It may be because I live in Portland which is one of the  most bike-friendly cities in the country, but the wedding of Madeleine and Matthew and its tandem bike stationery makes my heart sing. The biking elements contributed to an overall theme of New England country in autumn, and the families of the couple came together to help decorate their wedding site on the day of the wedding. They used wildflowers picked the day before to create the floral arrangements and bouquets, and fresh apples were used for seating assignments.

DETAILS

Location: Rehobeth, MA

Photography: Best Coast Photo

Venue: Five Bridge Inn

Caterer: West Bay Gourmet

DJ: Kinney DJ Services

Cowboy boots, horses, s’mores, and mason jars created a rustic country feel for Ashley and Wally’s wedding at home. They had an intimate ceremony at the home, with a self-catered reception, cupcakes for dessert, and a s’more pit to end the night. Ashley created her bouquet from flowers purchased at the supermarket, and mason jars were set up for guests to personalize with their name for the evening. They were also blessed with a mason jar chandelier for their wedding from a friend as a wedding present to pull together the components of the day.

DETAILS

Location: Lenoir City, Tennessee

Photography: JoPhoto

Dress Designer: Alfred Angelo

Today’s wedding is one heck of a southern party. Lindsey and Brady were married in the groom’s family church with a reception at the home of Brady’s parents. It’s well known that I’m a sucker for a good backyard wedding, and Lindsey and Brady’s reception looks like too much fun for words. With a vintage country vibe working for their reception, the little touches really make it come together – not to mention I think the “Ladies and Gents” portable bathroom station is one of the coolest ideas I’ve ever seen.

DETAILS

Location: Texas

Photography: Feather and Twine Photography 

Video: Don’t Get Married Without Me!

Caterer: Greg Pearson

Cakes: Baking Sweet Memories

Flowers: Laura Lee

Dress: Pronovias Diamante from Brickhouse Bridal

Makeup Artist: Makeup by Kim Maracchini and Company

Hair Stylist: Jenna Rozell and Pilar Davis

Mens Attire: Al’s Formalwear

Flipbooks: Nightowl Flipbooks

I have been so excited to feature this wedding since Emily from emily g photography submitted it last year. It was accompanied with a lovely email from the bride in which Natalie explained, “The feel and cadence of our wedding was crafted to reflect our mutual appreciation for the beauty and bounty of the Northwest as well as our personal passion in life. I believe that to achieve a truly personal wedding your passions are always the best place to start, as well as the obvious solid partnership with your future spouse.”

I’m big on extolling the virtues of infusing your personality in the details of your wedding, and Natalie truly hit it on the head. If you stay true to yourself and your future husband, you can’t go wrong. Natalie and Kevin did a lot of legwork to select vendors that felt like family, and everything else was created by the couple, their friends, and family – invitations, flowers, and decor. Natalie even made her own dress!

DETAILS

Location: Corbett, OR

Photography: emily g photography

Venue: Bridal Veil Lakes

Event Coordinator: Muse – Weddings and Events

Wedding Bands: Maloy’s Jewelry Workshop

Groom’s Suit: J. Crew

Caterer: Sassafras Catering

Cake Designer: Papa Haydn

Hair Stylist: Katie Reynolds

Musicians: Pete Krebs Trio

Rentals: Peter Corvallis Productions

Weddings that are held at home have a certain charm that you just can’t get anywhere else. Kelly and Rob had a church wedding with their reception at home, and Kelly went all out with their wedding plans. She collected all the details for the centerpieces and created the bouquets, invitations, and cake. She also put together the adorable candy buffet for guest to peruse during the reception.

DETAILS

Location: Virginia

Photography: Amber Reinink, Photographer

The wedding of Jessica and Will not only showcases one fabulous color palette (green and tangerine orange!), but one gorgeous venue and creative guest book. They were married at the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum which made for phenomenal photos, and smiles abounded. For their guest book, everyone wrote on squares of fabric which were gathered into a large quilt for the couple after the wedding.

DETAILS

Location: Knoxville, TN

Photography: Alex Bee Photo

Venue: Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum

Cake: Yummy Cakes

Linnea and William wanted to focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for their wedding, and the attention they paid to the handmade touches is evident. The flower arrangements were DIY, and Linnea collected lace to cover the vintage tablecloths. Their photographer said the excitement of the day was catching, and looking at the gallery photos, one cannot help but smile along with them.

DETAILS

Location: Charlottesville, VA

Photography: Elisa B. Photography

Venue: Colonnade Club

Dress: Bella Rosa Bridal

Caterer: Glorious Foods

Cake: Chandlers Bakery

DJ: Blast Method Entertainment

When the bride from today’s wedding was asked if she had any advice for the betrothed, Sarah responded “DO NOT BE AFRAID!!! Whatever you want to do . . . there’s always someone out there who shares your vision. And never be afraid to get your hands a little dirty. My most cherished keepsakes from the wedding are the handmade ones.” This advice is simple and perfect – it’s a day to celebrate you and your husband, so the wedding should speak volumes about your relationship and love for each other. Be yourself, and you can do no wrong!

DETAILS

Location: Doylestown, PA

Photography: Michelle King Photography

Venue: Mercer & Fonthill Museum

Caterer: memorable affairs

Video: Abominable Productions

DJ: Barrie Audio Video

Ice Cream: Cold Stone Creamery

When this wedding was first submitted to us, I must admit I wasn’t sure it was DIY. The gallery was so well edited, the details so polished, the whole day so pulled together, I assumed that the couple had hired out most of the decor elements. I was flabbergasted when Rachel emailed us more information about her wedding, including the end total spent on their day. It was under $1,000.

Rachel and Brandon were married on family property and EVERYTHING was created by the couple, their family, and their friends. For the ceremony, the groom built the backdrop and created the site, while Rachel’s stepfather built the doors she entered through at the beginning of the aisle. Family members also created the cake, and Rachel got her craft skills on by designing and executing invitations, banners, moss letters, wedding signs, and the bouquets for the bridal party (wheat for her bridesmaids and a brooches for herself). For the rest of the decor, she spent the months of her engagement collecting items from flea markets and antique shops. Since Rachel is a photographer, she took the photos that family and friends took during the wedding, processed and edited them to create a cohesive collection of images.

DETAILS

Location: Louisiana

Photography: Rachel Leigh Photography

Dress Store: King of Hearts Bridal Shop

Jewelry Designer: Faith Hope and Love Jewelry

Hair Stylist: Crystal Tolar of Sharper Image

Bridesmaids Dresses: Modcloth

Heirlooms: Etsy Designer Ginalicious

Taphena and Scott had a theme centered around lovebirds for their wedding, and they took it to the next level – they were married at the New Hampshire Audubon. Everything at the wedding was DIY, including the shrug Taphena crocheted to wear over her fabulous orange wedding dress. Even the ceremony was DIY – written by the couple and performed by a close friend.

DETAILS

Location: Concord, NH

Photography: Kingdom Wedding Photography by Kat

Venue: New Hampshire Audubon