This Young House Real Wedding
A few weeks ago, I discovered THE most amazing blog. It’s actually so amazing that it has become a problem for me. The blog is called This Young House and I am sure that a lot of you are already obsessed but for those that have been living under a rock like myself, This Young House is a fabulous read for the DIY home obsessed junkie.
Well, low and behold, as I am surfing around the site, I discover that the pair has chronicled their AMAZING DIY backyard wedding. It was so cute that I asked them if we could do a profile on SMP. They agreed and we’ve actually concocted a complete SMP + This Young House mish-mash made in heaven!
Now for the low down. Sherry and John tied the knot on their two year anniversary in a fabulously chic, DIY affair in their own brand spanking new backyard. From the invitations to the decor, every little detail was crafted by their own two hands, all without breaking the bank. Before they dove head first into wedding design, they had to take a survey of the space and make sure that it was good and ready.
First and foremost, they invested some of their wedding dollars into replacing their old slate patio with cobblestone, which created an ideal space for a wooden buffet table and a grilling stationed, manned by John’s uncle…who shamelessly donned a custom apron that read, “You may now kiss the cook!”
And while they were at it, they also decided to pave their gravel driveway so as to create the perfect eating and entertaining space!
Ok, like I mentioned earlier, nearly everything John and Sherry did for their wedding was completely DIY. Between John’s cousin officiating the ceremony, a friend playing “here comes the bride” on the guitar, and relatives cooking up some gourmet fare on the grill, the pair did their best to keep things personal and meaningful.
Now on to what we love so much on SMP…the decor!
With the goal of designing a space that felt fun without scarifying style, the couple spent months collecting perfect little details that would stay well within their budget and their design ideas. The tablecloths and runners were simple white muslin and textured yellow fabric. The glassware was purchased from Ikea and the silverware from sam’s club. Buying all of their servingware ended up being much cheaper than renting it and at the end of the weekend, they were able to donate it to their favorite charity.
Rather than doing pricey flower centerpieces, John and Sherry went with vases of fruit that they bought the morning of at their local grocery store. The glass cylinders were found at Michael’s for $3.99 and the votives were found on Craigslist (purchased from a former bride for $30). The cute lemon and lime paper napkins were scored at Target.
The cute little brown favor bags held a single gladiolis bulb with easy planting instructions and photo strip of the couple that read “Plant one…on us!” And perhaps the most creative part of the table decor…the recycled wine bottles that held water, sweet tea and homemade mint lemonade.
I swear, I want to move to Richmond just so that I can be best friends with Sherry and John. They are so resourceful, so stinking creative. And yet they don’t sacrifice a bit of chic in the process. LOVE that. More on the way!
Yippie! LOVE Sherry and Jon! So glad you two got together!
this young house and SMP= match made in heaven!!!!!!!
Sheesh Abby we're totally blushing. Thanks so much for the amazing shout out. Your site is always full of such beauty that we're honored to be in the mix!
xoxo,
Sherry (& John)
I love their blog. I'm constantly stalking their site for ideas and diy projects. I'm glad you featured their wedding!
Their blog is such a great read! One of our favorites. Love Sherry & John!
Where have I been?? This Young House is such a great blog! (I love their shop, too.)
My two favorite blogs converge! John & Sherry's blog is a definite obsession along with SMP for my wedding decor needs.
Lovely feature! Ever since I stumbled upon TYH months ago, it's been on my daily must-read list right next to the New York Times. They're the best!
love them, love their blog, loved their wedding! great feature! :)
I love this blog! Sherry and John have such good taste!
(and Burger is the cutest!)
Love TYH. Sherry & John are so creative. I just came across their site a couple of months ago and I'm hooked.
I loved this wedding the second I saw it on their blog, I'm so glad you featured it!
Sweetest wedding ever and just proves that "chic" isn't limited to urban lofts or historic mansions... it's how you craft an event with what's important to YOU; not what is currently "on-trend".
Beautiful wedding and darling couple!
LOVE this wedding, its so sweet and fresh :)
Congrats on their anniversary!! Very fun and adorable wedding...and their site is the best thing ever!!
I stumbled across THY shortly after their wedding took place, but that was before I knew the wonderfulness that is Google Reader, and thus their blog fell off my radar. My FI and I are in the process of purchasing our first home, so I've been meaning to start looking for blogs that will inspire me in the home decor department. This is exactly the motivation and inspiration that I needed! Thanks so much for featuring TYH!
Wow...maybe DH and I should get married again so we can do it DIY-style!
Love Sherry & Jon, Love their Blog...sooo creative, and what a beautiful wedding. Happy Anniversary Kiddos!!
Blessings
Lisa
Hey There - Such a fun feeling day! It seems like it was just right for them. Can I ask where you got the long strings of bulb lights? I am seeking them out for my Aug event...I can only seem to find short strands. :) Christine
Hey Christine,
We actually snagged three strings of bulb lights at Target on the cheap. Then we used fishing wire to reinforce them and carabiners to hook them to the weathervane above the garage and the roof of the sunroom across the way. Since short strands of lights can be plugged into each other to create longer strands you should have no problem ending up with something lovely! Hope it helps. Good luck...
xo,
Sherry (& John)
It's all so beautiful. I wanted to ask though, where you got the tables and chairs. They look so wonderful. Did you buy them or rent them or what? Thanks, Kaylee :)
I absolutely LOVE the centerpieces and the brown paper bag bulb favors! Thanks for introducing me to their blog! Great stuff!
Hi Abby, Thanks for bringing me out from under my rock! I love Sherry & John's blog and can't wait to spend some time checking it out in more detail. Of course, I love their wedding as well. It's everything I encourage my DIY couples to achieve - personal, memorable, and stylish ... without costing a small fortune!
Hey Kaylee,
We did rent the tables and chairs from a local company called Party Perfect. Then we purchased muslin and yellow runner fabric on the cheap from a local fabric store to cover the industrial "garage sale" tables in a DIY effort to make things look a lot more polished without spending an arm and a leg on tablecloth rentals (after a bit of research we realized we could purchase all the fabric for a fraction of the cost of renting table linens for the day- plus there were no fees for washing or wine spilling!).
xo,
Sherry (& John)
With a backyard backing onto woodlands & a house the couple turned into their home, it only seemed fitting to be married and celebrate there too. Congratulations, if only we had a backyard as awesome as yours :)
these are some excellent tips that could be used for any budget conscious wedding!