Backyard Weddings – Green Wedding Shoes

When Sarah + Scott talked about where they would get married, they couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere other than on Scott’s parents’ property. And getting married under a huge oak tree was icing on the cake to an already gorgeous setting! Since they knew that creating a venue in the backyard would be a lot of work (and since the property provided so much natural beauty) they kept the décor simple. They choose a “Soft Southern” theme for the day and made an effort to stay true to that idea throughout every detail. Scott’s family has been involved in the agriculture industry for the past 30 years, so they included local produce (peaches + grapes) into their theme to honor that connection.

Thanks so much to Josh Elliott for the photos and congrats to Sarah + Scott!

Our favorite memories of the day were being able to read our handwritten vows in front of our family and friends and having an amazing dance party with our guests until the wee hours of the morning!

Love the moment captured below…so sweet!

HAVE FUN! Your wedding day will pass very quickly so enjoy the planning stage and give yourself enough time so that you’re not stressed out at the last minute. There are SO many last minute details that will need your attention and the last thing you’ll want to be doing is missing out on precious time with loved ones who have traveled to be with you during this special time. Don’t feel that you need to include traditions that don’t suit you as a couple. We skipped the garter and bouquet toss, didn’t have a guest book and went without ceremony seating because they weren’t important to us. We added a pre-ceremony cocktail hour and allowed guests to keep their beverage during the ceremony to stay with the relaxed tone of the event.

Also, let your family and friends help. So much of our wedding was DIY and we couldn’t have done it without the help of our amazing friends who stepped up and took care of tasks that couldn’t be done by either Scott or myself. The day of the wedding various bridal party members acted as breakfast servers, chauffeurs, crafters - you name it! Each and every person in our bridal party proved during the wedding weekend that we chose the right people to stand up with us during one of the most important days in our relationship.

photographer: Josh Elliott // venue: Private Home // catering: The Painted Table // decorations: Kathy Burk, KSB // hair + makeup: The Beach Hair Studio // florist: Brown Bunny Flowers // bride’s dress: Monique Lhuillier // groom’s suit + shoes: Ted Baker // desserts: Frosted Cakery // favors, ceremony decorations + place settings: DIY by the Bride and Groom // table runners: DIY by the Maid of Honor

Tenille + Travis had such a sweet backyard wedding this past fall. They included all the things that make them happy with their closest family + friends. Thanks so much to EP Love for the gorgeous photos and congrats to Tenille + Travis!

Processional: Groomsmen: Slowride – Panther 1; Groom: A Pirate Looks At 40 – Jimmy Buffet; Bridesmaids: Leather and Lace – Stevie Nicks & Don Henley; Bride: Sweet Little Thing – Lucero

Recessional: We – The Descendants

First Dance: Pistol – Dustin Kensrue

Travis: The few minutes before the ceremony started while I was standing (with only with my groomsmen) the feeling of excitement I had because of the rush of anticipation for what was about to happen in my life.

Tenille: After getting ready and being surrounded by my most favorite ladies, standing there (with my father getting ready to walk to my future husband) with this overwhelming confidence just knowing I was where I was supposed to be. OUR FUTURE- HELL YEAH!!!

Both: Together taking a moment away from everyone and standing on the balcony of the barn and watching everything we had planned come together and couldn't be more perfect, more US!

From the pay it forward department, the best piece of advice WE received was for the two of us to step away from all the hoopla (for at least 10 minutes) and enjoy that very moment. We enjoyed watching all our closest friends and family celebrate our life.

Do exactly what YOU want because in 40 or 50 years when you two are looking back on your wedding day thats all you will remember (not that person that wanted the linen napkins).

photography: EP Love // venue: Family home where the bride grew up (and the groom often hung out!) //event design: Bride and Groom along with True Blue Events // event planner: True Blue Events // floral design: Boutonnieres by True Blue Events. Bride, Mother of the Bride, and bridesmaids put together the florals in the centerpieces. Each bridesmaid made their own bouquet and MOB made brides bouquet // wedding dress: Melissa Sweet // shoes: Steve Madden // hair: Sarah Conner // groom suit: Giorgio Armani suit & Allen Edmonds shoes // cinematography: Super 8 video shot by EP Love // catering: The O Street Truck // cake: cupcakes by Enjoy Cupcakes // invitations + paper goods : made by Bride & Groom

Lindsey + Andrew have always been great admirers of the earth. They love to explore nature’s wonders and find no greater joy than the peace of a rainy day, the thrill of a crashing wave, or the embrace of a warm sunrise. So it comes as no surprise that for their wedding they wanted to bring a hybrid of glamorous and natural elements together. :) Their wedding took place on their family’s land out in Maband, Texas – right on Cedar Creek Lake.

From Lindsey, “Love is like a tree; it must be nurtured and it must grow deep roots, and yet the mightiest trees stand amidst a forest. We wanted our wedding to represent our forest and we wanted it to remind all those involved of how much we appreciate all their years of love, support, and nourishment. It was a party to celebrate us, but also our guests.”

Thanks so much to The Nichols for the photos, Bryan Long Flowers & Events for the event design + florals, and congrats to Lindsey + Andrew!

The gorgeous bridesmaids each picked their own dress from BHLDN. The amazing bouquets are by Bryan Long Flowers & Events.

The ceremony took place among the trees and our guests sat in a full circle all the way around us. There wasn’t an aisle and there weren’t bride and groom sides.

Processional: Girl from the North Country – Johnny Cash with Bob Dylan

Recessional: 1, 2, 3, 4 – Feist

First Dance: Lorraine’s Song (My Heart Was A Lonely Hunter) – Theresa Anderson

During the ceremony, Andrew and I planted a tree together. As we shoveled dirt, one of our dearest friends, Jess Williamson, played her banjo and sang our favorite song (Southern Cross, by Crosby, Stills, & Nash). Jess completely transformed this song. She made it exactly how we wanted to wedding to feel and gave it a richness and a meaning that I will cherish for the rest of my life. After the tree was planted we just stood there – holding hands and listening to the song together. It was magical.

We had a Jazz band during cocktails, dinner and cake and then everyone went outside for a fireworks show. After the show Andrew and I made a fake getaway (the way bands do before they come back for an encore). We re-entered the reception hall and all the lights changed to vibrant colors, a cookies and milk bar was set up, all the guests were given dessert shots, and a DJ was playing crazy fun dance music. The actual dance party didn’t end until 2:30 am. My feet were so tired!

And their gorgeous wedding film by Joe Simon Wedding Films!

