A Backyard Barn Wedding in the Woods: Lauren + Bud

frame ceremony backdrop

Lauren + Bud never viewed their wedding as a wedding – to them it was a big party to celebrate the start of their new life. :) They choose to get married around the corner from Lauren’s parent’s home in Missouri. It was a special location to them and they got to build the venue into their own unique creation. When they first started the barn was filled with scrap metal and the weeds were as tall as they were! The entire ceremony site was a complete reflection of all the hard work put in by their  families and was a total transformation. I just love the giant frame they had built that they were married in front of! Such a perfect backdrop for the ceremony, right?!

Thanks so much to Alec Vanderboom for the photos and congrats to Lauren + Bud!

first look

first look

bride

invitations

Our Musical Choices

Processional: Wedding Party: Such Great Heights – Iron & Wine; Bride: Canon in D

Recessional: All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

First Dance: Thank You – Led Zeppelin

We had such a hard time deciding our first dance song. We went back and forth between The Beatles and Van Morrison for an entire year. Finally a week before the wedding my husband played “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin and it was a no brainer. That song represented every part of us and that day. “And so today, my world it smiles, your hand in mine, we walk the miles, Thanks to you it will be done, for you to me are the only one”

flower girls

 ceremony

frame ceremony backdrop

 ceremony

 ceremony

Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding

The most memorable moment for both of us was after the ceremony when we joined the cocktail hour. There was so much anticipation because we had not seen the venue since it had been set up. As we walked in a wave of happiness came over us and everything came to life. The flowers, the jazz music, the rustic feel and all of our loved ones surrounding us – It was so surreal.

Can I have another? :) My favorite moment of my husband was when he hopped on the drums with the band and began to improvise “Heard It Through The Grapevine”. Everyone loved it and went wild – they thought he had practiced for months. I love his spontaneity and this made my night!

wedding party

bridesmaids

groomsmen

bride and groom

bride and groom

reception


Bud’s favorite part of the planning was picking out the late night snacks – chicken fingers and queso (a representation of his bachelor days). Since Bud is from the East Coast, I was really excited to introduce local moonshine to all the New Yorkers flying into small town Missouri. We arranged for Copper Run Distillery to come down and serve our favorite moonshine margaritas during the cocktail hour. We also passed out mini bottles of champagne and confetti poppers to pop when we were announced husband and wife. It’s the small stuff!

rustic wedding

cigar bar

rustic wedding

rustic wedding

rustic wedding


And their wedding film by Something Blue Cinema

Fun Tip: Don’t be afraid to make a weekend of your wedding! Our guests loved participating in karaoke on Friday night and brunch on Sunday. It keeps them entertained and gives you a way to pay back for their travels. It gave us so much more time to catch up with friends and relatives and meet new ones. We weren’t trying to fit everyone in the night of our wedding and that made it so much more relaxing.

Our Advice To Those Planning Now

Don’t focus on things you can’t control! The week before my wedding I was stalking the forecast and worrying about all the guests arriving safely. I was getting so upset as the weather changed every single day, would it rain, would the sun come out, would it be too cold? I frantically ordered cute umbrellas and matching rain boots and at the end of the day it didn’t pour down rain until later that night. It made the whole experience so much more memorable and we heard some great stories at brunch the next day.

photography: Alec Vanderboom Photography // venue name: private property, Missouri // wedding dress: Enzoani and Dimitras Bridal // hairpiece: Fascinating Creations // bride's shoes: Glint // bridesmaid dresses: their own selection to reflect their personal style // hair stylist: makeup by Ty Harshman, hair by Chelsea Gregg, Swank Salon // makeup artist: makeup by Ty Harshman, hair by Chelsea Gregg, Swank Salon // groom attire: Karl's Tuxedo // paper goods: Posh Paperie // catering: Infused Catering // cake: Beth's Bake Shoppe

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