Without a doubt in my mind, the most beautiful weddings are those crafted with handmade details, DIY-inspired touches and lots of help from family + friends. This backyard Waxahachie wedding from Jamie Harper Photography hits all of those notes, and then some. From the venue (a home of a close friend) to the sweet-as-can-be flower girl attire, it was all created with love by those close to the bride + groom…and the result? Pure perfection. See it all right here!
From the Bride… My dear friend Julie & her husband Corey built a beautiful rustic home on several hundred acres of land right outside Waxahachie, TX. She was there the night Jeff & I got engaged. As she and I immediately started planning the wedding in the freezing cold by an outdoor fire place, I told her of my worries about the cost of my dream wedding. It was as if she’d already been planning this for months, she instantly offered their home for our wedding location and began helping me get it all in order the very next week.
My handmade, vintage lace tiered dress was my very first wedding purchase and it was purchased by my bridesmaid/ boss/ wonderful friend of mine, Jenny. It was a little out of my price range, but she couldn’t stand to see me not have it, so she insisted on paying for it and that I order it right away. (In case you haven’t noticed yet, I have AMAZING friends!) I had found the dress on Etsy at a shop called KT Jean months before we got engaged and I fell in love. It was my favorite part of our wedding and the inspiration for the theme and décor of the entire thing. I was however taking a huge risk by purchasing it over the internet having never seen it in person or trying it on. The same went for the bridesmaid dresses from Armour sans Anguish. All my girls were built so differently and yet the dresses fit them all so perfectly!
Next came the brooch shower for my vintage brooch bouquet. I knew I wanted a brooch bouquet, but I didn’t want the same thing that everyone else had. I wanted mine to be different and I found just what I was looking for on Autumn Bridal & Grace’s Etsy shop. Beautiful fabric & lace rosettes with many of the gorgeous brooches given to me. It was simple, gorgeous, and the best part was that I would get to have a piece of my friends and family with me as I walked down the aisle. When I opened that package and saw it, I cried. It was gorgeous and the first brooch I saw was my grandmother’s. It meant the world to me to have it displayed so beautifully .
All of my friends are incredibly crafty and were willing to pitch in however they could. The only décor that was not handmade by bridesmaids or closest girlfriends, were the signs from Sophia’s Sign Boutique. Everything from the flowers, to the table runners, to picture frames, to the flower girl dresses were all made with love by friends. As the planning went on, I realized I was a very lucky girl to not only be marrying the man of my dreams, but also to be surrounded by wonderful people.
The best thing about a group effort DIY wedding, is that you can look at each little piece of decoration and remember who made it & the story behind it. All those handmade mason jars and picture frames now decorate our home. My brooch bouquet will be on display forever and will never wilt, just like our love.
Wedding Photography: Jamie Harper Photography / Wedding Venue: A Private Residence in Waxahachie, Texas / Cake: Cretia’s / Buffet Setup + Desserts: Sweet & Savory by Tabby Ashmore (tbyashmore@gmail.com) / Decor: DIY by the Bride and Friends / Bride + Bridesmaids’ Bouquets + Corsages + Boutonnieres: Autumn and Grace Bridal / Cake Topper: Crafty Frills / Cake Stands: Hunnicut Road Designs / DJ: Gus Garza from Your DJ / Wood Signs: Sophia’s Sign Boutique / Wedding Dress: Katie Jean / Shoes: Badgley Mischka / Bridesmaids’ Attire: Armour sans Anguish / Flower Girl Dresses + Head Pieces + Flip Flops + Shirts: Kutie Patootie Couture / Ringer Bearer Pillow: Wendy Herrin & Kutie Patootie Couture