My advice to you is – don’t sweat the small stuff and make it a party. We had plenty of things go awry on our big day, even some big things, but no one really noticed. I noticed everything, because I’m a control freak, but I just told myself “laugh it off, who really cares?” All of my guests had a blast and that was what I really wanted. And don’t forget to dance!

photography: The Nichols // venue: Private Residence, Mabank, Texas // event design + planning: Bryan Long Flowers & Events // floral designer: Bryan Long Flowers & Events // wedding dress: Monique Lhuillier // shoes + veil: Paris by Debra Moreland // bridesmaid dresses: BHLDN // hair + makeup: Rachel Harris // groom suit: Jeans- APC, Jacket- Band of Outsiders // cinematography: Joe Simon Wedding Films // paper goods: Southern Fried Paper // catering: Abraham Salum // cake: Romano’s Bakery // music: Jess Williamson, John Adams, DJ Lucy Wrubel

Glenn and Lauren have been together almost 8 years, and engaged for 3 years. When it came to their big day, they wanted to wait until they were ready. They are also talented wedding photographers, so they had a bit of experience knowing how much work can go into a wedding. They wanted to keep their day small + intimate, so a ceremony in the middle of an apple orchard with a backyard picnic reception was perfect for them – with lots of handmade touches to reflect their style so well!

From Lauren, “We both love op shopping (thrifting!) so we definitely wanted a second hand kind of wedding. We spent a lot of time at op shops, swap meets and garage sales, finding bottles, jars, books, picnic baskets, furniture… it was a really fun process and meant that we had a hand in most parts of the wedding.”

Thanks so much to Samm Blake for the gorgeous photos and congrats to Lauren + Glenn!

We had a really quick but personal ceremony, in the middle of an apple orchard – it was a private area, just for our guests, so it was a beautiful setting – plus we both love cider, so it was perfect!

The reception set up was in small, separate areas – a grassed area of picnic rugs; tables and chairs next to the dance floor; couches next to the pool; photo booth and bar in the shed; and then some features on the patio. How fun!

For both of us, our favourite moment was Glenn surprising me with a first dance. He had told me that he was too self-conscious to have one, and would worry about it all day – and obviously I didn’t want him worrying all day, so I agreed not to have one (despite how much I wanted one!) So when he announced that we were having our first dance at the end of his speech, I was very surprised – and subsequently cried through most of the song (I still cry when I hear the song now – Home, by Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros). Glenn sneakily got his friends to hand out sparklers, and told people that when their sparkler went out, they had to join us on the dancefloor (as a way of distracting them from watching him dance!) It was such a great moment, dancing with him, with all of our friends and family dancing around us – I’m so glad that Glenn did that for me, it was the best part of the night.

Apart from delegating as much as possible before the day (our craft day was productive and fun!) and having the wedding as personal as possible (what we didn’t have a hand in ourselves, family did – my brother made the beer and the bunting, my sister drew up all of the chalkboards, my aunt made the scones, and of course we used my mums house), the best advice I could give is to have some time, just the two of you, during the day. We had this in our in between photo time. Though we kept the bridal party around in the orchard, we let them loose after that, and we headed to an estate near my mums house with the photographers, and had a relaxing time wandering around and spending time together while the photgraphers documented it. I had been SO overwhelmed the whole day (I had a small cry straight after my make up had been done… sorry Emma J) and this time on our own allowed me to calm down, as well as have some quality time with Glenn. I also know that from a photographer’s perspective, we love having some alone time with the couple, as these are the most important photos of the day.

photography: Samm Blake // ceremony: Core Cider House Pickering Brook, Australia // florals: Fox and Rabbit // make up: Milla Make up // hair: HairArt // cupcakes and furniture: The Butcher, the Baker, the Stylist and Creator // photobooth: Push the Button // invitations: Minted // brides dress: ASOS // bridesmaids dresses: SWAK, General Pants Co // groom and groomsmen: General Pants Co // catering: Murphy’s café, Mundaring // reception: Private residence

From the get go, Tammy + Ben wanted their wedding to feel intimate, as if they were inviting guests to take a glimpse into their lives and how they fell in love. Their wedding and reception elements took guests on a journey through the seven years they’ve been together, reflected in elements like a dessert bar featuring sweets that Ben made Tammy when they first started dating, as well as hand-folded origami escort card chairs that were replicas of the one Tammy made Ben on their first date.

From Tammy: We wanted to have traditional elements but at the same time have unexpected twists that reflected our personalities and style. Our signature is to mix a lot of high + lows, so we loved the idea of juxtaposing a formal event in the backyard of Ben’s parents home, “backyard black tie” if you will. We knew right away that the most personal way we could make our wedding day was to have it on Ben’s parents’ property. We loved the idea of saying our vows someplace where no one had ever been married before.

Thanks so much to Caroline Tran for the photos and congrats to Tammy + Ben!

For Tammy: Our first look... usually it’s the bride’s moment, but to see Ben, who is a t-shirt/jeans/hoodie software engineer, in his bespoke tuxedo for the first time took my breath away.

For Ben: Seeing Tammy walk down the aisle and knowing I was going to spend the rest of my life with this beautiful woman, brought tears to my eyes.

Processional: Somebody to Love – Queen (as arranged by Vitamin String Quartet)

Recessional: “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) – Scott McKenzie (as arranged by Vitamin String Quartet)

First Dance: By Your Side (Neptunes Remix) – Sade

We planned our wedding from San Francisco, where we currently live. Because we weren’t getting married at an established venue, we had to do everything from scratch. Having a local event planner in Albuquerque proved imperative because she was able to negotiate all the rentals and coordinate the various vendors. Everything else we did ourselves, and we couldn’t have done it without Google Drive - it made it easy to share all our timelines and lists with the wedding party and vendors. Also, splurge on a great photographer - you can’t go back and capture the special moments once it’s over. Lastly, remember no matter how well you plan, something will pop up last minute so don’t stress and accept help from your friends and families!

photography: Caroline Tran // venue: private home in Albuquerque, New Mexico // event planner: Nikki Peone, Peony Events // floral design: The Flower Shop at Nob Hill // wedding dress: Monique Lhuillier, Bridal Galleria // shoes: Manolo Blahnik // bridesmaid dresses: Club Monaco // hair + makeup: Hair by Rosalie Wood, Makeup by Rebekkah Wiggins // groom suit: bespoke tuxedo, Seymour’s Custom Tailors // invitations + paper goods: The Aerialist Press, calligraphy: Rona Siegel // catering + cake: Dawn Sanchez Creations // music: cocktail reception by Luis Campos, dinner reception DJ Too Hot to Stop

For Matt + Paul, it was important that their day felt very personal – and more like an elegant party than a commitment ceremony. I love that they handed out flasks after the ceremony for the walk from the church to house – along with colorful parasols. How fun! And speaking of fun, just love their bow ties + converse sneakers! :) They also choose to skip the traditional first dance and cake cutting in favor of spending more time with their guests. Thanks so much to Caroline Tran for the photos, LVL Events for the lovely event design and congrats to Matt + Paul!

Our pre-church music was a playlist created by us both that contained our favorite songs (suitable for such an event) and was timed to reach a crescendo as we entered the chapel. Our vows were a surprise to each other yet very specifically intimate – we knew we represented the other well by the laughs we each got at the joke lines (why do vows have to be JUST serious when we’re all combos of serious and silly in our day-to-day lives?). I (Paul) really wanted a retro recessional (and NOT the wedding march), so we opted for a portable turntable playing Love’s Theme.

Well, after the vows themselves, seeing the house transformed into such a lovely gathering space. Matt’s aunt has commented that, for her, the most memorable moment was when they were waiting in the church after family photos and it was pretty quiet and then, suddenly the back church doors opened and the sun streamed in and a parade of the colored parasols and folks in suits and dresses and bow ties and plaid shorts sauntered in with a palpable energy of excitement and merriment. Unfortunately, we missed seeing that.

