Artsy Akron Wedding with Tattoos, Vinyl Chargers, and Clay Cats
If you’ve ever wanted to wear puff sleeves and spin around a dance floor surrounded by temporary tattoos, vinyl chargers, and beer tokens, Kelsey (she/her) and Sami (she/her) are here to show you how it’s done. Their wedding in downtown Akron, Ohio was a bold, colorful celebration that blended DIY art, music, fashion, and plenty of laughter. From handmade florals to a cake topped with cartoon cats, these two infused every corner of their day with personality. And yes, Kelsey made her own dress.
How did the two of you meet?
We met on Tinder. Our first date was at a burger place and we ended up chatting for hours. Sami actually lived about 90 minutes away at the time, but the day of our first date she got offered a dream job in my city. I like to joke that she started dating me so she’d have a place to stay in town. On our second date, she asked if she could kiss me, then went home and started looking at engagement rings. A year later, we bought a house together. She proposed the following Christmas.
What made you choose downtown Akron as your wedding location?
Downtown Akron is a huge part of our story. It’s full of character, old brick buildings, and hidden gems. We always knew we wanted to get married in the city. We originally booked a really cool area of a brewery we loved, but they ended up going out of business. Luckily, we found another brewery basically next door. It was smaller and honestly ended up working out even better. It had everything we needed, including tables, chairs, and catering. We were even able to pay the venue rental fee using the deposit we got back from the first place.
What inspired the overall vibe and look of the wedding?
We went with vibrant and artsy. We told guests to wear whatever made them feel like badasses. Music is super important to Sami, so we worked that in through the decor. And I really wanted cool art. I reached out to a local muralist who makes these colorful movable murals called “boops.” I commissioned one in our wedding colors with my favorite flowers and we got married in front of it. Later, it was set up behind our sweetheart table.
You did a lot of DIY projects. Tell us more!
So many. First, the flowers. I used to work at a flower shop and a bunch of my close friends are former coworkers. I ordered wholesale blooms and we knocked it all out together the week of the wedding.
The seating chart board came from my local Buy Nothing group. My mom and I painted it and made it match the wedding colors, then I printed and glued on the table cards.
And then there’s my dress. I used to do bridal alterations and had a very specific vision. I made it myself from a mix of a pattern I love and some sketching and mockups. The fabric was from a tiny shop in NYC’s garment district. I even decided last-minute to make removable puff sleeves. I was finishing it the night before the wedding and accidentally clipped a seam, so I ended up unpicking and redoing the neckline at 10 p.m. Not ideal, but it worked out.
What did Sami wear?
She went with a three-piece look from SuitShop: a maroon vest and pants, paired with a white shirt and sneakers. She’s worn their pieces before and the quality is always solid. She looked amazing.
What was your approach to the ceremony and the rest of the day?
We kept things simple and flexible. We started setup at 9 a.m., went home for hair and makeup around 11, then did couple and group photos in the afternoon. Guests arrived around 4, and we walked down the aisle at 4:30. We had dinner, toasts, cake, dancing, and afterward, we hung out with friends at the hotel bar.
Any favorite moments?
Definitely the “table dash.” Instead of a receiving line, we ran to each table during the reception to snap a photo with every guest. It was chaotic but so much fun and a great way to make sure we saw everyone.
Another favorite was having my mom do my hair. She’s a hairstylist and has always done my hair, so it meant a lot to have her be part of that moment.
Who helped bring your day to life?
Our photographers, Jessy and Andrew from Macki’s Photography, were amazing. I found them through a post from Macki in a NE OH wedding group. Everyone at the wedding loved them and they made everything so easy and fun. The venue team was also fantastic and super accommodating. They let us come in earlier than planned to set up and come back the next day to pack everything up.
Any tips for others planning a wedding like yours?
Keep a budget spreadsheet, even if you forget to fill it in perfectly. Have a few trusted people you can lean on for support. And honestly, don’t be afraid to change plans. The brewery swap ended up being one of the best things that happened.
Photography by Macki’s Photography
Suit SuitShop
