Happy Monday, loves! We’re starting the week off right with a pretty + playful backyard wedding, captured by the super lovely Katie Pritchard. Katie is not only a talented photographer, but our amazing editorial assistant + a vital part of the GWS team! But, ok, enough of the gushing, let’s hear more about this gorge wedding you’re about to see! :)
Ann-Marie + John decided to pick an overall vibe for their day, before they even began to think about the details. Such a smart idea! Inspired by the organic wood tones + textures that come to mind when you think of the term “rustic” and the bright happy colors of a party, they coined their own descriptive motto for the day, and let the crafting begin from there. Here’s a bit more about it all from Ann-Marie:
Once we had our “Rustic Party” theme determined, it was fairly simple to choose our color palette and begin the search for elements that would fit the theme. John is a graphic designer and I am a crafter/designer, so we had no excuse not to DIY everything that we possibly could! We spent months thrifting for glassware and other decor elements. We hand-wrote our own vows on clipboards we made ourselves. We broke as many traditions as we possibly could, including foregoing a white dress for blush pink and taking the bulk of our photos before the ceremony. We spent countless hours creating DIY details, both big and small. With the help of so many amazing friends and family members, we transformed a simple backyard into the rustic party of our dreams!
This bouquet is pretty outrageous, no? It (along with all of the florals!) was skillfully designed by LA based floral guru, Veronica of Willow + Jade.
Such fun bouts for the guys!
Ann-Marie’s dress was a $40 BHLDN clearance find! Combined, her dress and shoes came to less than $100. Total proof that you don’t have to spend a fortune to pull together a beautiful outfit.
Processional: Stuck on You (Instrumental Version) – Lionel Richie
Recessional: Wouldn't It Be Nice – The Beach Boys
First Dance: Still in Love with You – Al Green
Ann-Marie: I remember dancing to one of my favorite songs surrounded by all of my favorite people and noticing that everyone was smiling and laughing in this beautiful environment we worked so hard to create. Our guests were having a great time, my husband and I were having a great time, and in that instant, all the months of wedding planning stress and anxiety paid off.
John: My favorite moment was when we first sat down for dinner and I really got to a chance to see the amount of friends and family that had come out to support us on our special day.
Major love for the gorgeous reception, which was beautifully designed by Ann-Marie + Design Hunter LA. From the floral garlands, to the creative place cards, to the mismatched, colorful tableware, it all looked so vibrant + fun!
And you definitely won’t want to miss the super sweet video by Ellay Films!
Don't worry about figuring everything out immediately. Take time to let things percolate until you feel that you are ready to proceed. We are the poster children for changing our minds at the last minute (we switched venues with less than two months to spare!), yet it could not have worked out better if we had planned it far in advance. Remember to enjoy all of the events leading up the actual wedding: the engagement party, the bridal shower, the bachelor / bachelorette parties, the rehearsal dinner, etc. There's so much more to getting married than just the big day alone. Oh, and be sure to create an Instagram hashtag! We had the best time going through all of the fun photos that our guests contributed to our #ammlovesjohn feed!
photography: Katie Pritchard // venue name: Private Residence in Simi Valley, California // florals: Willow + Jade // wedding dress: BHLDN // bride's shoes: Seychelles // hair stylist: Jamie Jubran // makeup artist: Jamie Jubran // videography: Ellay Films // paper goods: Ann-Marie Loves // catering: DiVine Catering // cake: Heather Mason // music: EJMAR SOUNDS // event design: Ann-Marie Loves and Design Hunter LA // bridesmaid dresses: Modcloth, Sosie, Forever 21 // rentals: Party Pleasers // second shooter: Bethany Gilbertson
All the colors are amazing!
Adore it! Love the colour pallette
WOW….this wedding is absolutely gorgeous. From the bouquet to the dress our mouthes are completely dropped. I love the peach color dress, very unique BUT WORKS! ….and the bridesmaids. The sea-foam green/teal color really accented the brides dress. We are definitely going to use your blog as inspiration. What a lovely wedding!
I loved the signs! I couldn’t help but sing “Everybody dance now! Duh, Duh Duh Duh, Duh…” HaHa
Beautiful pictures of a beautiful memory.
Wow!! This is soooo gorgeous!! Love the colors, the dress, details, everything!! Amazing images!
What an absolutely beautiful wedding. Everything is so perfect. This is exactly how I want my wedding – earthy, vintage, colourful and fun!
Such a fun wedding! I loved the bride’s dress, the groom’s party’s shirts, and the bouts were so great! Beautiful photography by the lovely Katie, as always <3
-Ashley
I had to pop over to see Ann-Marie’s wedding photos, and wow, they do not disappoint! Such gorgeous photography, a gorgeous couple, gorgeous florals, ok just a GORGEOUS wedding.
Fantastic photography!! Love the bridesmaid dresses and the bouquet!
gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!!!
Some amazing inspiration here! Love all the DIY touches that make the day so personal. Based a blog posting on it! Also, the video is exactly what a wedding video should be!
wow such a multi colored wedding…just love the theme and arrangements..brilliant execution indeed.
Love the flowers and his bow tie
I adore the neutral tones with the splashes of bright colours. And I just *love* that ‘everybody dance now’ sign!! Congrats Ann-Marie & John x
Now that is one AWESOME wedding! High fives all round :)
Love the gold fringe, I bought a bunch for my wedding too!
Absolutely wonderful wedding…. Everything is so perfect. I loved the bride’s dress, the groom’s party’s shirts, and the bouts were so great! brilliant theme, dance and arrangements..
Really enjoyed your pictures. Such a great place to take them. Thanks for sharing.