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At Home Wedding Transportation and Parking
December 12, 2017

We are so excited to have Janice of Bellwether Events sharing more At Home Wedding Tips and Advice with us! Today’s topic is the last of 2017, but it is definitely a necessary one or you wouldn’t have any guests! Janice is talking about at home wedding transportation and parking.

Hello UWL readers! I am so thankful that you are checking out my advice post today. In this month’s wedding advice post, I’m talking about transportation and parking for your home wedding. When your guests arrive at your home wedding, they are making their first impressions of your wedding day, which will stay with them for a lifetime. I know you will want their arrival to go as smoothly as possible.  

Abby Jiu Photography

Please don’t miss my earlier posts  filled with wedding planning advice about pets and kids at your wedding, wedding day first impressions,  wedding restroom trailers and generators, home wedding stationery, lighting for your home wedding, wedding tent floor plans, an intro to wedding tents and the basics of home wedding guest lists and budgets. The editors of United With Love recently wrote about DC wedding transportation options, which you might want to check out. I also have a brand new wedding planning website that I encourage you to visit.  

If you are going to have more than a handful of cars driving to your wedding, or if on-site parking is at all tricky at your home, I recommend having valet.  Think about the times when you are going someplace fancy. Aren’t you so happy when you arrive and discover complimentary valet? You should give your wedding guests this warm and fuzzy feeling, if you can.

Abby Jiu Photography

The valet service needs to begin 45 minutes before your ceremony is slated to start, and you should schedule them to stay at least 30 minutes past the designated end time of your reception. You also need to designate a (preferably sober) guest to take the keys of any cars not picked up by valet when their contract is over – or be prepared to go into overtime with the valet staff.  Don’t forget to make sure that your guests’ path back to the valet station is safe and well-lit.  

If you are lucky enough to have a large area for your wedding guests to self-park their cars, I recommend at least having a couple of lot attendants to help direct traffic. I, personally, have been stuck in a lot, boxed in on all sides, by other drivers who either weren’t paying attention, or were super inconsiderate. You don’t want this to happen to your guests, so parking attendants are a must! You will also need very clear and obvious signage to direct drivers to this lot, as well as lighting for this area so that guests can safely get back to their cars at the end of the reception.  

Katie Stoops Photography

If you are bussing your guests to your home wedding, you will need to think about the best route for the buses to take once they are on site. Is there an easy spot for them to off load and turn around? Where will they park during the event? Will they be able to maneuver easily once the sun goes down? Having large coach buses and some mini buses at your home wedding require planning and forethought so that they can easily move your guests around. Guests do not like waiting on buses – few things make them angrier, in my experience!  

Sometimes the layout of the home wedding is such that the ceremony spot is a good distance from the reception area. If this is the case, you may need to plan for transportation to move either all of your guests, or at least the less-mobile guests from one place to the other. This can be anything from golf carts to mini buses.  

Pamela Lepold Photography

Finally, think about any special rides you and your future spouse might want to take either before, during, or after the wedding. I’ve had clients take a spin around the property in horse drawn carriage. I’ve had clients take a vintage car to and from their wedding. These are the fun, extra transportation ideas to consider when planning your home wedding!  

I really appreciate you stopping by my monthly advice series on planning a home wedding. If you need more advice, and just can’t wait until next month, you can visit the Your Wedding At Home blog or you can download my free ebook, The Elegant At-Home Wedding.

Don’t hesitate to contact me – I would love to chat with you about any questions you might have about your home wedding! 

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miscellaneous  / Tips & Advice  / Transportation

At Home Wedding Pets and Children
November 14, 2017

We are so excited to have Janice of Bellwether Events sharing more At Home Wedding Tips and Advice with us! Today’s topic is sure to be adorable since she’s talking at home wedding pets and children. What could be cuter?! Take it away Janice…

Good morning! In this month’s advice post, I’m talking about how to best to plan for the kids and pets you want to include in your home wedding.  Please don’t miss my earlier posts  filled with wedding planning advice about wedding day first impressions,  wedding restroom trailers and generators, home wedding stationery, lighting for your home wedding, wedding tent floor plans, an intro to wedding tents and the basics of home wedding guest lists and budgets. I also have a brand new wedding planning website that I would love for you to visit.  