Start as early as possible, but don’t get tied down to your initial wants – it’ll all change up to the minute it's over.

photography: Caroline Tran // venue: Little Brown Church Studio City, California and The Ethel House // event design + planning: Courtney Caplin Cotter of LVL Events // rentals: LA Party Rentals and Classic Party Rentals // floral design: Meghan Fickling // shoes: Custom Converse sneakers, color coordinated to our suits // groom attire: Brooks Brothers (suits, bowties and shirts) // invitations + paper goods: Paper Source // catering: Elements, Onil Chibas // cake: Susie Cakes // music: Morganne Picard

Brittney + David love movies. They met in film school and now both work together at Disney Animation! They have worked together on films like Tangled & Wreck it Ralph so it’s no surprise that their wedding was inspired by their favorite movies along with lots of handmade paper details! From their lovely handmade ceremony backdrop and paper flower bouquets to their Jaws themed Save the Dates and movie named cocktails, their wedding has so many fun + personal details! Here’s what Brittney had to say about their inspiration:

“David and I tried to do as much as we possibly could to make our wedding day unique to us! One of the first decisions we made was that our wedding would be held at my family’s home. The house I grew up in is a beautiful Victorian home that overlooks a lake in western Pennsylvania. With both of us being artists, it was also important that we infuse our personal styles in all of the little details that we possibly could! We designed (and engineered) our own save-the date cards and pop-up invitations. I particularly love working with paper, so I decided to make all of our centerpieces, bouquets, and boutonnieres (with the help of our bridesmaids and groomsmen) from scratch! Our favors were limited edition art prints of lovebirds that we set up at every place setting. We even made confetti for our guests to toss at the end of the ceremony from scrap paper that was left-over from our invitation construction!”

Thank so much to Sloan Photographers for the photos and congrats to Brittney + David!

From David: Standing at the altar, looking out at everyone we love, and thinking “Holy cow, these are my favorite people ever! This is the best day ever!”

From Brittney: This is tough, because while it was the most memorable day of our lives, it also went by in a blur. For me, it might have been our first look. When David turned around to look at me, he was wearing a ridiculous GIANT mustache. I had been following a lot of wedding blogs while planning our wedding, and was a little tired of the mustache trend. I told him that we would have no mustaches on our day and, well, that certainly backfired! There was even a mustache in the ring box to surprise me at the altar! It just serves me right for trying to limit his creative expression. But looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way!

My dress was an Ines de Santo gown that was customized to have more of a 1950s starlet silhouette.

Processional: Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World – Iz, performed by Sarah Ada

Recessional: Hey Ya – the Blanks, performed by Sarah Ada

First Dance: Kiss the Girl – The Little Mermaid

Our signature drinks were all based on some of our favorite movies – the “Ron Burgundy” (based on Anchorman), “Under the Sea Sangria” (The Little Mermaid), and “Muppets Take Malibu (Muppets Take Manhattan), which came complete with googly-eyed drink stirs!

And here is their wedding video from Landshark of Sharkpig:

We were just so overwhelmed by the love and support we received from everyone around us for our wedding! Planning a Pennsylvania wedding from Los Angeles was difficult, but so many people offered help in so many ways that everything turned out much better than we could have ever hoped! My bridesmaids stayed up with me until 2am the night before the wedding to make our bouquets, and David and his groomsmen designed and constructed their boutonnieres themselves! Some of our guests from Los Angeles flew in with emergency crafting supplies for us two days before the wedding! And our neighbors even surprised us with fireworks during our reception! It was the perfect end to a fabulous day, and we couldn’t be more thankful to have all of these wonderful people in our lives!

Whatever you do, enjoy the process! For most of us, the planning time that leads up to a wedding is much longer than the wedding day itself, so have fun with it! Make the preparation feel more like part of the celebration, and less like work. And invest in memories (i.e. fabulous photographers and videographers) - you won’t regret it!

Finally, if things go wrong (and they probably will) don’t sweat it! Ultimately, your guests aren’t there for your details - they are there to love and support you!

photography: Sloan Photographers // venue: Brittney’s Family Home, Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvannia // event design: JPC Event Group // event planner: Allyson Veronesi of JPC Event Group // florals: Paper centerpieces and altar decorations by the bride, Bouquets and Boutonnieres by the Bride, Groom, and Bridal Party // dress: Custom Ines di Santo gown from Lovella Bridal // shoes: Feather Shoes by Something Bleu (from BHLDN), pumps by BCBG (from Macy’s) // hair + makeup: Hair by Claudia of Claudia’s Salon and Spa // groom’s suit: Ralph Lauren Suit from Bloomingdale’s // videography: Geoff Boothby of Sharkpig // paper goods: Brit Sketch // catering + cake: JPC Event Group

Lucy + Graham’s UK wedding is all sorts of colorful + fun! Inspired by a festival feel, they created the perfect wedding day for them! Lucy said, “We sort of got together at Glastonbury Festival 2010 and exactly a year after that at Glastonbury, Graham proposed at the Stone Circle. And exactly a year after that on the 23rd June 2012, with Glastonbury in it’s fallow year, we got married. So is was no big surprise we wanted to have a festival feel to our wedding and we were lucky enough that my dad had a lovely house with a big old field out the back that was totally perfect. We wanted it to have an outdoor relaxed country wedding feel, look amazing, feel creative, and most of all we wanted it to be fun.”

Thanks so much to Joanna Brown for the photos and congrats to Lucy + Graham!

What an amazing backyard, right?!!!

Processional: Top Gun Theme

Recessional: I Just Fell in Love Again – Quantic + His Combo Barbaro

First Dance: Baby I'm Yours

Isn’t Lucy’s dress gorgeous??!! She worked closely with Rachel from Heirloom Couture for her one-of-a-kind dress. She wanted it to have a vintage feel, but still feel modern, stylish and simple. I think she was quite successful! A bit more about the dress from Lucy:

Inspiration for my dress began from an original vintage dress sourced from New York from Heirloom Couture’s vintage archive. The lace used was half a gift from my dear friend Alice mum’s vintage lace collection and half sourced by me from Portobello Market. It was all handmade antique Brussels Point de Gaze lace and so special because of the amount of work and detail that was in each unique piece, so delicate and beautiful. Each individual piece was cut out and appliquéd separately to form the entirely bespoke design of the bodice. The tiny flowers were a detail loved from the original vintage dress I first fell in love with. The antique crocheted buttons were sourced specially from New York and were hand washed to match to colour of the lace perfectly.

As a surprise my father booked a couple singing waiters, which on paper I would have NEVER agreed to. They started half way through dessert, much to everyone’s confusion and sung rousing opera for about half an hour. The tent exploded, it was amazing to look around to see everyone shouting on their feet, swirling their napkins above their heads. My father is very clever, it was an amazing surprise.

Also our first dance was really special. As we danced in front of the giant heart everyone set off confetti cannons, it was a massive colour explosion of love and got everyone dancing.

I handmade everyone a rosette – all 200 of them! And no two were the same (apart from the ushers). I loved the idea of splashes of colour everywhere and wanted everyone to leave with something bright and colourful that would remind them of the day. I also really like what a simple rosette can do to an outfit and liked the idea that if you saw a picture of someone wearing one you’d know that it had been taken at our wedding. It was quite an undertaking – lots of ribbon, lots of burnt glue gun fingers, lots of hours. My uncle worked out that it probably took me about 70 hours to make them all! Worth it though! And I’m now making bespoke rosettes in my etsy store!

The tent was littered with red word strings (handmade by my cousins Emily + Rebecca Stovold) which were little phrases that meant something to me + Graham, from stupid private jokes like “mega vibes” + “this is something else you can do in a rave” to things that meant something to us a little more romantically like “we can be heroes” and “don’t worry everything is going to be amazing”

The inspiration [for the heart] came from a mixture between an installation at burning man and an old men’s working club in east London. We’d gone to burning man the year before and everyday had cycled underneath the same heart in the middle of the desert (cheese balls!) and so thought it would be a lovely idea to try and replicate that for our wedding.

Be mega organized and it’s never too early to get something sorted.

photography: Joanna Brown // venue: bride’s dad’s house, Northamptonshire countryside, United Kingdom // red heart: Hawkes and Forman // papel picado: Re-Found Objects // bespoke resettes: Told You So Resettes // event planner + catering: Kate Denston @ Rare // floral design: Green + Gorgeous // wedding dress + hairpiece: Rachel Spencer of Heirloom Couture // shoes: Repetto // bridesmaid dresses: Hammersmith Vintage Fair, Lucy In Disguise, Peekaboo Vintage, Top Shop // hair + makeup: hair by Harriet at in Parlour, make up by Amanada Harrington at In Parlour // groom attire: Burberry suit, John Francombe shirt, Turnbull & Asser bowtie, Cazal 607s sunglasses

Lauren + Bud never viewed their wedding as a wedding – to them it was a big party to celebrate the start of their new life. :) They choose to get married around the corner from Lauren’s parent’s home in Missouri. It was a special location to them and they got to build the venue into their own unique creation. When they first started the barn was filled with scrap metal and the weeds were as tall as they were! The entire ceremony site was a complete reflection of all the hard work put in by their families and was a total transformation. I just love the giant frame they had built that they were married in front of! Such a perfect backdrop for the ceremony, right?!

Thanks so much to Alec Vanderboom for the photos and congrats to Lauren + Bud!

Processional: Wedding Party: Such Great Heights – Iron & Wine; Bride: Canon in D

Recessional: All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

First Dance: Thank You – Led Zeppelin

We had such a hard time deciding our first dance song. We went back and forth between The Beatles and Van Morrison for an entire year. Finally a week before the wedding my husband played “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin and it was a no brainer. That song represented every part of us and that day. “And so today, my world it smiles, your hand in mine, we walk the miles, Thanks to you it will be done, for you to me are the only one”

The most memorable moment for both of us was after the ceremony when we joined the cocktail hour. There was so much anticipation because we had not seen the venue since it had been set up. As we walked in a wave of happiness came over us and everything came to life. The flowers, the jazz music, the rustic feel and all of our loved ones surrounding us – It was so surreal.

Can I have another? :) My favorite moment of my husband was when he hopped on the drums with the band and began to improvise “Heard It Through The Grapevine”. Everyone loved it and went wild – they thought he had practiced for months. I love his spontaneity and this made my night!

Bud’s favorite part of the planning was picking out the late night snacks – chicken fingers and queso (a representation of his bachelor days). Since Bud is from the East Coast, I was really excited to introduce local moonshine to all the New Yorkers flying into small town Missouri. We arranged for Copper Run Distillery to come down and serve our favorite moonshine margaritas during the cocktail hour. We also passed out mini bottles of champagne and confetti poppers to pop when we were announced husband and wife. It’s the small stuff!

And their wedding film by Something Blue Cinema

Fun Tip: Don’t be afraid to make a weekend of your wedding! Our guests loved participating in karaoke on Friday night and brunch on Sunday. It keeps them entertained and gives you a way to pay back for their travels. It gave us so much more time to catch up with friends and relatives and meet new ones. We weren’t trying to fit everyone in the night of our wedding and that made it so much more relaxing.

Don’t focus on things you can’t control! The week before my wedding I was stalking the forecast and worrying about all the guests arriving safely. I was getting so upset as the weather changed every single day, would it rain, would the sun come out, would it be too cold? I frantically ordered cute umbrellas and matching rain boots and at the end of the day it didn’t pour down rain until later that night. It made the whole experience so much more memorable and we heard some great stories at brunch the next day.

photography: Alec Vanderboom Photography // venue: private property, Missouri // event design: Jim Faulkner of Encore Gallery, Gabe Jackson, Los Angeles, CA & Swept Away Rentals // event planner: Gabe Jackson, Los Angeles, CA & Gracious Occasions // floral design: The Thicket // wedding dress: Enzoani, Dimitras Bridal // hairpieces: Fascinating Creations // shoes: Glint – Nordstrom, Cowgirl boots – Lucky Brand // bridesmaid dresses: their own selection to reflect their personal style // hair + makeup: makeup by Ty Harshman, hair by Chelsea Gregg, Swank Salon // groom suit: Karl’s Tuxedo // cinematography: Something Blue Cinema // paper goods: Posh Paperie // catering + cocktails: Infused Catering // cake: Beth’s Bake Shoppe // music: The Stanton Strings , The Galaxy Band

Today we are excited to share not one, but two, sweet backyard weddings! First up is Kelly + Bryce’s super intimate boho wedding on a private farm in Ojai, CA. It’s no secret that I just love small weddings and there is something so lovely and sentimental about the fact that Kelly + Bryce kept their ceremony to immediate family and their reception to just family and close friends. This wedding proves that you don’t need to have lots of crazy details to have a gorgeous wedding. Sometimes all you need is a naturally beautiful setting, yummy food + drinks, meaningful details and the people closest to you!

From the bride: Our inspiration was simplicity and family. To us, a wedding is about one thing – love – and sharing that love with our families. Keeping the ceremony intimate really created the space for our families to connect to each other and to us. We had each family member share something that they either personally prepared or that we asked them to share. My dad also performed the ceremony; “joining our families together rather than giving me away,” as he said, which was really special. Everyone helped bring things together from the food to the flowers, and it was really beautiful sharing that love with them.

With the help of her mother-in-law, Kelly redesigned and altered her mother’s wedding dress. Such a fun project and it turned out beautifully!

How incredibly sweet is it that Bryce made Kelly’s bouquet for her?!

The way we felt during the ceremony....being overwhelmed with love.

I can’t think of a more stunning backdrop for a wedding!

Kelly + Bryce rented the Red Tail Ranch from VRBO.com, which is such a great idea if you don’t have a backyard capable of hosting a wedding. The decor was charming + playful; from the mismatched china and textiles to the jars of handpicked wild flowers, foraged the morning of the wedding.

Love that Kelly baked all the pies herself, from scratch. What a great personal way to incorporate some of your favorite recipes into your celebration!

