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Totally Glam DIY Wedding

May 25, 2022 | justine

Not even the pandemic could get in the way of a love like Mitsuko and Antony’s. After changing their wedding plans again and again, they decided to take a nontraditional approach to their big day. With the help of family, the couple pulled off two flawless fêtes that were effortless and intentional. It was a totally glam DIY wedding with a classic black and white palette, artful florals, timeless fashion, and a modern aesthetic—details that will never go out of style. 

The couple exchanged their vows surrounded by their closest loved ones in a beautiful traditional ceremony at the Paroisse Saint-Jean-Baptiste. It was followed by a reception at the Tucker House Renewal Centre that felt grand with the clear top tent. Crystal chandeliers added sparkle overhead, while the metallic candle votives paired on guest tables were the right touch of luxe. Lush centerpieces and a unique backdrop installation with floral clouds by Sonja Créations gave the dreamiest of vibes.

From the floral decor and the homey menu to all the other creative and personalized elements in between, scroll through these swoon-worthy photos captured by Junebug members Joel & Justyna. This glam DIY wedding is packed with ideas for you to steal.

The Couple:

Mitsuko and Antony

The Wedding:

Ottawa, Canada

Photographer And Junebug Members Joel & Justyna’s Thoughts On This Glam DIY Wedding

We loved photographing Mitsuko and Antony twice—the first time for their civil wedding and again for their sequel celebration. Their wedding was really special. Mitsuko’s family did the bulk of the work. Her mother not only planned and designed the day, but she also did all the florals and catered the reception with home-cooked food.

Staying Flexible—A Must For Planning A Wedding During A Pandemic

We changed our wedding plans so many times because of the pandemic, so being flexible and patient was important. Thankfully, our vendors were helpful and accommodating. The pandemic made us realize what mattered—to have both our families come together to support our union.

Photographer And Junebug Members Joel & Justyna Captured Both Their Weddings

This wasn’t our first time working with our photographers. The first time was when we had our civil wedding in 2020. Joel & Justyna were a dream to work with. They’re passionate, creative, professional, and truly amazing. Each picture is unique and tells a story, making it special to us.

Serving Food And Drinks That Reflect Their Personalities And Haitian Heritage

For the cocktail hour, Whalesbone provided a variety of delicious fresh oysters, accompanied by custom cocktail drinks provided by Bartendo. Both being Haïtian, we wanted to include traditional meals on the menu. We worked closely with our caterer Sonja Creations, and she truly listened to our needs and delivered. We still receive compliments from our guests for the food. Ketny Théogene curated a dessert bar and wedding cake matching our aesthetic to complete the menu. It was truly a success with our guests.

Heartfelt Speeches From Loved Ones Made Their Big Day More Special

The speeches were the most memorable part of our wedding day. They brought us lots of joy, laughter, and happy tears. Hearing the speeches brought back so many beautiful memories and made us feel grateful to know how loved we are.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Joel & Justyna
Ceremony Venue – Paroisse Saint
Reception Venue – Tucker House Renewal Centre
Floral Design + Catering – Sonja Créations
Bridal Bouquet – Pollen Nation
Hair Styling – AMC Hair Studio
Rings – Goldform
Rentals – ABP

 

Congratulations to Mitsuko and Antony on their totally glam DIY wedding. And big thanks to Joel & Justyna for capturing all the unique details that made this chic wedding one for the books. 

If you’re feeling inspired to bring to life a DIY wedding of your own, start by checking out more of Joel & Justyna’s work  in our directory of talented photographers from around the world. Then read through our DIY guide for couples on a budget or those wanting to get hands-on during their planning process.

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Vibrant New Orleans Wedding With DIY Galore

February 5, 2022 | riley

Chalise and Madeline admittedly love to DIY pretty much everything in their lives, so naturally, their wedding was no exception. Planning a wedding can be equally stressful and exciting, but the couple had a lot of fun bringing their wedding vision to life. With the help of their family and friends, they did an impressive job at crafting a vibrant New Orleans wedding with personalized DIY details galore.

With its quirky charm, the historic French Quarter Wedding Chapel was the perfect venue for their ceremony. And in true New Orleans fashion, the couple and their loved ones took to the streets to celebrate right after. They incorporated the same fun vibe into the details of their reception by transforming their family backyard with their eclectic styling of bright colored flowers, blush-toned velvet table covers, pink and teal tableware, cute koozies, and tongue-in-cheek note cards. 

