Project Wedding Blog

These photos are so fresh and very sweet…

(Just love that Paper Antler).

Jen and Charlie married at Quivey’s Grove in Madison, Wisconsin; it was a rustic, homespun fall wedding.

The couple met in Thailand while he was learning to become a scuba diving instructor and she was teaching English.  Charlie is from the Southwest of England and Jen is from Wisconsin. After having enough of the tropical heat, they moved to New Zealand where Charlie proposed!

The bridesmaids looked pretty in mix and match turquoise dresses by J. Crew and Jen was completely lovely in a dress by David’s Bridal.   Furnished with dark wood chairs, exposed beams, and rustic lighting, the ceremony took place in the stable at Quivey’s Grove.  Connie Engmann officiated.

They spent hours and hours making all of the decorations for the wedding. Jen and her mom crocheted and sewed all of the bunting used behind the alter and for the reception. Charlie painted and sewed all of the buttons for the table numbers (Jen felt like the luckiest bride)!

For dessert, there was a spread of pies from Hubbard Street Diner in Middleton.  There were ten in all: fall classics like pumpkin, apple and pecan and then some of their favorites – French silk, peanut butter silk, and black forest- YUM! A friend of the bride made a small cake for cutting. There’s more from the bride, just below!

Thanks to Charlie + Jen and Jonny + Michelle for sharing this wedding with us!

Photos by Paper Antler Photography

(psst. if you haven’t heard Paper Antler is traveling around the country ALL of 2012 photographing weddings.  Double bonus is that they’re donating $1,000 from each wedding towards an amazing nonprofit that works to rescue children who are victims of human trafficking.  There are a few dates left, so check out their route and schedule and book ‘em)!

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Quivey’s Grove

Florals by Abundance Acres

Bridal Gown by David’s Bridal

Bridesmaid’s Dresses by J. Crew

Bride’s Hair by Holly’s Salon Studio

Officiant: Connie Engmann

Ceremony & Reception Music by Krause Family Band

Cranberry Chutney Favors by Quince & Apple

Pies by Hubbard Street Diner

From the Bride: I was never one of those girls that knew what sort of wedding she wanted from a young age, but when we started planning the wedding we quickly decided we wanted a wedding that reflected us as a couple, so we wanted something rustic, crafty, colorful and intimate. Since we were living in New Zealand and weren’t able to look at very many venues, we chose somewhere we were familiar with. Once we had decided on Quivey’s Grove- so many things fell into place. The venue was beautiful – dark wood, a charming old home and very eclectic décor. – - I love food, all kinds of food, but it was really important that we sourced everything for our wedding as locally and sustainably as possible (food, flowers, services) and supported small businesses.

We didn’t have any particular color scheme – I love color, all colors and so we tried to incorporate lots of colors – especially into the table decorations. Even though we had a fall wedding we wanted to stay
away from typical fall colors – red, orange, browns… For the ceremony we used mainly white and pinks and all colors for the rest.

The weather wasn’t perfect – it sprinkled on and off during the day, but I don’t think anyone noticed – and in the evening we had a lightening storm, which I think everyone enjoyed. We had originally planned a late summer wedding – but we pushed the wedding back and decided to have an indoor wedding and I’m glad we did – I would have been worrying about the weather for weeks before the day.

Tags: crafty, fall, homespun, Madison, Paper Antler Photography, pies, pink, rustic, Wisconsin.

Mary Kate and John’s Austin wedding has that feeling of the classic South, yet the color palette and details were perfectly unique.  We were taken by the blues and greens, and of course the beautiful Barr Mansion setting.  Katherine O’Brien did an extraordinary job capturing the day in creative film and digital photos!  Each bridesmaid selected her own ivory dress, but they were coordinated with blue ribbon and the gorgeous hydrangea and succulent bouquets by  STEMS Floral Design.  Love those blue nails in the pic below!Mary Kate and John first bonded over a similar taste in music and they definitely had music on the mind as they planned their day.  During the ceremony, Barton Strings played Over the Rainbow for the processional and Here Comes the Sun for the recessional.   Along with their officiant, Sarah de la Fuente, the two designed a custom ceremony that spoke to them.  They said their vows on the scenic grounds of the Barr Mansion.  The reception, held in the Barr Mansion’s modern ballroom, featured a rainbow of rustic florals and lots of dancing to local Austin band, Soul Track Mind.  Their music was a hit with guests!Mary Kate and John married on what would have been her grandparents’ 61st wedding anniversary.  To honor them, she baked 700 peanut butter cookies (her grandmother’s recipe) to give to guests as favors!

