Maia + Will | Backyard
THE PLANNING
Maia and Will were such a fun, full of energy couple (aka SO awesome to work with)! The couple came to Rustic Elegance with the plan to have an intimate ceremony at the bride’s aunt and uncle’s house. From there they wanted to have an open house style reception in their own backyard. This allowed friends and family with children to be able to enjoy the afternoon. What they needed help with was pulling all of the details together and finding the right rentals to compliment their vision.
We started by figuring out what size and style of tent would be needed. Lead planner Kellie worked with Apres to find the best option for the couple. The couple decided on a sailcloth tent (which looked amazing). We love sailcloth tents because they let more light through than the traditional tent style. The couple also opted to utilize our rental decor to complete the look they were going for. This included our bar, barrels, and furniture for a soft seating area! The Thursday before the wedding, Kellie was on site while the tent was being set-up, to manage the production and also prep as much as possible.
THE MORNING
When Sunday morning rolled around, everyone was ready for a beautiful wedding day. The ladies got ready at the ceremony location (the bride's aunts house) with War Paint International ensuring their hair and makeup looked absolutely perfect! The guys stayed at the couple’s house so that the bride and groom would not cross paths before the ceremony.
While the bridal party was getting ready, the RE team was onsite making sure that everything was going smoothly and all of the last minute details were taken care of. Forever Floral was also there, setting up a beautiful sunflower arch piece and delivering bouquets. The flower planters at the front of the aisle were provided by the bride’s aunt. They were the perfect touch to finish off the ceremony site!
Fun fact: the groom actually made the arch that was used at the ceremony!
THE CEREMONY
As guests walked up to the ceremony location they were greeted with some amazing live music from Michael Shynes. The guitar, electric violin, and vocals made the scene truly magical (we saw a few guests even tear up to the sound of the music). After the wedding party walked down the aisle, the couple opted to have them seated in the front instead of standing, which created an intimate setting for the bride and groom. The couple’s son, Fin, was their ring bearer, but when it came time for him to walk down the aisle, he had no interest in doing so without dad. So Will walked down the aisle carrying their son (who also requested to be held for much of the ceremony too)! Maia then made her grand entrance, escorted by her father. She looked absolutely stunning, it was truly such a sweet moment! To make things even more special, the bride’s brother officiated the ceremony. We loved that he was able to speak from the heart about his experiences seeing Maia and Will together! The ceremony consisted of laughs, tears, and lots of love. The couple shared a kiss and they were officially husband and wife! Afterwards, the guests joined the couple for a little champagne toast before heading over to the reception site.
THE RECEPTION
At the reception, guests enjoyed yard games, snacks, the jenga guestbook, live music, and puppy petting. Yeah, you read that right! The couple decided to have puppies from Second Hand Hounds at the reception to give them an opportunity to get adopted and the chance to soak up lots of love and play time. It was a huge hit, we’re pretty sure everyone wished they could bring one home! We know assistant planner Marissa almost did!
While everyone was enjoying cocktail hour, the couple and wedding party captured group photos with Brooke Alexandra Photography. We absolutely love how they turned out!
As guests made their way to the tent, they grabbed their wedding favors which were succulents (how fun)! Everyone then enjoyed a meal from Root to Rise Kitchen. This caterer uses natural and organic foods which was an important factor for the couple (plus the food was so good)! Dessert was from Glam Doll Donuts, served via a donut wall. The RE team had a lot of fun setting up the donut display and watching everyone pick out their favorites!
The bride and groom shared an informal first dance together which was super sweet! Maia also had a dress change later in the evening which added a fun surprise for guests!
Just when you thought this wedding couldn’t get more exciting… I mean puppy petting? How could they top that? Well, the couple found out just a couple of months before the wedding that they had another little one on the way! They decided to do a gender reveal cake cutting for the new baby during the reception. We are so happy for them and their growing family!
Maia + Will, you two are seriously so fun and the best parents! The RE team loved being included on your wedding day and all of the planning beforehand. We hope that you two and your little family are loving married life!
Special shoutout to Brooke Alexandra Photography for beautifully capturing this day and sharing it with us!
VENDORS
Ceremony Venue: Aunt and Uncle’s Backyard
Reception Venue: Couple’s Backyard
Caterer: Root to Rise Kitchen
Rentals: Apres
DJ: Michael Shynes
Florist: Forever Floral
Photographer: Brooke Alexandra Photography
Puppies: Second Hand Hounds
Desserts: Glam Doll Donuts
Hair / Makeup: War Paint International
Bathrooms: Onsite Sanitation
Coordination and Decor: Rustic Elegance
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol