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Whimsical DIY Garden Wedding at Botanica Wichita

December 15, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Erica and Steve’s garden wedding at Botanica incorporated all of their favorite local vendors and a fun, eclectic mix of all of their favorite and most important things. Their traditional marriage ceremony was followed by and indoor-outdoor garden wedding reception, a reflection of their love for the outdoors and true to the local Wichita culture. The travel and nature enthusiasts, based their style on their personalities and ended up with an eclectic and occasionally conflicting wedding theme that was truly beautiful: garden and industrial, bohemian with a touch of minimalism, and traditional with a bit of whimsy. Valley Floral created an elegant and earthy feel with flower arrangements and hundred of feet of garland in a natural color palette of ivory and green, with gold details. Kay + Bee captured countless sweet and heartfelt moments, but we especially love how this fun couple donned wigs and party hats with their guests during their reception.

The Couple:

Erica and Steve

The Wedding:

Botanica, Wichita, Kansas

We went back and forth over and over again on whether to do a first look or not. Eventually, we decided that the majority of the day would be spent surrounded by wedding guests, so we wanted a couple of minutes dedicated entirely to just the two of us. And it was perfect. Those last few moments before walking down the aisle are some of the most surreal we’ve experienced, and we were so happy to have spent them together. We’ll remember the words we said to each other, the smiles, the laughs, andthe cries forever.

We are huge Wichita lovers and wanted our wedding to incorporate all of our local favorites and all the best parts about living here. We registered for gifts at our favorite local shop, The Workroom, held our reception at Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, had live music performed by an amazing local band, Jenny Wood and The Watchers, served craft beer from The Hopping Gnome and Wichita Brewing Co, catered in the most delicious meal from TWELVE, and had a dessert bar with tarts and macaroons from La Galette French Bakery.

We wanted our reception to be a reflection of our love for the outdoors. Botanica, The Wichita Gardens was perfect for that exact reason. We had our first dance under the trees, surrounded by blooms, family, and friends.

Processional – ‘Canon in D’ – Johann Pachelbel 
Recessional – ‘La Rejouissance’ – Handel
First Dance – ‘Strangers’ by The Kinks 

We are travel junkies, nature and outdoors enthusiasts, deeply connected to our spirituality, andlovers of all things Wichita. All we knew was that we wanted to stay true to each of those things. We didn’t have a style type in mind, and we didn’t feel the need to conform to one specific look. We just picked things we loved and things that were important to us and ended up with an eclectic mix of garden, but with touches of industrial. Boho, but with touches of minimalism. Whimsical, but with touches of tradition. And we couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out.

 

We brought a giant box of old costumes to the reception. Late in the evening, we secretly put on wigs and made an appearance on the dance floor with our new looks. Soon, the entire dance floor was filled with wigs, glasses, hats, and costumes. At the end of the night, guests were welcome to take a piece of a costume home with them as a keepsake.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Kay + Bee
Event Planning – Ambiance Events by April
Ceremony Venue – Cathedral of Immaculate Conception
Reception Venue – Botanica, The Wichita Gardens
Floral Design – Valley Floral
Catering – TWELVE
Cake – Artistic Cakes, La Galette French Bakery
Videography – Luke Brummer
Wedding Dress – I Do Bridal
Groom’s Apparel – Gentry NYC
Rentals – Action Tents

 

Congratulations to Erica and Steve and special thanks to Kay + Bee for capturing this fun and beautiful wedding! For more whimsical wedding inspiration, check out this whimsical Asheville wedding at Mount Airy Farm Estate!

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Steel Blue and Blush California Wedding at McCloud Guest House

December 7, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Elisha and Gabe’s wedding at McCloud Guest House has the most nostalgic backyard vibes. From getting ready in the guest house and exchanging vows just a few steps outside, you feel as if you’re at a Sunday family gathering in your grandparent’s backyard. The warm, welcoming vibes continue by Elisha and Gabe bring surrounded life long friends and family, including the best man and maid of honor from elementary school. The outdoor reception space came together beautifully with long tables from Solano’s Event Rentals full of greenery and florals from Mount Shasta Florist. All of Elisha and Gabe’s sweet love and details of the day were beautifully captured by Hannah Merritt Photography.

The Couple:

Elisha and Gabe

The Wedding:

McCloud Guest House, McCloud, California

SHOP THE POST

 

I did most of the wedding planning, but I also had a lot of people around me that were willing to pitch in and help. I would say to future brides, ask for help especially on the wedding weekend–it can be fun if people are involved and get to be a part of the day. Gabe and I had an awesome bridal party and family that helped put up lights, set up the dance floor and chairs but we also had a volleyball net set up next to us, we were able to take breaks and enjoy the day instead of focusing all on the preparation.

Hannah and Justin were awesome. They made us feel so comfortable and got absolutely stunning shots. My favorite moment with them was right after our first look and before going into the main house to hide as all the guests arrived. My maid of honor had brought me a quesadilla and I took a couple minutes of downtime with them before everything started. It was sweet to take a brief moment of rest, they checked in on me and just sat with me – they’re the best.

My husband’s parents found the venue in McCloud. They live in Redding, about an hour south and have always loved the quaint town. They visited the McCloud Guest House after we got engaged and FaceTimed us while they were there. It was the first and only venue we visited–it was the perfect place.

Steel blue, gray, light pink, gold and textured greenery were the main colors at the wedding. I started with steel blue because I thought it would look good on all my bridesmaids and I simply loved the color. I found different color palettes with the blue on Pinterest and decided on the other colors from there. The light pink idea came from Kori at Mount Shasta Florists, I told her about what I wanted and she suggested the light pink in stock flowers and blushing bride protea–she was so right!

Gabe‘s dad did most of the DIYing. He built the arbor and awesome bar! The bar was made out of an old door and the bolts he used were from an old saw mill–it was such a cool piece.

During the ceremony, I mainly remember staring at Gabe the entire time we were at the altar and squeezing his hands, anxiously waiting for my turn to say my vows. We had debated getting married earlier but agreed we wanted more time to plan a wedding and get everyone we loved there so at that point we had been engaged over a year–I was ready. 

Gabe and I both wanted everyone coming to feel welcomed and comfortable. We were so excited to get married, but mostly we wanted the wedding celebrations to be about bringing the people we love most together and enjoying everyones company.

We seriously loved all of the vendors that were part of the day. Everyone was very easy to work with and all are genuine, kind people. It made a huge difference that we enjoyed the people we were working with.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Hannah Merritt Photography
Event Planning – My Dear Weddings
Venue – McCloud Guest House
Floral Design – Mount Shasta Florist
Catering – Raymond’s Italian Catering
DJ – DJ Doug Cain
Invitations – Dunkirk Designs
Makeup Artist – Rebekah Arndt
Hair Styling – Lexie Curtis of Hair City Company
Wedding Dress – Made With Love Bridal
Bridal Accessories – Moondance Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Show Me Your Mumu
Groom’s Apparel – Men’s Wearhouse
Rings – Baxter Moerman
Rentals – Solano’s Event Rentals

 

Thank you to Junebug member Hannah Merritt Photography for sharing Elisha and Gabe’s sweet wedding with us! If you loved the backyard DIY vibes to this wedding, then check out the amazing woodwork in this crafty backyard wedding.

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Nostalgic Berkshires Fall Wedding at Camp Lenox

December 3, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Leah and Erik’s intimate Camp Lenox wedding featured an entire weekend of summer camp fun. The laid-back setting offered plenty of opportunities for typical outdoorsy activities and guests to mingle: a welcome BBQ, bonfires with s’mores, kayaking, fishing, and sports galore. The couple spent over a year visiting thrift stores and flea markets hunting down vintage-bohemian reception décor like brass candlesticks, gold frames, and cozy falsa blankets. Floral design by Propagate Studio created the colorful oversized arrangements present throughout the day, from the bride’s explosively bright bouquet to the extravagant ceremony arch bursting with blues, coral, orange, and tons of rustic greenery. Kaihla Tonai captured these kindred spirits fully enjoying their time with family and friends at their incredibly inspiring weekend wedding.

The Couple:

Leah and Erik

The Wedding:

Camp Lenox, The Berkshires, Massachusetts

Erik and I agreed from the beginning – it was definitely most important that our wedding genuinely reflected us as a couple and involved our loved ones as much as possible! This unfolded in an entire weekend of summer camp fun – almost every guest stayed at camp in a rustic cabin and joined us for a welcome BBQ with live music and s’mores by the bonfire. Followed by a day full of summer camp activities – kayaking, water trampoline, fishing, lawn games, sports galore – and ending with a WEDDING plus LOTS of dancing (possibly a bit of rapping, too!).

The camp itself was intimate, allowing guests to mingle throughout the day – how fun to watch our families and friends get to know each other in such a laid-back setting! By utilizing many of our closest friends as “friendors” (florist, officiant, DJ, graphic design & hand lettering) we were really able to give our wedding the personal touches that made it uniquely our own.

It’s too easy to spend money when it comes to weddings – things add up quickly and there are almost always unexpected costs. If you’ve got a budget (and value your sanity) – don’t try to do it all! Choose what matters most to you and do your best to make it happen. Thrifting for decor and DIY projects could help save some pennies. If you have friends in the field that might strike you a deal, take advantage of their talents! I would personally encourage everyone to invest in a photographer that they love – someone who makes you feel like you are in the moment when you look through their photos. At the end of the day, it’s really the only visuals you’re left with to help you remember the encompassing emotion and special details of the best day of your life. A good photographer can make City Hall look like the most romantic venue in the world!

The most memorable part of the day for us TECHNICALLY occurred the day after… we trekked through the rain and the mud and made it back to our cabin around 5am – our friends and families had us out celebrating way past our bedtime! It was the first moment we had truly been alone since the morning before the wedding and the magnitude of the day that had just transpired in front of us finally started to sink in. Erik and I were in utter amazement that it actually happened, that it was perfect – and in shock that it was now over. We were a bit disheveled from tearing up the dance floor all night and never changed out of our getups before the storm rolled in – the bottom of my dress went from “weathered brown” to a darker shade of “never-coming-out” andErik was soaked from head to toe. The wooden mirror that I had used when getting ready was still propped up on our floor – we stood in front of it, just staring and smiling back at ourselves, relishing in the fact that we were MARRIED.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Kaihla Tonai
Event Planning – Tara Consolati
Venue – Camp Lenox
Floral Design – Propagate Studio
Catering and Cake – Camp Lenox
Live Music – Jason Cardinal
Videography – Kaihla Tonai
Invitations – Type by J
Makeup Artist – S. R. Artistry
Wedding Dress – Hayley Paige
Groom’s Apparel – Men’s Wearhouse
Rentals – Classical Tents and Party Goods
Favors – Berkshire Brewing Company

 

Congratulations to Leah and Erik and special thanks to Kaihla Tonai Photography for capturing such a fun and whimsical wedding! For more camp wedding inspiration, check out this DIY New England summer camp wedding at Wohelo!

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Romantic Dusty Rose French Riviera Wedding at Chateau Saint Georges

November 11, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

While planning their destination wedding from 6,000 miles away, Sarah and Ross knew they wanted every guest of their Chateau Saint Georges celebration to feel loved, appreciated, and taken care of. Their four-day wedding party was a small, intimate gathering in a special place for the couple with a stunningly beautiful and historic setting. Every detail of this romantic wedding was thoroughly curated and envisioned with reflected their every-day style, slightly elevated. The bride designed her own wedding dress, an elegant and womanly long-sleeved lace gown with flowing curls and minimal makeup. A dusty rose color palette was formed from the natural greenery of eucalyptus and olive branches native to the south of France that looked perfect with the rosy pinks and subtle whites designed by D’amour et de Déco, who draped every corner of the château in flowers. Pinewood Weddings captured all of the elegant glamour of this intimate and romantic celebration.

The Couple:

Sarah and Ross

The Wedding:

Chateau Saint Georges, French Riviera, France

Planning a wedding from 6,000 miles away and a 9-hour time difference proved quite difficult, but we were ambitious! We had nearly 50 guests making the trip from many parts of the world. The most important thing for us was to create an intimate and memorable four days worth of memories with our family and friends that we will forever have. We wanted our guests to feel the immense love and appreciation we have for them and to really feel how special they are to us. Throughout the whole planning process I kept thinking about how things would enhance the experience for our guests andways for them to feel “taken care of.”

I was inspired by a dress I own that is a Dusty Rose color. I went to the paint store and found some palettes that matched the tones of the Dusty Rose. From there, I was inspired by greenery, specifically the eucalyptus and olive native to France. I loved the way the rose colored palette came together with the green and subtle whites to create a romantic, elegant, and understated look.

We wanted a venue where we would be able to do everything – a welcome reception, the ceremony, wedding reception, AND also be able to accommodate all or most of our guests for three nights. This posed difficult to find, because there are truly breathtaking venues but few that could deliver on all of these needs. We didn’t actually have the chance to visit the chateau before arriving for our wedding celebrations

I think the best advice I can give is to have a vision and then find vendors who you feel truly understand your vision, what is important to you, what you truly want, how much control you want over it, and that can best guide you to achieving it. I had once read about how to build a great company, you have to hire great people. And that’s what I did for my wedding. Find people you connect with andtrust to understand and help do their part to achieve your vision. Also, be flexible! Sometimes the best things and ideas come out of having to deviate from the plan or original idea.

My favorite photos are the candid ones that truly capture the emotion of the day. One of my favorites are during the ceremony when Ross and I are reading our vows. It feels so intimate, personal, pure, and really enables us to relive the day. 

We knew we wanted a small, intimate destination wedding where we could spend a handful of days with all of our loved ones. We couldn’t get behind the idea of getting married on a beach or in a tropical destination. We had visited the Cote d’Azur the summer beforehand and it became a really special place for us. I love the French culture and lifestyle, especially in the South of France. We played around with the idea of getting married in the South of France and from there, couldn’t imagine doing it anywhere else.

Our wedding festivities occurred over four days, with the wedding being the third day. It is so hard to decide on a most memorable moment, but the wedding day felt like the apex of the best days of our lives. When I think back to the day, the wedding dinner continues to stand out in my mind. It was such an intimate dinner surrounded by all of our favorite people. The dinner ended up being almost three hours long because speeches turned into an open-mic, with over ten of our guests giving speeches and telling stories. We laughed and cried for the entire three hours!

I designed my dress! Which was actually so hard to do when anything is possible. I was in love with my long-sleeves and the lace on my dress. I wanted to feel beautiful and womanly in my dress but also classy and elegant. I think the low front and back paired with the simple lace and long sleeves helped achieve this. I wore pale-pink pointed toe heels with a double strap. I wanted my hair down and flowy and minimal makeup, which is what I typically do on a daily basis. It was important to me that my beauty and fashion reflected my everyday style, but slightly elevated and highlighted.

First dance was “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. We knew we wanted it to be our song immediately upon hearing it. What was even more perfect is that our live band was British and they learned it for us to play live.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Pinewood Weddings
Event Planning – Les Demoiselles, White Eden Weddings
Venue – Chateau Saint Georges
Floral Design – D’amour et de Déco
Catering – De Bouche en Bouche
Live Music – Brightlights Band
Makeup Artist – Amandine Baron
Hair Styling – Les Ciseaux de Marie
Bridal Accessories – Tiffany & Co
Rentals – Options
Transportation – Riviera Destination

 

Congratulations to Sarah and Ross on their truly magical and romantic destination wedding and special thanks to Pinewood Weddings for capturing such an intimate and beautiful gathering. For more romantic destination wedding inspiration, check out this whimsically romantic wedding at the Tucson Country Club!