 

Katie Stoops Photography

KIDS IN YOUR WEDDING 

This can be a touchy subject for couples to tackle. If you want to have a kids-free wedding, you will get no judgement from me! I totally limited the children at my own wedding (to my half-siblings and our nephew). But if you want to include kids at your wedding, it is wise to plan in advance to accommodate their needs. Since your wedding is at home, this can be easier and more affordable than at a wedding venue or hotel (a first for a home wedding!).

Designate a room in the home where the kids will be able to retreat when they grow tired of the celebration. Keep everyone else out of this room! I recommend having a professional babysitter there so that the children’s parents may remain at the party. If this room doesn’t typically host children, you will want to kid-proof it as much as possible, as well as stock it with age-appropriate games and snacks. Don’t forget a TV with Netflix or a video game system for older kids. And possibly even a pack-n-play or a cot if the kiddos get sleepy. Talk to the children’s parents to get more ideas on how to make this room as inviting to the kids as possible.  

Quick aside: If you will need a place for a nursing mother to nurse or pump at your wedding, designate a spot for that as well, and advise them (and your wedding planner) of it in advance. They will appreciate your foresight and thoughtfulness!  

Katie Stoops Photography

 PETS IN YOUR WEDDING 

As an avid dog lover, I am excited to have my clients’ dogs at their weddings whenever possible. And it is much more possible at a home wedding! Here are my top tips for including your pet in your home wedding. First, plan for their wedding day attire. This could be a floral collar, a tie that matches the groomsmen, or even tutu to match the flower girls. Second, plan for photos with them. Talk to your photographer about when would be the best time to take a couple portraits with your pet, and include it in your wedding timeline. Designate someone to bring the pet to and from the photo shoot location (with poo bags!)

Finally, you want to maintain your pet’s comfort as much as possible on the wedding day. You should task a trusted friend, or your regular dogwalker, with taking care of your pet on your wedding day. This includes keeping them on their regular schedule for walks and meals. Sticking to their routine will help keep them calm amidst the hustle and bustle of a home wedding.  

Natalie Lane Photography

I’d like to hear from you! Are you including your pet in your wedding? How are you planning to make the children invited to your wedding feel at home? Please leave a comment below!  

I really appreciate you stopping by my monthly advice series on planning a home wedding. If you need more advice, and just can’t wait until next month, you can visit the Your Wedding At Home blog or you can download my free ebook, The Elegant At-Home Wedding.

Don’t hesitate to contact me – I would love to chat with you about any questions you might have about your home wedding! 

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miscellaneous  / Tips & Advice

Romantic Surprise Home Wedding
September 15, 2020

Today’s beautiful wedding is one for the books. Have you ever heard of a surprise wedding? Imagine being a bride-to-be getting ready for a night out at a fancy charity gala complete with celebrities, professional photographers, and gorgeous attire. When you arrive at said event it turns out to actually be your wedding! Fully planned and ready to go.

We can’t even imagine all of the creative planning and deception that went into planning Andrew and Yuliia’s big day but we know it was a flurry of precise timing, some serious cover ups, and attempts to keep her from googling the fake charity event. Not only did they have to convince the bride to wear a full length wedding-esque gown to the event but they also had to coordinate professional makeup, hair, and nails for the big day. They must have done a great job though since Yuliia did not know it was her wedding day until she stepped out of the car. Whew! What a challenge that must have been.

During the intimate ceremony with family and friends in attendance, the couple incorporated Ukrainian traditions as a nod to the bride’s culture. The couple participated in a tying of the cloth, called a Rushnyk. It is a ritual cloth embroidered with symbols and cryptograms of the ancient world. This particular one was given to Yuliia by her friends at her “girls party” before leaving Ukraine. Following the ceremony guests dined at long tables decked out in velvet mauve linens with with the floral runner centerpiece of our dreams. The abundance of pink and purple flowers has us swooning! After dinner they danced the night away and sailed off in a pretty cool yellow convertible to cap the night. Thank you to Awesomesauce Photography for sharing this romantic surprise home wedding with us today!