Read more from the bride just below or {click here} to see the full feature…

Photos by Katherine O’Brien Photography

Venue, Event Coordination & Cake by Barr Mansion

Bride’s Hair & Makeup by Snodene Blakenely

Bridal Gown by Modern Trousseau from Unbridaled

Invitations & Programs by Bella Figura

Ceremony Musicians: Barton Strings

Officiant: Sarah de la Fuente

Florals by STEMS Floral Design

Reception Band: Soul Track Mind

From the Bride:

The weather was perfect considering the summer we had. The week of our wedding was the first break we had from 100+ degree temperatures all summer long.

One of my favorite moments of the day was seeing for the first time the bouquets that Abby Daigle of STEMS put together. When we met to discuss the flowers, I didn’t have a concrete idea of what I wanted. I told her the colors that I wanted in my bouquet and the bridesmaids’ bouquets and she was able to help me pick out some flowers that would include all those colors. Then she took it from there and put together the perfect bouquets. I could not have been happier with them!

We were very glad we chose to see each other before the ceremony. It calmed our nerves. And despite the fact that our wedding party was all watching with our photographers Katherine and Jeff taking pictures, it was still a very personal moment.

My father has a huge baseball card collection from his childhood that he has kept in great condition over the years. On the day of the wedding he gave John, John’s father, and his groomsmen each a baseball card from his collection. They were all cards of Red Sox players as John and his groomsmen all grew up in the Boston area and love the Red Sox.  John and the guys also toasted with John’s favorite whiskey before our first look photos.

I gave John Ghostbuster cufflinks the day of the wedding. It has been his favorite movie since he was a child. His grandmother has lots of stories of him pretending to be a Ghostbuster when he was younger.

The ballroom where our reception was held was newly built, finished just a few months before our wedding. Just before we got engaged in June of 2010, lightning struck the original Barr Mansion ballroom and burned it to the ground. It had been a beautiful structure and was a huge loss for Barr Mansion. Right away they set out to begin the rebuilding process. We were confident that they would rebuild it to be just as beautiful as the original. And they did!

Although we wanted a short ceremony, we wanted it to be meaningful to us. We chose Sarah de la Fuente to officiate our wedding because she was more than happy to help us write a ceremony that spoke to us. It was really special to know that we didn’t just write our own vows, but helped create the entire ceremony.

John and I bonded over similar tastes in music when we first met, so it was important to us to have a great band for our reception. In Austin we have a great local band called Soul Track Mind and we were thrilled that they agreed to play at our reception. Our guests could not stop complimenting them long after the wedding was over.

Our friends and family gave some great toasts during the reception. Most were planned but a few folks jumped up on stage without warning, including the father of one of my bridesmaids who told us to “live long and prosper.” John’s brother (and best man) also read a beautiful poem written by their grandfather for our wedding, as he was not able to make the trip from Massachusetts.

One of the funnier moments of the night was towards the end of the reception. My father and his friends have a history of dancing the Gator as they do in the movie Animal House during each other’s wedding receptions. They continued the tradition at our reception when our band played the Isley Brothers’ “Shout.” They were a huge hit.

As a result of the hot, dry weather we had all summer we were in a burn ban so we could not have a sparkler send off at the end of the night. In place of sparklers we bought a few hundred glow sticks. John and I have gone to quite a few concerts where we threw around glow sticks so it was very appropriate for us.

We did not want to take on a lot of little DIY projects for our wedding, mostly because the Barr Mansion grounds really don’t need much in the way of decorations. But I did know I wanted to honor my paternal grandparents as we were getting married on what would have been their 61st wedding anniversary. My grandmother was a great cook and our favorite treats growing up were her cookies, specifically molasses cookies and peanut butter cookies. So the week of the wedding, using her recipes, my sisters, bridesmaids, and I made over 700 cookies as favors for our guests. It ended up being quite a project but I am glad we did it!