To be honest, I didn't plan much. We are all about using what you got and finding the beauty in all that surrounds you. Make sure to honor yourself, and honor your love. Nothing else really matters.

photography: Leila Brewster // venue: Red Tail Ranch Ojai, California // floral design: We handpicked wildflowers the morning of the wedding // wedding dress: My mother-in-law, Pam Ehrecke, and I redesigned and altered my mothers wedding dress // shoes: ALDO // hair + makeup: My friend, Melissa Hernandez, curled my hair and I pinned it up. I did my makeup // groom suit: Pam Ehrecke, Bryce’s mom, designed and sewed his vest // catering: We made all the food from fresh local ingredients. We harvested veggies the day before the wedding from Mano Farm and Farmer and the Cook and sourced all the meat from The Ventura Meat Company, a local sustainable butcher // cake: Pies!! I made all the pies, gluten free, from scratch

And we’re back with our second backyard wedding for the day! Arlene + Jake are a laid back couple who wanted their wedding day to be relaxed + fun. They hoped their fete would be reminiscent of a carefree garden picnic and opted to have their ceremony + reception in the backyard where Jake grew up! They kept their attire on the casual side so they could wear everything again, served their favorite foods (pizza + popsicles anyone?!) and danced the night away to original live music played by their talented musician friends.

Be sure not to miss the super fun temporary tattoo bar – such a clever idea for a backyard wedding! Thanks so much to Samm Blake (who is now based out of New York!) for the gorgeous photos.

Loving Arlene’s cute Ban.do headband!

I can’t get over the beautiful portraits Samm Blake captured of Arlene + Jake! Good photography is always a worthy investment, even if you’re on a budget.

Doesn’t the ceremony have such a sweet + intimate feel? The colorful garland adds a fun textural element to the natural backdrop.

Guests were delighted by DIY temporary tattoos provided by Tattly. Seriously, such a fun way to keep everyone entertained during your cocktail hour or reception.

Everything (including the deserts!) was made by friends of the couple. From Arlene, We have a bunch of super talented friends and wanted to include their talents and beautiful personalities in our day.

My advice for those planning a wedding now would be do what you like to do! Don't do or include things just because a bunch of people before you have done them. If it means something to you do it, if not, don't. I'm not a jewellery loving girl, so we never bothered with an engagement ring but spent the money on an amazing honeymoon instead. I love to travel. Just because everyone else is doing something doesn't mean you have to ... be true to you and have fun doing it!

photography: Samm Blake (who is now based in NYC) // venue: Jake’s family backyard in Perth, Western Australia // florals: I did them all with a friend, we purchased the flowers from a wholesalers // hairpiece: Ban.do // hair: Teneil // groom’s outfit: Pigeon Hole // paper goods: self designed and printed // catering: all food was catered by friends // music: Big ol Bears, Claybird, Leena, Rachel Hocking, Jaye van Wollingen

High school sweethearts Michelle + Jimmy had one of the most special and personal weddings I’ve seen in a while! Since they grew up just a few houses down the street from each other, they decided to celebrate at both of their parent’s homes — with a memorable ceremony at a ”chapel in the woods”, handcrafted by Jimmy in his parent’s backyard, followed by a gorgeous reception underneath a light-filled Sperry tent in Michelle’s parent’s backyard. Such a sweet way to take advantage of such a unique situation! Here’s a bit more from Michelle about their inspiration for the day:

We wanted our wedding to be about celebrating our love with our family and friends. We didn’t want to have a traditional wedding filled with things that “you’re supposed to do”. We wanted to spend every minute enjoying each other, the day, and our friends + family. We have been together for about 12 years, since high school, and we wanted to embrace that in our wedding. Our friend married us, and everything said and read at our ceremony was something that had true meaning to us. We wrote and read our own vows to each other, which was one of my favorite parts of the whole day.

Big thanks to Pat Furey for the stunning photography + congratulations Michelle + Jimmy!

Walking barefoot up the path in the woods to see Jimmy for the first time. It was such a beautiful setting ... after 1.5 years of planning, the roller coaster of dealing with Hurricane Andrea + all the rain, the moment couldn't have been more perfect. I was so happy to see him. It was only drizzling but we were covered by the trees, and the sun actually came out as we were taking pictures.

Loving Jimmy’s awesome, unconventional attire + Michelle’s pretty, textural bouquet!

Processional: Bridesmaids: Love Story – Taylor Swift; Bride: Pachelbel's Canon

Recessional: Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root

First Dance: Who Are You When I'm Not Lookin' (originally by Blake Shelton), played live by my brother, Matt + my cousin, Dave

In addition to the extremely personal setting, there are tons of lovely details throughout – so much inspiration for all of you throwing a fun backyard wedding!

Pick a few things that are most important to you and your fiancé and stick to making them happen. Let everything else go. Remember that the day is about the two of you celebrating your love, nothing else, so no matter what happens it will be the most perfect day in itself.

photography: Pat Furey // venue: parent’s backyards, New Jersey // event planner: SociaLife // floral + event design: Faye and Renee // wedding dress: Wtoo ”Bristol” // hairpieces: flowers by Faye and Renee // shoes: Toms // bridesmaid dresses: All different from different stores // hair: Milagro // makeup: Glow Artistry // groom suit: Michael Bastian // videography: Endless Wave // paper goods: Art Paper Scissors // catering: Pat Conte // cake: Cupcake Magician // music: an awesome band starring my younger brother, my cousin, and two family friends

Katie + Tom’s whimsical, vintage-inspired backyard wedding was truly crafted from the heart. Since the couple was on a limited budget, they repurposed everything they could + looked to family and friends for help with making their dream DIY wedding come to life. Together, they created a day that was meaningful + one-of-a-kind!

Here’s more from Katie: From the beginning, it was important to us that our wedding be as personal as possible and tell the story of who were individually and as a couple. That decision really helped dictate the rest. There was no real color scheme or theme- we chose colors and details that made us happy. I’m a bookworm and my husband is a movie geek. You’ll see my Bridesmaids carrying classic books down the aisle. You’ll see TMNT characters, Muppets, and quotes from our favorite books. My Mom sewed garlands cut from pages of old children’s books, comic books, and magazines. These were strung from the ceiling of our tent and served as the backdrop for our ceremony.

We got married in my parent’s backyard, next to my favorite swing (which we re-painted and personalized with our initials for the day). I wore my great grandmother’s pin. My bridesmaids wore necklaces that my neighbor designed, using beads from my great grandmother’s necklace. A great friend played an acoustic song as I walked down the aisle (he had played the same song in the video my husband proposed with). Our cousins read a passage from Fahrenheit 451 and a W.B. Yeats poem (2 of our favorites!) Our parents wrote letters and placed them in a box along with a copy of our vows and a bottle of wine from the day.

Thank you to Skys The Limit for the beautiful photography + congrats to Katie + Tom!

Tom made the groomsmen’s boutonnieres from some of his childhood comic collection- the only cost was a bag of buttons to hold them together!

