Naturalistic Puppy Love Wedding
Our next bride did not want her wedding to be matchy matchy what so ever. She wanted the entire day to feel ultra unique and ever so special. So, she opted to go with day inspired by nature, but had an elegance to it. Overflowing with lush florals, refined details and of course lots and lots of love.
See more darling details from this naturalistic puppy love wedding in the full gallery here, captured by Justin Tearney. Be sure to read on for the full budget breakdown, always great to see how much something like this costs.
dance through the rain
As soon as I pulled into the private lane on Erin's family farm I knew it was going to be a special day. I was greeted by hundreds of colorful rustic ribbons hanging off the weathered wooden fence posts that lead down the driveway. As I continued I noticed the beautiful peaks of the white sail tent next to a beautiful blue-green barn. To my right I saw the ceremony site. Over a hundred antique wooden chairs, all unique and different, sat in the yard overlooking a pond down below. As they day continued there was no end to all the painstaking details put into this wedding. Although it was overcast and rained on and off all day I didn’t hear one remark about bad weather. It was such a magical fall wedding and one I'm honored to have been a small part of.
rescue dog escort cards
I wanted my wedding to be comfortable and natural- almost ethereal with a little vintage flair. As I picked out dresses, or flowers, or anything pertaining to the day, I would think, could I find this hue on a springtime walk in the fields? Nothing in nature is ever uniform but instead a combination of beauty, and that’s what makes it perfect, so that’s the approach I took when designing my wedding.
Something very special and personal, that I would like to highlight, was how we labeled the tables. In 2013, I opened a non-profit organization (501c3 pending) that rescues dogs called Woof Connection. So, instead of numbers, the tables were labeled by the dogs that our organization saved. Where the escort cards were picked up, there was the “before” picture of the dog. At the table was the “after” picture of the dog, and the story of their happy ending. It was a great way to get people talking about saving dogs, and a wonderful way to make my day more personal to my passion.
advice for future brides
Take in that first moment when you start walking down the aisle. Everyone you love and care about is present for you and your husband. What an incredible moment to have all of those special people in one place, smiling at you. That memory is something that I will never forget and am so grateful for! I wish I had gotten a little more alone time with my parents and future in laws. They did so much to make our day special, and with all of the commotion of the morning, I feel like I did not get enough time the day of to let them know how much I appreciated everything that they did for us.
Read on to see how much this naturalistic puppy love wedding cost. Please note that costs change as the years go by, and prices are subject to change. This is just one couple’s breakdown to give you a rough estimate on how much a wedding like this may cost you.
Budget:
Approximate total cost: $75,000, Total Guest Count: 275
Venue: My parents farm was free, but other costs associated with it such as a sailcloth tent, bathroom trailer, electrician and lighting added up to $12,000
Furniture: $3000
Dress: Watters: $6000, Shoes: Jimmy Choo $700, Veil, $1200
Food/Drinks: $20,000
Cake: $2000
Florals: $6000
Photographer: $3500
Music: $5000
Invitations, Programs, Menus and other printed Items: $5000
Décor: $4000
A HUGE thank you to Justin Tearney Photography for capturing our day so beautiful! I want to give a huge THANK YOU to Sammi Bateman who played a major role in the creativity and design of florals and displays. In terms of the actual day, Tara Mangano was the perfect coordinator! Amy Mash painted all of the signs including our hash tag and corn hole boards!
- Bridal Shoes: Jimmy Choo
- Bridemaids Dresses: Anthropologie
- Caterer & Cake: Grico's Restaurant
- Dress & Apparel: BHLDN
- Event Designer: Bleu Archer
- Film Lab: Mammum
- French Baguettes: Strawberry Bakery
- Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Banks
- Photography: Justin Tearney
- Prop/Furniture Rentals: Maggpie Vintage Rentals
- Tent: Party Corner Rental
- Venue: Private Family Farm
- Wedding Dresses: Watters