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Colorful DIY South African Wedding at Lunikhy Game Farm

October 13, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Robyn and Jeremy, a couple of adventurers who love the outdoors and nature fell in love with raw and vibrant Lunikhy Game Farm – the perfect venue for an outdoor ceremony full of natural beauty and a tranquil atmosphere. Floral design by Flower Child created the bride’s explosively bright bouquet and floral headband that inspired the color palette of the entire wedding. Navy blue, orange and copper with reds, yellows and greens echoed the rustic beauty of the South African landscape and every DIY’d detail created by the bridal party. Megan Ann Photography captured the couple exploring the bushveld by foot and safari jeep in a series of chill, fun and memorable post-wedding couple photos surrounded by wildlife and a breathtaking African sunset.

The Couple:

Robyn and Jeremy

The Wedding:

Lunikhy Game Farm, Bela-Bela, South Africa

Most important to us was that our wedding was a day filled with fun and special memories with our family and friends. We wanted our guests to have fun, feel relaxed and welcome. We wanted our wedding today to reflect us and our personalities.

It was the first venue we looked at, and following seeing other venues, we still loved Lunikhy best! We are both adventurers who love the outdoors and nature. Lunikhy captured us with its raw, natural beauty. We wanted an outdoor ceremony and really loved the enclosed boma area. It meant that those who didnt want to dance could relax outside under the stars and still be part of the atmosphere. 

Basically our whole wedding was DIY. In hindsight…we may have taken a bit much on, but we really loved the process. We had great friends and family, that all pitched in and helped us out. Along the way, Robyn actually injured her hand, it was in a splint for 8 weeks and she couldnt do any of the diy. Her friends came round for a craft day and got a lot done. It was really an all hands on deck wedding! 

We decided we wanted a colourful and bright wedding- we didnt want to use pastel colours (this just seemed a bit boring for us).  In the end we settled on navy blue, orange, and copper, with other colours weaving in – some yellows and greens. We brought in the colours in the flowers, bunting, hanging plants, and in the cushion covers for the plynths.

Megan managed to capture so many special moments…she was like a fly on the wall, we didnt even notice her around. Our criteria when looking for a photographer was someone who could capturebe the more natural and intimate moments,without having to keep “posing” and Megan did just that.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Megan Ann Photography
Venue – Lunikhy Game Farm
Floral Design – The Flower Child
Makeup Artist and Hair Styling – Made Up By Kylie
Wedding Dress – White Lilly Bridal

 

A huge congratulations to Robyn and Jeremy on their beautiful outdoor ceremony and charming DIY details throughout their day. Special thanks to Megan Ann Photography for sharing this incredible wedding with Junebug! For more African hunting lodge wedding inspiration, check out this Mountain Springs lodge wedding inspired by the African safari where the couple met!

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Poetic Perfectly Describes This Napa Valley Wedding at Brasswood Estate

October 11, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Janice and Sean’s Napa Valley wedding will have your heart exploding of excitement from Janice’s emotional first look with her father and then her groom, the streamer-filled first kiss, and many DIY touches. Their weekend celebration coined the name The Calistoga Spectacular, and it more than lived up to its name. The poetic, relaxed vibe had subtle art deco influence in the decor and graphics made by Janice Nicol. This stunning day was photographed by Jonnie + Garrett, and it would not have been complete without Gold and Gumption’s video magic.

The Couple:

Janice and Sean

The Wedding:

Brasswood Estate, St Helena, California

Welcome boxes greeted arriving guests earlier in the weekend with treats to help them enjoy the events and spark conversation: a program guide, Calistoga Springs mineral water, a Woodhouse Chocolate bar, a branded wine opener, a geode to open, and enamel lapel pins we made of our faces so friends and family could be identified as ‘bride’s side’ or ‘groom’s side.’ These were nestled into boxes that we made from a vintage map of Calistoga. 

In the spirit of loving to create, Janice designed her wedding dress in partnership with Anomalie. The outfit transitioned throughout the night: the ceremony was a long skirt and top kept simple to highlight a graphic thistle veil, which was inspired by a motif found at the venue; for the reception, the train came off to reveal a silk column dress with fun shoulders, and for dancing, a jacket with shimmery, metallic beadwork was thrown on top.

A bit of practical advice: the millions of little things that go into the event can start to feel like they’re taking over your life, so we set up calendar invites for a few minutes every night with a longer block on Sunday afternoons to get things done. This kept us sane and ensured our planning efforts were a fair 50/50.

We folded our wedding into an event-filled Napa Valley weekend that we branded The Calistoga Spectacular. Knowing all of our guests would be traveling up to the small, historic town of Calistoga, we wanted our wedding to become the perfect excuse for everyone to enjoy a long weekend of world-class food, even better wine, and leisurely afternoons spent poolside. Festivities started on the patio of a favorite barbecue spot on Thursday May 4th, culminated in our wedding on Saturday, May 6th, and wrapped with a farewell brunch at a natural geyser that Sunday.

A few things in particular made our ceremony feel extra special: our officiant was a dear friend and someone who has a marriage and family we look up to; we wrote and read ‘commitments’ to each other from three eras of our life – today, our mid life crisis, and our golden years; our guests sat on benches on both sides of us (we built a platform in the center) so it felt like a big family hug; our family members stood up to share a wish for our futures; and we gave out metallic streamer cannons for the end of the ceremony.

At the moment of our first kiss, our guests shot off giant metallic confetti cannons and it felt like time stood still in those initial few minutes as newlyweds, hearing our friends and family laugh and cheer while standing amidst the whirl of streamers.

We love making things and just couldn’t restrain ourselves. Our wedding invitation was a little book that laid out all of the details for the weekend, and we had many branded, fun elements for the events throughout the weekend, including wine openers, signs (with help from talented friends), pencils, ceremony programs, bell wands and treats for the flower girls, coloring books for little ones, wine tasting guides, and favors for most of the events. We also pushed native iOS and Android apps so our guests would always know what was on tap next, and could share photos on a mobile wall that was accessible only to wedding guests.

The Calistoga Spectacular branding was a nod towards the celebratory vibes of art deco. For the wedding itself, we emphasized the earthy and geologic, given the incredible geological history of the area through its natural hot springs, heavenly mineral pools, and soil, responsible for some of the best wine in the world. We found ourselves using the word “poetic” a lot to describe our vision.

There wasn’t a particular color scheme, though we leaned toward metallic tones (plenty of gold and silver) against a spectrum of grays. The tones evolved through the night, so our outdoor ceremony could feel bright and optimistic, the reception dinner cozy and candle-lit, and the dance floor extra festive.

Jonnie + Garrett joined us throughout the entire Calistoga Spectacular weekend and became like family by the end. We shared their photos with all of our guests on the other side of the festivities and we heard from so many who were absolutely floored. They capture all the emotion and reflect the poetic tone we were going for.

Ashley of Buzzworthy Events has fantastic taste and made sure the decor was on point and the party in full swing all night. With all of her event planning experience, we also appreciated having her as a sounding board for top-notch referrals, protocol questions, and event logistics while planning.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Jonnie + Garrett
Event Planning – Buzzworthy Events
Venue – Brasswood Estate
Floral Design – Eothen
DJ – Heart of Gold
Live Music – Georgeanne Banker
Videography – Gold & Gumption
Invitations – Janice Nicol
Hair and Makeup Artist – Amanda x Nikol
Wedding Dress – Anomalie
Bridal Accessories – Timorous Beasties, L’Exception
Groom’s Apparel – Suit Supply
Rings – RedStart Designs
Rentals – Big 4, La Tavola Fine Linens, Ultrapom
Transportation – Royal Coach Limousine and Bus Service
Favors – Janice Nicol
Streamers – Superior Celebrations

 

A big thanks to Jonnie + Garrett for sharing this spectacular Napa wedding with Junebug! If this wedding gave you heart eyes, then be sure to check out this black and white Muskoka wedding at Camp Mini-Yo-We.

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How to Style Your Outdoor Wedding Reception Dinner

August 8, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

photo by Kelley Deal Photography

Nothing makes us starry-eyed quite like an outdoor wedding reception dinner. From twinkle lights to long wooden tables, there’s something impossibly romantic about al fresco dining just as the sun begins to set. If you dream of dinner under the stars with your wedding guests, this post is for you! We’re taking a look back at our favorite outdoor wedding receptions to share the best styling tips to incorporate on your own!

Tall Centerpieces

The key to styling an outdoor reception is to fill the space as much as possible. Since tables generally take care of outward space, your attention can shift to decorating upward! Create visual levels and give your table some height with tall centerpieces such as vases or candlesticks.

photo by The Marions, event design by Katie Mullins Design, floral design by Doniphan Flowers & Gifts; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Wanderlust Creatives, floral design by Marie Floral and Event Stylist; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Sarah Libby Photography, event design by Affinity Affairs, floral design by Everything Beautiful OKC, rentals by Mariannes Rentals; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Lamb & Meadow, floral design by The Bamboo Orchid; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Hugo Coelho Fotografia, event design by My Fancy Wedding, floral design by Flor de Laranjeira; see more from this wedding here!

Natural Elements

Tree slices, antlers, and fruit – oh my! The types of natural elements you can use in your table decor are truly as expansive as nature itself, so consider the vibe of your wedding and the space you’re using to choose a selection of pieces to make guests go “ooh” and “ahh!”

photo by Artemis Photography and Ping Photography; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Allison Harp, floral design by Pink House Floral; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Jordan Voth Photography, floral design by A Florae; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Jonnie and Garrett, event design by Tremaine Ranch; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Yoris Photographe, event design by Jenny Morel Weddings and Wedays, floral design by Elizabeth Delsol; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Peyton Rainey Photography, event planning by Peyton Rainey Photography and Bella Rose Bridal, floral design by Tony Foss Flowers, rentals by Borrowed Charm; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Emily Delamater Photography, wedding design by Take Off Events; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Evynn LeValley, event design by A Big Sur Affair, floral design by Big Sur Flowers, agate slice place cards by Invite Alice; see more from this wedding here!

