I have a treat for you today - inspiring eye candy that reflects the sweet style of a precise moment in time, preserved through photos. I've always loved the idea of weddings at home and have happily attended a few. They are always special, but this one in particular is a very charming example of how combining the love of your home and the celebration of love between you and your partner can be simply "off the charts" wonderful...
This is a peek at the wedding of Michele and Ryan, at their home in Seattle, as photographed by Kristen. The bride, Michele, is a talented interior decorator and stylist - she shared some of her stories with us:
We decided to have our wedding at our lovely home! We wanted to share all the hard work we'd done at our house over the past year with our friends and family. We also wanted a relaxed and comfortable environment and to make sure that all of our pets could be there. The financially responsible part of us figured that we should spend our wedding money on something we could use after the wedding not just that day. The bulk of the wedding cost went towards home improvements (paint, new doorknobs, light fixtures, furniture, and decorations), a new deck and landscaping.
My beautiful and amazing friend, Kaye, flew out from Indianapolis two months before the wedding when I was FREAKING out because I had tried to do all of the wedding planning, purchasing everything and getting the house ready with just the help of Ryan and Jon. She is the store manager of a wedding shop in Indiana and she also does wedding flowers and wedding planning. She was such a huge help that week, and she also flew in Wednesday before the wedding and helped me get everything done while somehow managing to keep me calm. The night before the wedding Ryan said, "I really want Kaye to be in the wedding, she has helped us so much, she should be standing next to you." I, of course, agreed. The next morning when I was getting my hair and make up done Kaye got to the house early and came up to ask me what needed to be done. That's when I asked her if she would stand up next to me at the wedding. We both started crying. It was one of the best moments of my life. I love that girl.
Ryan and I actually got married March 21st at the court house downtown. We were about to take a trip to Europe and really wanted it to be our honeymoon, so we decided on Thursday March 17th to get married the following Monday. Ryan's parents flew up from Sonoma County and mine flew up from Arizona so that they could be there with us. Ryan's parents got in Saturday evening and stayed with us at the house. That night Nancy (Ryan's mom) said "Michele I have something for you." I followed her upstairs to her suitcase and she pulled out this little pouch. She held it tightly in her hand and told me, "I wanted to find you something special that was Bubbie's to wear today." Bubbie is Hebrew for grandmother. Ryan's grandmother had passed away a few month before the wedding, so this was very special. She said, "I looked through everything to find something that was the most you and these were just so you." It was a vintage set of earrings and a pin. They are pewter or silver with a little bird on each sitting on a nest with little blue eggs in it. They were perfect. I wore them at both weddings. The set is so special to me, but not too fancy that I have to keep them locked up gathering dust. I am absolutely passing this set down to my children.
Kaye did all of the flowers with some assistance from Ryan's 11 year old cousin Sarabeth. There is a farmers market two blocks from our house in Madrona at the Grocery Outlet parking lot (this is especially funny if you are familiar with good ole Gross Out) every Friday. Kaye and I went down there to see if we could get enough flowers for the wedding and found a booth filled with peonies and poppies and we knew we were set. We went home and got Jon to come help us. We grabbed a grocery cart and filled it to the brim with flowers. The woman at the booth told us her daughter had just gotten engaged a few days ago. She hooked us up! We spent $124 on flowers! Jon pushed the grocery cart home with Kaye and I behind him, and I must say he looked pretty awesome with all those flowers and two pretty ladies next to him. One of my biggest regrets on my wedding day was completely forgetting to carry the beautiful bouquet that Kaye made me for the ceremony. At least there is a picture of it in the dining room next to the cut out moose head on top of the green civil war era cabinet.
No cake, just a TON of pies made by family and friends. Ryan and I are so lucky to have wonderful mothers, aunts and grandmothers who spent hours and hours the day before the wedding making pies for us. I also had my two close friends Diana and Kate make special key lime pies for me, my favorite!
We love all things vintage and antique, so our theme was a kind of Mad Men-esq with late 50's early 60's attire. All of the decorations from the glasses, silverware, pie plates, chairs, tables, everything and I mean everything was collected by myself (with a little help from Kaye and my mom) from Goodwill and Value Village. The wonderful people in the housewares department at the Goodwill on S Lane street in Seattle knew me so well by the end. I was just there yesterday and they were all asking me how the wedding went. I love me some Goodwill. So now my house is still full great wedding treasures, and many I'm selling on my website .
Most memorable moment of your wedding day: After the band had left there was a group of about twenty of us sitting outside drinking and chatting. We pulled together all the comfy couches and chairs, it is the coolest feeling to be in your yard sitting on indoor furniture. I don't know who started it but someone said, "Ryan! Wooooh!" and started clapping. Then everyone outside joined it cheering and clapping. "RYAN!" He had the biggest smile on his face, and I knew he was thinking, I'm the luckiest guy in the world. He tells me everyday. I am so proud of him.
And advice for those planning weddings now: TIME! Weddings take time, so much time. Don't procrastinate. Get started right away and get help. No one can do this on their own. Also, just walk away. I'm the type of person that likes to be in charge of everything, but no one wants to deal with a crazy stressed out bride. If something is overwhelming you, then take a break, get some air, or pass on the task to someone you trust. Everything seems like a big deal, but it really isn't. The best moments from your wedding day are going to be the ones that aren't planned. Enjoy them.
Many, many thanks to Michele and Ryan for sharing their wedding day photos, their stories and their style with us!
Visit Michele's Website: Reinspired Home, for her vintage finds (and lots more!)
Visit Kristen's Website: Kristen Marie Photography, for all the photos of Michele and Ryan's wedding (and her other projects and contact info)
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Comments (47)
Beautiful wedding, beautiful couple, beautiful story!
From one bride to another, "BRAVO". I actually planned 3 weddings (same man, same dress), none of which were in our home, but nonetheless took much more time than I ever guessed it would. Girls, take our advice & get help from dear friends (they want to help) & enjoy every moment. We too fixed up our apt. for all our out of town family & friends to see.
lovely -
I too got married at home, many years ago. In my case it was my parents' home. But you revived a long forgotten memory. Our wedding was a shoestring affair, but I did have a bouquet made. The florist used tulips instead of the daffodils I had requested. Bridal trauma, of course. The flowers were remade with daffodils - and sat quietly on the buffet during the wedding as I totally forgot to hold them at the appropriate moments.
Beautiful. Congratulations and many blessings!
Just had my wedding at home a few months ago--same story--we wanted something more personal and spent a lot of money that would usually go toward one-shot wedding things on home improvement.
The ceremony was supposed to take place outside but it rained (thankfully it stopped in time for the party) so we had to have the vows in our living room.
http://bit.ly/nnJ1Ol for the pictures if anyone's interested.
The wedding industry makes me shudder- but your home wedding makes me feel hopeful again! After all, weddings are about starting a life together, so it makes perfect sense that you poured your energy into something that lasts- your lovely home.
Congratulations!
I was also married at home, the best thing about getting married at home is feeling that life is completely real. There really is something beautiful about walking around your childhood home in your wedding dress with your husband, surrounded by pictures of your grandparents and parents wedding photos.
I love the sentiment and the practicality of all of this. I wouldn't/couldn't ever have a huge wedding (not enough xanax in the world) and this seems like such a lovely/manageable idea. And your personal touches are so much nicer than the crap most hotels or halls would have provided.
Beautiful, intimate wedding. Congrats!
so beautiful. congrats to you both.
I love the whole vintage trend in weddings, but if you're not careful you can take it too far and it can come off more like costume party. These people seem to have struck just the right balance.
@ Aninhas, "not enough xanax in the world," too funny!! This is absolutely beautiful in every way possible. It's so much more intimate and personal than your cookie cutter, $30,000 , wedding. Congratulations!!
Beautiful story and gorgeous photos. Makes me want to get married, just so I can have a wedding like this!
This is so inspiring! My fellow and I have been putting off our wedding for lack of funds. I've always loved the idea of planning a wedding, but now that it's on MY shoulders it seems more stressful (especially on a very small budget) than fun. My parents offered their house as a venue; I shrugged it off originally because of the location, but I'm starting to think it might not be a bad idea.
@Violet Veil...swanky indeed! Great Wedding! Thanks for sharing the pics!
Congrats to you all!
Absolutely perfect. I admire the choice to spend the $$ on real world things rather that the pomp of an all out wedding.
Bonus points for wanting to included your furry family as well. Having a cat, I don't think it would be so easy, but oh, if I could!
This is so wonderful and smart. It looks like the wedding was absolutely lovely. I adore the idea of wedding costs going toward home improvement to make the space ready for the big day and beyond. Love it!
We had a very small, simple wedding - not at home though. It was so relaxed and easy. My ONLY regret is using a friend of mine as the photographer. I had seen his photos and he offered to do them as a gift - but he completely dropped the ball. I could have done a better job with a disposable camera and I'm not exaggerating. I would have LOVED to have gorgeous photos like this to capture the day.
Such a lovely wedding! Congratulations!
Lovely day. Perfect in every way. Congratulations!
@SherryEakin---I am so sorry about your wedding photographs. I am a former professional photographer---but not a wedding photographer. I've made all my friends and family mad at me because I would not take their wedding pictures. This is the one expense that is worth going with a pro. After the cake is eaten, and the flowers wilt, what you have left is the photographs.
Do not feel like you have to get a package deal. Who cares about seeing the bride and groom's hands on the knife, cutting the wedding cake, or putting on a garter. Those are rather cliche photos, along with a lot of others. By all means, encourage others to take photos at the reception (NOT during the wedding though), and stick to your budget.
So charming. Love it!
Sweet! We didn't own a home or have any money for improvements, but we eloped then invited all our friends and family anyway to our 1-bedroom apartment for a wedding party. We moved a bunch of furniture into the bedroom and shut the door, so there would be more room in the living/dining room. We hired a waiter from the local breakfast spot to help us, got a few items catered, and cooked some of our favorite dishes. And we got a plain sheet cake, which I decorated with candied flowers and the topper from my grandparents' wedding cake. With low lights and fresh flowers everywhere, it was lovely.
this is adorable - I love when people just do what makes them happy instead of what everyone else expects.
So classy, unpretentious and original. It's great to see people doing their own thing and not following the standard, tacky wedding drill. The pictures are beautiful and I think everyone would rather a home baked pie instead of a dry cake. ; )
Every detail looks charming and the bride and groom look very much in love. Sweet.
Sending this to my fiance. Exactly what I want. No toxic people that you're forced to invite, no pressure of a large venue and all the comforts of home. Perfect.
This.is.a.mazing.
I've always wanted to get married at home or at my grandmother's or parent's house. There's nothing more personal and sweet than sharing your marriage and your home. I could also see myself getting excited to put the money I would have spent on some other place, or fixing up some other place, or paying someone to tell us where to go, when "cocktail hour" is, etc etc, and putting that to good use getting our home and yard ready for the biggest party of our life.
So lovely. Beautifully conceived and executed.
One of my mother's favorite memories was her older sister's wedding during the Depression: Aunt Grace was married in the church and the reception was at the family home in the late afternoon. Only 25 guests were invited. Refreshments were tea, non-alcoholic punch, peti fours and finger sandwiches, plus home made French vanilla ice cream.
That was 76 years ago! Mom is gone. Aunt Grace is still alive at 95. Her husband died last year, after celebrating 75 years of marriage with his bride.
Congratulations to the handsome couple! I think small weddings are the best. I just got an invite to a wedding where I know the couple is trouble affording it, and not one, not two, but three registry notices fell out before I could open the actual invite.. You can't buy class.
I love it!!! Congratulations!
I love this!!! Such a terrific antidote to the costly overdone ceremonies that are popular nowadays.
yes, personal and intimate in a wide overstimulated world... Lovely.
Small IS sweet! Congratulations!!
The dog looks a bit worried!
Congratulations! How charming, and such a sensible idea!
Very, very pretty. My wedding is in a month - hope it turns out to be 1/4 as stylish as this one!
Stunning.
Kristen is photographing our wedding in a month being held at my grandparent's home. So excited to see her beautiful work on my favorite blog!
Beautiful, intimate wedding btw.
Lovely, lovely day! Everyone looks so relaxed and happy!
As an events planner, I heartily second this:
"...no one wants to deal with a crazy stressed out bride. If something is overwhelming you, then take a break, get some air... Everything seems like a big deal, but it really isn't."
Mr. Mirandajane & I were married in our tumbledown cottage. The house wasn't fully renovated yet but we put red roses in vases everywhere & also big piles of ripe mangos. I wore a slinky green dress I bought for 80 cents at the Salvation Army. A local pagan priestess performed a beautiful wedding ritual (which discombobulated my sisters-in-law--but we were letting our freak flag fly that day....). We served Indian food (from a nearby restaurant) & really splurged on a delicious wedding cake from a swanky cake place. My only regret is that I let a friend photograph the event & the pictures were horrible. I agree that you should do yourself a favor & hire a professional photographer.
Yes, always hire a great photographer, even if it costs extra. I couldn't agree more !
This is so beautiful. I love your home, your dress, your friends and family; everything is just so perfect. Congratulations!
it's such a moving wedding. sweet and lovely. love all the vintage touches around the house!
Beautiful! My fiance are trying to plan a fun wedding a reception that reflects us and our life together. we are also doing pies instead of a cake! We live in a tiny one bedroom, so we are renting a victorian home in our neighborhood. Congrats and thanks for sharing your special day!
My boyfriend and I were having this same conversation a few months back, as both of our parents had receptions at their parents house (I'm thinking most people did?) and that's what he'd like.
Michele and Ryan and Violet Veil both had beautiful weddings, so that's nice inspiration to draw from. I also like what ladyC did, would LOVE to see pics!
Upon looking at the website, can I mention how gorgeous their house is! I would LOVE to see a House Tour!
Congratulations and may I ask what paint color you used in your living room? It's beautiful!
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