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California Woodland Wedding at Twenty Mile House

September 28, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Veronica and Travis’ woodland wedding at Twenty Mile House was as charming as ever. Wanting to focus on enjoying the day, they chose vendors that would bring their vision to life and make sure the day ran smoothly. Veronica and Travis’ wishes were met and then some with the help of Twenty Mile House’s coordination services, Gray’s Flower Garden’s beautiful blooms, and catering done by Southern Accent. With the stress of the wedding out of the day, these lovebirds had time for the sweetest first look, and Amanda Marie Studio was there to document it all.

The Couple:

Veronica and Travis

The Wedding:

Twenty Mile House, Cromberg, California

We both felt the most important thing for the day of our wedding was that we got to enjoy it together without being pulled in different directions or needing to worry about the “behind-the-scenes” work that is required to keep the day going. Choosing Twenty Mile House as our venue was one of the best decisions we could have made. They offered organized wedding planning assistance, and a day-of coordinator. We were so impressed by how seamlessly the day went for us. There was never a point where we had to think of anything other than enjoying our day together with our friends and family. It was definitely the best. day. ever.

Some practical advice for wedding dress shopping: If you plan on having an outdoor wedding, make sure you check how your dress looks in the natural outdoor light. My dress was surprisingly sheer once it was backlit by the sun! I didn’t realize this until after the wedding once I saw some of the videos and photos of the event, but ignorance was bliss!

The first look was by far the most memorable part of our wedding day. We chose to do a first look prior to the ceremony so that we could have that special moment for ourselves. Our photographer, Amanda, suggested that I go off down a trail and wait for Travis to come to me. Once I heard him coming I spun around and we both started crying. I couldn’t stop! Amanda was so sweet and let me wipe my tears off on her dress. The photos captured from that time still make me tear up.

Our photographer, Amanda, was so awesome! We immediately felt like a friend we’ve known for years. She did an amazing job of capturing moments as they happened organically, which was really important to us. We wanted photos that documented the day and all of the emotions and love that we felt. I’m certain we couldn’t have found anyone who could have done a better job!

Processional: Astral Weeks – Van Morrison
Bride’s Entrance: Annie’s Song – John Denver
Processional: Dreams Come True – Hall & Oats

We both love being in the mountains and surrounded by the forrest, so an outdoor wedding with a wooded surrounding was ideal. When we started looking for venues, we found Twenty Mile House right away and coincidentally, they were having an open house the following weekend! We were a little worried at first about the distance, but we got close. The route to the venue was calming and beautiful. We both knew right away it was perfect place! The venue itself had so much history and charm. It had there perfect balance of embracing the natural surroundings while also providing the perfect manicured space for the wedding day.

Music is one of the things we bonded over early in our relationship, so it was important to us both that the music played through the day was a good representation of the both of us. Veronica probably spent most of her wedding planning to lay out all of the music that played throughout the entire day, from the time guests started to arrive to the very last dance.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Amanda Marie Studio
Event Planning – Twenty Mile House
Venue – Twenty Mile House
Floral Design – Gray’s Flower Garden
Catering – Southern Accent
DJ – Todd Reasor
Live Music – The Polyorchids
Makeup Artist – Natalie Cartwright Makeup Artistry
Wedding Dress – Calla Blanche
Bridal Accessories – Clipper Cargo
Groom’s Apparel – H&M
Rings – Oaks Jewelry

 

A big thanks to our Junebug member, Amanda Marie Studio, for sharing this woodland wedding with us! To learn more about Amanda and her work, take a look at this spotlight interview she had with Junebug!

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8 Ways To Involve Loved Ones In Your Elopement

September 27, 2017 | kailey

Image by Cedar & Pines. See more of this real wedding here.

From mountaintop elopements to DIY backyard elopements—we love them all. We can’t think of a more romantic and adventurous way to tie the knot. With smaller guest-lists and endless ways to skip the stress of big weddings, more couples are opting for private elopements and micro weddings. These ceremonies are anything but traditional, but that doesn’t mean you have to skip family involvement. You can have both—it’s your wedding day after all. 

