Between the industrial-meets-vintage Smoky Hollow Studios venue, the couple’s boho style, and the chic muted color palette, this California wedding was the perfect combination of elegant and down-to-earth. The venue, which featured exposed brick, café lights strung from the rafters, and a cozy outdoor patio, provided just the intimate setting Jalisah and Jake’s wanted to express their artsy personalities and create a memorable day for themselves and their loved ones. Every little detail was truly a reflection of this sweet couple, but we have a feeling their live performance at the end of their reception was the most magical moment for their guests. We love that Jalisah and Jake focused so much on creating an authentic and heartfelt day, and we love even more that they hired the talented Randi Kreckman to put her visual storytelling magic to work in capturing every moment!
Emily and Evan’s wedding at Watershed Cabins Resort was as heartfelt as it was charming and eclectic! This creative couple and the groom’s handy father DIY-ed nearly every detail of the décor, from the signs to the table settings and even the lighting. They chose a rustic vibe to fit in with the mountain setting and added an eclectic twist by mixing simple wood accents with whimsical, free-form floral centerpieces created by Lady Luck Flower Farm. We love how this couple kept their reception menu fresh and relaxed by hiring a local pizza truck to cater the event. Anete Toming Photography captured every moment of this North Carolina wedding so beautifully, especially the couple’s romantic first look on a secluded bridge in the middle of the woods!
The most memorable part of the day for us was our first look! It was a relief to step away for a few moments to focus on each other. Our first look was set back on a bridge near a small waterfall. We read letters to each other and just enjoyed each other’s company. It was a moment that we will never forget.
We could not have asked for a better photographer! Anete and I met a couple of years ago while we were living in New York City for the summer (both with different reasons). The day we met, we hung out, grabbed some pizza, and went to a group hang out where people immediately thought we had been close friends for years. When, in reality, we only had known each other for a couple of hours! Since then we have stayed close and in contact. I knew her photography was my favorite, so when I got engaged it was a no brainer of who was going to be my photographer!
On the day of the wedding, Anete was more that just a photographer for me; she was my best friend who knew exactly what I needed at all times. Whether it was water or food — or just a hug and a laugh — Anete was more than I could have ever asked for! She guided Evan and I perfectly for the first look. She was sweet and calm, generous and humble. The photos that she got were phenomenal — it’s almost like she was two different people and in two different places at once! I myself have photographed weddings (mostly as a second shooter), so I was in awe of all the photos she got herself. She is an incredible human and an equally incredible photographer!
Our favorite photo would have to be the one of us jumping off of the picnic table in the air with the mountains in the background. It’s not just a photo; it is an image that explains Evan and I really well. We like to have fun and that was the moment that really captured the lightheartedness of the whole day.
We had the Amazing Pizza Co. pizza truck cater the wedding! They did 5 different varieties of pizza for the day: Italian Delight, Margherita, Cheese, Pepperoni, and BBQ Chicken. It was unorthodox and a ton of fun! The pizza was tasty and such a hit. Everyone loved it!
The cake was created by the coolest pastry chef ever, her name is Sarah Fagan, and we used to work in a kitchen together! She drove all the way from Charleston, SC to be there, and we could not have been more thankful! The flavors were coconut cake and a raspberry chocolate ganache.
Congratulations to Emily and Evan, and a special thanks to Anete Toming Photography for sharing this beautiful wedding with Junebug! Are you a crafty bride looking for more DIY wedding inspiration? We think you’ll love Anna and John’s stylish DIY wedding in Massachusetts!
Ashleigh and Gean’s South African wedding at Langkloof Roses was a beautiful example of how simple, authentic details and raw, heartfelt moments are really all you need for a perfect wedding day. Their outdoor ceremony on the farm featured a simple green and white floral arch, as well as a vibrant red aisle runner to add contrast to the natural tones. For their reception, they kept the décor to a minimum with grey table runners accented with white centerpieces created by Wildeflower and finished off with personal notes written for each guest. Their minimalist approach was as refreshing as it was beautifully designed, and Illuminate Photography did an incredible job capturing every moment.
Remaining true to yourselves as a couple and as individuals can be so challenging. As a couple, we decided upfront to hold each other accountable to being very honest about whether something was an expression of ourselves. It was very important to us to make sure that our wedding was not a bunch of ideas we had seen thrown together. Our vision was to have our wedding be a personal expression of our values, our love for each other, and our deep appreciation for some of the most important people in our lives. We have such a beautiful community of people around us, and we wanted to honour them by being completely present and true to ourselves on our wedding day.
My mom was diagnosed with advanced, aggressive cancer a month after we got engaged. So, we moved our wedding date more times than I can remember to fit in with her treatment plan. Not knowing whether or when her doctors might want to operate, we ended up planning our wedding in under 3 months. Having my beautiful mom wake up next to me on the day of our wedding, having her get ready with me, seeing her have the best time, and having all our guests celebrate her was something that Gean and I will both always cherish. It quite honestly showed the value and fragility of life and the fact that we have all chosen to live passionately with love as the center, regardless of what comes our way.
Our ceremony will forever be engrained in our hearts. It was such an honouring experience to commit our lives to each other with our friends and family alongside us to witness and support that commitment. It was intimate and yet there was a sense that the moment was far bigger than us — it was very raw and liberating.
Our advice is to spend time figuring out what things actually mean to you and how important they truly are before committing to anything. We tried our best to not over saturate our wedding day. We chose to keep it simple so that the elements that we found to be really meaningful were given center stage. This also helped reduce the amount of things that we actually needed to plan.
We decided not to have bridesmaids and groomsmen, but rather to found ways to recognize every one of our guests as a member of one big bridal party. We gifted each of our female guests with foliage flower crowns because we wanted every woman at our wedding to feel as beautiful and special as a bridesmaid should.
Our photographer, Tabitha, was amazing! She was intuitive, she truly listened to us, and she had the most peaceful and encouraging sensibility about her. Because of her organic style, she discreetly captured some of the most sincere, intimate moments of our wedding. Her presence in the room didn’t prevent anyone from being completely natural. She felt like a guest that was softly alongside us as our day unfolded.
We wanted a space that was warm and sincere, a place where all of our guests would be able to feel at ease and just be themselves. There was a beautiful sense of home at Langkloof Roses. Time felt as though it slowed down there, and the farmland surroundings allowed us to breathe deeper. In Gean‘s words, it was somewhat of an oasis, a utopia for the wedding world. We looked at an endless amount of venues, and Langkloof Roses had the perfect balance of everything we wanted: it was magically special and beautifully maintained, but it was also real, raw, and simple. It allowed us to dream about our wedding day without any pretenses.
After endless brainstorming to come up with a wedding favour, finally we realized that the best gift we could give our guests was not a physical gift, but rather our love and thanks. We wrote each guest a unique letter telling them how special they are to us and that we love and cherish their role in our marriage. The place cards for our reception were wax sealed letters with each guest’s name printed on the outside and their letter from us on the inside.
Congratulations to Ashleigh and Gean, and an extra special thanks to Illuminate Photography for sharing this gorgeous South African wedding with Junebug! Love the natural vibes this couple incorporated into their day? Then you’ve got to see Ruth and Declan’s uniquely natural Portuguese wedding at Areias Do Seixo!
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