Oh my goodness – that dress. Those flowers. The pies. The barn! Everything in this sweet Michigan wedding is completely drool-worthy. I could spend days raving about it all. Flourish Event Design planned this backyard bash to perfection. The soft palette they chose plays against the rustic barn SO beautifully. The invites were designed by the oh-so-talented Elizabeth Grace. And how sweet is it that the groom’s parents got married in this exact same yard 35 years ago? Seriously, raving for days. I’ll let the fabulous pictures from Synechdoche do the talking now, so make sure to check out Lindsey’s blog for more!
There’s much more in the Gallery!
After proposing to me at his family’s cottage on Lake Michigan on the 4th of July, Evan and I were quick to agree on a style and feel for our wedding – an intimate, casual, fun celebration for our closest family and friends. We had recently relocated from Washington, DC to Chicago where Evan was starting his MBA at the University of Chicago and didn’t feel particularly connected to either location. We were toying with the idea of a destination wedding while on a trip home in Ann Arbor when it hit us – a backyard wedding in Michigan.
All the details fell into place. Evan’s parents had been married in that same spot 35 years earlier and the sprawling yard, gorgeous old barn and extended property were perfect for a wedding. We even had the priest who married them and baptized Evan conduct the ceremony. With our planner Lindsey Nartker, we wanted to create an atmosphere that was casual, laid back and fun without overdoing anything. I was inspired by the rustic country feel of peaches, tangerines and plums, and pastoral touches of feathers, wood accents and flower pods.
Evan’s mother gifted me her antique diamond and sapphire bracelet as my ‘something blue’ – a gift that was given to her just days after Evan was born nearly thirty years ago. Elizabeth Grace designed the invitations and adorable pie flags. Many of the little touches throughout the wedding were made or hunted down by us or our families. I commissioned my father to paint the many welcome signs; family members went antiquing to pick out the vintage vases and milk bottles; and the frames were purchased at a resale shop with new glass added. I loved the look of chalkboards and used them as well.
I really am not a fan of wedding cake, so we pulled together a pie buffet. Evan is a huge University of Michigan football fan so a custom pie topper pulled the look together. Our wedding day was everything we hoped it would be. The rain passed, friends and family gathered, and Evan and I feel so fortunate to have the love and support of everyone for our wedding and new lives together. I think one of the most special moments was our walk around the property after the ceremony with our French Bulldog puppy, Harley. It was so special to reflect on what happened. We could not be happier.
Photography: Synecdoche / Event Design: Flourish Event Design / Event Planning: Flourish Event Design / Flowers: New Creations Flower Company / Ceremony & Reception / Private Location / Invitations: Elizabeth Grace / Dress: Carolina Herrera