I guarantee you this: read this darling bride’s crazy cool description and you will absolutely love her. And I mean LOVE her. Because she’s the type of bride that is totally crafty + adorable + funny… and she really, really knows how to throw a fabulous party. I’m talking DIY details, vibrant colors and a breathtaking farm setting. See every beautiful moment captured by Krystal Muellenberg right here.
From The Bride… Rob and I met at a party, not four weeks before I was scheduled to make a cross-country move from Illinois to Arizona. We wound up sitting in the kitchen and talking the whole night and then – despite my solemn vow *not* to start seeing anyone until I moved to Arizona – went on a date a week or so later. When it came time to move, I wound up making it halfway across the country before conceding that something was telling me to stay in Illinois a little while longer. So I turned around. And two years later, Rob proposed.
And then I got to work bringing all the pictures and ideas I had flagged for the past 27 years to life. Come on now. We (almost) all do it.
From the beginning, the goal was to have a wedding that was laid-back, eclectic, and full of DIY details… and also pretty, I’m a fan of the pretty. We didn’t want anything fancy or stuffy, as we are not fancy people (definitely not- quite literally the first thing I did after saying “I do” was spill bruchetta down the front of my dress! And my veil got stuck in a bush as I walked down the aisle! Seriously, not fancy people.) I love late summer, that final exhale of warmth, light, and color, and I wanted our wedding to be a snapshot of that- that final moment of sun and vibrancy before fall creeps in and color begins to fade away… this is partially why our wedding was during the last official weekend of summer. And while much of the day was overcast, the sun made a sleepy appearance for our ceremony… then made up for lost time and put on an amazing show with one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen.
As for the personal touches and details – I scoured thrift stores across the country during various travels to find the items for out centerpieces – there are items from Illinois, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Arizona, and North Carolina. Both my husband and I love to travel, and thought having all these items from our travels would be a subtle (and also meaningful!) way to incorporate that into our big day. The french macaroons on our dessert table came from our favorite Bakery in Tempe, Arizona (of all places). The cookies were the recipes of my late grandmother, “The Cookie Lady.” The cookies and other baked goods were made by my bridesmaid Heather. I offered assistance here by cracking eggs and not dropping anything – I am a hopeless baker! Rob and I made all the invitations and wedding programs using paper from Paper Source, double-sided tape, and the greatest of all wedding purchases – a paper cutter. My father, an artist, painstakingly decorated the chalkboard easel welcoming guests to the day. I spent an inordinate amount of time creating over 30 paper dahlias, which were made of coffee filters, masking tape, straws, and ribbon. I enlisted the help of my aunt to create the ribbon backdrop to our ceremony. I used ribbon I bought in bulk, shredded pieces of gauzy curtains I bought at Goodwill, and old lace curtains we found in my Aunt’s attic. I am truly, truly grateful for the help I received from family and friends.
After the memories of the centerpieces and music fade, we wanted our guests to remember the feel and vibe of the wedding. And we wanted them to feel comfortable and feel at home. We kept the guest list relatively small, so the wedding would still have an intimate, friendly feel. We had two lounge areas set up with vintage furniture (provided by Violet and Pearl Vintage Revival, and Heritage Prairie farms) and our favors were little jars of honey. Our menu was farm to table themed – corn on the cob, summer salad, roasted herbed chicken, chive smashed potatoes. We wanted dinner to feel like a family summer meal with a slightly fancified twist. This vision came to life beautifully by Heritage Prairie farms, with many ingredients coming from the farm itself. We closed the night with s’mores around a campfire.
I know say many brides say this, and I’m okay with being repetitive – it was truly the wedding of my dreams. Rob and I look back, and wouldn’t change a single thing. All the hard work and elbow grease paid off- and the photo’s by Krystal Muellenberg captures the day perfectly, and the pictures bring the whole day to life. It was the perfect day to start our lives together.
Photography: Krystal Muellenberg | Floral Design: Petal Play Design | Wedding Dress: Volle's Bridal Boutique | Cake: The Artful Baker | Shoes: Caparros | Catering: Heritage Prairie Farms | Makeup: Jessica McKane Makeup | Hair: Infinity Salon | Grooms Attire: Macy's | Wedding Venue: Heritage Prairie Farms | "Pick A Seat" Sign: Sweet Carolina Collective | Bride's Sash: Marisa Bridals | Rentals: Violet And Pearl Vintage Revival