We’ve seen our share of DIY brides grace the pages of SMP, but perhaps none quite as crafty as this. Not only did she put together an amazing modern-glam affair at the US Army National Guard Armory, but along with her mother and grandmother she handmade her dress. You read right – her wedding dress! Anchor And Veil Photography came along to capture the pretty, and you can see more in the gallery right here.
From the Bride… Even before the wedding day, the special moments began: our families pitched in to put together the entire scene, with fathers-in-law-to-be on ladders helping each other hang drapes, and mothers-in-law-to-be arranging flowers and table settings. It couldn’t have been a better way to bring two families together.
Most of our wedding was DIY. My mother, grandmother and I created the wedding dress from a vision I had! We started with fabric and began draping and pinning it until the silhouette was right. Over two months and three fittings, the dress took shape and bears the mark of each of its makers: the flutters on the skirt were all hand-sewn, and each seamstress had her own technique, making each flutter almost like a fingerprint of the person who sewed it.
In addition to the wedding dress, my mother made the vests worn by Judah, my nephew and ring-bearer, and my brother. I created my niece, Bella’s, dress our of raw silk that she painted to match our wedding colors. My mother also made the ring bearer’s pillow.
The tables, linens, and chairs were rented, but we made or embellished almost everything else. The chandeliers are IKEA, but we spray-painted them and added some flourishes. I loves color and pattern, so me and my mother made the napkins — two of each pattern — for our guests to keep as mementos of the occasion. We crafted our signature cocktails for the event (“The Milo” for him and “The Meg” for her). During our cocktail hour, the charcuterie plate featured bread, toast squares, and goat cheese from Forget Me Not Farm, the farm My parents own. The vases are also IKEA, painted at home and brought with us. My father made the bocce court and my brother made and painted the cornhole set as a wedding gift that we had at our reception
We made our save-the-dates and wedding invitations, too, and my mother and Drew’s father’s wife made the gift bag treats (my father custom silk-screened the bags with their farm logo). We have always been DIY types, so having our wedding any other way was almost inconceivable! We may not have saved time, but the memories of the process are what we cherish the most.
Photography: Anchor And Veil Photography | Cakes: Maxie B's | Shoes: J.Crew | Catering: Farm Burger | Venue: US Army National Guard Armory | Day Of Coordinator: Bash Events