Green Wedding in Washington
Hope everyone had a great weekend! I thought we could start off the week right with the most beautiful, green inspired wedding that two adorable high school sweethearts put together in Eastern Washington. It was a total DIY affair and one that completely brought the two families together. The bride actually included her entire wedding story, so rather than blab, I’ll just let her share all of the wedding goodness with you. Oh but before we get to that, let me just say that Josh Kill of Josh Kill Photography, well…killed it (I’m sure he never hears that one).
Matt and I met and began dating while we were in high school and continued our friendship and romance for the better part of the next ten years. It was not until Matt suffered a serious skiing accident that almost cost him his leg, and I was able to care for him that we realized we really were there for each other through “Better or Worse.” Eight months and three surgeries later Matt surprised me in New York City while I was working there and proposed on one knee even though his air boot cast almost caused him to lose his balance and tip over in the process!
When Matt’s parents offered their home as a site for our wedding, it seemed a natural choice to return to our hometown and the sage covered hills of Eastern Washington to celebrate our special day. We wanted to have a simple but elegant wedding that reflected who we are as a couple. We identified five items that were most important to us and tried to base all decisions with those priorities in mind. A pretty, intimate, stress free wedding that had a feeling of community was top on our list. We wanted to maintain a link to our families, to include their talents as well as those of our friends, and to preserve the integrity of the environment in every way possible. And we wanted to have fun! With my mom’s help and her intuitive ability to understand what we wanted even when I couldn’t exactly explain it to her, we were able to achieve our goals and experience the most amazing day of our lives.
Matt and I opted to have our brothers as our only attendants. My older brother immediately labeled himself as the “Best Bride’s Man”, and short of throwing me a lingerie shower, was the perfect “maid of honor”. Matt’s younger brother was the Best Man, and together they were the ideal combination to stand by our sides. We also decided to include our young friends as part of the ceremony and we were amazed at the joy they brought to the wedding. One of my most cherished memories is of riding to the ceremony site on the tailgate of an old Scout International with the kids sitting in t he back. As we approached the site the children spontaneously began to sing their own sweet version of “Here comes the Bride”. We could never have planned such an incredible moment and our guests were enchanted!
We included some special DIY projects in our celebration. My mother-in-law designed and made our beautiful wedding cake, using crab apples and pears from the surrounding orchards (not to mention 4 pounds of butter and 68 eggs!) She also created my wedding jewelry from pearls that had belonged to my grandmother. This was especially meaningful to me since my grandmother had died unexpectedly shortly after Matt and I became engaged. The earrings and bracelet were exquisite, and I know they will become family heirlooms.
My mother made all the napkins, napkin rings, table runners and spent hours on eBay purchasing 20 different antique table cloths for our table centers. She also planted 150 succulents in individual pots to use as favors and somehow also found time to make the flower girls dresses, headpieces and the vests for the ring bearer and bell ringer. My dad made the table number holders from half inch cuts from birch limbs and twisted wire. Matt and I both enjoy photography and wanted to include a very personal touch to the day. We made twenty of our favorite shots into small magnets to hold the escort cards. We then placed one of the photographs on each table, a description of where and when the photo was taken and why we liked it. The guests matched their magnets to the photographs on the table to find their seats for dinner. A good friend made two “bouquets” from lottery tickets that Matt and I each threw near the end of the evening for all our guests, explaining that we felt “lucky” to have them as our friends and family. We included ideas we had found on Style Me Pretty such as our guest book “tree”, and opted for a unity “planting” instead of a unity candle to symbolize our own growth as a couple and the importance of “growing and renewing the environment.” We saved paper by making blackboards to use at the ceremony instead of programs and whenever possible used recycled “green” products for any paper goods we needed.
We had hoped to be able to celebrate the entire evening out of doors in the beautifully lighted tents we had decorated with branches, twinkle lights and small lanterns with candles, but an unseasonable arctic wind and rainstorm swept up the valley during dinner (strong enough to blow the salad from the dinner plates!) and we were forced to move everything indoors. (So much for the Farmer’s Almanac!) Thanks to our incredible on- site wedding helper, my “Best Bride’s Man”, my gracious in-laws and many candles, the rest of the evening went off without a hitch, and it seems like we had always planned it that way. The small setting added to the intimate feeling of the evening and encouraged everyone to participate in the festivities.