 

The following DC wedding professionals contributed to this at home surprise wedding:

Photography: Awesomesauce Photography | Event Planning: Illumination Events Studio | Floral: Cultivated Events Co | Videography: Double Take | Wedding Cake: Goodrich Gourmet | Ceremony Musicians: Ninja Strings | Hair: Jouer Lash & Brow | Rentals: Rent E-Quip | Makeup: Lou Stevens Glam Squad | Catering: Goodrich Gourmet | Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse | Bridesmaid Dresses: Lex’s of Carytown | Submitted via: Matchology

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proposals  / Real Weddings  / Real Weddings - Pink  / Real Weddings - Purple  / Real Weddings - Virginia

Sweet Virginia Home Wedding
January 2, 2019

Happy New Year everyone! We are kicking off 2019 right with a sweet Virginia home wedding today. Kelly and Logan got married at Logan’s family home. Logan and her father took bamboo from the property to create the chuppah frame. Logan’s mother then hung it with fabric and Barbara from Growing Wild adorned with floral clusters.

The couple offered tea and lemonade to the guests once they arrived for the outdoor ceremony. Logan’s older sister led the marriage ceremony. Both Kelly and Logan stomped on glass at the end of the ceremony, in keeping with Jewish wedding traditions. Afterwards, guests mingled on the yard while Jack Ass Flats played live music.

The driveway to the home was perfectly flat, so they decided hold the tented wedding reception there. This allowed them to also use the carport as event space; it was dressed up with a little bit of drape and lighting. The string lights, farm tables and lush decor helped create the Mid Summer’s Night Dream atmosphere they were aiming for. After a Southern-inspired dinner and sweet wedding cake, guests danced the night away. Later on, both brides tossed their bouquets to a group of all the single guests, and then it was time to send the brides on their way with a sparkler send-off! Thank you to Bellwether Events for sharing this at home wedding with us today!

The following DC wedding professionals contributed to this sweet Northern Virginia home wedding:

Planning: Bellwether Events | Photography: Heather Ryan Photography | Catering: Main Event Caterers | Flowers: Growing Wild Floral Co | Tent, Lighting, Stage: Sugarplum Tent Co | Beauty: Makeup by Sage | Cake: Fancy Cakes by Leslie | Band: Jack Ass Flats | Paper: Vista Print | Farm Tables: Elegant Momentz | Drape: Drape Kings | Valet: MJ Valet

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide. For additional local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries. Especially relevant would be our Washington DC area real weddings.

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Real Weddings  / Real Weddings - Barn  / Real Weddings - Casual  / Real Weddings - Orange  / Real Weddings - Pink  / Real Weddings - Virginia

Virginia Mountainside Home Wedding
October 19, 2018

One of our favorite parts about covering the Washington DC wedding scene, is that just a short drive west will give you the most gorgeous Mountain wedding backdrop, while an hour east brings you to the Bayside!

In today’s wedding, Virginia and Kevin chose to host their nuptials on Virginia’s gorgeous and sprawling family farm in the mountains. The setting could not have been more incredible; and Virginia and Kevin’s impeccable taste and style made for a truly beautiful day. Guests were greeted with welcome cocktails and escorted to the ceremony site near the family’s small apple orchard. Cocktails took place on the estate patio overlooking the mountains at sunset. Can you dream of a better view? We are just swooning! After drinks, their guests (led by Virginia and Kevin) followed a bagpiper up to the illuminated tent in the middle of property, surrounded by rolling hills and the family farm. The pair mixed styles of classic and vintage decor, giving the entire reception a magical rustic chic effect! Thank you to Kristen Gardner Photography for sharing this mountainside Virginia home wedding with us today!

 






 

The following Washington DC wedding professionals contributed to this lovely Virginia tented wedding:

Photography: Kristen Gardner Photography | Venue: Private Home | Event Planning: Terry Kaye Event | Floral: Laura Francis | Stationery: Staccato | Videography: Erin Sellers | Rentals: DC Rental | Linens: Bella Villa Antiques & Vintage Rentals | Beauty: SAS Studio | Catering: Savoir Fare | Furniture Rentals: Detailed Memories | Band: Attraction | Wedding Dress: Alvina Valenta | Bride’s Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Submitted via: Matchology

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide. For additional local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries. Especially relevant would be our Washington DC area real weddings.

