Let’s talk wedding decor. How did you decorate your space for the ceremony and the reception?
Our space was extremely DIY decorated, as we didn’t want to prioritize spending a lot on the decoration itself! My mother in law helped a great deal with it, & we ended up with a minimalist burlap look. We decorated with a lot of wood, rope and burlap. We did the same for the reception & ceremony.
What was the biggest thing you did to save money?
We made our own bouquets for the bridesmaids, had our family DJ with a playlist, had my cousin help with coordination, and really focused on what was important to us. We made a mission statement of what we wanted our wedding to be about from the beginning: to love God and love each other.
What were the florals like in your wedding? Did they play an important part in the overall style of your wedding?
We did DIY florals! We ordered baby’s breath and eucalyptus ahead of time so we could make bridal bouquets and a few decorations throughout the ceremony. Because our backdrop for the ceremony was the Rocky Mountains, we kept our decorating quite minimal. We had an arch with a few flower pieces on it. Other than that, however, we didn’t have a ton of florals. My bouquet was my favorite floral as I love sunflowers and wanted those to hold!
Did you personalize the day in any way?
We personalized it with having our grandparents participate in the ceremony, and read Bible passages throughout. We also did personalized vows and a unity ceremony of braiding a cross.
What were some of your favorite parts of your wedding?
My favorite part was during our rehearsal dinner. We washed each others’ feet, our bridal parties’, and parents’ as well. We wanted everyone to know how much we loved and appreciated them.
Lastly, our exit was with paper airplanes our guests had made during dinner!
Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look?
My husband is a Naval Officer, so his look was his Dress Whites. A few of his groomsmen were also in the Navy and they accompanied that look.
My dress was from a bridal consignment store. I loved the classic look of the satin and corset back. The train was quite extensive and I wanted to pair that with a pearl veil as my middle name is Pearl! My heels were sparkly (every girl needs some sparkle) and I changed into PF Flyers during the reception.
What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
Finally becoming husband and wife! Knowing him since I was 8 made this day so surreal, and we were so excited to start our life together. We didn’t do a first look, but instead did a first prayer without seeing each other. That was so special, and so was seeing him for the first time walking down the aisle. What a joy marriage is!
Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
The wedding is wonderful, but the marriage is so much more important! Remember your priorities when planning. The color of the table cloths or the size of the napkins doesn’t really matter, but marrying your best friend and the love of your life does.