Processional: Question – Rhett Miller (performed by a friend on acoustic guitar)

Recessional: This Will Be Our Year – OK GO (played via boombox carried by the Best Man)

First Dance: To Be Surprised – Sondre Lerche

One of my favorite details was our choice of favors. Tom and I went to a coffee shop for our first date (I found out later it was his first cup of coffee ever!) and since then have spent many mornings drinking coffee together and talking. We wanted our favors to be something our guests would use every day. So we spent months collecting vintage mugs from thrift stores and shining them up. It was so fun to see our guests find just the right mug to take home!

One of our musts was to have our favorite band (whose members have become like family over the past few years) play for our reception. I have never seen so many people on the dance floor! We chose a local Italian bakery to make our cake. We requested a spice cake with blackberry jam between the layers and WOW did they ever deliver. If a traditional wedding cake isn’t important to you, I would highly recommend going this route. Our cake was simple, affordable, and absolutely delicious. The bakery even let my Mom pop by the kitchen and bring her own jam to put between the layers.

The best advice I can give is to go with your gut and make meaningful choices. If something is important to you, include it! One of the best compliments we received after the fact was that the day just “had Katie and Tom written all over it”. Make decisions that make sense to you and your husband-to-be, keep your guests in mind, and I promise, it will be a blast! Joy is contagious. On the other hand, when the day finally comes, let go. There were some DIY projects we worked hard on that just didn’t make it onto the tables on the day of. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that we were all together, celebrating.

And If you can, try to schedule the day to include as little transition time as possible. We were at an advantage because of our backyard venue but this turned out to be a great perk. Immediately following the ceremony, guest paraded up the hill to the reception site and entered the toasting circle. There was a real flow to the day and I felt so lucky that we had control over that part. It made everything flow better and gave guests something to do at all times.

photography: Skys The Limit // venue: Private Residence, Pennsylvania // save the dates: Mandy McD // wedding cake: Delallo Italian Marketplace // pies: Sandhill Berries // wedding dress: Kate Spade // bride’s shoes: Poetic Licence // bride’s hair: The Hair Spot, Avonmore, PA // bridesmaid’s dresses: Anthropologie // groom’s attire: Jacket from H&M, Jeans from Levi’s, Shoes from Urban Outfitters, Tie was handmade by mother of the bride // catering: Pepperwood Grille, Greensburg, PA

Natalie + Will knew from the start they wanted to get married in a natural setting + keep things as stress-free as possible, so they chose their friend’s backyard (in Idaho) as their venue + kept the decor minimal, but eclectic with lots of fun vintage, bohemian + rustic accents! The gorgeous red barn + artfully landscaped gardens proved to be the perfect backdrop for a wedding that was centered around love + reflective of Natalie + Will’s sweet, laid-back personalities!

Thanks so much to Dylan and Sara Photography for the beautiful photography (just wait until you see the stunning portraits of Natalie + Will towards the end of the post!) and big congrats to the newlyweds!

Doesn’t Natalie have the most gorgeous red hair?! Loving her pretty, loose curls.

I honestly can't think of one particular moment that stands out above all the rest, but I will always remember how wonderful it was to see so many of our favorite people sharing and celebrating love. Our guests came from a lot of different religious & political backgrounds and walks of life, yet every time I looked around I saw nothing but smiles, laughter and hugs. That was really special for us.

Keep it simple!! Remember that the whole idea is to have fun and celebrate togetherness, and you can't do that if you're stressing about making sure everything is absolutely perfect. Nail down the important details early (for us, those details were photography, flowers, music and food) and let the rest flow naturally!

photography: Dylan and Sara Photography // venue: Southerland Ranch Eagle, Idaho // floral design + hairpieces: The Florist at Edwards // shoes: Aldo // hair: Montage Studio // paper goods: Susie Allen // catering: Gino’s Italian Ristorante // cake: Nicole Cahill // music: AJ Wilkens // wedding ring: Artifactum Design

Emily + Rob’s lovely Sonoma foodie wedding was full of effortlessly beautiful details and an absolutely amazing-sounding menu! Their wedding took place at a friend’s home and to them, sharing an incredible meal with their friends + family was the most important aspect of the day – and just wait until you see the amazing table + location of their dinner! So perfect. :) For their ceremony, they invited several friends and family members to select a reading of their choice. Each told the story of Emily + Rob’s love in their own words, and it ended up being one of the most special parts of the day. Here’s more from Emily about their main inspiration:

Rob + I have a shared love for good food. We built our company Foodzie together and knew one of the happiest parts of the day would be sharing an epic meal with our favorite people. We met Katy Oursler from Outstanding in the Field and her boyfriend Chef Stephen at a seafood foraging class and completely hit it off. Outstanding in the Field sources local, seasonal ingredients and serves the meal on one long winding table that curves the landscape. Once we picked that piece, we planned the rest of the wedding around it.

Thanks so much to Hugh Forte for sharing these beautiful images with us today + congratulations to Emily + Rob!

Processional: Hey There Delilah – Plain White T's (instrumental)

Recessional: Clocks – Coldplay

First Dance: Till Kingdom Come – Coldplay

I can’t believe this is Emily + Rob’s friend’s home…such a rad spot!

After our reception, hand-in-hand, we walked everyone to dinner. It was away from the rest of the ceremony and reception and the table was hidden when our guests arrived so it would be a surprise. We rounded the corner and it was golden hour, with the sun peeking over the hills. Latifah from The Autumn Film was playing the piano in the grass, and there was the long winding table. I think I gasped, turned to Rob and just froze there for a few seconds. Even though I had planned the whole thing it was such a surreal moment when it all hit me at once. I was just so, so happy, I didn't want it to end.

All of the food looks so amazing. Emily + Rob definitely pulled off their dream foodie day in a big way!

And there are so many sweet moments captured in their gorgeous wedding video by Scott Hammel!

My advice would be to be patient and give yourself the time you need to do it right. Everyone asks you as soon as you get engaged "what's the date" and you feel this pressure. We have a bit of a funny story. Rob and I got engaged on 07/07/07 and then we started our company Foodzie. We had no idea it would be the beginning of a six year engagement!! We had no time and money while building the company and decided we wanted to wait to do it right. I was so thankful we did because it was everything we wanted. We're an extreme case…but take the time you need.

photography: Hugh Forte // venue: Summerhill, a private estate in Sonoma, California // event planner + catering: Katy Oursler // floral design: Bride’s Aunt // wedding dress: Romona Keveza // shoes: Gucci // bridesmaid dresses: Victoria’s Secret // hair + makeup: Mikaela South // groom suit: J.Crew // videography: Scott Hammel // paper goods: none, sent a video // cake: Arizmendi Bakery // music: The Autumn Film

Hayley + Gordon’s 60′s-inspired backyard wedding was almost entirely handmade by the two of them, with the help of their bridal party + family. The celebration took place on Hayley’s family compound in Camarillo, CA – where several generations of family have tied the knot! The day was filled with so many fun, DIY elements – like hundreds of paper tassels strung everywhere, homemade pie with a vintage cake topper, and a super rad ceremony backdrop made from ribbons + words from one of their favorite songs – wait until you see it! Here’s even more about the day from the beautiful bride:

How did we make our wedding about the two of us? Two things: Tacos and pie. We both have an unrelenting appetite for tacos, so we made sure that that’s what we would be eating on the most wonderful day of our lives. We also both love pie beyond all reason, and for that reason, we decided to forego the standard wedding cake and have pie instead. The best day ever needs to be full of the best food ever; am I right? All the mini pies that fed most of our guests were made by a bakery, but we made our actual “wedding pie” together. It was cherry, in case you were wondering!

