You really gotta give this next bride, groom and their families some big props for putting together this adorable DIY wedding. Everything from the dress to the desserts were made with love for this sweet couple. And may I just say that I think they did a fabulous job! Luckily for us Bryan and Mae were there to capture all the handmade details! And there is much, much more to pore over in the gallery!
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From Bryan and Mae: We photographed this wedding last weekend at The Arbor Day Tree Farm in Nebraska, and it was the perfect backdrop for Karin and Jeremy’s personal, handmade wedding. The couple relied on friends, family, and various online sellers to make their day completely unique. Most notably, the bride’s gorgeous gown was designed by her Aunt, handmade by her Mother, and adorned with teal buttons from her Grandmother’s collection. The bride also had a friend make fabric boutineers for the groomsmen, corsages for the bridesmaids, and headbands for the flower girls. The groom and groomsmen’s tree ties (bringing in the theme of the tree farm) were from Cyberoptix Tie Lab, that boasts having “ties that don’t suck.” Karin’s rad feather earrings were from Etsy, and these were her only adornment, as she opted out of wearing a veil or carrying flowers. The couple also had an adorable entourage of nine children (nieces, nephews, and friends), girls dressed in tutus and tights and the boys in bow ties. The children waved streamers and carried a sign announcing the bride as they came down the aisle. The ceremony was held in the historic barn at the farm, under Chinese lanterns and stringed lights hanging from the exposed rafters. At the reception, tables were decorated with burlap runners and bundt cakes made by friends and family.
From the Bride: Unlike me, and like most every other girl, you should start planning your wedding when you are four years old. That way, when Dr. Right asks you to marry him, you say yes, and then know exactly how to proceed. I had no idea what I wanted our wedding to look like. I did know two things for sure: we wanted our wedding ceremony to display covenant love, and that we absolutely adore our family and friends and wanted them to have lots of fun celebrating the very first day of our marriage.
After searching for venues around Omaha, we finally settled on the Arbor Day Farms and Lied Lodge in Nebraska City. I can’t say enough good things about their wedding coordinator, Adessa, and all of the helpful staff. We both love being outside and support The Arbor Day Foundation’s commitment to sustaining the environment. Oh, and the property is beautiful! Jeremy and I are both decedents of hard-working country folk, and found it very fitting to start our lives together in the coolest barn in the state. The day was sunny and warm, and everything went as planned – perfect (more or less;)!
Speaking of perfect: Bryan and Mae of Bryan and Mae should take pictures of you, whether you’re getting married or not. They are the sweetest, coolest, friendliest, most fun and talented photographers in the galaxy. I could sing their praises all day, but the pictures speak for themselves. They made us feel so at ease in front of the camera, and were generally super awesome to hang out with.
I love that so much of our wedding was handmade. Almost all of the attire and accessories for the wedding were handmade by sellers I found on etsy. The bridesmaids, groomsman, parents, and little friends were all sporting Princess Lasertron custom accessories, made with love by our friend Megan. I never stepped foot in a bridal store because, frankly, they scare me. My dress was designed by my aunt and constructed by my lovely mama, who patiently tolerates me and my wacky ideas. When I proposed that we have 18 different flavors of wedding cake, all in bundts on the guests’ tables, our awesome and talented friends rose to the occasion for BYOB (bring your own bundt) dessert awesomeness. One cake didn’t make it to the reception, and was promptly devoured at brunch the next day. Our friends were so incredibly helpful in the party planning, and more importantly, marriage planning. It was a beautiful day for making big promises, smiling, hugging friends, dancing, feasting, and general fun-having. All in the name of Love.
Photography: Bryan and Mae / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Arbor Day Tree Farm / Bride’s Dress: Bride’s Mother and Aunt / Bride’s Earrings: Gather Jewelry / Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Bridesmaid Corsages, Groomsmen Boutineers and Flowergirl Headbands: Friend of the Bride / Groomsmen’s Ties: Ties That Don’t Suck / Bridal party accessories: Princess Lasertron / Tutus: Lovingshop / Boys ties: Meandmatilda / Bridesmaid jewelry: cheapdatejewelry / Groomsman suits: Banana Republic / Bride’s boots: Frye / Groom’s boots: Lucchese / Hair: Carmen Imm