Our wedding day was just as we had always hoped it would be… the best day of our lives!
Photography by Josh Kill and Tyler Thompson of Josh Kill Photography / Flowers by Janine Davis of Bloomers Floral Designs / Event Planning by Monica Simmons of Claret Designs and Events / Ceremony Location: Wenatchee, Washington (The home of Elizabeth and Fred Melton) / Invitations by Peggy Nichols of Pickled Papers / Shoes by Cole Hahn / Dress by Ramona Keveza
27 Comments about “Green Wedding in Washington”
2 Links to “Green Wedding in Washington”
Leave a Reply
| « Glitz & Glamour At The Citizen Hotel From Blooms By Martha Andrews | Valentine’s Day Wedding Inspiration » |
 |
Visit us on Facebook |
 |
Follow us on Twitter |
 |
Subscribe to our RSS Feed |
- More Style Me Pretty...
- February 14, 2012
- February 13, 2012
- February 11, 2012
- February 10, 2012
- February 9, 2012
- February 8, 2012
- February 7, 2012
- All Archives
About
Press
Advertise
Submit A Wedding
Contact
Terms Of Use
Absolutely amazing - those mountains!
Breathtaking, i adore the pics of the children too!!
Truly amazing what a view and I love how laid back yet elegant this wedding is!
Would you be able to give us a DIY on the table number holders that your dad made? I would love for my dad to make me some for our june wedding too :)
Thanks,
Sophie
Another Tree guest book! So great to see people creating their own versions!!!
Covers on hay bales - what a great idea. Love the whole rustic style!
I love that this wedding is so personal and the whole family participated. I can just imagine those kids singing at the top of their lungs and it makes me happy!
What a beautiful day, you are so blessed to have such talented and loving family to help make the event personal and special for all! The vintage table cloths are a stunning touch. I had the same question as Sophie - my dad is making birch votive holders and accessories for our tables and I would love to see the table numbers you created in more detail. Congrats!
Wow!!! I have to say I am totally impressed with this Bride and her natural beauty... inside and out! She has truly captured the essence of what a wedding should be all about. A beautiful celebration of love and commitment! The details in this case only add to the lovliness of the day with all their hidden messages of meaning. Perfection!!!
Love the pictures!! What kind of fabric was used to cover the straw? My wedding is in northern Idaho this summer, and we are using straw for seating too.
What a great cake! I love the natural feel of the whole thing!
This wedding made me totally feel memories and personal touches! This is really telling their story. I saw my mother's table linens and felt inspired again to use this type of decor' for my brides.
Love and commitment really is shining through!
This wedding would work well here in Colorado! I'm inspired! :D
Such a beautiful wedding! I am so inspired!
So many great ideas! I love all of them! I'm wondering how you made the lottery ticket 'bouquet'? I'd like to do that as well.
Where did she get that dress? Its beautiful!
From the bride.....
Thank you to everyone for your kind words! The whole process was such a special experience for us! We are so grateful for all of the creativity, hard work and support from our family and friends. I’ll try to answer a few of your questions now and get more detailed DIY instructions for the table number holders and lottery ticket bouquet posted later this evening. Good luck to all of you who are planning your weddings. It’s a beautiful journey.
Quick note; the assistant photographer, Tyler Thompson, is a super-talented artist and good friend of ours. He took several of the photographs that are shown above and has an amazing eye. http://www.newtoyork.com
Dress:
I got my dress at the Mon Ami Bridal Salon in Costa Mesa, California. It is a Ramona Kevesa design.
Marcellas La Boutique in Seattle was wonderful with the alterations.
