In our eyes, a gorgeous rustic affair will never, EVER go out of style and we have a feeling we aren’t alone. So to you, fellow mason jar loving, bird-cage dawning Brides out there, we dedicate this Florida barn beauty by Shea Christine Photography. It’s casual yet packed with elegance and loads of homespun details that are sure to make their way into your wedding folders this very minute. See it all right here!
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From the bride… From the moment we got engaged, my husband and I knew we were not looking for the traditional wedding. We wanted it to be unique, which decided a lot of things right off the bat. First of all, it meant paying for it ourselves. We wanted our wedding to be entirely “us,” which meant making all the decisions on our own and not having to worry about offending the people footing the bill. And as that was the case, the second thing it meant was DIY. It really worked out perfectly since I love craft projects and homemade things. I had SO much fun (favorites include the boutonnieres, my cake topper, and the little hors d’oeuvres cones I made) and I even got my fiance in on some of it, which made it extra fun!
We found the perfect setting at Birdsong Barn — a sort of ready-made atmosphere, complete with a lawn for playing games, loads of already-hung white Christmas lights, and plenty of charm. We picked a giant oak tree for the actual ceremony and planned a mixture of traditional and non-traditional elements. Our vows were classic, but our wedding party was not. Since we wanted to keep it very small, it felt strange to have ten of our friends standing up front when there were only about 50 people total! Instead, we had them be part of the ceremony by constructing the arch. Each of the bridesmaids and the parents added flowers to the mason jar arch before sitting on the front row. Everyone in the bridal party picked their own clothes with very general guidelines — girls had to wear purple and guys had to wear suspenders.
Another key was using our friends for everything possible! From our bluegrass band, Springer Mountain, to SeaLillie, the company who designed and made all my jewelry (including earrings made from the extra buttons from my wedding dress for all my bridesmaids), we made sure to support our friends as much as possible in the process. Fortunately, I have a lot of talented friends! We figured if we had to pay someone, why shouldn’t it be people we already know and love? Both of our families were amazing too. Almost all the decorations that we brought to the barn were pieces that my mom has had lying around forever — books published in the early 1800s, vases, pitchers and vintage mason jars that have been passed down in our family, etc… We wanted everything to mean something! My mom and sister and I made batch after batch of pickles and apple butter and jam for the favors, and Jared’s family was a huge help too!
Wedding Photography: Shea Christine Photography / Wedding Venue: Birdsong Barn in Titusville, Florida / Band: Springer Mountain / Jewelry: SeaLillie / Cake Topper + Boutonnieres: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Cake: A Family Friend / Wedding Dress: Justin Alexander via Robyn Lynne Bridal / Veil: Penelope Koleos Williams / Wedding Flowers: Whole Blossoms / Wedding Signs: DIY + Birdsong Barn