Searching for

WEDDING BLOG

Stylish DIY Wedding in Massachusetts

May 5, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

This wedding in Massachusetts may be our new standard for casual wedding day style! Anna and John tied the knot at their private family lake house, which afforded them the comforts of home along with a spectacular setting. The bride’s halter-style BHLDN dress, gold flower hairpiece, and fishtail braid was summer bridal style at its finest and was matched by her bridesmaid’s blue and pink floral skirts and white satin camisoles from Banana Republic. Keeping with the laid-back summer vibes, the reception was BYOB and the couple provided a relaxed, cook-out style dinner and wine for their guests to enjoy under the stars. From the gorgeous first-look on the pier to the late night group swim in the lake, we can’t get enough of these gorgeous photos captured by Melissa Spilman!

The Couple:

Anna and John

The Wedding:

Private Lake House, Harwich, Massachusetts

Because our venue was our summer lake house, we wanted the vibe to reflect that. Our place is right on a lake, and when our family spends time there we are outside until we have to go to bed. We wanted our wedding to feel relaxed, simple, and comfortable.

All the first look photos were by far my favorite, because they were taken out on our dock that goes pretty far out onto the lake, and provides a stunning backdrop for any photo. It’s one of my favorite places to relax during the summer, and now represents the things I love the most. We almost didn’t take first look photos, but I’m so so happy we did!

We personalized our ceremony by having our pastor officiate and give a short sermon on what God says about marriage in the Bible. We also had our good friends play our precession song, as well as my mother and her best friend play an instrumental song during communion.

We DIYed signs and centerpieces. We rented all of our chalkboards and jars, but decorated them ourselves using our own creative juices. I used Pinterest for inspiration. We also made our own sangria with one of our family’s favorite recipes.

We gave out koozies with our wedding date and hashtag, because we had a BYOB wedding, where we provided wine but everyone was encouraged to bring their favorite brew. We also gave out matches because I love candles and its a small enough gift that is useful and lasts.

We were so close to just ordering a bunch of pizzas and calling it a day (who doesn’t love pizza?). But we went ahead and contacted a local catering company and created a “cookout” style of menu for our guests. We had grilled chicken, steak, and veggies as entree options, with corn on the cob, bread rolls, and salad. We also had shrimp cocktail and watermelon for appetizers.

Our wedding was outdoors, in the middle of August on the Cape, so it was pretty humid out. After 2 hours of dancing, one of the groomsmen took the initiative to jump in the lake, and we all followed! The mason jar lights that had been lighting up the dock were all floating in the lake to give just enough light to see it all! And to top it off, Coldplay’s “Sky Full Of Stars,” as might be expected, was playing in the background. John and I floated away on our blowup swan for a minute or two and then all of our friends swam to us and flipped us over! It was truly an incomparable and euphoric moment.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Melissa Spilman
Floral Design – Whole Foods Market
Catering – Clambakes, Etc.
Live Music – VERDEgree
Invitations – Melissa Spilman
Wedding Dress – BHLDN
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Banana Republic
Groom and Groomsmen’s Apparel – J. Crew
Rings – Chasing Victory and David Yurman
Rentals – Boston Rustic Wedding Rentals
Favors – Etsy

Congratulations to Anna and John, and an extra special thanks to Melissa Spilman for sharing these gorgeous wedding photos with Junebug! Planning a lakeside wedding of your own? You don’t want to miss the natural elegance in this jewel tone Ontario wedding at Lake of the Woods!

DIY New England Summer Camp Wedding at Wohelo

April 17, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

dark blue dark red light blue sage green

Whitney and Ed have always cherished the values of the summer camp the bride used to attend, so when they were searching for their wedding venue, they knew exactly where to look. This very impressive bride decided to design and make her own wedding dress, but there was one catch: she had never sewn before! With a little bit of help from Youtube tutorials, Whitney’s handmade pale green gown ended up hitting all the right notes, and perfectly complemented Ed’s put-together outdoorsy groom style. From the couple’s amazing dessert table to their collection of thrifted vases and candlesticks, we are totally in awe at this wedding’s thoughtful DIY details. Emily Delamater Photography captured every gorgeous moment of this couple’s camp wedding, including one of the most hilariously original ceremony activities we’ve ever seen!

The Couple:

Whitney and Ed

The Wedding:

Wohelo Camps, Raymond, Maine

The most important parts of wedding planning was that the final event felt like “us.” That it felt magical and fun, with family and friend groups from both sides actually coming together and leaving having a better sense of us as a couple and our community as a family.