For couples who are dreaming of eloping but don’t want to give up the presence of loved ones we’ve got you covered. Here are eight heartwarming ways to incorporate your loved ones, from early planning stages to post-ceremony celebrations. 

1. Include Loved Ones In The Preparation Process

From wedding attire shopping  to curating the perfect wedding day itinerary, there are many details that go into planning an elopement. Incorporating family and friends in that process checks things off your to-do list and allows them to play a meaningful role without being physically present on your big day.

2. Recruit Family And Friends To Help With DIY Projects

Every couple dreams of a wedding day that perfectly reflects their personal tastes. That’s where DIY projects come in. Getting family and friends together for crafty DIY projects can save money while creating unique touches that set your wedding apart from the crowd. 

Image by Abigail Renee Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

3. Incorporate Family Heirlooms

Wearing a family heirloom—like Grandma’s timeless diamond necklace or Dad’s vintage cufflinks—is the perfect way to carry loved ones with you for your big day. Family heirlooms don’t have to be cherished pieces passed down from generation to generation. There are many items like dazzling hair pieces, belt buckles, or even socks you can incorporate as a nod to your loved ones.

4. Have A Friend Or Family Member Officiate Your Wedding

A wedding planning detail that often gets overlooked is selecting the officiant. With weddings getting smaller, many couples are looking closer to home for their  officiant. Nerves can get overwhelming as you’re reciting your vows—even in intimate settings. Help calm them by having someone important to you both standing near you. 

Having a loved one officiate will also give your vows more meaning and personality. This a trend that has become increasingly popular and we don’t see it going away anytime soon. 

Image by Victoria Carlson Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

5. Hire A Top Notch Photographer And Videographer

Those not physically in attendance will be attending vicariously through your wedding day photos and videos—so be sure to hire a top notch photographer and videographer. 

A simple and meaningful gesture would be allowing family members to get a sneak-peak first look at the photographs before they are posted anywhere online. It’s a great way to show their importance and for you to share the cherished memories behind your dreamy photos.

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6. Stream Your Ceremony Live

For couples opting to elope, but struggling with missing that family element—this one’s for you. No matter where you exchange “I do’s” a virtual ceremony, through apps FaceTime or Zoom are the perfect solution. 

Whether you FaceTime your crew while getting ready or wait to pop open your laptop during the ceremony, your loved ones would love to celebrate the newlyweds in real time. 

7. Read Letters From Loved Ones During The Ceremony

Letters from loved ones add a sentimental and emotional touch to your elopement. Whether you chose to read them prior, during, or even after the ceremony, it’s a great way for family members to express their love and support on your big day. 

8. Host A Post Elopement Celebration

An intimate ceremony followed by a larger celebratory party—we can’t think of a better way to kick off a marriage. This is the best of both worlds for couples dreaming of an elopement and still wanting to involve loved ones. Not to mention, it’s a perfect chance to share the wedding video, photographs, and stories from your special day. 

For all weddings,  big and small, Junebug is here to make wedding planning a painless and joyful experience. No wedding is one-size fits all and no matter where or how you tie the knot, there are many heartfelt ways to include everyone in your life. 

Image by Sergio Alcala Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

If you’ve been inspired to trade the stress and potentially high costs of a large wedding, we are here to help. Check out more special elopement ideas and these inspo-worthy elopements that prove less is more for your big day. 

 

 

 

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Simply Elegant Wilmington Wedding at the Brooklyn Arts Center

September 27, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Alex and Wiley’s Brooklyn Arts Center wedding screamed simple elegance. With beautiful ivory florals by Fiore Fine Flowers, gold accented tables, and champagne-colored bridesmaid dresses from BHLDN, these sweethearts created a timeless look for their wedding day. Choosing to get married in their hometown, the couple brought elements of themselves into their wedding and had many friends and family members there to celebrate. Erin and Geoffrey Photography effortlessly captured the day with focusing on the romantic details and the dance party that ended the night.

