This wedding proves that even with a tight budget you can still have a wedding with charm, elegance, and whatever your pretty little heart desires. Captured by the talented Allison Van Zanten, this west coast wedding is filled to the brim with DIY goodness. Check out all the details of the day here in the gallery!
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Andrew and I were working with a tight budget, with him beginning his second year in dental school and me starting my first year of teaching. By doing many projects on my own, choosing local vendors and accepting help from friends, we were able to keep the costs down. We fell in love with the giant trees and big barn at Postlewait’s Farm, and we knew it would be the perfect location to celebrate our wedding. We wanted to create a day that was natural, romantic, whimsical and incorporated our friends and family. Our colors were green, teal, and yellow and our décor included birds, trees, branches, rocks and lanterns. The wish tree centerpieces (Manzanita branches) were one of my favorite projects. I made paper tags for our guests to write wishes on and hang from the branches. My father in law cut the tree rings from their property that held the wish tree instructions. I ordered our “guest book” wedding tree and cake topper birds off of Etsy. We found green burlap for the tables for a steal at the local fabric store, and affordably handmade our programs. I received a great deal on my gown and found the bridesmaids dresses at Fossil for $50. My mom and I made each bridesmaid a coordinating belt to tie in the other wedding colors. Carolyn Postlewait, one of the owners of the venue, was also our florist. She provided affordably beautiful arrangements with a variety of green, yellow and white flowers including billy balls, spider mums, dahlias and hydrangeas. The guests raved over the dinner catered by Michele Blaine and Always Perfect Catering, who were a joy to work with. We chose a simple cake design from Cutsforth’s Thriftway. We were thrilled to work with Allison Van Zanten Photography who captured our day to perfection and were up for a little trip to the nearby Dahlia Farm for a pre-wedding photo shoot. Our favorite part of the day was definitely the ceremony under the oak trees surrounded by our family and closest friends. The setting was a perfect place to recite the vows we had written together. Friends played acoustic guitar music of our favorite hymns and read scripture. To end, everyone rose to sing The Doxology before our exit to the Beatles’ “She Loves Me.” By planning every detail ourselves, we were able to infuse our personal touch and make sure our wedding day was a true reflection of what was important to us. Thanks to the help of friends and family, our vision was possible with a tight budget!
Dress: Allure / Bridesmaids Dresses: Fossil / Suits: Men’s Wearhouse / Photography: Allison Van Zanten Photography / Cake: Canby Thriftway / Venue: Postlewait’s Farm / Florist: Carolyn Postlewait / Caterer: Michele Blaine at Always Perfect Catering
