Real Weddings: Karis + Josiah

From Me:When I first saw the photographs from Karis' and Josiah's wedding, I immediately feel in love not only with all their DIY touches, but with the atmosphere of their wedding. From the start of their "First Look" to the end of the night with the release of the lanters, their wedding was adorable, charismatic, had tons of great DIY ideas, and was beyond rustic-tastic!

Karis & Josiah - Thank you so much for sharing your big day with us! We wish you a lifetime of love and adventure together! Congratulations!

From the bride:I never dreamt of getting married like the typical little girl. I hadn’t planned what dress I would wear or the color scheme or what flowers I would have. But as soon as we got engaged, one thing sparked in my memory: Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, AR. We just had to get married there! It was rustic, organic, and homey.

Josiah and I are really laid back people. We both agreed that we didn’t want a fussy wedding in an uninspired local banquet hall. After booking the chapel, everything else fell into place. I let my bridesmaids pick there out dresses with the only guideline being that I wanted the dresses to be "coffee colored". Basically, shades of creams and browns. With loads of help and creativity from my artist mother, we created a DIY wedding that felt like home.

My goal was a simple, romantic wedding with touches or vintage and DIY elements. For the reception, I wanted less of a dance party and more of a big family get together. And coffee. There had to be coffee! I think my the most memorable part was our send off. We used biodegradable floating lanterns. It was so special and such a beautiful sight to watch them float out above the lake at our reception venue.



Photography by: Photo Love Photography

Autumn Wedding DIY Ideas

There's only a couple of weeks left for autumn to officially start! Is anyone else as excited as I am? There is something so warm about autumn weddings. Maybe it's the idea of fire pits and roasting marshmallows or long-sleeved wedding dresses that sounds enticing, but I almost find myself wishing Joe and I had gotten married in autumn! I love this pumpkin DIY table decor idea. Source: weddingchicks.com via Nicole on Pinterest Others: Made from scratch S'mores. Rustic DIY ring box. Barrels reception decor. Table numbers stamped on sack cloth bags. Burlap utensil holders. Soda/beer pumpkin tub. Pumpkin ceremony decor.

Real Weddings: Stacey + Alex

Today I have an ever so lovely winery wedding to share from the talented Indianapolis Wedding Photographer, Stacy Able. Thank you Stacy for sharing this wonderful wedding with us!

To Stacey and Alex, thank you for sharing your big day with my readers. I wish you a vast amount of congratulations as well as an eternity of happiness together!

From me: What makes this weeding so wonderful to me is just the overall vibe; there are so many details that are so awesome individually from the ticket stub invitations to the centerpieces with bright magenta flowers to the pies. Add a joyful pup to the mix, and put all those great details together, and you've got yourself a pretty captivating wedding. Best of all these details are easy to steal...well, lets call it borrowing so it doesn't sound so bad, from the checkers board to the wood signs used in this wedding. You can make your own of everything with a little creativity and time.



From Stacy:

The wedding took place June 9th, 2012 at Castle Finn Winery in Marshall Illinois. The Bride and Groom, Stacey and Alex, worked over a year collecting the various jars and antiques for the wedding along with making countless bunting signs and details for their big day. It was a mild, sunny June day with a touch of a breeze with the most magnficient puffy white clouds and blue sky. The guests were greeted by the couple's dog, whom was trained to carry the toss bouquet, as well as chilled water in antique buckets. The couple wanted a outdoorsy, relaxed, day filled with games, family, and friends to celebrate their nuptials. From the bunting, to the tiny cupcake flags, no detail was left untouched. Even the garter and florals were assembled by the Bride and family/friends.

Q & A with Bride and Groom Stacey and Alex:

Favorite Moment: Everything had come together perfectly and that day was amazing in every way. The most meaningful part of the day was walking down the aisle and seeing the look on Alex’s face as he saw me for the first time that day.
BFunniest Moment: Definitely the speeches from Jenny an Taz!

Favorite Detail: The Dresses! Mine and the bridesmaids

Advice for planning brides: Remember what they day is all about. You are getting married to the love of your life and about to celebrate with all your friends and family. Just breathe and don’t sweat the small stuff.

First Dance Song? Old 97′s Question

Honeymoon plans? Western Caribbean Cruise

Vendor listing:Photographer: Stacy Able Photography www.stacyable.com Wedding Gown: Angelina Faccenda by Mori Lee | BM dresses: After Six Bridesmaids style 6636 | Mens suits Grey suits by Jean Yves | Cake: Tammy Roberts | Catering: Our wonderful family | Flowers: Tammy Roberts| Dj: Family Friend Bill Fulton | Venue: Castle Finn Winery Marshall, Il