The Couple:

Alex and Wiley

The Wedding:

Brooklyn Arts Center, Wilmington, North Carolina

It was very important to me that the ceremony and reception were at the same venue, which my venue provided. Our venue was also such a blank slate. It is a gorgeous building, but you can make it fit any look or theme you want. I didn’t want a venue that would decide my look for me. The venue also offered a gorgeous house right next door that my girls and I got to use all day. It was so nice to be right next to the venue all day so once you got there in the morning, you didn’t have to worry about leaving until midnight. We loved the manager of the venue, he is so passionate about making each wedding perfect and beautiful and was so helpful with our vendor selection.

We each had two gifts for each other. For my groom, I had gotten him hand-engraved cuff links to wear on our wedding day and two double old-fashioned crystal glasses in our Waterford pattern. My groom gifted me a pair of earrings and a beautiful jewelry box to store my jewelry collection.

Since I have a large family and we had a large wedding party, we opted to take all of our photographs before the ceremony. After our first look and taking pictures, the wedding party, our families, and Wiley and I had some down time to freshen up, just chit chat, and simply calm everyone’s jittery nerves. Just having this time to be together while we all looked snazzy and didn’t have to entertain any guests was really nice. I felt so calm and happy walking down the aisle and I definitely think this down time before the ceremony helped!

My groom and I decided to get married in his hometown, so a way for me to personalize the ceremony was to use my pastor from my home church. My parents and I have gone to my pastor’s church for over 20 years so it was really great to have so much history with the man who married us. We also asked two of our closest friends to each choose and perform a reading during the ceremony. The readings reflected their personalities and their relationships with my groom and me– something I thought was so special. I also had five of my nieces be involved during the ceremony, four as flower girls and one as a junior bridesmaid. I loved including them.

Oh my goodness, I could probably go on and on about our photographers. Working with them on the day of our wedding was like working with our two best friends. We both feel so comfortable around Erin and Geoffrey. They give great, gentle guidance and are so funny. It was so nice to feel comfortable and at ease around our wedding photographers and I think it shows in our wedding pictures. We also have so much confidence in their artistic abilities and their work that we knew every photo would be gorgeous!

I think being decisive and not giving yourself every option in the world is so important, and also sticking to one “look.” There were so many beautiful wedding ideas that I saw and loved, but in the end, less is more and having a cohesive look will always be more elegant than trying to include every trend and idea you find on Pinterest.

We gave out chocolates from one of my favorite places in the world, French Broad Chocolates in Asheville, N.C. My hometown is about an hour from Asheville and I have spent a lot of time at French Broad. I have also read a lot about how people don’t really want another coozie with someone else’s name on it, so I chose a sweet treat. We picked two truffles that we loved and each guest would get their own personal box with each truffle. They were in little ivory boxes with gold lettering. They were adorable and delicious!

A funny family tradition of ours is that my dad (after several drinks) will take off his neck tie and tie it around his head. When he does this, it kind of signifies that the party has really started! Since we knew our bridal party and guests would be wearing bow ties, we ordered lots of ties to be passed out during the reception. It was such a funny surprise for my family and a great way to introduce of of my family’s traditions to the rest of our guests and my groom’s family. We also had light up tambourines that we passed out, they were so fun!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Erin and Geoffrey Photography
Venue – Brooklyn Arts Center
Floral Design – Fiore Fine Flowers
Catering – Pine Valley Market
Cake – Cakehead Bakeshop
Officiant – Dr. Donald Wilton
Live Music – Az IzZ
Videography – Lifestage Films
Invitations – Studio R
Makeup Artist – Adrianne Lugo
Hair Styling – Adrianne Lugo
Wedding Dress – Martina Liana
Bridal Accessories – Smithworks Fine Jewelry
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – BHLDN
Groom’s Apparel – Tom James
Rings – Smithworks Fine Jewelry
Rentals – Party Suppliers
Transportation – Azalea Limousine Service
Favors – French Broad Chocolates

 

Thank you to our member Erin and Geoffrey Photography for sharing Alex and Wiley’s big day with us! For more of their work, check out this Marigny Opera House wedding in New Orleans.

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