For a lot of us, a backyard wedding is the epitome of the ideal wedding. Maybe it’s because we’ve watched Father of the Bride one too many times, but we don’t think that’s quite it. The backyard wedding we’re dreaming of is down-to-earth and personal. There’s something incredibly touching about starting your new family in the place where your forever-family raised you. And while most of our family homes don’t have yards that are big enough or beautiful enough to make our big day as incredible as we want it to be, our next couple, Kristin and Bryan, had just that and they put it to the best use possible.
While wearing a Jenny Woo dress, Kristin walked down the aisle at her parent’s home near Sacramento, California. Her dad gets all the credit for spending years building their backyard into a refuge that borders on botanical garden.
The site of the ceremony was anchored by an old draping willow tree. The scene was romantic enough to give goosebumps to the entire guest list… and anyone looking at this image.
A sort of garland was created by tying flowers into the branches of the willow, which in turn lead to a subtle frame for the bride and groom’s to take center stage while stating their vows. The bride adds, “While the ceremony flew by, it is still such an incredible moment to reflect on now. I usually get crazy nerves in front of crowds, but it felt as though we were the only people there.”
When it comes to staging the vibe, Kristin tells us that she and Bryan “were really focused on creating a fun, relaxed atmosphere while still acknowledging the fact that getting married is a big deal! It was important to have an amazing event that all of our loved ones would enjoy, but not to create a scene that would make us totally stressed out or unable to be present. The food and drink, atmosphere and dance party were where we spent the majority of our planning time. We were going for delicious, beautiful and hysterically fun.”
Mission accomplished.
As far as adding personal touches goes, Kristin shares, “We spent a ton of time on the DIY elements, and the weeks leading up to the wedding were crazy (and super fun!). Friends and family came over every night to help us.”
And just what did they help them with? Lots of things, but let’s start with the gilded terra cotta pots, which held their beautiful gold, peach, cream and warm orange arrangements created by floral designers Scarlett and Grace. This is a project you can totally tackle yourself. We even have a tutorial for you right here.
The latest must-have for wedding fun, cornhole, is something you can also make yourself. Best of all, you can set it up in your yard after the ceremony, use it for years to come and it will serve as a reminder of your happy day. To make yours, check out Cornhole How To, a site dedicated to making the game. If you run out of time to sew the bags, Etsy is always there to help you out.
And probably our favorite (and their guests’ favorite) DIY element of the wedding was Kristin and Bryan’s favors, which doubled as escort cards. They home brewed their own beer and had a friend design the labels. Each guest went to their table (and then home!) with a four pack. Not a bad way to end an epic day. Try your own home brewing adventures with a kit or the American Homebrewers Association is happy to take you through the process.
If you want to have at least one DIY element to your wedding, table numbers are kind of the way to go. There are a million ways to do them. There are no wrong or right answers and they can be as complicated or as simple as you want. In Kristin and Bryan’s case, they were incredibly simple and beautiful. If you like the watercolor look (which we wholeheartedly encourage), we can help you out with our own little how to.
Their menus looked totally pro, but were actually made by the couple and their friends. Bryan told us that the willow tree “became a sort of motif throughout the design and was included on the menus, save the dates, etc.”
Bryan and Kristin replaced their guestbook with something we’re totally swooning over — a Wish Station, where guests made predictions about the happy couple with prompts like: “Where Do You See Us in 25 Years?”
If you ask the groom what his favorite part of the day was, he’ll tell you that it was when their photographer Kris Holland grabbed them in the middle of cocktail hour for a photo shoot in the back of the property: “We’re talking hiking through weeds, trampling on burrs, bugs and dirt. We had a great moment to reflect on all that had just happened, and we are so thankful to have had that space together.”
Bryan and Kristin left us with a suggestion that we think is a good one to pass on to all engaged couples: “We spent a weekend away a few weeks before our wedding to focus completely on writing our vows, talking about what we were hoping for from our marriage and our excitement about it all. It was a very, very special time and highly recommended!”
The couples’ final thoughts? “We were so lucky to have such an amazing community to lean on and support us through all of the planning stages. If you are planning on doing a lot of DIY, enlist your troops!” Not only will asking for help ensure that the projects you’re passionate about get finished, but it’s a way for your friends to be involved on another level.
Floral Design: Scarlett + Grace
Wedding Planner: Catrina Arcularius of Catrina Maria Designs
Photographer: Kris Holland Photography
Print Designers: Jack and Ginger Studios
Hair + Makeup: Polish and Pout
Rentals: Classic Party Rentals
If you have a super creative wedding you’d like to share, we want to know! Just send a note to editorial@brit.co or leave us a message in the comments below.
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.