DIY English Garden Summer Wedding
The paper DIY projects and handmade details in today’s English garden wedding are absolutely spectacular! Such an elegant ceremony, the attention to detail and time spent is evident. Great photography angles from Sherri Kaven who captured the big day. We especially love the food shots of the cake with dachshund cake topper and the yummy looking macaroons.
Remarks from the bride:
“We were married last August on the 8th year anniversary of our first date. The location of the wedding was at the Kennedy School in Portland, Oregon and the weather was absolutely perfect.
“Having our family play a large role in our wedding was important to us. My step-father was the officiant and my uncle played the music for our ceremony. Franklin, Nelson, and my dachshund, who was the first member of our small family and has been with us since the very beginning of our relationship, was the best dog. He was also included on our invites and cake topper! The personal details in our wedding made our wedding truly special for us.
What was the overall theme for the ceremony and reception?
“Our wedding style was a casual English garden look with tons of DIY handmade details, which were all handcrafted by us! Nelson (the groom) made all of the fans by hand which our guests loved because it was a hot summer evening. My favorite flowers are peonies and unfortunately they were out of season at the time of my wedding. I always dreamed of having peonies in my wedding and bouquet; we created gorgeous paper peonies that were included in my bouquet with the help of Lia Griffith, an amazing paper artist and blogger. You could not tell they were paper! We also added the paper peonies to our ceremony backdrop arbor, which we had made from recycled wood.”
What was the best advice you received?
“The best advice I received when planning my wedding is to know my budget and spend on the things that Nelson and I thought were most important and save on the things that were not as important to us. For brides planning their own wedding, my advice is to sit back and enjoy the process. Sometimes things will be super stressful, but when the day comes, it will all be worth it!”
Describe the Bride and Bridesmaids’ Attire
“I wore a lace dress. It was the first dress I tried on! I am tall so finding shoes was tricky. I ended up wearing some pretty flats with embellishments. My bridesmaids wore blush pink long dress from BHLDN.”
What accessories did you buy for your wedding day?
“I borrowed diamond earrings from my aunt and wore a pearl bracelet that Nelson surprised me with the morning of the wedding.”
What did you give your bridesmaids as a bridesmaids gift?
“Pearl Earrings.”
What were the highlights from the ceremony and reception?
“My favorite moment from the ceremony was holding my dad’s hand while walking down the aisle to Nelson. My uncle played our favorite song on his guitar for our processional. Nelson and I did not have a first look, so seeing each other for the first time was emotional and a moment I will never forget! My favorite moment from the reception was our first dance. Nelson and I are not great dancers, so we kind of giggled while dancing together and loved every moment!”
Groom’s Attire: Grey Calvin Klein suit with mint green necktie and accents.
Groomsmen Gifts: Personalized golf balls.
What wedding favors did you give your guests?
“Homemade strawberry jam that my grandma and I made together.”
Where did you go on your Honeymoon?
“We went on a cruise to the Caribbean.”
Vendor List
Venue: McMenamins Kennedy School // Paper Projects: Lia Griffith Handcraft Your Life // Stationery: Elli // Cake: Papa Haydn // Florist: Kyla Beutler Floral Artistry // Photography: Sherri Diteman Kaven // Hair and Make-up: Urbaca Salon
Meredith
Despite her dreamy wedding blogger lifestyle, Meredith's day job is running ClassicVeils.com and a full-time mom to an active toddler. If she could, Meredith would spend her days taking cruises, helping animals in need, and watching Big Brother!
I love the setup and attention to small details. The personalized glass looks great. Even the table napkins were custom.
Beautiful!