How did you two meet? Tell us about the proposal.
We met in high school in 2017. We actually lived 40 minutes away from each other, but I saw him on Instagram and liked one of his posts. Then, he sent me a DM. The rest is history! He proposed to me last summer on the beach while we were on vacation.
Did you do any DIY Projects or create any handmade items for your wedding?
I handmade all of my decorations! I dyed table runners and doilies for table decorations, and painted a stained glass window as our welcome sign. I made all of the boutonnieres and wedding party flowers, as well as my own bouquet.
I handmade blue feather gloves for myself as well. I used vintage playing cards and post cards at all of the tables with vintage love notes on them that I had found in vintage shops and on eBay. I incorporated fishing lures into some of the decorations as well because my husband is an avid fisher. Almost every single decoration used in our wedding was 100% made my me. My blue feather gloves are one of the things I’m proudest of because I had never seen anything like them before.
The thing I am most proud of is the backdrop I made. I took old fabric from pillowcases, shirts – anything I could find. I cut 6 inch long pieces and tied them together to make chains of fabric that I hung from an old metal arch that my cousin used in her wedding. I spray painted it copper and hung a custom neon sign from it. The whole project took me about 3 months!
What creative or personal aspects did you include in your wedding?
I used my parents cake cutting knife that they has used at their wedding, and I made each member of our family a unique corsage or boutonniere. The wedding favors were vintage style brooches.
I also used peacock feathers throughout the decorations and flowers to match my husbands mallard tie. I handmade my bouquet and wrapped fabric around the stems of the flowers that I got from gauntlets my mom wore on her wedding day.
My grandma surprised me by wearing the dress that she wore to my mom’s wedding 30 years earlier.
Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette?
I did a really bad job choosing a color palette, because I love every color! My bridesmaids picked out whatever dress they wanted in whatever color they wanted. They were all different, but looked so good together.
What is the most memorable moment of your day?
My husband and I had about 10 minutes to “sneak away” after our ceremony and before the reception. We found some disposable cameras and took pictures of each other in the house right after we had just gotten married and it was just the two of us. It was so simple, yet incredibly meaningful.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
We used faux flowers. We rented flowers for the areas we needed large amounts for, such as the arch. I handmade all of the other flower decorations.
What was your biggest splurge?
My veil was the biggest splurge. It was custom made on Etsy and cost around $400. I wouldn’t have wanted any other veil!
What was your favorite details?
The personal details made everything mean so much more. I included pictures of our parents on their wedding days, and pictures of our grandparents. The history behind the people and the relationships that led to us meeting were so important to me. I did a first look with both of my parents and they both walked me down the aisle, because I was raised by both of them.
What’s the best advice you have for planning your wedding now that you’re on the other side?
Don’t be afraid to make your wedding you. I was determined to make my wedding anything but boring, because I am not scared of other people’s opinions of me. My wedding had aspects of myself and my husband both. I think it’s important to remember that yes, you are the bride – but it’s not just you getting married.
