Four months to plan a budget-friendly wedding is not for the weak at heart. Let’s be honest, it took me that long just to decide on a pair of bridal shoes. But, rest assured, it is totally and completely doable. And even more so, it forces you to focus on the details that really matter – a heart-felt ceremony, images by Amanda Scott Photography that capture that emotion and all-in-all, a day that truly celebrates love. See all that love right here.
From the bride...Rob and I had originally planned to have a fall wedding, but after learning my sister would be out of the country for work on her grad school practicum, we moved our date up to May, giving us only 4 months to plan. Due to our short engagement and a very tight budget, our friends and family played a huge part in making our wedding day so awesome. As our day was quickly approaching, our amazing group of friends from our church dedicated an entire evening to helping us cut paper vases out of old books to decorate reception tables, and helped us fill, decorate, and label jars of honey to give as guest favors. To save money on flowers, I ordered fresh and dried lavender in bulk from California for the the reception decor and for the bridesmaid bouquets (which were assembled the morning of our wedding by two of my bridesmaids). I also bought dusty miller and succulents at a local shop for the boutonnieres, and my brother and his fiancé assembled them the morning of our wedding as well. My plethora of antique cameras and books I’ve collected over the years were used as centerpieces at our reception. My sister did an awesome job on my hair for both the ceremony and reception, and my best friend did my makeup.
Rob and I wanted to have a laid back, casual, intimate wedding. We tried to keep our guest count low by only inviting family and our closest friends. As the guests were arriving, they were welcomed to our lemonade stand and to relax on the lawn as music played in the background. The ceremony took place on the foundation of an old greenhouse as our wedding party and guests stood in a circle around us. Just before Rob and I started dating, I mailed him a special letter that I had sealed with a wax seal. Instead of a unity candle or sand ceremony, we decided to incorporate the wax seal again in our ceremony by writing our own vows, and after reciting them to each other, sealed them together with two different colors of wax. After the ceremony, guests entered the barn to find a biscuit bar with their choice of all kinds of southern toppings like apple butter, honey, and jam that they could enjoy as Rob and I were having pictures made. We also wanted to do something a little different post-dinner. Instead of having a DJ playing the usual wedding music tunes all night, we asked my brother, his fiancé, and my sister to teach our guests how to contra dance, which turned out to be so much fun. Our getaway included (completely biodegradable!) Chinese lanterns and an awesome 1950’s MG Midget borrowed from a friend.
Our wedding day turned out to be so wonderful, but there are a handful of moments that I’ll always cherish the most. The handkerchief wrapped around my bouquet was made from the bonnet I wore home from the hospital and the brooch pinned to the handkerchief was my grandmother’s. My grandfather, who was one of my very favorite people, and who passed away several years ago, gave it to her for their 35th anniversary. It was nice to have a small part of him there with us. I also love the memory of walking up the pathway with my dad to the ceremony as my uncle, friend, and brother played “Divide Me” by Kalai. It’s such a beautiful acoustic song that fit the moment perfectly. Directly after being announced as Mr. and Mrs. Feisley at the conclusion of our ceremony, Rob’s grandfather threw his arms in the air and shouted “YEEHAW!” He had made the long trip down from Ohio for our wedding, even though he was very weak and battling cancer. Sadly, he passed away in September, but having him there will always be a special memory for us. At the reception, the contra dance lessons turned out to be a bit more difficult than expected, which resulted in confusion, improvising, and lots and LOTS of laughs. Some of our guests shot videos of the dancing, which were so much fun to watch. I laugh so hard I cry every time I watch them. Lastly, as Rob and I were about to make our getaway, my dad pulled out his old classical guitar and surprised me by serenading me with a song he used to sing to me when I was a baby. Until that point in my life, I had hardly heard my dad play guitar, and never with accompanying vocals. He isn’t much for performing, and I’m sure it was the first time he ever played in front of any type of audience. I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Oh. my. goodness. Rob and I are truly blessed in so many ways, and our wedding day only proved that more.
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Venue: The Fillauer Lake House | Main Photographer: Amanda Scott Photography | Ceremony Photographer: Imago Photography | Videographer: Cardboard Films | Bride’s Bouquet and Corsages: Grafe Studios | Lavender: River Oak Lavender | Wedding Cake: Sifted Bakery | Catering: Ray’s Catering | Invitations: Designed by bride, printed by Millers | Wedding Dress: Casablanca | Guy’s Suits: Express