Devon + Matt | Backyard
THE PLANNING
When we talk about backyard weddings being beautifully elegant, you’ll see us pull out photos of Devon and Matt’s day! The couple chose our Elegance Package, which is crafted specifically for backyard weddings and includes access to all of our decor inventory and delivery of these items. Our backyard package involved us making a trip out to their grandma’s home, the location of the wedding, right after they booked to get a feel of the property and lay of the land. The house is right on Virginia Lake, providing the perfect lakeside wedding vibes. We helped the couple decide on a tent style, chairs, decor, and a layout to optimize the space and flow of events taking place. We also made sure to have a rain plan in place, which is crucial for any backyard wedding.
We had the pleasure of meeting Devon and Matt in person one time, but most of our meetings took place over Zoom as the couple lives in Texas. The bride had a wonderful vision for the day, and we were so happy to help bring it to life! The couple was so sweet to work with, we loved sharing ideas with one another to create this day!
The Wednesday before the wedding, we were on site to manage the tent delivery and setup. We also took this time to prep as much as possible, which included running extension cords, placing garbage cans, and organizing decor. This is also when we delivered our furniture that the couple rented, and Linen Effects delivered the stunning clear acrylic head tables and tall candle holders. Nelson Sanitation stopped by the same day to drop off the bathroom trailer, which was decked out with AC and radio!
Needless to say, set up days are our favorite! Watching all our plans come to life and creating the perfect venue in a backyard with a great team of vendors… it’s always so exciting! As Wednesday came to an end, we were all prepped and ready to celebrate Devon and Matt with their 100 guests that upcoming weekend!
THE MORNING
On the wedding day, the ladies were on site bright and early and started getting ready in the house. Silvie Hair Studio and Blend by Natalie worked together to ensure the ladies were feeling their best in their wedding day glam! Meanwhile, the RE team put finishing touches on the decor, greeted vendors, and pinned boutonnieres on the guys.
The couple opted on not doing a first look, so we made sure that they never crossed paths before the ceremony. The RE team got to sneak a peek at Devon that morning, and we knew Matt would be head over heels as soon as he saw how stunning his new bride looked in her Ivory Bridal Co gown!
While the wedding party soaked in the joys of wedding morning, the RE team ensured everything was perfect before guests started to arrive. The day was coming together exactly as planned!
THE CEREMONY
The ceremony site was picture perfect! To match their theme, the bride chose to have clear acrylic chairs for guests to be seated in. They also rented a round stage for them to stand on during the ceremony and had a custom fabric cover made to fit it. Tami from Studio B Floral created 6 tall floral installations to be placed around the front of the stage, and sprinkled petals down both sides of the aisle. Studio B Floral is fantastic at creating any floral masterpiece to match your wedding vibe. We can’t recommend them enough!
We directed guests to be seated, and then the RE team began releasing the wedding party, which included the couple’s children, down the aisle. The groom entered with both moms and escorted them to their seats. The ring bearers, Logan and Kaiden, were close behind with the couple’s dog, Bella. We love the flower collar that Studio B Floral made for her! Both sets of flower girls walked down before the bride, leaving a trail of flower petals behind them. Devon then made her grand entrance down the steps with her father to “Halo” by Beyonce. This was the first time Matt got a glimpse of his bride… his big smile with tear filled eyes says it all!
Devon’s dad was also the officiant, which was such a special touch to their day! He got a chuckle from guests when as the officiant he asked “who gives this woman to this man” and then answered his own question, with “her mother and I”. Between his sweet words and the couple’s vows they wrote for one another, there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience!
As the couple shared their long awaited kiss, guests prepared the confetti poppers that the RE team had placed on each seat and popped them as the newlyweds headed down the aisle! This moment made for iconic photos and video clips by the amazing Flow Event Group!
After the ceremony, the couple took a moment to themselves to pop a bottle of champagne and take a little boat ride! Meanwhile, guests helped move the ceremony chairs to the reception tent, and the RE team cleaned up the poppers and moved the stage flowers to the entrance of the tent and photo booth area.
THE RECEPTION
As cocktail hour started, guests enjoyed passed appetizers and an open bar provided by Abritin. The couple also had a live painter, Paintings by Madelynn, that guests could watch as she painted a beautiful image of the lake! The RE team made sure our photo booth was set up and ready to go with the white sequin backdrop in time for cocktail hour. It stayed open until the end of the night. We loved watching guests have fun taking photos and making memories!