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Real Weddings  / Real Weddings - Casual  / Real Weddings - Fall  / Real Weddings - Green  / Real Weddings - Rustic  / Real Weddings - Vintage  / Real Weddings - Virginia  / Real Weddings - White

Tented Virginia Home Wedding
October 3, 2018

They say home is where the heart is. For Laura and Joe, married on a beautiful September afternoon, this couldn’t be more true. After growing up in the Northern Virginia area, Laura found herself on the West Coast. While there she met and fell in love with Joe at a friend’s Halloween Party. She went as a giraffe and Joe was a penguin with a bow tie. Can you spot the nod to their meet cute in the details of their tented Virginia home wedding? It made for an adorable and unique cake topper!

When the time came to propose, Joe waited until the couple was back at Laura’s childhood home in Vienna, Virginia. He took her on a walk out to the woods behind the house, knelt down and proposed. Less than a year later, the engaged couple once again found themselves in Northern Virginia at Laura’s childhood home, this time to say “I Do.” Northern Virginia is an idyllic location to get married in, especially in the early fall. Laura and Joe utilized so many beautiful and natural elements around the house to create a unique, one-of-a-kind and personalized experience for their fall wedding.

The wedding ceremony took place on the front lawn of the house under an abundant floral archway. Cocktails were hosted on the front lawn as well before the guests were escorted down to the clear top tent next to the pool. Following dinner, dancing took place al fresco under the stars and by the glowing light of the tent and pool. It was a magical evening, made even more enchanted by Laura’s gorgeous embroidered wedding dress from designer Rue De Seine Bridal.  She paired her gown so perfectly with white ankle boots to give a more rustic flair to the outfit. Thank you to Michelle Lindsay Photography for sharing this Virginia wedding with us today!





The following Washington DC wedding professional contributed to this Virginia home wedding:

Planner: Rex & Regina Events | Photography: Michelle Lindsay Photography | Caterer: Design Cuisine | Makeup: Nour Kazoun | Hair: Kim Steele | Tent: Capital Party Rentals | Ceremony Music: John Lewis | DJ: DJ Sal Flip | Cake: Fluffy Thoughts | Florals: Growing Wild Florals | Dress Designer: Rue de Seine

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide. For additional local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries. Especially relevant would be our Washington DC area real weddings.

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Real Weddings  / Real Weddings - Fall  / Real Weddings - Green  / Real Weddings - Pink  / Real Weddings - Red  / Real Weddings - Rustic  / Real Weddings - Virginia

At-Home Wedding First Impressions
October 10, 2017

Happy Tuesday lovelies! Have you been following along with us for the past three days as we hit the streets of NYC? It was New York Bridal Fashion Week! There were no many amazing bridal trends coming for the new season and we can’t wait to share them all. In the meantime, we have our latest installment of the At-Home Wedding Series with Bellwether Events touching on at home wedding first impressions! Now we will hand it over to the wonderful expert, Janice…

Good morning UWL readers! I am writing today with the thought of wedding day first impressions on the top of my mind. When your guests arrive at your at-home wedding, I know that you will want to set the right tone. With both form and function in mind, I’m going to explore this today. Please don’t miss my earlier advice posts  filled with tips and tricks about wedding restroom trailers and generators, home wedding stationery, lighting for your home wedding, wedding tent floor plans, an intro to wedding tents and the basics of home wedding guest lists and budgets. I also have a brand new wedding planning website that I encourage you to visit.  

A Smooth Arrival 

I’m a big advocate of marking the driveway of the home so that your guests, vendors and any hired transportation vehicles can easily spot the home from the road. You can do this with a sign, balloons, ribbons or florals – as just a few ideas. Sometimes there is an existing sign, a fence post or even a bell that you can affix decorative items to. If you are lacking ideas, talk to your planner or florist and see what they can come up with. Be sure to inform your wedding guests and vendors to be on the lookout for the marker on their travels to the home.  