SHOP THIS LOOK

We chose the bride’s childhood summer camp as our venue for so many reasons. It held a special place in her and her family’s heart, yes, but it also sounded like the perfect location as soon as the groom heard it (in fact, he was more certain about it being the “right” place than she was at first).

Camp itself symbolized a lot of what we treasure in life and what we had hoped for our wedding weekend: fun and games, nature, exploration, and an intense sense of community that would leave our guests with closer relationships to each other than they might have formed in a more traditional setting. In addition, it wasn’t in the bride or groom’s hometown, nor in the city they currently live in, yet it seemed to encapsulate the essence of all three of those cities in various ways. Plus, we got to have a field day, a talent show, a morning dip, and all kinds of crazy events that made our weekend all the more special.

The whole weekend’s events were planned and supplied by the bride and groom. The bride’s father took guests on sunset sails, the groom planned a field day, MC’d a talent show and created a DIY scavenger hunt for the guests, the bride provided a DIY craft house with instructions for making flower crowns and boutineers, among other things, and the bride’s parents led yoga on the lawn in the mornings before breakfast. We even hand-sewed felt patches in the months leading up to the event and held a proper camp award ceremony at the final breakfast where we handed them out!

Our dear friends who officiated surprised us by holding “an intervention” early in the ceremony to prevent our first fight, which they claimed would happen that evening when we would inevitably argue over who was the luckier person. To preemptively convince us it was a tie, they asked if any of our friends would like to stand up and articulate the things about us each that they love. It had been planned, of course, but our friends played it perfectly, each pretending they were getting up to speak impromptu. In fact, they faked the spontaneity so well that other guests joined in on the spot and stood to speak, completely unplanned! It was absolutely overwhelming, hilariously funny and tear-inducing.

Our final vows were led by the entire congregation in unison as they read off vow cards designed by the bride.

The biggest undertaking was most likely the dress. After a mishap with an impulse sample sale purchase, the bride decided to make her own wedding dress (though she had never sewn before — we know… this is totally insane). With the help of a friend’s sewing machine and a ton of Project Runway and YouTube videos, she managed to drape an original design in muslin then use that pattern to cut and sew the final pale green gown. She even tracked down a lace she had fallen in love with used by a New York designer and had it imported from the UK for the bodice. And she finished the interior hem of the skirt using the crocheted lace from her mother’s wedding dress. In the end, the gown wasn’t perfectly made, but it was “perfect” nonetheless.

We would advise that the experience of PLANNING the wedding is equally important to the actual experience of the wedding day. Because a year of stress is not worth one day, no matter how special. So in addition to discussing what you want your big day to feel like, take a moment to discuss what you want the planning process to feel like and then do your best to check in with each other along the way to be sure you are honoring those goals.

The other bit of advice we’d offer is something every couple has heard but nevertheless is worth repeating: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Plan your day but know that it just won’t be what you expect. Truly. It just won’t. Mistakes will happen, things will be forgotten, but beautiful surprises will also surface. That’s life, that’s marriage, and that will also be your wedding day.

The brass candlesticks and vases which decorated the tables were all collected by the bride’s family from thrift stores all over the country in the year up the wedding.

The string on the “Cake” sign was wound by guests in the craft house (and the sign now hangs in our living room).

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Emily Delamater Photography
Venue – Wohelo Camps
Floral Design – Sharon Dodson
Catering – Tammi Murray
Cake – Two Fat Cats Bakery, Whole Foods Market
Makeup & Hair Artist – Bei Capelli Salon
Bridal Accessories – BHLDN, Tara Pearls
Groom’s Apparel – J. Crew
Rings – XIV Karats, Dream Collective

Congratulations to Whitney and Ed, and a special thanks to Junebug member Emily Delamater Photography for sharing their wedding with us. Love this wedding’s summer camp vibes? Then you’ve got to check out this heartfelt DIY wedding at Camp Winnebago YMCA!

*This post contains affiliate links, which means we might make a small commission if you end up purchasing a product from one of our sponsors! Thanks for your support!

Colorful Oslo Wedding Full of DIY Details

April 2, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

aqua coral kelly green lavender light pink yellow

When Michaela, a professional wedding photographer, married Remi, a graphic designer, the result was this magical Oslo wedding that was bursting with color, energy, and impeccably designed details! Set in the garden venue of Disen gård, the couple left no DIY stone unturned. They painted cutesy lawn game and bar signs, created animal-inspired centerpieces and banners, set up a temporary tattoo station, and the bride even made her own wedding cake! Speaking of the bride: her By Timo lace wedding dress and the Eucalyptus flower crown that she wore for the portrait session were simply gorgeous. Photographer Eva, from Moment Studio, captured every detail beautifully!

