Whenever I see a wedding this pretty, this perfectly put together and filled with so many thoughtful details I go a little crazy and then when I find out said wedding is completely DIY right down to the flowers and invitations well, I have no words …just sheer and utter adoration. This adorable Bride and Groom seriously pulled out all of the stops for their Indiana nuptials and the husband wife duo behind Casper Hamlet Photography was there to capture every last bit of it. See more of this perfect day, including what might go down in SMP history as the coolest getaway EVER right here.
see more of those perfect DIY details here!
Kyle and Ashley were married on June 19th, 2010 in Marion, IN on one of the hottest days of the summer! These two are the definition of young and in love. Fresh out of college, and preparing to head off to Medical school meant that Ashley and Kyle were on a pretty tight budget for the wedding. Luckily they happen to be two creative genius’ that come from families that are both creative and kind hearted. With Ashley’s thriftiness and Kyle’s family connections, these two were able to pull off a beautiful, memorable, and unique event to celebrate their love for one another. EVERYTHING, well almost everything was DIY. Ashley spent months rummaging through thrift shops all over Indiana to find all the treasures that adorned the church where they got married and had their dessert reception. The tables were dressed with burlap fabric and white milk glass vases filled with potted plants… all prepared by Ashley and family. The ceremony and reception were both held at the church of these two lovebirds who met in college, but grew up in the same city without even knowing each other. College Wesleyan Church of Marion, IN was the venue and it is significant to both the bride and groom as it is their home church.
The ceremony was emotional and tear filled as Kyle and Ashley professed their love. During the ceremony the couple took the time to serve communion to everyone in attendance. This was their first act together as a married couple. Immediately following the ceremony was the dessert reception in the atrium and great room of the church. All of the appetizers and desserts were either made by Ashley or donated by family and friends. Everyone pitched in to make this day beautiful. The décor at the reception was very personal and specific to the couple. They had photos from their very stylized engagement shoot (done by the grooms brother who is an excellent photographer) hanging from a clothesline with clothespins. They also had a large canvas with a painting of a tree (done by the groom’s other brother who is a crazy talented painter) and next to the painting they had different paints for their guest to come and put their fingerprint on the tree. This was a beautiful representation of the couples love for art as well as their friends and family, and now they have a work of art for their home to signify their special day. In the great room, they made a large square archway and decorated it with hand made paper flowers, again done by the bride herself. Also, they created another tented archway in the middle of the church atrium that had glass lanterns hanging inside, as well as burlap cloth draping around the frame. Under this archway is where they had their first dance as a married couple as their guest watched with tears of joy.
As the afternoon came to a close, the bride changed into a vintage 50’s dress for their departure. As they ran out of the church, the guests lined the walk waving ribbons attached to sticks. This was a fun and unique way to send them off. We followed the couple after their departure from the church to a nearby airport where they were swept away by their brother in law, who is an entrepreneur and hobby pilot, with a helicopter ride to their hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Talk about making an exit…!! All in all this day was filled with family, love and creativity. Of all our weddings over the summer, this couple was on the tightest budget and somehow pulled off one of the most beautiful days we’ve ever had the privilege to capture.
Photography: Casper Hamlet Photography / Flowers, Invitations, Event Design and Planning: DIY by Bride / Ceremony and Reception Location: College Wesleyan Church, Marion, IN
