Rustic-Meets-Modern Mountain Wedding: Alli + Nick

camp wedding

Alli + Nick’s woodsy mountain wedding is total proof that you don’t need to have a big budget to have an absolutely gorgeous day! This inventive couple DIY’d so many fun elements, which kept costs down + gave their day a personal spin. Inspired by vintage posters, they designed all of their own paper goods, and because their last name is Cherry, their escort cards + favors were jars of homemade cherry jam. And just wait until you see the super fun boutonnieres they hand-crafted for the fellas – definitely a fave! :) Here’s more from Alli about the day:

Nick and I are very different, but we are good compliments of each other. We made the wedding about both of us by juxtaposing the rustic elements of the outdoor venue with the simple + modern decor we made. We’ve always wanted a (semi) destination wedding. When we found the Quiet Creek Inn in Idyllwild, California, we completely fell in love with it. It felt far away, although it’s only about an hour from Palm Springs in the San Jacinto Mountains.

Big thanks to Carly Bish for the stunning photography + congrats to Alli + Nick!

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camp wedding invitation

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ballet flats


How gorgeous is Alli?! Her dress is by Free People + with a few alterations, she was able to customize it into the perfect wedding dress!

camp bride

camp wedding

groom in shades

bride and groom

bride and groom

bride and groom

bride and groom

birdcage veil

wedding party


The guys’ boutonnieres were made from ‘decapitated’ Pez dispensers glued to striped ribbon – pretty rad right?!

comic boutonnieres

comic boutonnieres

ceremony program

ceremony program

flower girl and ring bearer

groom

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Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

There were so many memorable moments! Our wedding party (and some friends) stayed at our hotel venue the night before the wedding. I remember waking up in the morning and hearing my friends + family setting up the tables and decor. They all worked so hard to help us make our day wonderful! Having their love and support made me feel so calm and loved that morning.

From our actual day, I remember walking down the aisle with my grandpa and feeling like time stood still, crying during my sister's toast, dancing with my new husband, pulling dried lavender out of my hair from our recessional, and dancing the night away to music like the Star Wars "Cantina Song" and The Muppets theme song!

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camp ceremony

camp ceremony

camp ceremony

camp ceremony

camp ceremony

bride and groom


Loving these sweet + happy portraits of the newlyweds in the woods!

bride and groom

bride and groom

bride and groom

bride and groom

striped table runners


To decorate the reception tables, Alli + Nick used succulents perched atop large wooden centerpieces, which were salvaged from a fallen tree in Alli’s sister’s backyard. Nick + his dad sanded them down and lacquered them. Alli + Nick now plan on up-cylcing them into side tables for their home!

succulent centerpieces

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first dance

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

Invest in a good photographer! Let's be real -- at the end of the day, flowers die, the cake gets eaten, but your grandkids will look at your wedding photos! Nick + I were on a pretty tight budget -- we didn't think we needed to spend a lot of money to get the intimate outdoor wedding we wanted, but the one thing we really invested in was our photographer, Carly. We were so excited to have her take our photos. She lives in Seattle, but photographs weddings in California often, so the cost was the same if we had hired someone locally. Her images are so beautiful, and I love the way she captures candid moments. I love memory keeping, but I'm not a fan of super posed photos. Carly, along with her fun hubby George, did an amazing job at capturing moments; I really appreciated that about them. They were just AMAZING!

photography: Carly Bish Photography // venue name: Quiet Creek Inn, Idyllwild, California // bridesmaid dresses: Anthropologie // paper goods: designed by Alli with help by Nick, inspired by vintage posters // calligraphy: Beanstalk Loft // photobooth: Carly Bish Photography // bride's dress: Free People // accessories: Vintage lace belt (belonged to Nick's aunt), Vintage gold bangle (belonged to Alli's grandma), veil made by Alli // groom attire: Jacket from H&M, pants from PacSun, shoes and tie belonged to Nick's Uncle // flowers: purchased from Trader Joe's, all put together by Alli // food: The Taco Lady // live band: Manouche Troubadour // wedding cake: Sweet & Saucy Shop // cake truffles: Nadia's Truffles // favor jars: Fillmore Container // lids: Fillmore Container

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