All of their hard work definitely paid off—their big day was not only bursting with color and personality, but it looked like it was a total blast too. Check out the creative ways Chalise and Madeline made their wedding uniquely their own, all amazingly captured by Savanna Sturkie!

The Couple:

Chalise and Madeline

The Wedding:

French Quarter Wedding Chapel, New Orleans, Louisiana

The Most Memorable Part Of Their Vibrant New Orleans Wedding

It’s hard to pinpoint a specific moment because the whole day was so magical, but our time at the chapel really stands out. It was just us, our sisters, Madeline’s Mom, and Chalise’s Dad. It was such a beautiful little ceremony. The weather forecast was predicting some heavy rain, and the skies looked very ominous as we approached the chapel, but by the time we finished, the skies were crystal clear.

Wedding Day Surprise

With all the excitement and tension of getting ready and meeting at the chapel, we realized we had left our marriage license at home. Chalise’s dad had to drive back to our house to get it. Luckily we only lived about 10 minutes away. Our service was scheduled for no longer than 30 minutes, but because we had a little hiccup, it was shortened quite a bit. But it all worked out in the end.

Working With Photographer Savanna Sturkie

We knew going into it that finding the right photographer for us was one of our top priorities. We wanted a specific look and someone who was not only open with photographing a queer couple but promoted it as well. Savanna Sturkie was truly everything we could have hoped for and so much more. We saw her portfolio and fell in love with her work, then had our first meeting and fell in love with her. She made us feel so comfortable the entire day. It felt more like a friend than a hired photographer. She was able to capture the most intimate and beautiful moments while also sneaking those candid moments that are priceless.

A DIY Wedding They Can Be Proud Of

We are really proud that we were able to plan this day ourselves. We didn’t have a planner, so everything from the invitations to the menu was created by us. We spent months planning and organizing everything. We are both creative people and had a lot of fun seeing our vision come to life. It really wasn’t until the tables were set up that we saw all our hard work had paid off. Madeline’s mother was kind enough to allow us to use her backyard as our venue. And with help from our family and friends—it all came together perfectly.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Savanna Sturkie
Venue – French Quarter Wedding Chapel
Floral Design – Florstead Company
Cake – Michelle Van Boogie
Videography – Lauren Terry
Hair Styling – Jessica Jackson
Wedding Dress – Pinup Girl Clothing
Suit – Top Man

 

Congratulations to Chalise and Madeline on their vibrant New Orleans wedding. And big thanks to Savanna Sturkie for capturing the fun vibe and all the other unforgettable moments of the happiest day of their lives! Whether it’s keeping wedding traditions that are important to you or finding creative ways to show your pride, your big day should be as unique as you and your partner are—so celebrate your day your way!

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Perfectly Customized DIY Yosemite Elopement

April 7, 2021 | riley

A touching first look, a ceremony overlooking all of Yosemite, and an elopement picnic to celebrate–Madison and Dallas’ DIY Yosemite elopement was the perfect combination of boho and adventurous. Despite the National Park being closed due to COVID and wildfires, the couple made their dream day come true, and we can’t get enough of it.

From the hand-written vows to the cliffside portraits captured by Wesley Harden to a DIY charcuterie board, every detail was carefully planned out by the newlyweds themselves. So keep scrolling to see how these two proved that although wedding planning can be quite the climb, the view from the top is always worth it.

The Couple:

Madison and Dallas

The Wedding:

Yosemite National Park, California

Shop similar vow books: His and Hers Gold Foil Vow Booklets ($29); Wedding Vow Books Set of 2 ($25); Mountain Modern Personalized Foil Vow Books ($29)

Why A DIY Yosemite Elopement

We are an adventurous couple—always hiking and traveling. We chose Yosemite because it’s beautiful and we had never been there previously, but now it’s a special place we can visit as often as we would like!

All Odds Were Against Them

We’re so proud of the fact that the wedding even happened. All the odds were against us, with COVID closing the park and wildfires shutting the park down as well. We’re so proud that we made it happen so beautifully.

