See Why a Backyard Wedding Was So Important to this Couple

Melissa Baran
January 5, 2017
Categories: Real Weddings, Romantic
Tags: Intimate

When it comes to choosing your wedding venue, considering family is always important. And sometimes that means saying your I do’s right at home, where the heart is. That’s exactly what this beautiful duo did for Dad, who had been battling ALS for eight years. Sadly, he passed before the celebration—but it’s clear in these captures from Betsi Ewing that his spirit was there to warm all. See the rest in The Vault!

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From the Bride… Jonny and I met our first day of high school, seated next to each other in Spanish class, and the rest, as they say, is history. We were together for 12 years the day we walked down the aisle. It is so special to find your soul mate so young and grow up together. We really wanted our wedding to be a reflection of that love. A celebration finally bringing our families together after all those years. Our cousins acted as the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen, and Jonny’s sister and my two brothers served as our Maid Honor and Best Men; it truly was a family affair.

My dad had been battling ALS for about 8 years when we were planning our wedding, so we decided the best location for our reception would be in my parent’s backyard, where he could be there as much or as little as he was comfortable with. We also loved the idea of having no restrictions, and wanted our wedding to have to have that fun, cozy and intimate vibe where people felt like they could let loose and party all night. In order to accommodate our 250 guests, we covered the pool with Plexiglass and added disco lights underneath for a dance floor. We transformed our modest backyard into an elegant, romantic, enchanted Gatsby garden. The place was packed, but it had a warm and welcoming feel. Sadly, my Dad passed away 2 months before the wedding, but the decision to have the reception in my childhood home, where we grew up together, really brought a lot of comfort to us. His presence was felt throughout the day, from my wedding dress (which he picked out), to my parents wedding rings, which were given to Jonny and I to exchange as our wedding bands.

While the reception was at our house, we knew we wouldn’t be able to fit all 250 guests for our ceremony back there as well. We were able to find a beautiful church right down the street with amazing architecture – stained glass windows, hanging lanterns, wood beam ceilings – a historic gem in the Valley! Jonny’s mom and sister went to every Home Goods in the surrounding area to find these beautiful lanterns that we spray painted gold and used at the backdrop to the alter. The room was so dramatic and stunning that we really didn’t need much else!

We wanted to have a memorable send-off from the church to the reception and enlisted one of my Dads friends who collects classic cars to help us out. He showed up the day of the wedding with this beautiful white convertible Corvette with red leather interior. It was perfect, and such a fun addition to the day!

Music is really important to Jonny and I, and we wanted to make sure to incorporate some fun musical elements into the day as well. My cousin Frank sang “Can’t Help Falling In Love” as I walked down the aisle, and my Grandpa, his best friend/my Uncle Emil and my brother Sam performed as a jazz trio during our cocktail hour. Our friends are in an amazing cover band and kicked off the dancing, but since we also wanted them to enjoy the party with us, we had them share the night with a DJ as well. We discovered DJ As-Is spinning at a friends birthday party at a bar in Hollywood one night. He was playing our favorite retro hits and had everyone dancing on the tables. Jonny and I looked at each other and immediately knew we had to have him for the wedding. They had all of our guests dancing and singing all night long – the music was truly unforgettable!

We couldn’t have pulled this off without the help and support of our amazing family and friends. We didn’t have a wedding planner and they were there for us every step of the way, making sure the day was memorable and full of love.

Besti Ewing Studio did such an incredible job capturing our wedding. I am filled with so much love and joy every time I look at the photos and video they created that day. I am forever grateful for the beautiful moments and memories that will last a lifetime!