Katie + Donny | Little Log House
THE PLANNING
Katie and Donny were such a sweet couple to plan with! Lead planner Kellie enjoyed all the in person meetings they were able to have at her office. We were presented with the opportunity to work with this lovely couple because the bride works with one of our coordinator’s husbands (shoutout to Kayla and Anthony for this referral, you can read about their own wedding day HERE)!
The couple chose the historic Little Log House as their wedding venue. It was a great fit for them and their 250 guests. The couple provided most of their own decor, but also be sure to keep an eye out for a few RE rental items scattered throughout the space! We provided the burlap and lace table runners, glass candle holders, a dress rack for the bridal suite, antique chairs for the bride and groom, and the tree branch table used at the ceremony.
THE MORNING
The Rustic Elegance duo of Kellie and Rachel arrived at the venue promptly at 10am. Kellie has worked weddings here before, but it has been a while we always like to get a quick note of any details or changes we should know. After walking through these things with one of the awesome venue’s owners, we got straight to work placing linens and runners on the tables!
Meanwhile, the wedding party was on site getting ready in the beautiful suites. The ladies were accompanied by Bridal by Bri who took care of their hair and makeup to ensure they were looking amazing for the big day ahead! The guys were busy playing cards and awaiting our cue to start getting ready for photos, what would they do without us. ;) Not long after, the bride slipped into her dress from Bella Bridal Boutique and it was time to head out for the first look!
The couple did their first look outside and shared a much needed embrace as the nerves began to kick in! Hayley Bodin Photography then took them around the beautiful grounds to capture portraits before inviting the wedding party in to take a few group photos.
Back in the reception building, the RE duo was busy at work! The couple added photos to Aisle Planner, (which is the program we use to keep info organized), showing how they wanted everything placed. So this ensured we were able to easily set-up the decor exactly how they wanted it. Once all the decorating in the reception hall was finished, we moved to the ceremony building and began placing the decor here. The couple chose to have their memory table start in the ceremony building and then we moved to the reception, which was a sweet way to have their lost loved ones there for their ceremony. Throughout this time, we also made sure to greet vendors and direct them to the correct locations. Sweet Peas Floral dropped off the bouquets, boutonnieres, etc and the couple’s family members arrived early to deliver the dessert. Cannon River Catering Co was also busy with setup as they worked to set the tables beautifully. Their whole team was so helpful and great to work with!
As the wedding party wrapped up with photos, we pulled them aside for a day of rehearsal. We ended up rehearsing 3 times, as this was a big crew! With 10 bridesmaids, 9 groomsmen, 3 ring bearers, and 2 flower girls… things can get pretty wild! We love giving our couples and their party the opportunity to do a day of rehearsal for many reasons, and this is one of them. If you want your ceremony to turn out as seamlessly as Katie and Donny’s, be sure to read all about why we love day of rehearsals HERE.
THE CEREMONY
The ceremony site that we had decorated earlier that morning looked stunning! The aisle decor consisted of fake grass twigs, and the fireplace had lots of candles to give off the cozy, romantic vibes.
As the time approached for guests to begin arriving, we helped get the ushers into their places to direct everyone to the correct building. The venue has a small suite for the bride to hang out in until showtime, so we made sure to have her in there before guests could see her!
Once the guests were all seated, it was time for us to get the bridal party lined up and we sent them down the aisle! Everyone made their way down the aisle just as we had rehearsed, finishing off with a grand entrance from the beautiful bride escorted by her father. The couple shared many sweet words, performed a unity symbol, and sealed all that love with a kiss! Oh, and signing their marriage license on our tree branch table.
THE RECEPTION
As guests entered the cocktail hour space, they were headed straight for the bar! The line quickly got long, but Little Log House managed it well and kept it moving quickly. Cannon River served various yummy appetizers for guests to snack on. They were a great teaser for the delicious meal that would be served shortly!
When it was time for dinner to be served, we began directing guests to find their assigned seats in the stunning reception space! The couple requested that the venue hang string lights in the reception hall, which added another level of elegance to the room.
Once everyone had found their seats, it was time for the couple to make their grand entrance! They threw on some sunglasses and entered the room of excited guests who erupted in one of the loudest cheers we’ve ever heard! Once the noise died down, the couple said a welcome speech and dinner was served! Salad was passed to guests by Cannon River Catering Co, then guests were invited to grab their meal which was served buffet style. The couple opted for a sweetheart table instead of a head table and rented our wooden chairs to sit in.
After dinner wrapped up, the Rustic Elegance and Little Log House teams worked together to move a few pre-determined tables off the dance floor space. The dances started off with the bride and groom’s first dance, followed by the parent dances. All of them were so sweet! The guests had fun watching each one. Eric Anderson, the couple’s friend, was the DJ for the night and he absolutely nailed it! He got everyone on the dance floor after the first dances and kept it packed throughout the night.
The couple had added our cleanup option to their package, so throughout the night we made sure to tidy up the space and pack up items in their designated locations.
Katie + Donny, planning with you and bringing your day to life was such an honor! Thank you for choosing to have Rustic Elegance be a part of your wedding day crew!
Special shoutout to Hayley Bodin Photography for sharing these beautiful images with us - including these photos of the couple throughout the evening! We love the variety of photos that she was able to capture at Little Log House!
THE VENDORS
Venue: Little Log House
Caterer: Cannon River Catering Co
Bar Service: Little Log House
DJ: Eric Anderson (friend)
Florist: Sweet Peas Floral
Photographer: Hayley Bodin Photography
Videographer: Exist Weddings
Dessert: Family
Hair / Makeup: Bridal by Bri
Bridal Dress: Bella Bridal Boutique
Coordinator: Rustic Elegance
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol