Saturday morning dawned clear and bright, which was a relief following the downpour from the night before. The forecast changed steadily throughout the day, with rain featuring prominently, but we crossed our fingers, sent up some prayers, and soldiered on with the set-up for both the wedding and the reception.
The wedding took place at Shanti's childhood home, with the ceremony positioned in the front of the property in what the family lovingly calls "the forest". This is a a wooded area that Shanti's dad has groomed throughout the years into a wooded wonderland, including a treehouse and mowed pathways through the trees. It was a gorgeous setting for the kids' vows.
The reception was held in the backyard, and it required a lot of manual labor by a very cheerful squad of volunteers, including the groomsmen, who assisted in the moving of Hugh's table. Bless their hearts.
Shanti's mom has a friend who provides decor for weddings, as well as coordinating set-up, which was nice; she had the most amazing inventory of antique furniture, table decor, linens, and lighting equipment. Under her direction, we were able to create a gorgeous reception venue in a matter of a couple of hours, and every little detail was seen to.
Because the forecast was iffy, we all made the decision to relocate the tent that Hugh and I bought for the rehearsal dinner to the reception, and, when it was combined with the tent that Shanti's parent's had rented; the resulting space was impressive, and while it didn't ever rain (spoiler!), the shade was appreciated.
The floral arch that I made was positioned for the ceremony and I was really pleased with how nice it looked! I have no idea what I am going to do with it now that the wedding is over, but that's a problem for another day.
Much like her shower in June, the wedding theme was all things vintage. We used a variety of items that carried the theme throughout the day, including the items provided by Shanti's mom's friend.
Rather than a formal guest book, the kids used a vintage phone to record voice messages from guests. I absolutely loved this idea when they brought it to me and Hugh and I were more than happy to spring for the phone. The kids get to keep it, and, will be able to use it for future events.
The florals that we worked on were on display throughout the venue, including on tables and pretty much every other surface available. Shanti's mom and I may have gotten a titch carried away in our milk glass vase hunt. We aren't mad about it.
From the moment the kids announced their engagement, Oscar was fully invested in helping in whatever way he could. We tasked him with lawn maintenance for the rehearsal dinner, as well as with procuring a golf cart for transporting Mom and Emily around the venue (not that they couldn't navigate it on their own, but for safety and convenience sake). His favorite contribution, however, was the classic car that he borrowed from a friend; he and Emily drove it as the kids' getaway car and it was simply adorable to watch them play chauffeur.
Oscar supervised the decorating on the rear window, which was a sweet detail that I wouldn't ever want to forget.
The entire morning was memorable, honestly. The volunteer crew included Hugh's brother, brother-in-law, and nephews, as well as several of Shanti's extended family members, and everyone was just so amazingly chipper. It was a labor of love and it showed.
Up next: Getting ready!
Aw, it all sounds so perfect. All those vintage touches (with a modern twist!) are so fun.
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