Ahearn/Martin Wedding
Our wedding was undoubtedly the biggest maker undertaking I have experienced so far! We got married on June 14, 2014 at 2:14pm at a rustic lodge filled to the brim with charm and perfect for our theme: burlap and lace. The sub-theme of the wedding was Home. We wanted the general vibe for the whole event to feel a little rustic, a little classy, and homey. I think we succeeded! It was a crazy whirlwind of an event and I'm so happy to be spending the rest of my life with such an amazing, understanding, handsome man at my side.
The Ceremony Site
The ceremony was held just outside the lodge on the lawn, just in front of a small lake. As you walked in, there was a navy blue hutch that I refurbished. I bought it at a yard sale for $20 and stripped what was left of the peeling veneer, took off the door and painted it blue. Inside the main part of the hutch was a dispenser of raspberry lemonade for people to sip on before the ceremony. In the drawer were the programs, which I designed and assembled on a stick so people could fan themselves. We got married on June 14, and I was worried people would overheat in the sun. Instead of using a traditional wedding arch to be married under, I assembled these two windows on either side of an old porch door. While Josh and I were living in our first apartment together, the landlord demolished the front porch just outside of our door. I asked if I could have the door and windows, not knowing at the time that they would be such an important part of our wedding, but I just couldn't let them get thrown away (I have a bit of a saving stuff problem). I'm so glad I spoke up and saved them!
The Reception
The lodge was so beautiful. This selection of images hardly does it justice. Just a few makery highlights:
- I made placemats out of burlap for every place setting.
- I collected maybe 200 wine bottles and corks over the nearly two years we were engaged from me, my friends, my mom's coworkers, and from many girls nights. I dressed up the bottles with jute twine, lace, and burlap.
- The wind bottles sat upon homemade navy blue and tan (our colors) plaid squares.
- Our toasting flutes were wrapped in jute at the base. Josh's flute had a blue plaid bow tie and mine had a lace ribbon.
Signage
Weddings are FULL of signage! From directions, to the bar list, to seating charts, to table names, to food. I even designed a monogram for us that we used on everything from the invitations to the pint glass wedding favors/seating chart. Whew!
Other Crafty Bits
I didn't want to spend a ton of money on flowers (the goal of this wedding was to keep things as cost effective as possible) so instead of buying floral boutonnieres and corsages or bouquets, I made them. I made the bridesmaids jute twine bracelets with a lace and pearl flower and the groomsmen got boutonnieres made out of maps of Vermont (Josh is a total geography nerd). For some of Josh's friends that weren't in the wedding party, but he wanted to acknowledge, I made beer cap boutonnieres made from the guys favorite beer. The special ladies (Moms, grandmas, etc) got lace and pearl pins.
I also decorated the ring box in our colors and theme.
Things I made that I don't have photos of:
- Our invitations.
- I made a petticoat out of navy blue fabric for under my wedding dress.
- Our hand fasting ribbons.
- The sangria! I made two types of sangria for the wedding: white wine with peach, lime, raspberries, and peach schnaps and red wine with blueberries and amaretto.