The Couple:

Michaela and Remi

The Wedding:

Disen gård, Oslo, Norway

The most important thing for us was that the whole day would reflect us as a couple, our lifestyle, our interests and our taste. Since I (Michaela) am a wedding photographer myself I have seen so many weddings, and wanted our wedding to be something a bit different and non-traditional. Remi is a graphic designer and illustrator, so all the little details was really important to him. We also wanted the day to be really fun and memorable for our guests.

Our favorite Norwegian band, Comet Kid, played both during the ceremony and the first dance. We asked them to do a few covers of songs that mean a lot to us, so they played “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed as the processional song, “First Day Of My Life” by Bright Eyes during the ceremony, and their own song “Sweet Love” as the recessional song.

Our photographer, Eva, has been my photography mentor and is also a close friend, so we know her really well and knew we would be comfortable with her photographing everything. As a wedding photographer myself, I wanted to arrange everything for her so we could get the best photos possible. We had an unplugged ceremony (which I think is SO important), we placed the area of the ceremony to get the best light possible, and we actually did the portrait session a month later so both we and Eva could relax and get great candid photos on the wedding day. Eva is great to work with, and she is one of the best in the industry, so we and our guests felt super comfortable with her documenting everything!

The wedding bouquet and floral crown from Eucalyptus made me cry with joy. Eucalyptus is, in my opinion, the best of the best at what they do. I actually bought a new mini version of both the wedding bouquet and the floral crown for our wedding portraits.

Our best advice is to remember that the wedding day is all about the bride and the groom and no one else! Parents and friends have a lot of opinions, but at the end of the day, you should do what you want and not what is expected from everyone else. Dare to be non-traditional! There are really no rules, so don’t be afraid to do it your way.

We are vegetarians and foodies, but we weren’t sure if we should have a vegetarian menu or if we should serve meat. Most of our guests are meat eaters and a lot of people associate festive meals with meat.
But then we remembered that we are in charge and we wanted to give our guests an extraordinary vegetarian experience.

We did almost everything ourselves. We made all the invitations and place cards (everyone got their name painted on a mason jar that they could use in the bar later in the evening). We also did all the decorations and flower arrangements ourselves with some help from our friends. I even made the wedding cake myself, which helped us save money!

The ceremony was one of the highlights, seeing all of our friends and family gathered around us, smiling and crying. Another memorable part was our first dance outside on the grass, and everyone dancing like crazy while one of our favorite bands were playing live. We wanted something fun for the first dance as we’re not really into the whole serious first dance-thing, so we chose “Oogum Boogum” by Brenton Wood.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Moment Studio
Venue – Disen gård
Bridal Bouquet and Flower Crown – Eucalyptus
Officiant – Anne Dale Nevestveit
Live Music – Comet Kid and Siri Nilsen
Makeup Artist and Hair Styling – Adam & Eva
Wedding Dress – By Timo
Groom’s Apparel – Oscar Jacobson
Rings – Bugge & Authen

Congratulations to the newlyweds, Michaela and Remi, on their beautiful wedding and the start of life’s greatest journey together! Does this wedding have you dreaming in color? Check out Rachel and Jordan’s colorful Ontario wedding at The Slit Barn for even more springtime garden wedding inspiration!

Heartfelt DIY Wedding at Camp Winnebago YMCA

February 20, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

black champagne sage green white

Sara and Corey considered having a small, intimate wedding, but when it came down to it, they knew being surrounded by all of their family and friends while they said “I do” was the way to go. The couple chose Illinois venue Camp Winnebago YMCA for its cool woodland vibes, intimate ceremony space, and gorgeous outdoor deck for their guests to dance on under the stars. Between Sara’s effortlessly glam Rue de Seine gown and fishtail side braid and Corey’s cool all-black rock star groom look, we can’t get enough of this couple’s wedding day style! Hinterland Stills captured every moment of Sara and Corey’s day, including some incredibly spiritual shots during their forest ceremony.

The Couple:

Sara and Corey

The Wedding:

Camp Winnebago YMCA, Rockford, Illinois

My dress is an incredible story within itself, I wanted a Rue de Seine dress with all of my heart but knew that there was no way I could afford one. Turns out I found mine at a little boutique in Chicago Il left over from a trunk show.. It was a little big but I knew I couldn’t pass it up! The moment the seamstress pulled it back on me to show where she would alter it I teared up all over again. It was exactly the boho princess etherial look I was going for!

My incredible friend Jenny is a hair goddess, really just a goddess in general! She came to me with several ideas for my hair and we ended up blending a few together to come up with a style that complimented both me and the dress. I have a LOT of hair but, the way she tamed it down I was so thankful that it lasted all day and wasn’t in my face!

Our prayer was that the love of God would be tangible that day through us, the ceremony, even our bridal party. That everyone would experience that and leave feeling refreshed, like there was something different about what they just took part in. Causing curiosity to grow in them for who God is and what he could be to them!

All I wanted was to get married in the forest! We looked at several different venues but the location, cost, and incredible ceremony + reception space of Camp Winnebago couldn’t be beat. As soon as I saw the huge outside deck I couldn’t help but picture all of my loved ones on it dancing under the night sky!

Our ceremony song choices were really close to our heart + represented different times in our relationship. Also, having our lead Pastor marry us was a HUGE blessing he did an incredible job making our ceremony fir Corey and I so well.

The entire day was incredibly memorable but, I think the moment that stands out to me the most was when our close family and friends were able to pray over us as a couple as we stepped into our marriage. I truly believe that the presence of God was there in that moment and that it not only touched Corey + I’s heart but everyone who was there as well.

Our photographer Kyle is one of the most incredible people we have ever met. He did a great job just letting us be us! Letting our love shine through just from us being natural together not posed situations. We couldn’t be more thankful to him for all of his incredible photos and talent he truly captured our day perfectly. We would choose him a thousand times over! He has became a great friend through this whole process!

Don’t over complicate it. Keep the main thing the main thing. To set in your mind a goal for your day and stick to it is so important. If not you get swept up into what everyone else is doing + how your day wont “measure up”, how it doesn’t look like Pinterest! Getting stressed and worried about things happens it’s inevitable when planning a wedding but, make a promise to yourself that when you look back on that season that the good will outweigh the bad. Soak up every single moment. It will be gone before you know it!

The most important part was definitely creating an environment where ALL of our friends and family could come together together and have an awesome time. We really thought about keeping the day small and intimate but, at the end of the day we knew we both wanted for all of our people to be there!

Processional – Rule Live by Hillsong United
Recessional – I Believe In A Thing Called Love by Branches
First Dance – L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole

I didn’t really have a set palette of wedding colors. I’m a total free spirit and hate having to work within a box. When picking decor items, bridesmaids dresses, even our cake everything had an similarity but nothing was exactly the same. We tried to keep the colors within dark jewel tones, black and gold. Also, my favorite stone is a turquoise so we used that a lot as well!

The only surprise was that there was no surprises. I can truly describe my wedding day as one of the most peaceful perfect days of my entire life. And as a bride, I know that that is rare! Nothing went wrong, everything was so slow and gave me so much time to process and really soak in every moment of that day!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Hinterland Stills
Venue – Camp Winnebago YMCA
Floral Design – London Avenue Designs
Cake – Joy Peterson
Officiant – Pastor Jeremy Deweerdt
DJ – Cierra White
Invitations – Joshua Nathan Hunt
Makeup Artist – Tati Matta
Hair Styling – Jenny Ostrowski
Wedding Dress – Rue de Seine via Alice in Ivory
Groom’s & Groomsmen’s Apparel – H&M
Rings – Michael Janetis

Congratulations to Sara and Corey, and a huge thanks to Junebug member Hinterland Stills for sharing their wedding with us. Love this couple’s wedding’s campground vibes? Then you’ve got to see this black and white Muskoka wedding at Camp Mini-Yo-We!

Absolutely Enchanting Southern DIY Wedding at Aurora Acres

February 4, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

sage green white

When we first found out that this bride’s mother made her incredible lace gown while battling cancer, we knew Lacy and Billy’s wedding at Aurora Acres was something special. Then we learned that the groom – country music artist Billy Dawson – wrote the processional and first dance songs specifically for his bride, and our hearts almost couldn’t handle the sweetness. Lacy and Billy’s special day was full of the rustic charm we love about southern weddings, including natural wood décor, stunning white floral arrangements, twinkle lights galore, and a scrumptious taco bar – all of which was DIYed, by the way! It all came together beautifully through the lens of photographer Stephanie Sorenson, who played with unique angles and lighting to capture every enchanting detail and intimate moment.

The Couple:

Lacy and Billy

The Wedding:

Aurora Acres, Nashville, Tennessee

This was pretty much an all DIY wedding, but my favorite DIY element was my wedding dress. My mother made my dress – and did so all while battling cancer and going through treatments. She is an amazing seamstress and made dresses for my sisters and I growing up, so it was only fitting for her to design my wedding dress. It will be something I treasure forever!

The most memorable part of the day was when I was tucked away in the woods waiting to walk down the aisle. Seeing my soon-to-be husband walking my mom – who just overcame a battle with cancer – down the aisle brought tears to my eyes.

