It’s hard to imagine a more thoughtfully designed wedding than this one. Every detail, from the invitations to the mason jar centerpieces, was lovingly designed by the bride and her super cute groom…and in a way that was not only approachable and charming, but also incredibly elegant. Photographed by Shannon Renee Photography, we heart this wedding. Big time.
We had paper birds hanging from the lights outside where we had the ceremony. They were cut and put together by the bridesmaids from a stencil designed by my husband and strung up by the groomsmen. Our welcome wedding sign was painted by my husband and we used easels to put it up as well as the seating assignment board put together by hubby. Instead of table numbers, we had names of famous couples. We printed up photos of them and put them in wooden frames we found at a thrift store. The picture of us on the invitations was hand drawn by my husband. We scanned it in our computer and printed them out ourselves, then put everything together. We bought the envelopes and most of the paper from Paper Source and cut everything up on a cutting board we purchased. We also saved mason jars to be used as vases for the centerpieces.
All my married girlfriends were saying how fast the day goes by and they were so right! Just really try to be present and enjoy every moment with each other. Take comfort in knowing that everyone will do what they can to help get you married! Not everything will be perfect and some things are really beyond your control. For example, our venue didn’t have air conditioning and it was a 100 degrees that day so it was incredibly hot. All you can control is your attitude. It really was so much fun. My face was hurting at the end of the night from smiling so much!
As for the planning process, it really can be overwhelming at times, especially at the beginning. I was really lucky because my husband is super creative and talented and was really involved in the process. There’s just so much information out there. Don’t second guess yourself too much because then nothing will get done. There will always be a ‘better’ dress, ‘prettier’ hairtyle, ‘nicer’ location. Also, really trust your instincts when choosing your vendors. For example, we saw a venue early on that we really liked but I didn’t find the owners to be particularly friendly or welcoming and that rubbed me the wrong way so we decided to move on. When we met with Shannon, the photographer, she was the first photographer we met. We were already impressed with her work and when we met her, she had an incredible energy and warmth, so we booked her without meeting anyone else. It’s really important to infuse the day with as much supportive and positive energy as you can. Take up your friends’ offers to help out. You’ll need it.
At the end of it all, it really is just one day. The best part is that you get to marry the love of your life, everything else is just pretty decoration.
Stationery made by bride and groom / Flowers by Betty Lang of Vanda Events / Chairs by Arcadia Party Rentals / Tables provided by Party Divine / Personalized Silk Fans by TheKnot.com / Music by The Richard Glaser Band / Gown by Sean Collection / Shoes by RSVP on Zappos / Earrings by Nadri / Tuxes by Calvin Klein / Bridesmaids Gowns their own, chosen in different shades of blue / Korean Buffet catered by Palace Catering / Desserts by Portos Bakery / Photography by Shannon Renee Photography