Luxe Details

It’s no secret that we love a good design juxtaposition, and nothing offsets an outdoor reception like luxe details! Gold flatware, elegant table runners and beautiful china and glassware provide the perfect dose of contrast to your natural setting.

photo by Xandra Photography, event design by Divine Weddings, floral design by The Floral Fixx; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Anna Kim Photography, wedding design by Patty Flax; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Olive Photography, event design by June Bloom Events, floral design by Quill & Oak, rentals by Fancy Fox, Cynthia Findlay, Chair-Man Mills, The Perfect Table; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Blest Studios, event design by Penzi Weddings; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Jonnie & Garrett, event & floral design by Glorious Floral Designs, rentals by Classic Party Rentals; see more from this wedding here!

Seasonal Color Palette

photo by Emily Delamater Photography; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Sugar + Soul Photography, event design by Divine Weddings, floral design by The Floral Fixx, rentals by C & T Rentals; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Hannah Costello, event design by To La Lune, floral design by The Dainty Lion, rentals by Abbey Rentals; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Kymberlie Dozois, wedding design by Sarah Alexandra Weddings, Events & Design; see more from this wedding here!

Overhead Lighting

If you’ve set your reception beneath the trees, there’s nothing more romantic than twinkling string lights or dangling lanterns. Set the mood with whimsical lighting strung from tree to tree!

photo by Jonas Peterson; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Olivia Strohm Photography, event design by Kualoa Ranch, floral design by Ocean Dreamer, rentals by Pacific Party Rentals; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Nhiya Kaye Photography, wedding design by Wildflower Weddings and Events; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Emily Delamater Photography; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Abby Floyd Photography, floral design by Oberer’s Flowers; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Diktat Photography, event design by Call Me Madame, floral design by Bloomz Fine Flowers, rentals by Bali Event Hire and Supply & Demand; see more from this wedding here!

Hanging Decor

One of the most significant ways to make your outdoor space feel filled is by hanging things from above! Hanging decor creates a sense of ceiling in the openness above. From chandeliers to floral installations, the options for hanging decor are really endless!

photo by Xandra Photography, event design by Divine Weddings, floral design by The Floral Fixx; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Coley & Co Photography; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Blest Studios, event design by Penzi Weddings; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Paula McManus Photography, event design by Betty Williamson, floral design by FloralEarth; see more from this wedding here!

photo by Amber Phinisee, event design by Alexandra’s Formals, floral design by Roy Lamb, rentals by Southern Vintage and Lake Oconee Rental; see more from this wedding here!

Looking for more outdoor wedding reception decor ideas? Get inspired by these posts!

Incorporate These Plants to Create a Tropical Wedding Anywhere in the World

6 Ways to Style Your Campground Wedding Venue

Get Inspired by These Cozy Wedding Reception Lounge Areas

65 Times Greenery Wedding Decor Proved Less Is More

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This Villa Le Piazzole Wedding is Quintessentially Tuscan

July 27, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

Emily and Kale’s intimate destination wedding had all the makings of a quintessential Tuscan party: gorgeous views over the Italian countryside, endlessly romantic moments, and a stunning Italian meal under the stars. The Canadian couple’s Villa Le Piazzole wedding was decorated with a natural greenery floral design, accents colors of blush and lavender, and terracotta pots filled with rosemary plants to emphasize Tuscany’s natural beauty. Photographer duo Shari + Mike documented every moment of Emily and Kale’s wedding beautifully, including the impromptu wedding day serenade they received from a traveling a’cappella group!

The Couple:

Emily and Kale

The Wedding:

Villa Le Piazzole, Tuscany, Italy

We wanted our guests to have an experience, something that they would remember and talk about for years to come. With that in mind we started thinking of what we thought our guests would enjoy the most and decided food and a great party needed to be a priority. Armed with our goals we started the search and we landed on Italy for 4 days in a Villa we could rent out exclusively. 

We wanted our guests to experience all that Italy has to offer while keeping the overall look and feel of the wedding tradition and timeless. We started with the venue and chose a 15th century Villa which was surrounded by olive groves and vineyards. We rented the Villa out exclusively so that our guests could enjoy the all of the villa’s grounds. We then welcomed our guests with a pizza party where they learned how make authentic Italian pizzas in a forno oven this gave them the chance to get to know each other.

We were in Piazza del Duomo having photos with our photographers and we were flagged over by a group of people. This group was an a’cappella group who there for a competition and said they would like to sing us a Welsh love song. They started singing a beautiful song and when we looked up the whole square was full of people watching. It was one of those moments that we will keep with us forever.

Kale wore a black custom tailored tux with custom purple paisley silk lining and personalized monograming in his jacket. For accessories he wore black Prada shoes and his cuff link were a family heirloom passed down from my late mother.

When I was thinking about what we would wear we both agreed we wanted to look timeless and classic. I wore a lace Berta Bridal dress which was a backless and had a fun element in the illusion V-neck. I accessorized my dress with pearl drop earrings, a cathedral veil, and blue suede Christian Louboutins.

The wedding ceremony was in a small garden located on the Villa grounds and had a back drop or rolling tuscan hills and we had a tenor serenading them in Italian.

Our wedding was a very intimate including 18 of our closest family and friends. We worked very closely with Sofia, of Tuscan Pledges, to craft our ceremony and wrote our vows to each other to be very personal. The groom’s aunt did a special reading during the ceremony of “How Do I Love Thee.” The most memorable moment was walking down the aisle while the tenor sang, it was very moving. I saw Kale and all of our friends and I realized how lucky we were to have such an amazing group with us in an unbelievable setting.

Groom’s Processional: Bach – Cantata 147
Bridesmaid’s Processional: Pachelbel – Canon in D
Bridal Processional: Andrea Bocelli – Con te Partiro (Live)
Signing Song: John Legend – All of Me
Recessional: Il Volo – Mattinata (Live)
First Dance: Otis Redding- That’s How Strong My Love Is

I can’t say enough about how amazing our photographers were to work with. Mike and Shari go above and beyond to make sure that your are happy and that every shot captures who you are as a couple. They not only produce award winning images they also add an amazing element of fun and friendship to the wedding.

The wedding dinner was something I don’t think I will ever forget, everything was beautifully plated and the service was white gloved and very professional. We ate under the stars and laughed the night away.

As we were coming to Italy from Canada we were not able to do many DIY projects but we did manage to take on the favours for all of the guests. They were small vases which we filled with olive oil from Italy and rosemary sprigs. The favours were also the escort tags which we finished with hand calligraphy.

I think that it is important to pick what really represents you as a couple. We are both people who love to travel, enjoy good food and wine, and we wanted our guests to share in that. I think that we had a lot of “learning curves” for planning a destination wedding of this scale but I also think that it is important to never be deterred from your dream and vision.

The wedding cake was done in a traditional Italian style, this is where they make the cake in front of the guests and ask the bride and groom to help.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Shari + Mike
Event Planning – Timeless Affairs
Venue – Villa Le Piazzole
Floral Design – Emme 2 Fiori
Catering, Cake & Rentals – Delizia Ricevimenti
Officiant – Tuscan Pledges
DJ – Matthew DJ
Live Music – Chiara Trallori
Invitations – Wedding Paper Divas
Makeup Artist – Ana Matanovic
Hair Styling – Hair By Ashley
Wedding Dress – Berta Bridal
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Morilee
Groom’s & Groomsmen’s Apparel – Maxwell’s Clothiers
Rings – Davidson Designs

 

Congratulations to Emily and Kale, and a special thanks to Junebug members Shari + Mike for sharing their wedding with us. Can’t get enough of this wedding’s Italian countryside vibes? Then you’ve got to see this gorgeous Tuscany elopement that will make your jaw drop!

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4 Major Benefits of Hiring a Rental Company for Your Wedding

July 12, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

photo by Peyton Rainey Photography and Chelsea Denise Photography

When it comes to hiring wedding vendors, some are more obvious than others. You wouldn’t dream of having a wedding without hiring a photographer, but have you considered hiring a rental company to do their part for your big day? In case you haven’t, we’re here to tell you why working with a rental company can help you create the wedding of your dreams while relieving you of stress, time, and budget woes.

photo by Monique Serra Photography, event design by Hickenloopers, rentals by Renata Stone; see more from this wedding inspiration shoot here!

1. It’s easy to create a cohesive style

When it comes to designing your wedding, the options are literally endless. Even if you’ve narrowed down that you want a vintage bohemian look, deciding on the design elements to execute that style can be overwhelming. This is where a rental company makes things so much easier! From candlesticks to couches, the rental company has already curated a selection of items and often even organizes their stock by wedding style (e.g. rustic rentals, industrial rentals, etc.). Whether you’re designing a lounge area for the reception or arranging a welcome vignette at your ceremony, the rental company has a select number of pieces you can mix and match to perfectly carry out your vision.

photo by Emily Delamater Photography, event design by Take Off Events, floral design by Coco Design Company; see more from this wedding here!

2. You will save time and money not sourcing every single detail yourself

You already have enough on your plate with planning a wedding — let someone else do the hard work of sourcing your decor elements! A lot of couples get in over their heads with wanting to thrift or DIY every piece of decor for their wedding, not realizing how many pieces they will need to find or create, not to mention the expensive price tag of doing it yourself. When it comes down to it, working with a rental company is actually the more budget and time friendly option! Besides, do you really want to be stuck with 150 mason jars or glass candle holders after your wedding is over? Unless you’re getting into the wedding planning business after saying “I do,” it’s best to borrow the stuff you need for the one day you’ll use it than to take up stock in enough glassware to fill your whole kitchen.

photo by Elizabeth Lauren Photography, event design by Fawn Events, floral design by Salted Blooms, rentals by Adore Folklore; see more from this wedding inspiration shoot here!

3. The company will take care of transporting the goods

If there’s one thing you don’t want to worry about on your wedding day, it’s the transport of a bunch of furniture to and from your venue. One of the perks of hiring a rental company is that they take care of getting your rentals to the wedding and back to their warehouse safe and sound. No need to assign a bridesmaid to drive a big ole U-Haul of decor home after the party is over because a professional has got it covered!

photo by Vic Bonvicini Photography; see more from this wedding here!

4. You won’t need to worry about last minute purchases

Every couple has been there: it’s the week of the wedding and you realize you forgot to get a cake stand/card box/table for your unity ceremony items. With a rental company, adding last minute items is no sweat! No night-before-the-wedding runs to the craft store or Facebook posts asking to borrow furniture from friends. Simply log on to the company’s website and add your additional items or shoot a quick email to your vendor with a list of last minute needs and that source of stress is 100% relieved without ever leaving your house.

Now that you’ve been convinced to hire a rental company for your wedding, here’s everything you need to know about hiring your wedding vendors!

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This Colorful Lanikuhonua Cultural Estate Wedding is As Cheerful As It Gets

July 6, 2017 | Junebug Weddings

This Honolulu wedding’s colorful blooms and cheerful moments are sure to put a smile on your face! Rachel and John love every color under the rainbow, so they allowed their fun invitation suite’s design set the tone of their Lanikuhouna Cultural Estate wedding: amazing neon flowers, exciting surprises at every turn, and tropical vibes all over! We can’t get enough of Rachel and John’s jaw-dropping floral design by Flowergirls Hawaii, and their bar service provided by Stir Beverage Catering incorporated the cutest striped straws and drink dispensers for a truly unforgettable drink station. Christie Pham Photography and the videography team of Aria Studios documented every moment of the couple’s day beautifully, including Rachel’s surprise ceremony challenges for John!

The Couple:

Rachel and John

The Wedding:

Lanikuhouna Cultural Estate, Honolulu, Hawaii

Because we love so many colors, we knew we had to be organized from day one to avoid disastrous clashing. Instead of choosing an invitation suite to fit our wedding, we decided to let our invitation suite come first so that it helped set the design parameters for our wedding. I asked my best friend, Kim Zeluck, to design our wedding stationery (and to be our “color coordinator”). This was the perfect start to wedding planning as Kim’s art is – figuratively and literally – a dreamscape. Her designs brought our vision to life: a multi-colored pastel-perfect tropical dream.

John and I fell in love with Hawaii when we visited together for the very first time. We knew that we wanted to share our love for the island with our closest friends and family. An oceanfront sunset, a sweeping lawn and a grove of beautiful palm trees aside, choosing Lanikuhonua as our wedding venue was the perfect choice as we could pour our hearts into the pristine, blank canvas. The intimacy of having a destination wedding allowed us to treat every guest as a VIP – our goal was to make every bit of our guests’ trip as memorable as it was for us.

The wording on our wedding invitation welcomed friends and family to join us as we “vowed to be best friends forever”. This was particularly meaningful for us, because during the early days of our relationship, we quickly realized that we would be BFF and that we would marry each other. Invitation and vows aside, we decided to incorporate this vow into our ceremony backdrop. We commissioned Letters to You for a laser cut sign. At the ceremony, we hung it up against a foliage of greens and floral between two palm trees, and now we have it hung above our bed in our first home together.

I also decided to personalize our ceremony by working with our vendors, officiant and bridal party to surprise John at the altar! As the first pair of bridal party people walked down the aisle to an acoustic version of “Forever” by Boyce Avenue, the DJ’s sound system “suddenly went bust” – the original, upbeat version by Chris Brown started playing instead (our DJ was in on this surprise!). To John’s surprise, each bridal party pair walked down the aisle with a mini task for John. These included writing my Chinese name on a whiteboard (a difficult task for my non-Chinese speaking husband!) and drinking quirky-tasting shots (to prove that he can withstand all the different “flavors” that marriage may bring). This all came to John’s surprise and gave everyone a good laugh as they cheered him on to complete all the tasks. Once he had completed all of them, I walked down the aisle with my parents.

We decided to DIY our wedding favours which also doubled up as place cards. When we first started dating, John and I kept a daily journal of how our “best-friendship” developed. We recorded our memories in Moleskine journals: date nights, first fights and funny things said. We decided to share this element of our relationship by hand-lettering guests’ name and stamp-embossing tropical leaves on each Moleskine cahiers. We also wrote a little personalized note to each guest inside the detachable page of each notebook – a big thank you for traveling to Hawaii to celebrate our day with us.

The one thing that stands out the most was our grand entrance. I had no idea what came over me (it may have been my increased level of comfort after changing out of my wedges and into sparkly Kate Spade Keds), but as we waited for the emcee to announce us, I asked John: “I think I’ll carry you.” We went for it! It was a big shock and laugh for everyone – we have photos and videos to prove it!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Christie Pham Photography
Venue – Lanikuhouna Cultural Estate
Floral Design – Flowergirls Hawaii
Catering – Chef Elmer Guzman’s Island Cuisine
Bar Service – Stir Beverage Catering
Cake – A Cake Life
Officiant – Tony Tai
DJ – Spectrum Entertainment
Videography – Aria Studios
Invitations – Kim Zeluck
Calligraphy – Holly Saori
Makeup & Hair Artist – Leslie Fair
Bridesmaids’ Apparel – Jenny Yoo
Groom’s & Groomsmen’s Apparel – Suitsupply
Rings – Haywards
Event Coordinator – Stephanie Le
Rentals – Les Saisons, Pacific Party Rentals
Photobooth – HNL Photobooth
Calligraphy – Hawaii Calligraphy

 

Congratulations to Rachel and John, and a special thanks to Junebug member Christie Pham Photography for sharing their day with us. Love this Hawaiian wedding’s tropical vibes? Take a look at this Olowaku Plantation House wedding that marries Hawaiian tradition with New England charm!

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