We did a DIY taco bar that included brisket tacos in a locally made organic corn tortilla topped with your choice of specialty sauces! We also had a coffee bar from Notable Blends coffee and a Sweet Tea bar from McAlister’s Deli!

Processional – “Angel Dressed in White” by Billy Dawson
Recessional – “4 Wheel Drive Me Crazy” by Billy Dawson
First Dance – “Calm In My Storm” by Billy Dawson

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Stephanie Sorenson
Venue – Aurora Acres
DJ – DJSC
Videography – James Rayner
Makeup Artist – Lainey Edwards
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Ralph Lauren
Groomsmen’s Apparel – Men’s Wearhouse
Rentals – Art Pancake

Congratulations to Lacy and Billy, and thanks to photographer Stephanie Sorenson for sharing these photos with Junebug! Love the rustic DIY details the couple put together? You’ve got to see this glitzy rustic DIY wedding in Oxnard, California!

Gorgeous DIY Perth Wedding at The Quarry Amphitheatre

January 29, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

bright red dark blue

Sarah and Markus’ Perth wedding at Quarry Amphitheatre was a DIY masterpiece that any Pinterest lover will appreciate! The couple wanted to keep the day as simple and fun as possible, so Sarah made nearly every piece of décor. In place of traditional favors, she made custom coasters with a picture of each guest that served as both a fun conversation piece and quirky name cards. She also created a spectacular chandelier of paper cranes for the reception tent. To say we’re impressed would be an understatement! Samuel Goh Photography captured every DIY detail beautifully, but it was the really the couple’s joyful post-ceremony photo session that made this wedding so memorable.

The Couple:

Sarah and Markus

The Wedding:

Quarry Amphitheatre, Perth, Australia

I DIYed pretty much everything except the flowers and furniture. I used Pinterest a lot! I made the candle holders, blackboards, the overhanging arrangement of paper cranes, the boy’s bowties, the coaster favors, the list goes on…

We didn’t have favors, but to create a bit of fun we made each guest a coaster with a photo of them transferred onto it. It made for some great laughs, and we used them as place settings so everyone had a good time finding their seating place!

Processional – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley
Recessional – “Better Together” by Jack Johnson
First Dance – “Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Samuel Goh Photography
Ceremony Venue – The Redemptorists Monastery Church
Reception Venue – Quarry Amphitheatre
Floral Design – Romance Roses
Catering – Ultimo Catering
Videography – Kevin Wernli Media
Invitations – Minted
Makeup Artist – Erin Maie
Wedding Dress – Tuscany Bridal
Groom’s Apparel – Penguin Suits
Transportation – Stylish Kombi Tours

Congratulations to Sarah and Markus, and a big thanks to Samuel Goh Photography for sharing these wedding photos! If you’re looking for more quirky wedding inspo, there’s so much to love in this Port of Burlington wedding!

DIY Forest Wedding at Begbie Falls in British Columbia

January 22, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

bright red brown kelly green

Keshia and Kelsey’s intimate forest wedding at Begbie Falls is the epitome of natural beauty and dreamy romance. Before the ceremony, the couple took a private helicopter ride through a misty canyon for a seriously spectacular photo session with photographer Kelly Brown. Then they made their way back into the forest to say “I Do” in the company of 18 of their closest family members and friends. Their adventure continued after the ceremony as they climbed a waterfall for a second round of gorgeous photos! We love that the bride’s intricate lace Saldana Vintage wedding gown and the groom’s casually cool ASOS suit perfectly complemented the natural backdrop and allowed them to embrace their adventurous sides. We also love that, despite the change of reception venue due to a sudden rain storm, the couple went with the flow and managed to create a cozy and romantic indoor reception full of personalized touches and quirky charm!

The Couple:

Keshia and Kelsey

The Wedding:

Begbie Falls, Revelstoke, British Columbia

We really wanted to keep our day true to us. We didn’t pay too much attention to traditional wedding day dos and don’ts! We love the outdoors and have a strong connection to the mountains, feeling our most spiritual and in tune with each other among towering giants so it was only natural that our wedding be set outside in the mountains of Revelstoke, a town very near and dear to our hearts.

We both agree that the whole day was so surreal for us and there are just so many emotional memories that will stay with us forever! Definitely a highlight was taking a helicopter ride together through a canyon to the Jordan River. It was misty with a low ceiling of cloud and fog covering the mountain tops and was just absolutely breathtaking! We actually did this pre-ceremony (with our amazing photographer along of course!) and having that time to ourselves to just “be” was so calming and the energy was so pure. It washed away all the pre-ceremony nerves. Dreamy.

