If getting married in the place where this Bride’s adorable hubby got on one knee isn’t sweet enough, the rest of the details in this Michigan fête from Stevie B Photography will surely have you beside yourself. It’s just all so darling, so personal and so be-yond pretty. With happy pops of yellow around every corner and one oh so happy couple, it’s safe to say you’ll want to spend some time in this gallery today.
From Stevie B Photography… You’ll often hear a photographer refer to clients as a “dream” couple. Lauren and Matt are definitely my dream couple, but to be honest, dream details, dream guests, and a dream day don’t always necessarily accompany the dream couple! Luckily, in this case, everything Lauren and Matt planned fell together for a relaxing, beautifully-detailed, fun and loving day for every guest and vendor, start to finish. All the details were so personalized, from their hand-picked vintage place settings, hand-painted signs, vintage handkerchiefs, lawn and board game fun, gah! Lauren and Matt are a reminder to all brides and grooms to make your wedding true to you rather than trying to copy what you see, it will be beautiful and unique and you’ll feel at home on your big day. I can’t wait for them to share more about their inspiration for making their wedding day their dream day!
From the Bride… As a couple, we could not imagine a more perfect place to say our “I Do’s” than the very spot where Matt proposed to me. Sharon Mills is a beautiful and secluded little spot in the Michigan countryside outside of my hometown of Ann Arbor, and lends itself perfectly to the elegantly laid back, intimate, and vintage vibe we wanted for our wedding. With a little under 80 family and friends in attendance, we wanted each guest to feel like they were a special part of our day. And most of all, we wanted all involved to have fun!
In the months leading up to our wedding day, nearly all of our spare time was spent crafting and DIY-ing, with extra help from our awesome families and friends. A few of my favorite touches were the handmade signs Matt painstakingly painted on glass, the beautiful ceremony backdrop my mother sewed, and the adorable buttons we designed and fixed to each place card. It really warmed our hearts to see our guests wearing those buttons through out the night. We tore strips of fabric, tied them to dowels, and handed them out to guests to wave in the air as Matt and I walked down the aisle as husband and wife. Instead of a traditional guestbook, we set out vintage postcards and an old mailbox. Our guests penned sweet and often times hilarious notes to us before “mailing them off”. We spent weeks collecting vintage china from antique markets and set the dinner tables with the mismatched pieces. Each plate was unique but looked so beautiful paired together. The centerpieces were made up of my own collection of vintage vases and milk glass. We mixed in pieces of family heirloom silver to give an extra special and personal touch.
Before the ceremony, guests enjoyed lemonade and a sweet mint tea bourbon cocktail. We set up lawn games (croquet and bags) and laid out board games on picnic tables draped in vintage tablecloths scattered across the grounds. We constructed a homemade photo booth with props and everyone enjoyed hamming it up in front of the camera. And once the music started, we danced till we nearly dropped, stopping only to light sparklers and toast to our new life together as the sun set. From start to finish, our wedding day completely embodied the type of party we might throw in our very own backyard. Our vendors were a dream and all the dedication and hard work our family and friends put in to helping us achieve our vision, made our wedding day the most beautiful and amazing day of our lives thus far. So imagine just how tickled pink we were when guests shared with us that our wedding was the most personal and fun they had ever attended!
Wedding Photography: Stevie B Photography / Venue: Sharon Mills in Machester, Michigan / Event Design: DIY by couple + family and friends / Floral Design: Passion Flower / Cinematography: Andy Alguire / Catering: Food Art Catered Affairs, Inc. / Desserts: Achatz Homemade Pie Co. / Stationery: (invitations) Designed by Bride + Groom / Dress: Oleg Cassini for David’s Bridal / Shoes: Something Bleu / Bride’s Hair Bow: Handmade by the Bride’s mother / Bride’s Belt: Anthropologie / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Alfred Sung / Makeup: Sarah Bahlibi