Big thanks to Rad + In Love for the gorgeous photography + congrats to Hayley + Gordon!

How much do you love the bridesmaid’s adorable poofy buns complete with tiny gold bows?! The girls all did each others hair, which sounds like a lot of fun + it turned out so great!

Majorly in love with their ceremony altar, which was made with streamers and the words “La La Love You” – a line from their fave Pixies song!

I spray-painted all the terracotta pots that the succulents were in with some help from my mother-in-law and one of my bridesmaids. My sister + I potted a majority of the succulents with help from my mom, my wedding planner, my aunt, uncle, cousins — they were trimmings we got from my aunt’s backyard! The table runners were from fabric I bought in Downtown LA and were cut and hemmed by my officiant and his wife who have a school uniform company.

When most of our bridal party rushed onto the dance floor after the first dance and danced with us to "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure.

Don't get hung up on the little things because at the end of the day all that matters is that you are marrying your soulmate.

photography: Rad + In Love // venue: family home in Camarillo, California // wedding planning + design: Alexis Napier (friend) // bride’s dress + veil: Dolly Couture // shoes: LifeStride // bridesmaid dresses: One of the dresses was bought in a vintage shop in Venice. The rest were all from different stores or websites – Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, ModCloth, Ruche, Dorothy Perkins // hair: Bri Rice // bridesmaids’ hair: Bride did a few of the bridesmaids’ hair, and the rest were either done by other bridesmaids, family members // makeup: Melissa Murdick // flowers: Rose Hut Flowers // catering: Tlaquepaque Restaurant // pies: Gordon and I baked our actual big “wedding pie,” but all the mini pies were made by Marie Shannon Confections // table decor: DIY by bride // groom’s clothing: Suit from Jos. A. Bank, tie from The Tie Bar

Katie + Ryan had a backyard wedding of pretty epic proportions. Held at Katie’s family home in Pennsylvania, their lovely, laid back celebration is guaranteed to inspire all of you newly engaged couples who are starting to plan a backyard soiree of your own! Katie + Ryan kept things simple, but stylish, by letting the beauty of their surrounding take the lead when it came to design and allowing the spring season to dictate many of the decor choices. This meant incorporating lots of pretty, natural elements like fun, wildflower-inspired bouquets for the bridal party and mini potted herbs serving as escort cards. And doesn’t Katie’s gorgeous, pink BHLDN dress feel like a perfect fit with the setting? It has such a beautiful springtime garden party feel! Here’s a bit more about the day from the newlyweds:

Since we were having the wedding in my family’s backyard, we wanted it to feel homey and authentic. We tried to keep it relaxed and fun, but also classy and sophisticated so that it really felt like something very special. We chose late May because that was when most of the flowers would be blooming on the property. Having the wedding at home made the whole experience feel that much more personal + intimate!

Big thanks to The Hurst’s for the beautiful photographs and congratulations to Katie + Ryan!

Katie + Ryan’s sweet first look took place inside the property’s beautiful greenhouse. I’m pretty insanely jealous of this awesome backyard! Such a perfect spot to host a wedding…

Love that their pup was a part of their day, too! :)

Love n’ Fresh Flowers did such a pretty job with the floral design. Loving the heart-shaped wreath above + the farm chair bouquets below!

Our ceremony. We had the most wonderful officiate who wrote a beautiful ceremony for us. We had a week of non-stop rain leading up to the big day and the forecast for that day was damp and chilly. Just as we paused for a silent moment to remember loved ones who had past, the warm sun peeked through and shined down on us. It was one of those moments when you just know your life has lead you down the right path. It was a really beautiful moment.

Dinner took place in the yard under a tent lit by string lights. Fun, mismatched vintage chairs + boxes and tins of herbs + flowers gave the setting a rustic, charming feel.

And majorly love their fun wedding video by Tree of Life Films!

When in doubt, simplify. Try not to get too hung up on details and decision-making. Just go with your gut and what makes you happy. I read someplace that your wedding should feel like the biggest dinner party you’ll ever throw and that it should look and feel like yours and nobody else’s. This advice helped make our wedding feel genuine and really personal without being overly contrived.

photography: The Hurst’s // venue: Bride’s Family Home, Ambler, Pennsylvania // floral design + hairpieces: Love n’ Fresh Flowers // wedding dress: BHLDN // bridesmaid dresses: Urban Outfitters, Mod Cloth // hair + makeup: talented bridesmaid // groom suit: J. Crew // videography: Tree of Life Films // paper goods: Bride designed // catering: Birchtree Catering // cake: Belle Cakery // music: Ryan Tennis Music // tables and chair rentals: Maggpie Vintage Rentals // tent: Sperry Tents

bride and groom

Betsy + Raul knew they wanted to have a low-key DIY farm wedding, inspired by two of their favorite things: watercolor + wildflowers. And as luck would have it, the perfect location for their big day was right at their fingertips and they hosted their celebration at Raul’s gorgeous family farm in the Catskills. Both of their families worked very hard to help them handcraft fun design elements that ensured their day was both beautiful + meaningful. From watercolor-painted menus to hand-carved and personalized birch wood candle favors to pretty chalkboard directional signage, no detail was overlooked, and every element was made all the more special since so much love went into bringing it to life. I know a lot of you are in the beginning stages of planning a handmade day of your own, so here’s some sound DIY advice from Betsy that you might find helpful:

You need a reason to have a DIY wedding that extends beyond saving money or else you will lose your mind. Many projects can end up costing you more–buying equipment, supplies, buying replacement supplies when you make a mistake, driving back + forth to the craft store, spending hours and hours searching on Etsy for the perfect stamp, taking time off work to hot glue sticks to paper…you get the idea. All the DIY elements I made for the wedding – the program fans, menus, confetti cones, popcorn bags, windows with table seating, string globes, tissue pom-poms were because I wanted to add a personal touch to our wedding that money can’t buy. When I contemplated making personalized water bottles to have on hand, one of my very wise bridesmaids asked me, “How will you feel when you see all the time and energy that you put into those sitting in the trash?”…in other words: is the level of joy your guests will get out of these projects going to be worth your time + energy? If the answer is YES! Then go for it!