Tags: Barr Mansion, blue, classic, green, Katherine O'Brien photography, rustic, Southern, succulents.

Brittany and Mark’s wedding in Salt Lake City was held in November… it was intimate, relaxed, and cozy… held in the evening hours at the Mill Creek Inn.  Kristopher Orr documented their memory-filled day in beautiful film photograms.  This first one, so crazy beautiful…  The couple was very relaxed about planning the details, they were mostly concerned with creating a close and comfortable atmosphere with their very favorite people and serving great food.  They worked with a unique deep purple, mustard, and black palette, which was very pretty in the autumn mountain setting.  The pair met at a party while both attending the University of Utah.  A year and a half after they got together, they decided to tie the knot.  Mark works for a small roofing company and Brittany is a PR rep for a physical therapy company.  They share passions for exotic travel, photography, and adventurous outdoor sports!  For a wedding gift, Mark got Brittany an old Yashica 124G Mat twin lens camera. She got him a framed scratch map of the world on which to document their travels together.

During the course of the evening, Mark and Brittany found lots of time to sit and visit with guests.  Just before they cut the cake, Mark gave a beautiful, impromptu speech about his love for Brittany and his gratitude for everyone that had come to share the day.  The entire wedding night just felt like a big, relaxing get together with the people they love.

Photographs by Kristopher Orr

Bridal Gown by Romona Keveza (with lace added to the back).

Gown purchased at …And Then Some Bridal Couture

Bridesmaid’s Skirts via Target; Cardigans via J. Crew

Bride’s Hair & Makeup by Shantell Eyre in Roy, Utah

Venue: Mill Creek Inn

Flowers by DaNeice Eliot in Kaysville, Utah

Cake by April Baird

Tags: autumn, cozy, film photography, intimate, kristopher orr, mill creek inn, mountain, mustard, purple, rustic.

Dani and John have a love for the great outdoors…

their wedding was centered around mountain fun and the natural beauty of Park City, Utah.

Here is their story in photos by Gideon Photography

(love that b&w shot… so sexy, don’t you think?!)

The tall pines of Deer Valley Ski Resort provided the backdrop for the outdoor ceremony.  Dani and her bridesmaids carried a palette of wildflowers.  The picturesque ceremony was followed by dinner, drinks and dancing across the lawn at the Empire Canyon Lodge.  Natural, wild florals, mixed with vibrant shades of blue and pink decorated the lively evening. 

For the honeymoon, this adventurous couple headed out to Idaho and Wyoming for a whitewater rafting trip down the snake river… what fun!  Congratulations Dani and John!

Photos by Gideon Photography

Invitations by Sami Rose and Rachel Deitsch

Bridal Gown by Nicole Miller

Bride’s Hair by David Colvin

Bridesmaid’s Dresses by Urban Outfitters

Ceremony & Reception at Deer Valley Resort

Flowers by Branches Floral

DJ: High Mountain Music

Photobooth by Shutterbooth

Cake by Martin’s Fine Desserts

Jeweler: Lulu Frost

Videography by Kale Fitch Productions

Tags: DIY, fall, jimmy gideon, mountain wedding, rustic, wildflowers.

With Thanksgiving just a week away, we thought Audra and Cory’s fall, country-chic wedding at the Cedarwood Mansion would be just the thing for you… We’re sort of swirling in the all the Southern charm and romance, glued to the gorgeous imagery by David & Tammy, and hanging on Audra’s every word in the story she tells below!  But first, this photo of Audra on the swing…? Come on… a total dream…

Congratulations Audra & Cory!

♥

Photos by David & Tammy

Venue, Flowers, Cake, & Event Design by The Historic Cedarwood Mansion

Bride’s Makeup by Lisa Proctor

Bride’s Hair by Mary Malone

From the Bride: If someone were to ask, “Were you raised in a barn?” I’ve always been able to answer with a proud “Yes Sir!” My dad was a quarter horse trainer on a 200 acre East Texas Ranch. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better childhood.  My dad was also a romantic cowboy, who became an avid rose grower to express his ever-growing love for my mother, and eventually me, his only daughter. Thus, I define my heritage as “country elegance” and I knew I wanted my wedding to reflect that.