A DIY Elopement Picnic Set-Up

I DIYed our table setup, I was quoted $1700 for a simple tablescape, so I went to World Market and replicated it with my own flare for a fraction of the cost. We also brought in everything for the charcuterie board.

Shop similar flutes:

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Wesley Harden
Venue – Yosemite National Park
Floral Design – Chocolate & Posies
Cake – Eddie’s Bakery & Cafe
Officiant – From The Heart Ceremonies
Videography – Emma K Films
Makeup Artist – Jennifer Hull
Hair Styling – The Hair Loft Clovis
Wedding Dress – Rish via Alta Moda Bridal
Groom’s Apparel – Men’s Wearhouse

 

Congratulations again to Madison and Dallas on their DIY Yosemite elopement! Thank you to Wesley Harden for sharing their special day with us. If you’re planning your own elopement, be sure to check out our ultimate elopement planning checklist to get started.

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DIY And Micro Wedding Florals From Bouqs Weddings

January 20, 2021 | riley

person in The Bouqs Co apron working on florals

One of our favorite floral companies recently launched micro wedding floral packages and we couldn’t miss the opportunity to shout about it from the rooftops. In addition to their new packages, The Bouqs Co. Weddings (Bouqs Weddings) understands that planning a wedding during a pandemic is less than ideal. Like us, they’re here to help couples navigate this strange time.

If you’re not familiar with Bouqs Weddings, get ready to fall in love—specifically with their personalized touch, fresh florals, and straightforward pricing. 

wedding party bouquet

Why Order Wedding Florals From Bouqs Weddings

Bouqs Weddings offers the perfect variety of options for wedding florals. Whether an elopement, micro wedding, or large wedding is in your future, couples browsing their website aren’t overwhelmed by options. Don’t let the minimalist packaging stop you—they are all completely customizable. 

Bouqs floral arrangement

Start by picturing your wedding color scheme and choosing from their Wedding Collections, then someone from their team will help you every step of the way. Because of their focus on premium-quality florals at budget-friendly prices, they have quickly become the friendly, helpful, go-to contact for anything wedding flowers related. 

Romance florals

DIY Floral Wedding Packages

Bouqs Weddings offers dreamy DIY packages that are fun, easy to put together, and can be personalized to every couple’s wedding day vibes. Seriously, the sky is the limit when it comes to these options.

It comes as no surprise that many DIYers enjoy the process of putting the arrangements together. Depending on how much DIY you’re taking on for your wedding, focusing on DIY florals are an easy way to bond with your wedding party. They also provide a great opportunity to stop and smell the roses—literally—to appreciate the moments before your big day. The DIY packages can be a fun project before the wedding, especially since it’s an option that fits most budgets. 

bridal bouquet

DIY Doesn’t Mean You’re Alone 

Customer service matters to Bouqs Weddings. They know couples are counting on these florals to make their weddings unforgettable and that most couples have limited floral arranging experience. Because of this, purchasing a DIY package doesn’t mean you’re left hanging to create these arrangements yourself. 

They provide step-by-step guidance, video instruction, and one-on-one question and answer sessions to make the process as seamless as possible. Whether it’s you and your partner or your whole wedding team assisting with florals, you’ll be in good hands.

bridal arrangement

Micro Wedding Florals Launch

As stated on their website, Bouqs Weddings knows that even small weddings deserve beautiful florals. While watching more couples pivot their wedding plans to opt for something more intimate—like elopements or micro weddings—they realized they could help. 

wedding flower crown

Hoping to make planning a little easier for couples exploring ways to make their weddings work, they launched special micro weddings packages to make sure each couple has stunning flowers for their wedding, big or small. 

The micro wedding packages include options for multiple bouquets, boutonnieres, or a mix of both. These simple and timeless options will keep you and your partner ready for the magic of your special day. 

table decor

Reliably Fresh Florals With Even Fresher Pricing

By working with Bouqs Weddings, you can rest easy knowing your wedding florals will be delivered on time. Plus their premium-quality wedding flowers at budget-friendly prices have helped couples save up to 80% of the costs associated with a traditional florist. Plus, since their flowers are shipped directly from eco-friendly farms, they’ll look absolutely stunning on your wedding day. 

woman holding simple florals

Bouqs Weddings has floral shipping down to a science. When these sustainably-sourced flowers arrive, they’ll be in bud form. This process ensures you won’t need to worry about droopy flowers on the most important day of your life. With proper care—which they’ll provide instructions for—they’ll bloom just before the wedding day to look their best. The timely blooming also means they’ll last for about a week after the wedding. So you can keep your flowers or send them home with your guests as a fresh and fun wedding favor. 

floral details

No matter the size, Bouqs Weddings will help make your wedding as beautiful as you hoped. If you’ve had to postpone or scale back your guest list, their micro wedding and DIY options are for you. Flowers by Bouqs Weddings are luxurious, beautiful, and of the highest quality—check out their website to see how affordable they can be for your upcoming elopement, micro wedding, or ceremony. 

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DIY Wedding Inspiration Roundup

October 21, 2020 | riley

Image by Autumn Nicole Photo. See more of this real wedding here.

We know how much goes into planning a wedding. You have to figure out the venue, the guest list, the menu, the decor, etc.–all of this revolving around money. That’s why more and more couples are opting to add DIY touches to their special day. Getting crafty is not only one of the easiest ways to save money, but it’s also a great way to add personal touches to your nuptials.

Junebug couples continue to surprise us with new and creative DIY ideas that make their wedding unique. That’s why we decided to put together a round-up of some of our favorite elements that couples have put together themselves. Get ready to be inspired because these are some seriously epic details.

DIY Invitations

Image by Hailey Pierce Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

Image by Olivia Strohm Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Stacie Carr Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Natalie J Weddings. See more of this real wedding here.

DIY Wedding Fashion

Image by Brooke Shannon Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Jaicee Morgan. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Sheila Nolt Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

Image by Kayla Esparza Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

DIY Wedding Backdrops

Image by Jane Lee. See more of this real wedding here.

Image by Katie Carlson. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Madison Katlin Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Hailey Pierce Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by VinylRae Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

Image by Carmen Lopez Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Olivia Strohm Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Jaicee Morgan. See more of this real wedding here. 

DIY Florals

Image by Erika Diaz. See more of this real wedding here.

Image by Whit McGuire Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Payton Marie Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Swak Photography. See more of this real wedding here.  

Image by Meredith Washburn. See more of this real wedding here. 

DIY Signage

Image by Gabrielle Desmarchais. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Jessie Schultz Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Carmen Lopez Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Arina B Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

DIY Seating Chart

Image by Tida Svy. See more of this real wedding here.

Image by Autumn Nicole Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Jane Lee. See more of this real wedding here.

Image by Isaiah and Taylor Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Caroline Ro. See more of this real wedding here.

DIY Reception Decor

Image by Paige Nelson. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Nikki Mills. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Payton Marie Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Malorie Kerouac Photography. See more of this real wedding here.  

Image by Cody & Allison Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Wild & Grace. See more of this real wedding here. 

Image by Kadie Hummel Photography. See more of this real wedding here. 

Now that we’ve inspired you, it’s time to start planning your own. Check out our guide on how to plan a unique wedding and you’ll be a planning pro in no time.

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Colorful DIY Aussie-Inspired California Wedding at The Highlands Estate

October 15, 2020 | riley

Caitlin and Farley’s Australian-inspired wedding at The Highlands Estate was full of tiki drinks, an oyster bar, a life-size cardboard cut out of Steve Irwin, and a 90-year-old grandpa dancing to Marvin Gaye. Sound fun? We know! The couple proved they know how to throw one serious party. 

With the help of planner Brianna Lopez, the two combined their love for the land down under and San Francisco–where the two met. While we could do all of the talking about this colorful DIY affair, we love how their photographer Paige Nelson described the details! 

Photographer Paige Nelson On The Couple’s Special Day

The couple currently lives in Australia and planned their destination wedding day at The Highlands Estate–just outside San Francisco, where the couple began their journey. Farley has a Ph.D. in Ornithology, and his research focused on the Australian magpie, so his suit jacket lining had a custom embroidery of the bird. All of his groomsmen had personalized Indochino jacket linings with embroidered inside jokes as well. 

Caitlin, Farley, and her mom made the cheesecloth table runners. The mother of the bride made all of the bouquets. Her sister, Megan, made the three cakes that featured handmade toppers of their cat and dog. Her best friend and bridesmaid, Sarah, did her hair and makeup. 

The oyster bar–one of Caitlin and Farley’s food obsessions–opened at cocktail hour. Farley is passionate about tiki drinks and Caitlin loves gin, so the couple offered a “his” and “hers” cocktail. For her speech, the groom’s sister brought in a life-size cardboard cutout of Steve Irwin.

The Couple:

Caitlin and Farley

The Wedding:

The Highlands Estate, Cloverdale, CA

Combining Australia and San Francisco

Our relationship evolved in San Francisco, and we spent a lot of time exploring the more rural areas of California. We both love the Californian landscape–vineyards mixed into the rolling hills and the surrounding forests. Australia became home for the last four years, so it was important to combine the two lifestyles together. Family and community are incredibly important to us, so we wanted to create a vibe that connected everyone and everything that matters to us. This is how the farm table, family-style meal came to be. Touches like the table names of where our guests traveled from, hints of our obsession with games, and our two favorite cocktails helped us create this personal “us” vibe.

Why The Highlands Estate

We wanted an outdoor venue. We liked the option of having the barn in case the weather was bad. What really sold us were the included farm tables. Those were non-negotiable for me, and including them in the venue cost sealed the deal.

Personalizing The Ceremony

Farley’s father and best friend were our celebrants. Mike told a personal story of us, and Jack (Farley’s Dad) did the official ceremony. We did a handfasting ceremony with rope from his family sailboat. We said our own vows. Then, we toasted with everyone after we said, “I do.”

Wedding Planning Date Nights

Farley established “wine wedding Wednesdays” where every Wednesday for most of the year in the lead-up, we ate dinner and drank wine while we planned. Not every night was productive, some ended in fights, but it meant the wedding was planned together, and it ensured both our voices were heard.

A Non-Stop Dance Party

The dance floor was incredible. We kicked the reception off with a shared first dance–inviting our guests to join us, rather than watch us. This ignited a dance party that had nearly every single guest on the dance floor most of the night. Caitlin’s Irish 90-year-old reserved Grandfather even grabbed her for a dance that shocked everyone.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Paige Nelson
Event Planning – Brianna Lopez
Venue – The Highlands Estate
Floral Design – Petalworks
Catering – Preferred Sonoma Caterers
Cake – Megan Renoir
DJ – DJ Saint Patrick
Makeup Artist & Hair Styling – Sarah Bridal Beauty
Bridesmaids Makeup & Hair – Nicolette LaFranchi
Wedding Dress – Corston Couture
Bridal Accessories – Blue Bell Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Reformation
Groom’s Apparel – Angela Nicolades Custom Suit Boutique
Groomsmen’s Apparel – Indochino
Rentals – Heirloom Events
Transportation – Beau Wine Tours

 

Congratulations again to Caitlin and Farley on their colorful DIY Aussie-inspired wedding at The Highlands Estate. We’re so glad Paige Nelson Photography was there to capture every detail. If you’re feeling inspired to add some DIY touches to your wedding, check out our DIY wedding guide where we breakdown everything you need to know about planning your own! 

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Rustic, DIY, and Secondhand Wedding at Pencarrow Lodge

September 9, 2020 | riley

Yinny and Yong-Le wanted their New Zealand forest wedding to be a fun weekend getaway for their friends and family. When they stumbled upon Pencarrow Lodge, they knew it was the perfect spot. Their day was full of DIY touches including a copper painted PVC pipe arch, a picture frame installation that served as a photo backdrop, a faux flower photo wall, and personalized calligraphed driftwood that served as place cards. While it may be a bit time consuming, this goes to show you that a DIY wedding is not only one of the best ways to add your special touch to your day, it can also be the best way to make it sustainable!

Photographer Jane Lee perfectly captured the warmth of the day as well as the small touches that are easy to miss. So keep your eyes peeled and get those Pinterest boards ready, Junebabes. You won’t want to miss these details.

The Couple:

Yinny and Yong-Le

The Wedding:

Pencarrow Lodge, Eastbourne, Wellington, New Zealand

Why a Pencarrow Lodge Wedding

We were really fortunate to have found a gem of a venue for our wedding. It’s perched on a hill by the ocean, showcasing the amazing rugged coastal landscape Wellington is famed for. On a nice day–lucky for us our wedding day was beautiful–you can see the South Island on the horizon and sheep grazing on the rugged paddocks. We fell in love with having our wedding at the venue the first time we went for a tour. It was only about an hour out of the city, the view is amazing, and we knew we’d be making unforgettable memories for us as well as our family and friends flying in.