Big thanks to Nadine of Love Me Do Photography for sharing Betsy + Raul’s gorgeous day with us + congratulations to the newlyweds! :)

wildflower bouquet

getting ready

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Majorly love everything about Betsy’s look! Her Jenny Packham dress + headpiece were purchased at Allegria Bridal in Massachusetts. And isn’t her pixie haircut darling? Betsy had a hard time finding styling inspiration for brides with short hair, so I hope this helps any of you who are running into the same issue!

crystal hair piece

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During the ceremony, my mentor Tracy acted as our master of ceremonies + invited the guests at our wedding to make vows to us as a couple. Everyone held hands and shouted WE DO! as Tracy read off vows like “We promise to honor the commitment the two of you have made today and do everything we can to protect it” and “We promise not to give you advice unless you ask for it”

ceremony

Being showered with biodegradable confetti as we walked hand in hand down the hill after the ceremony. It was the utmost expression of joy and love that we could feel literally radiating off of our guests. Also it was a deliriously happy combination of crying, laughing, and choking on the confetti until it dissolved in our mouths...

ceremony

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Such a sweet wildflower-inspired bout by the Catskill Flower Shop!

wildflower boutonniere

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seating chart

watercolor seating chart

straws

giant jenga

Betsy + Raul are vegans AND foodies! And even though some questioned their plan to serve an all vegan meal, they knew it was what they wanted + they went for it! They served the meal family style on vintage plates to encourage people to interact. According to Betsy, When you’re passing food around to others at your table, conversations start & everyone has something to discuss…the food!

vintage plates

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ruffle cake

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Processional: Staralfur – Sigur Ros

Recessional: This Will Be Our Year – The Zombies; Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever – The Four Tops; Let Nothing Come Between You – Warren Zevon

First Dance: You're the One For Me – Jonathan Richman

first dance

And you won’t want to miss their beautiful wedding video by Adventure We Can!

Stay true to yourself! Don't be afraid to be the same person you are on your wedding day that you are every other day...just a little more dressed up. If you have short hair, embrace it! If you are a vegan, celebrate it! I had so many people question our decision to "force" our guests to eat vegan, but when they tasted The Cinnamon Snail's delicious + satisfying food, they changed their minds! People wanted to take our menus home as a souvenir. Oh also, one of the best pieces of wedding planning advice that I got was from my former boss, Nanette Lepore: Have your wedding earlier in the day so the party lasts longer! She was right...it worked!

photography: Nadine Rovner of Love Me Do Photography // venue: Family Farm Catskill Mountains, New York // event design: the Bride + family // month-of coordinator: Catskill Weddings // event rentals: Big Top Tent Rental // vintage china rental: Something Borrowed Vintage // floral design: Catskill Flower Shop // wedding dress + hairpiece: Jenny Packham; purchased at Allegria Bridal // bridesmaid dresses: 3 Nanette Lepore print dresses & 1 Diane Von Furstenburg // bridesman outfit: BarIII suit, J.Crew Shirt, Fine & Dandy bowtie + pocket square // hair + makeup: Tiffany Abercrombie // groom suit: Phineas Cole by Paul Stuart // videography: Crystal Arnette, Adventure We Can // paper goods: My cousin Ellie Snow of HelloTenfold // catering + cake: The Cinnamon Snail // dj: Obey City

wedding party

Kara + Tom wanted their wedding to be a fun, relaxed summer party that reflected who they are together. And since Kara is a graphic designer by trade, their celebration was the perfect chance to really let her artistic talents fly free and craft a day that was filled with personal touches + eclectic details. They weren’t afraid to freely mix styles and they did a great job of blending vintage + rustic items with elements that were more sleek + modern. And that’s something that can definitely serve as inspiration for all of you who don’t want to stick to a certain style, but aren’t sure how things would turn out if you don’t! Here’s a bit more about the day from Kara:

We took the idea of a ‘party’ pretty literally – with balloons, popcorn, lollipops, sparklers, sky lanterns, lawn games, cupcakes and more! And instead of worrying how everything would come together, we just choose things that mirror our personalities, tastes, and life together. We kept our wedding true to the initial vision of a great party that mirrored us as a couple.

Thanks so much to Andrew Mark Photography for sharing these gorgeous images with us today and big congrats to Kara + Tom!

wood invite tag

accordion wedding invite

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How much do you love Kara’s fun, yellow shoes + bold, red lips?!

yellow heels

blue bridesmaids

yellow and blue bouquet

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boutonniere

striped groomsmen socks

first look

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Kara + Tom really wanted to make their photos a top priority, so they scheduled lots of time with their awesome photographer. And by doing so, they were able to get a wide array of super rad shots with backgrounds ranging from abandoned buildings downtown to a beautiful, secluded forest. Love this idea if you are able to pull it off.

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canadian bride

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Kara wasn’t afraid to rock some eye-catching baubles! She purchased her jewels from Etsy + Aldo Accessories.

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ceremony programs

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Processional: Love Story meets Viva la Vida – Jon Schmidt

Recessional: Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve (instrumental)

First Dance: Box of Stones – Benjamin Francis Leftwich

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giant white balloon

Love these cute balloon shots in the woods!

giant white balloon

statement necklace

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seating chart

clipboard seating chart

Kara and her mom spent endless hours hand making all of the whimsical reception details! And, in the end, everything came together to create a great party that felt like a natural extension of Kara + Tom. :)

giant map

navy blue

honey jar favors

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Kara: It’s so hard to pick just one, there were so many amazing moments! One that particularly stands out was during our dinner, Tom and I slipped away with our photographers for some evening photos. Being alone with Tom, walking in the forest and hearing the voices and laughter of our favourite people in the world and knowing they were all there to support us. It was in that moment that it really hit me that we were finally married!

Tom: The moment from our wedding day that most stands out to me was our first dance. The whole day seemed to go by in a bit of a blur, but in that moment it was just Kara and I.

first dance

There are so many great words of advice I was given while planning; don’t worry about traditions, be yourselves, hire an amazing photographer, you can’t do everything yourself, make this day about both of you. No matter how perfectly you plan, there will always be things that don’t work out. So just go with it and don’t loose sight of why you are having a wedding in the first place! At the end of the day, you’re the only one who will notice the things you didn’t get finished or that not everything went as planned. So soak in all the moments, the day will still be amazing because you married the one you love!

photography: Andrew Mark Photography // venue: family backyard Ontario, Canada // bouquets: Sheryl Bakker // florals: Local Farmers Market // catering: Food Affair Catering // cake + cupcakes: Let’s Eat Cake // favors: Oxford Honey & Supplies // event design, planning + paper goods: Kara Verbeek // videography: Amanda Wood // officiant: Joyce deGier-VanderSpek // ceremony music: Janet VanderSpek and Barry Schneider // reception music: Simon Olbach // hair: Laura Fusilier and Grace Siwik // makeup: Emily O’Quinn // wedding dress: Lisa Van Hattem (custom made) // shoes: Ruche, Hudsons Bay Co. // jewelry: Etsy, Aldo Accessories // bridesmaid/men attire: H&M, Bill Levkoff, Mexx // groom + groomsmen’s attire: RW&Co, H&M, Aldo, Etsy

Amy + Brian knew they wanted to host a smaller, more intimate affair that was a true celebration of their love and life together. They decided Amy’s family backyard (in Orange County) would serve as the perfect setting for their English Garden inspired summer wedding, and got to work brainstorming ideas for crafting a unique + meaningful event. While it’s hard to pinpoint our favorite detail from the day, the swimming pool awash with floating candles + garden blooms just might take the cake. Talk about romantic…wait until you see it! Here’s a bit more from Amy about what inspired their choices for the day: