue & Catering: Sugarbush Resort