DIY Wedding Advice

If you’re planning to DIY, our advice would be to start early. Visit your local second-hand shops to see what’s out there already. Join Facebook groups–there are plenty out there where people are selling things they no longer want. And, at the end of the day, don’t forget to absorb and take in the moment–all the hard work came down to this.

A Charitable Wedding Favor

On behalf of all our guests, we donated to Kaibosh–our local food rescue charity–which rescues and redistributes food and produce from the hospitality industry to the people in need. In return, Kaibosh gave us magnets with a personalized message, which we paired with postcards we designed ourselves that explained our wedding favor for them. We decided to give the gift of giving as it bore more meaning and provided us a way to share this day with even more people.

A Reception Complete With a Haircut

Yong-Le had a head full of dreadlocks when I first met him and that was the only look of his that I knew. However, at our cake cutting, he whipped out a pair of scissors–which he presented to both our dads–and started untying his dread-bun. Let’s just say that both of our dads weren’t very keen on his dreads. By the end of the night, I went home with a transformed man. A few days later, I lost him in the crowd when we took my family sightseeing!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Jane Lee
Ceremony Venue – Pencarrow Lodge
Floral Design – Nat Foley
Cake – Milk Crate
Officiant – Miranda Zander
Videography – Perspectives
Invitation Design – Windmill Press
Makeup Artist – Lydia Harfield
Hair Styling – Antoinette Kavanagh
Rentals – The Vintage Party

 

Congratulations to Yinny and Yong-Le on their special day at Pencarrow Lodge, and thank you to Jane Lee for sharing it with Junebug! To see more DIY wedding inspo, check out Hannah and Christopher’s Rusting Boho Long Hollow Ranch with Amazing DIY Wood Details.

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Cozy DIY Nashville Farmers’ Market Wedding

June 30, 2020 | Junebug Weddings

Kaitlyn and Ben wanted their wedding day to feel like home, so a cozy, DIY Nashville Farmers’ Market wedding was the perfect choice! We could gush for days over these warm details and intimate wedding vibes, but we thought you might like to hear what photographer Taylor English Photography had to say:

The first ever at the Nashville Farmers’ Market wedding could not have been more Nashville through-and-through. The wedding couple are both musicians, from musical families with all friends and guests being musicians as well – there was no shortage of performances throughout the night, starting with live ceremony music and multiple renditions, straight through to a live band for the first half of the reception. Kaitlyn and Ben chose to DIY as much of their wedding decor as possible – writing out their own postcard name cards, taping up live-show-inspired flyers around the market, she even DIY’d her beautiful bouquet. One of the most unique and fun weddings ever! 

The Couple:

Kaitlyn & Ben

The Wedding:

Nashville Farmers Market, Nashville, Tennessee

My dress goal was simple: spend under $1000. I was able to do that thanks to BHLDN and their wonderful team. I wanted a unique, classic, and vintage feel to my gown and found it right away in their Ludlow dress. It was the one and only dress I tried on! My accessories were all family heirlooms: a necklace that my grandmother bought for all of her granddaughters to wear down the aisle and a pair of sapphire earrings that she left me in her will. Because of #feminism, I wasn’t really down with a traditional veil. Or a garter. I did come across a fabulous cape veil that I decided I needed because I wanted to feel like a super hero on my wedding day!

Set a time, between 24-48 hours before the wedding that you will start having fun. Literally, put it in your phone calendar and set an alarm. I put “START HAVING FUN” in my calendar. Alert all of the concerned parties in advance that you will no longer be taking questions/concerns/comments about the wedding after said time because you are going to enjoy your wedding!

Our wedding style came out of the advice I heard on an episode of the Bridechilla Podcast: Design a wedding that looks like the design inside your home. I took that idea and ran with it. Warm ambiance and tones, cluttered vases and knick-knacks, boho vibes, and personal touches made up every corner of our very DIYed day.

I wrote the ceremony script for the most part and made sure it really reflected what we value as a couple – our vows even had a Harry Potter reference in them (“Until the very end” instead of “Till death do us part”). We are musicians so having our friends perform during the ceremony was a must. We had music instead of readings.

If you are going the DIY route: decide what is worth DIYing and what is not. I was going to DIY our draping/string lights but that would have required me to go to the venue the night before the wedding AFTER the rehearsal dinner and take away from time with my family and friends. I decided that wasn’t worth it. Get creative with solutions: We asked someone who works at a draping company (so, an expert) to come and install the draping and lights we purchased – saving us around $800.

Our first dance was to Liz Longley’s “You’ve Got That Way” and we were so lucky to have her there to sing it in person.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Taylor English Photography
Event Planning – Gather and Heart Event Co.
Venue – Nashville Farmers Market
Catering – Bella Pizza, Bacon & Caviar, Farm City Coffee,
Ice Cream – Jeni’s Ice Cream
Live Music – Brennen Leigh, Noel McKay, Trent Freeman, Liz Longley, Rebecca and Matt Rolland Draping
Videography – Bastion Wedding Films
Makeup Artist & Hair Styling – Alexa Brooke Montgomery
Wedding Dress – BHLDN
Rings – Port-Manteau
Rentals – Liberty Party Rental
Lighting – Nashville Event Draping

 

Congratulations, Kaitlyn and Ben, and many thanks to Junebug member Taylor English Photography for sharing their day with us! For more of Taylor’s work, be sure to visit her page in our directory of the world’s best wedding photographers.

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You Have to See the DIY Dried Bouquets in This Stylish Madison Wedding

May 24, 2020 | Junebug Weddings

If the thought of free-spirited style and DIY dried bouquets makes you melt, you’re going to love Allison and Beau’s sweet wedding day at Chorus Public House in Madison, Wisconsin. With Allison being a creative and designer, she had been dreaming of her wedding day—and all the little details—for years. We’re positively obsessed with the vibe she pulled off, and especially her bridesmaids’ DIY dried bouquets in hues of rust, blush, and pops of coral. These blooms perfectly paired with the ‘maids’ eclectic mix of dresses. Fun fact: After their ceremony, this couple snuck away to their favorite coffee shop to capture intimate photos with Erika Diaz. And we love everything about that idea! Get ready for all the inspiration a bohemian babe could ever need!

The Couple:

Allison & Beau

The Wedding:

Chorus Public House, Madison, Wisconsin

I knew that I wanted to wear Rue de Seine’s Avril before I was even engaged. The bold lace and dramatic back created such a statement perfectly accented by the dried floral hairpiece created by my florist. My bridesmaids carried my color palette with their mismatched long silky dresses and floral velvet hair scarves from Free People. The groom and groomsmen wore velvet and tweed to give off all the fall vibes.

Right after our ceremony Beau and I snuck off to one of our favorite coffee shops to take pictures and soak in our first moments together as husband and wife. It was so nice to have a little quiet time together before our reception and the photos are so intimate and full of love.

I went to school for textile and fashion design and have been dreaming of creating things for my wedding for as long as I can remember. My personal style is bohemian and eclectic. We added personal DIY touches to create a laid back, free-spirited vibe.

I created all of the bridesmaids’ bouquets as well as all of the venue decor and table centerpieces. We cut hydrangeas from our own yard as well as a few neighbors and dried the flowers ourselves and spray painted them gold. We also made our own walk-up bar for our guests by filling our boat with drinks and ice!

Chorus Public House has a natural vintage charm and is effortlessly beautiful. We loved the character that the 1800s building had and the large pillars and grand staircase were a perfect setting for our rustic bohemian style reception.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Erika Diaz
Ceremony Venue – Bethel Lutheran Church
Reception Venue – Chorus Public House
Floral Design – Daffodil Parker
Catering – Red Rock Madison
Cake – Greenbush Bakery
DJ – Isthmus DJ’s LLC
Makeup Artist – Alison Frances
Hair Styling – Tori Bates
Wedding Dress – Rue de Seine
Groom’s Apparel – Ralph Lauren

 

Congratulations, Allison and Beau, and many thanks to Junebug member Erika Diaz for sharing their day with us! For more of Erika’s work, be sure to check out her page in our directory of the world’s best wedding photographers.

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This Playful Colorblock Wedding at SmogShoppe is a DIYer’s Wonderland

February 26, 2020 | Junebug Weddings

Calling all 2020 wedding trend followers! Daniela and Moe are showing us how it’s done with their vibrant colorblock wedding at SmogShoppe in Los Angeles. If you love all things DIY—which we do—you’re going to fall in love with the details this couple hand crafted for their celebration. It was only natural for these two to dream up some fun creations for their day since they met in architecture school and are both keen on design, and with the extra help from THREAD Events Co. they totally rocked it. Out of all the do-it-yourself elements, we especially love their colorful seating chart with lots of funky shapes! Get ready to be inspired, because Tida Svy graced us with lots of beautiful images of it all!

The Couple:

Daniela & Moe

The Wedding:

SmogShoppe, Los Angeles, CA

We came up with the idea to give out gift totes – tote bags with a whole bunch of goodies inside (chocolate bars, popcorn, kind bars, fruit bars, tide pens, Pedialyte, sunscreen, bandaids, Advil, and Pepto Bismol). But to personalize the totes, we came up with a design with the botanic shapes from our website/invitation design. We cut out foam stamps and block printed the shapes onto canvas totes and also made custom paper tags with our guest’s names to identify the totes.

Although we live in San Francisco (and we got married at San Francisco City Hall), we really wanted to have our wedding reception to celebrate with all our friends and family in LA. We lived in LA for a few years and fell in love with so many neighborhoods, but we were particularly fond of our neighborhood in Culver City. We happened upon SmogShoppe and loved the story of an old smog shoppe (something you see everywhere in LA) turning into this totally unexpected magical lush oasis! We love greenery and can’t get enough plants in our home, so the vibe at Smog Shoppe felt perfect. We also really liked the indoor/outdoor feature along with the industrial nature of the venue – it felt more casual and relaxed.

Since this was just our reception, the pressure was off (a little) in terms of expectations around the ceremony – meaning our main focus was on planning the celebration! We of course wanted it to be fun and memorable, but also represent us as a couple and what we love – which is good food, lots of dancing, and design! We went into the process with one main thing in mind – planning something that we would enjoy. While we wanted everyone to have a good time, we knew that was an impossible standard and so whenever there were decisions that felt hard or we started feeling outside pressure from family or anyone to do things a certain way, we always came back to the standard of making sure we would actually enjoy our reception!

We knew going in that the day was going to be a whirlwind, but we were surprised and so thankful to Ashley, our planner, for taking us aside during the cocktail hour (outside) to take a moment to walk through the venue (inside) to see how everything we had spent months working on and planning for had actually come together! It was such a special moment for us. We both cried with just the release of emotion knowing that we had actually pulled it off and it went beyond what we had ever dreamed.

We went a little crazy with the DIY… from the very beginning, we got it in our heads that we needed to make an amazing website (https://danielaandmoe.com/). Moe is a web designer and I’m an architect, so design is super important to us. We spent about 6 weeks designing the website! It was definitely a passion project but we knew it would set the tone for everything else – it was essentially a brand guideline for the wedding and was incredibly useful in communicating our vision with all the vendors. In the months leading up to the reception, we started dreaming up other things to DIY and ended up making our seating chart, table numbers, and photo booth props! We met in architecture school and are both makers at heart, so we really couldn’t resist.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Tida Svy
Event Planning – THREAD Events Co.
Ceremony Venue – San Francisco Court House
Reception Venue – SmogShoppe
Floral Design – Rawfinery
Catering – Fundamental LA
Cake – Susie Cakes
DJ – Red Shoe LA
Makeup Artist – Courtney Lauren Beauty
Hair Styling – Ana Morales
Groom’s Apparel – Maple Propeller
Linens – The Hostess Haven
Rentals – MTB Event Rentals
Custom Signage – Corey Wolford of See Wolf Design
Valet – Jeffrey Valet

 

Congratulations, Daniela and Moe, and many thanks to Junebug member THREAD Events Co. for sharing their day with us! If you love THREAD Events Co.’s work, be sure to check out their page in our directory of the world’s best wedding planners.

RECOMMENDED READING: 2020 Wedding Trends to Obsess Over This Year

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