Monday, April 18, 2011

Wedding installment one . . . preparation



From the moment I started planning my wedding (if not before), I wanted a DIY wedding.  Not only was I hoping to shave off costs, but I wanted my wedding to be filled with the personal touch of all those involved in helping with the wedding. We did our own save-the-dates, invitations, programs, menus, my father-in-law even made homemade wooden signs as you will see throughout this first selection of photos.  The only thing that wasn't done ourselves was setting up the rental tents and unloading the rental equipment (and the clothing of course).  Otherwise all food, ribbons,  you name it was done by the loving hands of ourselves, or our friends and family. Looking back, its one my favorite memories, all of us arriving a week early to make this wedding a DIY wedding.

The outpouring of love and support and help from everyone was absolutely blessed. Everyone was beyond helpful, constantly coming back to the coordinators and myself for new tasks and to confirm that what they did met with approval.

I remember distinctly being very nervous about the flowers. They were late, I think several hours and I was somewhat frantic about it. They arrived Thursday evening though, leaving us all day Friday to make boutonnieres, corsages, bouquets, and table decorations. I had a lot of fun working with my bridesmaids, teaching them (with what little I knew) about how to do our own flowers.  It was a fun project.

I also remember my nails completely getting ruined by doing those flowers and then my sister (the most amazingly helpful and supportive person there) repainted them at 10pm the night before. I mind as well should've stayed up all night because I got about 5 hours sleep at most anyway, but that was another issue.

All in all, the resulting decor and setup turned out just as I had hoped. It had a rustic feel along with the more elegant details, giving everything a delicate, woodsy feel. The colors were simple, the forest looked resplendent, the wedding site was perfectly draped and coifed to reveal its best attributes. It looked like a human-helped woodsy fairyland.  The pictures only partially reveal the overall effect.

In the pictures, you'll find the lovely made handmade signs (we kept many of them for souvenirs), the flowers we arranged, the wedding decor around the pathways, the ceremony site decor, and the DIY wedding cake my parents lovingly made.

Up next, the inherent panic that accompanies a bride's realization that it will rain on her wedding day.



Ceol Na Mara is celtic for "music of the sea" and is the name of our house/property on the canal.

My father-in-law next to one of the 13 (I believe) signs he made for the wedding.


Me, my soon to be sister, Jeanna (bf since gradeschool), and Laura (bf from college).

"Careful, careful . . ."

We used greenery from all around the property so it made everything seem very authentic.

My sister's MIL perfectly arranging table settings.

Our pathway decor.


My brother-in-law lighting candles just before the wedding starts.

It was a DIY, candlelit wedding and it looked spectacular after the sun went down.

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