We couldn’t show you this beautiful wedding without elaborating on all of the amazing details that went into the decor. First off, of the tent from Apres was a clear top tent and was amazing! Apres hung twinkle lights throughout the top of the tent, along with three chandeliers down the center. This kept the romantic vibe going throughout the entire night!
The bride wanted everything to feel clean and sleek. We made sure to keep this vibe consistent, even down to the white dance floor from Apres! They also provided the acrylic bar, which was paired with our rustic display shelf for a fun bar vibe. Tami with Studio B Floral provided the dinner table decor, which consisted of low floral compote arrangements and clear taper candle holders on a few tables, and tall candle holders from Linen Effects with floral at the base on others. The varying heights of table decor added depth to the space, which was especially important with the clean white theme! Devon and Matt provided silver chargers that were paired with a raw edge napkin and crisp white full length linens from Apres. The head table consisted of three acrylic tables from Linen Effects that were placed into a T layout with the bride and groom sitting on the end. These tables are similar to a farm table, but made out of clear acrylic, so fun! Studio B Floral provided a baby's breath floral garland down the center along with a few candles. It was the perfect simple touch!
As guests entered the tent, they passed through a floral entrance made by Studio B Floral that led to the bar. Once everyone found their seats, the couple did a grand entrance (and their dog, Bella, made sure to make an appearance too)! Dinner was served by Abritin and consisted of a plated salad with a plated dinner. The RE team got the opportunity to sample each meal option, so we can confirm that the food was very tasty! We heard nothing but great reviews about the dinner, guests were raving all night long!
Oh, and we can’t forget the moment Flow Event Group took the couple aside to get a few photos with their getaway car. They turned out like something straight out of a romance film!
As dinner wrapped up, the couple stepped to the side to take a moment for their cake cutting. It was placed on a clear acrylic table that is hollow in the middle, which Studio B Floral filled with flowers. The cake from Queen of Cakes was a stunning four tiers with frosted doves on top and flowers from Studio B Floral surrounding it. It was truly one of the most stunning cake displays we have seen!
The couple then took to the dance floor for their first dance to “You’ve Got A Way” by Shania Twain. They did a fun choreographed dance, and at one point the groom flipped the bride over. Don’t worry, it was successful and epic! After this, the bride planned a special surprise dance for her parents, and they danced to “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain. This was such a sweet and unique moment! Flow Event Group then opened up the dance floor to all of the guests who were more than ready to dance the night away! We love how our soft seating surrounding the dance floor was filled all night and made for a comfy spot for guests to mingle while still being involved in the action!
After getting in a bit of dancing time with their guests, Devon and Matt stepped aside with Flow Event Group to get a few sunset portraits by the lake. At this point, are we even surprised at how stunning these turned out?!
As the night progressed and the sun set, the twinkle lights were glowing perfectly against the clear top tent. This is the romantic vibe we were talking about! Abritin provided a late night snack of gumbo soup, which was a family favorite and definitely enjoyed by everyone!
Devon and Matt then surprised their guests with fireworks over the lake! Everyone was so surprised, and it made for pretty awesome photos of the couple by Flow Event Group!
Shortly after fireworks, guests gathered at the front of the house to do a sparkler send off for the newlyweds! After making their way through the sparkler tunnel, Devon and Matt hopped in a hot ride provided by the bride’s uncle. It was an amazing ending to an epic day!
Executive Transportation ensured that the guests had a safe ride back to the hotel as the night came to a close. The RE team then returned to the backyard to clean up the tent, unplug lights, and pull the sidewalls shut. We returned to the house on Sunday to pick up our furniture rentals and Apres came back on the Tuesday after the wedding to pick up the tent.
This spectacular day would not have been possible without the amazing team of vendors Devon and Matt had! Huge thank you to everyone who helped us with this day, and thank you to Flow Event Group for sharing these amazing photos!
VENDORS
Venue: Backyard
Caterer: Abritin
Dessert: Queen of Cakes
Rentals: Apres / Linen Effects / Rustic Elegance
Photographer / Videographer: Flow Event Group
DJ: Flow Event Group
Florist: Studio B Floral
Photo Booth: Rustic Elegance
Transportation: Executive Transportation
Live Painter: Paintings by Madelynn
Hair: Silvie Hair Studio
Makeup: Blend by Natalie
Bridal Gown: Ivory Bridal Co
Bathrooms: Nelson Sanitation and Rental
Coordinator: Rustic Elegance - Kellie, Shauna and Hadley
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol