One look at this beautiful gallery and we knew that we were in for one of those rustic + romantic affairs that truly, truly makes our hearts happy. From the loosely crafted florals from Elegance in Bloom to the breathtaking locale to the seriously stunning captures from Laura Ann Miller, this is a day that is rich in gorgeous details with a side of barn dancin’ fun. Head to THE VAULT now to swoon your hearts out.
From the Bride… What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?
We were much more focused on the “feel,” than the “look.” We wanted a day that would highlight both of our personalities, and create a fun and laid back environment for our loved ones.
What was your color palette and your style vision?
We actually refused to pick wedding colors. We are not big fans of matchy-matchy and wanted a natural palette to serve as a backdrop to let the flora and fauna do the heavy lifting. Our style vision was woodlands- a country winery was able to capture the natural, the rustic and vintage elements we wanted to blend together.
What unique elements or DIY details did you include?
Railroad Lanterns and Models: Josh’s late stepfather, Vance, was a railroad aficionado. In fact, he meticulously restored a 1952 Wabash caboose that has since been donated to the Missouri Transportation Museum. Displaying some of Vance’s railroad memorabilia was a great way to incorporate his spirit into our day.
“Brass” Woodland Creatures: We took a budget-friendly spin on brass animals, and applied a bit of spray paint to plastic woodland creatures that were placed on the moss table runners between the flowers, vases, river stones and candles. Seating Stones and Photos: In lieu of place cards, we wrote guests’ names on river rocks to indicate their table assignments. The stones were placed on beds of moss and surrounded by photos of previous family weddings and late family members that were important to include in our special day.
What was your favorite moment?
We joined together in the barn loft space for an intimate first look/veil ceremony and executed the ketubah and marriage license in front of our immediate family and wedding party. This flowed directly into our outdoor ceremony at the chuppah. It was a beautiful and meaningful moment- one that first comes to mind when we look back upon that blur of a day. A close second would be the horah – it was amazing (and somewhat terrifying) to be lifted in the arms of our friends while watching our love ones dance around us. We also had amazing speeches- from fathers, uncles, sisters and friends- the photos of us belly laughing during these moments will be forever favorites.
Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc?
Flowers: Elegance in Bloom was amazing- we wanted a loose and wild look- nothing too over designed. The bouquets and chuppah arrangements were natural and flowing and the tables featured mostly single stems in an array of vases, combined with moss, pillar candles and animal figurines.
Gown: The gown was nothing like I had imagined. In fact, it had many elements on my “definitely no” list. However, when I put it on, nothing compared. The silhouette was perfection and the large pattern lace gave a unique, vintage feel that I haven’t seen before.
Cake: We chose a small cake for ceremonial / traditional purposes, as we really wanted to focus on PIES. However, the same bakery made the cake that was simple and perfect, and we adored our fox couple cake topper surrounded by flowers from Elegance in Bloom.
What is one piece of advice that you could give brides-to-be?
We both have very busy professional lives with little free time. We decided to tackle the big things early- venue and key vendors. Once those items were secured, the details were fun and less stressful to address as they came due. It also doesn’t hurt to choose a beautiful venue with great coordinating staff- we knew that if all else fails, the setting would be naturally beautiful, and our coordinators would shield us from all of the crazy things that could happen, had no one thought them through.
Photography: Laura Ann Miller Photography | Floral Design: Elegance In Bloom | Wedding Dress: Town and Country Bridal | Invitations: Jessica Joppru | Bride's Shoes: Anthropologie | Necklace: Selicias | Rings: The Diamond Shop | Hair + Makeup: Chaumette Winery & Vineyards | Bow Ties: The Tie Bar | Groom's Jacket: Brooks Brothers | Venue: Chaumette Winery & Vineyards | Bridal Boutique: Town and Country Bridal | Cake Topper: Melabo Wed | Cakes + Pies: Blue Owl | Chuppah: Northern Boughs | Earrings: BHLDN | Groom's Shirt: J.Crew | Veil: Veiled Beauty