Rustic farm weddings just feel so cozy, and today’s feature wedding is no exception. Gorgeous greenery, lush blooms and a long summer sunset accent the ceremony and reception beautifully as the party gets started. Kelsey and Joshua’s wedding was full of family – and photobooth – fun! They found ways to honor parents they both had lost, incorporating songs into the ceremony and heirloom mementos into the wedding décor to include them. So sweet and sentimental, and perfect for this DIY wedding powered by the hearts and hands of family and friends.
Kelsey + Joshua | August 24, 2013 | Lacey, Washington | Dress Listing: Monique Lhuillier, Miranda
The Ceremony
I would describe our ceremony as light and fun with a touch of sentiment. We included a knot-tying ceremony of a double fisherman’s knot, which is so strong that the rope will break before the knot comes undone and only gets stronger under pressure, which we hope will also be true of our marriage. The ceremony was officiated by my stepbrother Brandon while my other step-brother, Colton, sang “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers. They both nailed it. We walked down the aisle to “Your Hand in Mine” by Explosions in the Sky, an instrumental band we’ve seen multiple times, and exited to “Golden Years” by David Bowie to honor my dad who passed away last February.
The Reception
The reception was magical and overflowing with love. We collected decorations, mismatched plates, silverware and jars from thrift stores and antique shops over the course of a year. We sewed old lace tablecloths together to drape from the ceilings and collected curly willow branches from a neighbor for decoration within the barn where we served food and danced. We also incorporated many pieces of décor from Josh’s mom’s belongings, who passed away in January of this year from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
About 90% of the flowers in our wedding were grown in my parent’s garden and my aunt, a florist by trade, put together all the bouquets and flower arrangements for us! A close friend of ours wrote us a song, which he sang to us while he played his acoustic guitar. Another lifelong family friend wrote us an amazingly hilarious 8-minute parody of “Stairway to Heaven,” detailing the almost 10 years of dating history between Josh and I. At the end of the song, she passed out kazoos to all the guests (a complete surprise to us!) and everyone kazooed the melody! Family and friends made all of the food and desserts, all of which were delicious. The day was very “us,” filled with personal touches, lots of loving help from friends and family, and a homemade photo booth area.
Kelsey’s Dress Search
I was pretty wedded to the idea of lace. I had always wanted a strapless dress, but also loved a low back, which is almost impossible to have with a strapless dress just due to gravity! 🙂
I saw a picture of the Monique Lhuillier Miranda and I fell in love. The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the skinny shoulder straps because I thought that it made me look kind of gangly, so I added the capped sleeves and it made a HUGE difference.
How Kelsey Felt in Her Wedding Dress
Elegant, beautiful, comfortable.
Why Kelsey Decided to Sell Her Wedding Dress
We had a very small budget for our wedding, so I bought the dress with the intent to sell it after I wore it. I tried to ensure that the majority of the alterations I had done could be reversed for this very reason.