Straw Bales:
We measured the top of the straw bale and then cut a piece of
¼ “ inexpensive quilt batting to size. Then we covered the batting with a piece of natural colored muslin that hung down on all sides and tied it in place with wide stretchy tulle ribbon, but I think any kind of ribbon or string would work. We saved money by watching for the 40% off and 50% coupons from Joann’s Fabrics when we needed to by large amounts of fabric.
More later…..
Hey bride, we love the feel of your wedding, and I agree - the mountains are breathtaking!
We're doing a planting instead of a unity candle, as well -- do you have details you could send (like how to keep it from getting to messy... did you plant it in the ground at the altar or in a pot?)? I'd love any suggestions you have!
Thanks!
karenkoop@gmail.com
Bravo for a wedding that involves lots of kids! I adore kids and feel that just because a wedding is adult doesnt mean kids cant come! I love seeing them all dressed up in lil suits and taking the best pictures ever! The one with the boy on the left half leaning over I mean how natural is that picture. If I was the bride, I would be smiling at these pics forever! BEAUTIFUL wedding!!!
This wedding left the guests caught between tears and laughter for most of the event. As Lindsey and her dad "processed" in the Scout and the children's voices rose in "Here Comes the Bride," we were all caught up in what we saw would be a wedding to remember. The setting familiar to most of us reminded me of the summer dry highlands of Scotland and I felt transported to a wild and magical place. Lindsey's choice of little girls as her maids was inspired and this wedding surprised and delighted family and friends at every turn. As Matt and Lindsey embraced the unique landscape of their rural roots, their marriage was grounded in the love and support of those honored to be present at what was undoubtedly the wedding of the year in Eastern Washington State.
My dad's initial response on how to make the table number holders:
" Think about it for a long time and then get up at 2 a.m. when you can't sleep and get to work"
I tried for a few more specific directions. Here goes..... (if you have questions/ ckipjen@aol.com)
Birch Branch Table Number Holders
Supplies:
Birch limbs
Limbing Saw
Copper Wire (16 gauge) or wire of your choosing
Liver of sulphate
Drill & bit (to match wire diameter)
Glue Gun & glue stick
Directions for one stand:
1. Saw the birch limb into rounds of desired dimensions. Ours were
approximately 3 inches in diameter and 1 ½ inch thick. Be sure to saw
straight so the stand will sit flat on the table.
2. Drill a hole (size of wire(s) in the center of the birch round about 3/8 “ deep.
3. We used leftover pieces of copper wire (two for each stand) from my in-laws' building site and stained them
black with liver of sulphate after they had been cut and coiled.
4. Cutting wire:
Our lengths for each of wire were 9-1/2” and 6-1/2” in length, coiled the desired circle radius and these fit
into the hole drilled into the birch base to accommodate both wires.
5. Coiling the wire:
Use needle nosed pliers and wrap the wire around the end of the nose of the pliers.
As you are wrapping the wire, shape it by hand to the desired circle radius that you want.
Caution,: it to several attempts to achieve the shape wanted.
Then dip the shaped coil in the liver of sulphate if using copper wire and wanting it to be black), and stand
them upright in a mason jar. Once dried, wipe off the excess sulphate & flakey residue.
6. Cutting wire:
Our lengths for each of wire were one wire @ 9-1/2” and one @ 6-1/2” in length.
Then we coiled the wire into the desired circle radius and these fit into the hole drilled
into the birch base to accommodate both wires.
4. Put a drop of glue in the hole in the birch round and stick the wires in the hole.
6. Allow glue to dry around wire in hole, before placing photo in coil.
What a stunning cake! BRAVO! And the flower girls are so stylish, definitely a great way to showcase these little ladies! Overall a truly beautiful day that shows us all that we can be a little green while still being plenty chic :O)
Absolutely stunning location and wedding!
These wedding pics are beautiful !!
Lindz, I was not able to make your wedding...While searching through the most beautiful weddings on style me pretty I came across yours:) My beautiful cousin. I love you so much and am so glad I saw this. You have such an amazing outlook on life and are so creative!! xoxo sweetie
ash
I love the idea of the plant as favors. Do you mind sharing how you did that?
Thanks!