Nicole and Shaun’s beautiful DIY Wedding has everything I love about weddings in one gorgeous package!
Anita Martin photography is a photographer with a lot of talent. She has a timeless style, an intimate, laid-back vibe, DIY details that are thoughtful, and romantic, emotional photographs.
The bride’s classic beauty, the soft peach and navy color palette, the stylish stripes, the cute flower girls with navy bows, carrying fabric pomanders that she made herself, and the rustic lemonade stand will inspire you.
Nicole wore a fitted Mori-Lee wedding gown, teamed up with a dreamy veil on the fingertip and one of my favorite bridal styles – glamorous Veronica Lake waves.
Bridal attire
I loved the fit and flare gown I wore by Mori Lee. It fitted very well with that I wore corset back. The material was soft, even though it was very fitted. I then contrasted it with the more tailored and harder fabric used for the Alfred Sung bridesmaids’ dresses, which had a retro feel. Each bridesmaid chose their favorite style from the tea-length collection.
The Flowers
My bouquet consisted of white hydrangeas, peach Juliet roses, peach Hypericum berries, and white ranunculus. I also used ivory majolica spray flowers. The bridesmaid bouquets were made with baby breath, and the groom’s, groom’s, and centerpieces included a mixture of peach Juliet Roses, peach Hypericum Berries, and baby’s breathing.
The Colour Palette
The theme was not set, but I like navy and white stripes. I didn’t necessarily want it nautical, so I balanced hard navy stripes with soft peach flowers, vintage touches, and vintage books (milk glass vases, vintage books on the table). The colors that were used for the main elements of the table runners and twine were navy, off-white, peach/blush (for the metals), silver (for the metallics), and tan.
I decorated my wedding the same way I decorate my home! Mixing old and new, stripes & colors. The chalkboards played an important role in the design. I love the playful nature of them!
The Ceremony
For the ceremony, mason jars with baby’s breath were hung along the aisle on shepherd’s hooks; ivory rose petals were scattered along the corridor, and white chairs had a mini bag of confetti and a program on each one. Pictures of Shaun and me were hung next to the ceremony location on a tree.
The ceremony began with the father of the groom giving a message about the foundations of marriage. Two bible verses were read (Matthew 7.24-25 and Romans 12.9-13) by the bride’s in-law and a friend from the bride’s family.
The Photographer
Anita was my choice for my wedding photographer, even though I had never met her. I planned my wedding in St. Louis, and I didn’t get to meet her. However, I knew that I wanted her as my photographer because her work shows she is a master at capturing emotions. When you look at Anita’s photos, it is easy to feel the love between a couple. I knew she would catch my and Shaun’s love-grabayfulness. I also knew I would be investing a lot of personal time and effort in the details of Shaun and my wedding and I love her ability to, capture details.
Shaun & I were delighted to meet her when we met for our engagement photo shoot. She was so sweet and laid-back. She put us at ease, and directed us only whennecessary. This allowed the photos to be genuine and show real emotion.
Decor & Details
We hung lanterns on the trees for the reception and used larger lanterns to create centerpieces. These were stacked atop vintage books, and the table runners had a stripe pattern. On the tables, there was a bud vase to hold the flowers as well as a milk-glass vase with the table number attached. In lieu of favors to take home, we donated to a foundation that is close to our hearts. We typed up the information and designed it so that it matched the other paper goods. Then we tied it with twine, and a homemade “s” charm.The seating chart and the names were written on tags of kraft paper that were wrapped around the napkins at the table setting.
Refreshments
The restaurant provided a formal sit-down meal with a choice of salmon, steak, or chicken. It was delicious. The wedding cake had 3 flavors, one for each laythreer, including white chocolate, strawberry, and red velvet. Also, we had a grooms cake made of funettigroom’sfavorite cake flavor.
Favorite Moments
My favorite moments happened during the ceremony. It was so special that family members spoke and led the whole thing. You could feel the love. It was very personal and touching.
It was so special to see all the little things come together. It was unique and special to me that my family and close friends were willing and able to do everything they could to relieve my stress. They ran errands for me, got up early to prepare, and made sure everything was perfect. It was incredible; it meant a lot to me and let me relax and enjoy my most important and special day.
Advice for other couples
When it comes to design, don’t forget your personality! Shaun and I would not have had a glitzy, expensive wedding. Look around at your home to see what you could use if you’re a DIYer and you need to keep your ,budget down. I used frames, mirrors, and vases that I had in my home.