After moving to Nashville and falling in love with Cory…my charming South Carolina gentleman…we knew Music City would be the best place for the wedding, as families could meet halfway. When I discovered the Historic Cedarwood Mansion, I knew that it was the perfect place for our ceremony. It effortlessly embodied our crock-pot of Southern roots. A stately antebellum plantation house on the historic registry, Mason jar candles and vintage chandeliers dripping from oak trees, sprawling rose gardens, and a big red barn. I was home. What better place for Texas to marry South Carolina, with Tennessee as a witness?

Luckily, this dream venue, also happened to be an oasis of wedding planning. Cedarwood was all-inclusive and has recently become the belle of the Southern wedding ball and I found that their reviews were as spectacular as the property. Flowers, Cake, Catering, Ceremony Musicians, Reception, Invitations, Programs. It was all a one stop shop…and the ladies in charge served up timeless elegance laced with burlap. Cedarwood made my country chic imaginations come to life in just two short planning sessions.

When I arrived on the property the day of the wedding, I ran my fingers lightly across stunning vintage decorations and breathtaking floral arrangements while whispering “This is so beautiful.” I felt as if I were sneaking upon someone else’s wedding (thus the need to whisper).  It was as if they plucked a scene straight from one of my farm-raised dreams….and improved upon it.

My husband and I chose to see each other before the ceremony. I’d do it that way a million times over. I remember him standing at the end of a cobblestone walkway that lead from the side door that I snuck out of.  He had his back to me. He was framed on his right by a charming little swing,  that was all dressed in ribbons for our day–and on his left was a kiss from the perfect amount of sunshine. I was nervous as I approached him, as though I hadn’t sought out that face a million times in our two years of courting. When I finally arrived close enough to brush my hand around his right arm, he turned and tears welled up in his gentle blue eyes, just as quickly as his hands popped out from the pockets to embrace me. “You look amazing,” he managed to squeak out. After letting him soak me in like a vision that could disappear at any moment, I lifted up the dainty lace pattern that danced around the bottom edge of my dress, to reveal: cowboy boots. We both laughed at how oddly fitting they seemed to be, under such a feminine dress.

It wasn’t long before my dad was walking me down the aisle in those boots, with 22 bridal party members and countless trees smiling on me on as I walked towards the love of my life. We read our handwritten vows under a canopy of nature. It was the most fitting cathedral for us.

Tags: country-chic, david & tammy photography, fall, rustic, Southern, tennessee, the historic cedarwood mansion.

This week’s real wedding is just so special.  The photos emanate such a divine love… and all of the planning revolved around the connection that Tessa and John share with their loved ones.  The bride said, ‘Once we found that center it was easy to let some traditional elements go and not feel pressured by trends. This allowed us the freedom to create a totally unique and intimate event for our guests.’  The day overflowed with organic beauty and rustic sophistication, and was captured in both digital and film photographs by Michelle Warren.

There is so much more of this gorgeous earthen palette to enjoy!… See the full story {here}.

Photos by Michelle Warren

Venue: A private estate

Bridal Gown: ‘Thank You’ by Reem Acra

Bridesmaid’s Dresses by Calvin Klein via 6pm.com

Event Coordination by Jackie Blackwell

Cake by Montecito Confections

Tags: brown, film photography, gold, green, Michelle Warren Photography, neutral, outdoor, rustic, santa barbara, white.

I just love a good project… I’m musing about this rustic wood centerpiece (& escort card) tutorial we received from the *fabulous* Victoria Hudgins last week.

Here’s a peek into how to get that oh-so-rustic reception charm, but you can catch the full article here.  Like a cable knit sweater on a fall day, engraved wood emits a feeling of cozy warmth.

According to Victoria, engraving is addicting- so plug in those wood burners and let the fun begin!

Read the full step-by-step instructions {here}!

Project Styling by Victoria Hudgins of A Subtle Revelry

Photos by Prokopets Studios

Ohhh.. psst!  A new issue of Victoria’s magazine Styled. arrived this week.  It is so awesome… it’s filled with  projects, yummy recipes, figgy things, and fall things.  And isn’t the cover just gorgeous?!

Tags: Centerpieces, DIY, rustic.