Form and Function 

Now that you have this directional first impression complete, continue to think about your wedding guests’ experience. Once guests have pulled in the driveway, how will they be directed to parking or valet? You might need some signage or uniformed staff to help guests navigate this with ease. What will greet them when they get out of their car? Perhaps a parasol or sunglasses (in your wedding day color palette) if it is a sunny day, or a pashmina if it is a chilly day. Maybe a cold beverage if it is a warm day, or a hot beverage if it is a cool day. Hot cider and fresh donut holes, anyone? I’ve even had clients offer light hors d’oeuvres upon their guests’ arrival, because we knew that we were going to start the ceremony thirty minutes later that the time mentioned on the invitation, to allow for late arrivals to the remotely located home.   

 

Make It Pretty 

Finally, you will want to consider what type of décor your guests will encounter. This is something to pay attention to in all aspects of the wedding day – décor they see when they get out of their car, when they arrive at the ceremony, when they arrive at the cocktail hour, and when they arrive at the reception. Even though the first impression to the home has been made, there are still opportunities to wow your wedding guests throughout the evening as they move around the property. This could be shepherd’s hooks with flowers lining a path, a wreath hanging on a door, a decorated archway, or even garland on the tent poles at the tent entrance.

You can also what exists already and improve upon it. If you have existing boxwoods or topiaries, tuck some bright blooms into them. Have sculptures on site? Adorn them with a bow tie or floral head piece. If you have a fountain, fill it with flowers.  

While your save-the-date, wedding website, and wedding invitation are the first introductions your guests will have to your wedding, you shouldn’t overlook their first experiences along each step of your wedding day. Thinking about these in advance will allow for proper planning and budget allocation.  

I really appreciate you stopping by my monthly advice series on planning a home wedding. If you need more advice, and just can’t wait until next month, you can visit the Your Wedding At Home blog or you can download my free ebook, The Elegant At-Home Wedding. Don’t hesitate to contact me – I would love to chat with you about any questions you might have about your home wedding!

Photo Credit: Katie Stoops Photography

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design, decor and details  / miscellaneous  / Tips & Advice

At-Home Wedding Basics: Generators and Bathrooms
September 12, 2017

Hi UWL readers! I am here today with a super un-sexy wedding planning topic for your home weddings – bathrooms and generators! But these are very necessary things to consider early and often throughout your wedding planning! Please don’t miss my earlier, and mostly much more fun, posts about home wedding stationery, lighting for your home wedding, wedding tent floor plans, an intro to wedding tents and the basics of home wedding guest lists and budgets.

How to choose your wedding restroom trailer and generator

Bathroom rental companies will offer guidance on the size of trailer you will need based on your guest size. I recommend that you get the biggest trailer you can afford or fit on your property. I like to have at least 3 or 4 stalls for the ladies when the guest list is 200 or less. This will alleviate lines at the restrooms for your female guests. I don’t usually pay much attention to the number of urinals and stalls on the men’s side of the trailer, because these trailers can always accommodate more men at one time than ladies.

You will also need to consider if you are spreading your celebration far across your property; that might mean that you will need more than one trailer. Guests will need to access the restroom before, during and after your ceremony, cocktails and reception. You don’t want there to be a long trek to the trailer! And make sure to keep your older guests in mind. They can’t always walk a long way to reach the facilities.

Before you select your generator, you will need to first talk to all your vendors who will need power. Catering, entertainment, tenting, lighting, and restrooms are a few to consult. Once you figure out how many circuits you will need, also consider where these power sources will need to be placed. I’ve planned weddings where we needed multiple small generators because the property was large and our power needs were spread out over a lot of land. I’ve also planned weddings where a lot of power was needed in one central location, so we rented one large generator. You may be able to run a few items from the house, but be certain of the circuits available before relying too heavily on the home. In the event of a power outage, you will be happy if your generators can accommodate all of your power needs on your wedding day.

Installation of wedding restrooms and generators

Take a moment to consider the roads and driveway that your vendors will take to get to your home. Are there weight restricted bridges? Are there super skinny roads with tight corners? Will any low hanging branches scrape the delivery vehicles? Is there a place to turn around once they have arrived on property or will there be a lot of backwards travel? Would significant rain cause wash outs or other trouble for large vehicles trying to get to or from your property? If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, be sure to warn your vendors well in advance. You might even want to invite them to a tour of the site at least 60 days before the wedding.