It was also super important to us to keep everything simple and intimate, letting the day unfold organically (reminiscent of eloping); thus, we invited just 18 people to witness our marriage and tried to plan as little as possible. We included our loving and supportive parents and closest family and friends. These are the people who brought our two lives together and who will be there in future to keep our union strong and commitment true.

Immediately post-ceremony, we climbed a waterfall together, the base of which is where we got engaged the previous winter. It was a super sketchy climb up especially in the rain but that made it even more of an adventure….there was definitely a moment of truth clambering over the rocks down when I just had to trust Kels when he said jump and he would be there to catch me. We were both so emotionally charged that whole time, it was just beautiful.

Mid September in the interior rainforest of BC is an unpredictable time for weather. We wanted a space that would ideally let us break bread, drink wine, laugh and dance under the stars and have a late night bonfire. We searched high and low for an outdoor space that would allow that as well as let us bring in all our home cooked deliciousness and bubbly and be as noisy and happy as we wanted without keeping up the neighbors. The BC Interior Forestry Museum was absolutely perfect for us – they checked off every box! They even had a gorgeous viewing platform that looked out onto the Columbia River that they set up for us to use as our dance floor! Then that day it rained…and stormed. We ended up moving our tables inside to the wood stove heated museum space, which was earthy and cozy. It ended up just perfect and the staff went above and beyond. All the old logging saws and forestry equipment sparked up great conversation and the exposed interior timbers hung with twinkling bistro lights provided us with the perfect ambience.

Our whole wedding was pretty much DIY! Thank goodness for patient and creative friends and family! All of our gorgeous bouquets and table runners were foraged locally in Revelstoke with my bridesmaids the day before the wedding. A lot of ferns were included, a favourite of Kelsey and me – my creative green thumb mother helped us all put them together the morning of the wedding.

We gave our guests a flight-friendly jar of our homemade maple bourbon apple butter, which we made together in the summer, harvested from the apple tree on our acreage back in SK. It was our way of sharing a little piece of our love with our closest people.

Our bar was set up using vintage decanters and recycled crystal and mid-century glassware my sister and I hunted for thrift store after thrift store, adding such a chill vibe to our bar.

Kelly Brown is outstanding! From our first interaction with her we knew she was our kind of people! Her passion for seeking light and capturing real moments shines through in her imagery. We searched high and low for the perfect photographer to tell our story, and Kelly hands down was the right girl for the job – we are IN LOVE with our photos!!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Kelly Brown
Reception Venue – BC Interior Forestry Museum
Officiant – Beverly Wiege
Wedding Dress – Saldana Vintage
Groom’s Apparel – ASOS

Congratulations to Keshia and Kelsey on your next great adventure together, and an extra special thanks to photographer Kelly Brown for sharing these incredible wedding photos with Junebug! Are you in love with the idea of a cozy forest wedding? This whimsical and heartfelt Wahclella Falls elopement has some incredible inspiration you need to see!

DIY South African Greenhouse Wedding at Rosemary Hill

January 10, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

champagne dark blue gray kelly green white

Rita and André are self-proclaimed Jacks of all trades with specialties in blogging, wedding photography, and graphic design, so it’s only natural that their own wedding knocked it out of the park! The couple worked together to design all of her wedding’s décor, florals, and super fun paper details like a seating chart and very personal table numbers. The couple chose Johannesburg-area venue Rosemary Hill for its stunning ceremony greenhouse and rustic reception area that they polished up with twinkle lights, hanging geometric objects, and minimalist greenery. We are so in love with how photographer Wednesday and October captured every detail of this South African wedding!

The Couple:

Rita and André

The Wedding:

Rosemary Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa

The most important thing about planning our wedding was to keep it as ‘us’ as possible. We didn’t want to lose ourselves in the process. As both of us work an average of three jobs, we couldn’t DIY everything but we also didn’t want an impersonal wedding. We wanted a good ratio between originality and practicality. We wanted the process to be as fun as possible in between airport terminals, train rides and coffee dates.

Rosemary Hill cares a great deal about their employees, they contribute to the community by providing people in the area with jobs, they do a lot for local charity organizations as well as the school on the property. The fact that they are also a working farm, serious about the environment and green living sealed the deal for us. We hit the jackpot, seeing as ours was the last date available and they made such an effort with absolutely everything from planning and assistance with the decor, all the way to tending to our guests’ every need.

My film lecturer and mentor gave one of his mesmerizing talks as a sermon. We got a bluegrass band. We love gardening so we opted for kokedamas and plants from our garden instead of floral arrangements. I also wore the same gloves my mom wore when she married my dad, she croqueted them herself.

Before you rummage through Pinterest, blogs and start looking at vendors make a list with your partner. Write down what you’d like to have, what you don’t want and write down what you would like to feel on the day. Keep that list close and stick to it when you need to make decisions on flowers, a dress and all that. If something doesn’t fall in line with your original plans, scrap it. Wedding craziness is real and you won’t want to look back and realize that you lost sight of what is really important.

We realized a few months after booking the venue that the date we got was the anniversary of the day we met eight years earlier, which of course presented us with a ‘theme’ of sorts. I made a design for us that included ‘since 2008’. Our table numbers were numbered according to the years we’ve been together.

We loaned wedding favors. At some point we decided that we would leave out wedding favors to save costs, we reckoned nobody ever uses favors from weddings. We really wanted to give back to the community, so we decided to make a plan. We made our favors our charity project. Since we got married right in the heart of winter we bought lap blankets for our guests to keep them warm during the reception. Everyone was asked to please leave their blankets on their chairs and Rosemary Hill helped us donate these blankets to a local charity.

Aside from doing most of the planning, we also did all the wedding invitations and stationery, the wedding website, decor, and flowers. My mom and sister made our wedding cake which was layered with white chocolate, coffee chocolate, and hummingbird cake.

We are so lucky to be able to call it the best day of our lives, the whole day was laced with amazing moments. At one point both of us found ourselves outside the barn all alone looking through the window at everyone we love, dancing and laughing together in celebration. People make weddings and our family and friends gifted us with the best wedding we could’ve ever have asked for.

Processional: Vance Joy – Mess Is Mine
Recessional: She and Him – I Was Made For You
First Dance: Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music (All our guests joined us as we’re the goofiest of dancers)

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Wednesday and October
Venue & Catering – Rosemary Hill
Live Music – Georgetown
Videography – Saltlight Studios
Invitations – Rita Hello
Makeup Artist – The Refinery
Hair Styling – Godwin Hair Atelier
Wedding Dress – Retha Snyders
Bridal Accessories & Rings – Lorean Jewellery
Groom’s Apparel – Country Road
Favors – Nyati Fabrics

Congratulations to Rita and André, and a huge thanks to Wednesday and October for sharing their wedding with us! Love this wedding’s sophisticated take on a rustic venue? Then you’ve got to see this mid-century modern Saddlerock Ranch wedding!

Glitzy Rustic DIY Wedding in Oxnard, California

December 30, 2016 | Junebug Weddings

dark blue dark pink gray

This gorgeous rustic DIY wedding has all the glitzy style and natural beauty we love about California weddings! With tons of help from their family and friends, Genna and Justin DIYed most of their wedding day décor, including the setup, dinner, and dessert. The couple decorated cozy vignettes to display favors and personal keepsakes, and mixed copper and silver metals with lace and wood textures for a simple yet lush feel. Rather than a traditional fall color palette, the couple chose dark grays, blues, and pinks – which was a refreshing twist that speaks to the effortlessly cool style of this adorable couple. The bride looked stunning in a lace Maggie Sottero gown and sweeping romantic half-up hairdo. The incredibly talented Hanna Photography captured every detail with such intention and creativity!

The Couple:

Genna and Justin

The Wedding:

Private Residence, Oxnard, California

Choosing the hair and make-up vendors was definitely the hardest part for me. I am a hairdresser, so finding someone for hair/makeup was very difficult as I am extremely picky. I do all of my bridesmaids’ hair regularly, so to trust someone with their hair for the wedding seemed almost impossible…until I found Blushing Beauty. They were SO TALENTED and professional! I wanted a very soft look – nothing too “bridal” – and they did exactly what we all wanted.

Our ceremony was personalized by my husband’s cousin marrying us. He did a fantastic job, and it made our ceremony even more special to have a family member marry us! We also wrote and said our own vows, which were so special to read in front of our closest family and friends. We did not do a “first look,” which really made our ceremony more emotional and made it feel so close and intimate.

I think the most memorable part of the whole day was walking down the aisle. Walking with my father was so special to me. He is my best friend and to have him give me to my future husband was so special.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Hanna Photography
Floral Design – Laurel Klein
Videography – Ridge Production Weddings
Makeup Artist and Hair Styling – Blushing Beauty
Wedding Dress – Maggie Sottero Designs
Bridal Accessories – Steve Madden
Groom’s Apparel – Hugo Boss
Groomsmen’s Apparel – 3 Day Suit Broker
Calligraphy – The Little Letterer

Congratulations to Genna and Justin, and a special thanks to Hanna Photography for sharing this gorgeous wedding! Looking to incorporate DIY details into your wedding day? Check out these 5 DIY wedding décor trends perfect for any skill level!

Whimsical DIY Wedding at Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

November 10, 2016 | Junebug Weddings

champagne coral dark pink sage green white

For as long as they can remember, Rosalyn and Nate have always loved Yosemite’s naturally epic mountains and scenic vibes. When this adventurous couple decided on a relaxed, outdoorsy, “take your shoes off” wedding affair, they immediately selected Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort as their venue! Along with the help of their family and friends, Rosalyn and Nate decorated the venue with a ceremony arch made of ladders, Kraft paper table cloths, and dozens of dreamcatchers handmade by Rosalyn’s maid of honor. We think the bride’s vintage-inspired boho gown from BHLDN perfectly complements her wedding’s florals and DIY décor! Photographer From The Daisies captured the couple’s day with a special warmth and sense of adventure.

The Couple:

Rosalyn and Nate

The Wedding:

Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort, Midpines, California

Nate grew up right outside Yosemite National Park. We wanted to get married near the park because it is such a special place for us. We also wanted a venue where everyone could stay, have a live band and had a boho, relaxed take your shoes off kind of vibe, so we choose Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort. They were so amazing every step of the way and I am so incredibly glad we picked this venue.

Our flowers were more perfect than I can ever imagined, and the flower crowns made my bridesmaids look like flower fairies.

I wore a dress from BHLDN. It was the 4th dress I tried on, the only store I went to and it was perfect! As soon as I saw BHLDN I knew their boho look was exactly what I wanted.

We got old antique ladders to build an altar and my maid of honor made a large dream catcher to hang from it.

It truly was one of the most perfect days of our lives. Nate‘s mom wrote us are own song to walk down the aisle to. Later, my mom and Nate‘s mom performed a surprise song they wrote together instead of a speech that had us laughing and smiling for days. Having one of are very favorite bands and an epic dance party with all our family and friends!

Nate‘s kindergarten teacher performed our ceremony and it felt like it was so personal and really just for us.

Our photographer was amazing and I knew she would be! We became friends after she did my engagement shoot and we got stuck in her car in the snow for 5 hours waiting for a tow truck- -after this experience that turned into a super fun hang out sesh I knew I wanted her as my photographer! She is so sweet and professional and has the exact look I wanted.

My mother in law collected unique cake plates from garage sales for our cupcakes and my maid of honor made handmade dream catchers for our escort cards. It was boho, whimsical, relaxed and fun!

Since I grew up making fairy houses with rose petals with my best friend, I wanted flowers everywhere so it felt magical and beautiful.

Our favors were mixed CD’s with will all our love songs! It included punk, blue grass, folk….everything! Music is how Nate and I came together. He used to make me mix CD’s when we first started dating. We had the cases printed on Etsy. Everyone loved them for their road trips back home!

Processional: “Walking In Love,” performed by Gail Dreifus
First Dance: “Nobody’s Dirty Business,” performed by Smooth Hound Smith

The Wedding Team:

Photography – From The Daisies
Venue, Catering, & Transportation – Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort
Floral Design – Mary Lee Moore
Cake – Sweet Dreams Cakery
Officiant – Allison Bown
Live Music – Smooth Hound Smith
Videography – Emmaline Gibson
Invitations – things i drew
Makeup & Hair Artist – Simplicity Salon
Wedding Dress & Bridal Accessories – BHLDN
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Show Me Your Mumu
Photo Booth – Sgt Brown Entertainment & Sound
Favors – Rock Paper Handmade

Congratulations to Rosalyn and Nate, and a special thanks to From The Daisies for sharing this wedding with us. Feeling totally charmed by Yosemite’s outdoorsy vibes? Then you’ve got to see this intimate adventure wedding in Yosemite National Park!

Photographers

Planners

Videographers

Venues

Florists

All Vendors

Searching for

WEDDING BLOG

Stylish DIY Wedding in Massachusetts

DIY New England Summer Camp Wedding at Wohelo

SHOP THIS LOOK

Colorful Oslo Wedding Full of DIY Details

Heartfelt DIY Wedding at Camp Winnebago YMCA

Absolutely Enchanting Southern DIY Wedding at Aurora Acres

Gorgeous DIY Perth Wedding at The Quarry Amphitheatre

DIY Forest Wedding at Begbie Falls in British Columbia

DIY South African Greenhouse Wedding at Rosemary Hill

Glitzy Rustic DIY Wedding in Oxnard, California

Whimsical DIY Wedding at Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Wedding Vendors

Photographers

Planners

Videographers

Advertise With Us

Junebug Member Blogs

Published on Junebug?