The order of installations is very important. Likely you will want the generator to be brought in first, if it is going to be hidden behind the tent or house; the truck that is pulling it in will probably need to drive through the space where your tent will eventually go. And you need it there so that the next vendors can power on your rentals during set up. Next, you will probably want to bring in the bathroom trailer, especially if the truck driving it in wouldn’t be able to work around the wedding tent.

Once these two “back of house” items are in, typically tent set up can begin. This can and usually should be done days before the wedding. Let your caterer know if rentals such as tables, chairs, etc., can be delivered before your wedding day as well; this weekday delivery can often be a cost savings to you.

During your at-home wedding

You probably don’t need to hire a bathroom trailer attendant for your wedding day. However, you will need to assign someone to know how to turn it on and off. Turn on the trailer at the start of set up on the wedding day, as your vendor team may need to access it. You will then want it turned off at the end of the break down and load out. This will limit unnecessary burning of fuel in your generator.

Just as you need to know how to turn on and off your bathroom trailer, the same goes for your generator. Be sure to assign someone to that task as well. The generator will need to be turned on and off periodically during the weekday set-ups. It will then need to be turned on for good once vendors begin arriving on the wedding day.

One lesson I learned the very hard way is to remember make a plan to refill your generators. I recommend putting a line item in your wedding day timeline to do this six hours after you think they will be turned on. This is usually at the start of vendor set up on the wedding day. Make sure you have a full gas can (with the correct type of fuel!) on hand as well. Assign someone to handle this refueling task for you. Stage the gas can in a well ventilated area with a flashlight. It will likely be dark when it is time to refill.

After Your Wedding

Your pick-ups will need to be scheduled in the reverse order of delivery. If your generator was the first on site, it will likely be the last to be removed. Again, if you can schedule weekday pick-ups for these items, you might save a little money on these labor costs. If possible, you want someone to be on site to supervise these load outs. Sometimes there are items left behind or damage to the property that turns up later.

Thanks for stopping by my advice series on planning a home wedding. If you need more advice, and just can’t wait until next month, you can visit the Your Wedding At Home blog or you can download my free ebook, The Elegant At-Home Wedding. I would love to chat with you about any questions you might have about your home wedding!

Photography Credit: Katie Stoops Photography via this Gorgeous At-Home Virginia Wedding

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planning and budget  / Tips & Advice

At-Home Wedding Lighting
August 8, 2017

It’s that time again! Our latest installment of the At-Home Wedding blog series by Bellwether Events is back again. Without further ado, here is Janice helping us with at-home wedding lighting.

Katie Stoops Photography

Thank you for checking out my fifth post sharing tips and advice for hosting a home wedding with DC area brides and grooms. I’m so thrilled to be partnering with United With Love to share my decade’s worth of wedding planning expertise with you. If this is your first time reading this series, I hope you will check out my past advice posts about customizing your wedding stationery, wedding tent floor plans, the fundamentals of wedding tents, and the wedding budget and guest list basics to get you started.  

Today I’m going to give you the basics around home wedding lighting. Unlike with a special event venue, your home likely requires supplemental lighting to ensure that your guests have the best time possible at your wedding.  

Katie Stoops Photography

First and foremost, you will need to light your wedding tent(s). This can be done a number of ways. Perimeter lighting, string lights, pole sconces and chandeliers are just a few. These will likely be installed by your tent company. It is possible that you will want something more decorative than what your tent company can supply, which in turn could be provided by either your florist, a lighting company, or a specialty rental or décor company. I’ve even had a client buy their own chandelier and have the tent company install it for them! 

Take a moment to consider what will happen inside your wedding tent. In addition to general overhead/ambient lighting, you should consider throwing direct lighting on your dance floor and cake. Consider this for your bar(s), band if you have one, and table centerpieces too. These are places where important photos will be taken, or there will be heavy guest attention.   

Michelle Lindsay Photography

You also must think about all the other places your wedding guests will go on your wedding day. Particularly consider places guests will be after the sun sets. This includes the path to the restroom, the path back to their car or the valet station, and the path to other areas you might have set up outside of the tent, like a cigar bar. You will want to light these paths and areas properly, so that there are no accidents on your wedding day.  

Speaking of paths, you will want to have adequate lighting on the paths where your vendors will travel. This should include from the catering prep area to the tent and where vendors will load out once the wedding is over. Having a poorly lit load-out path is a recipe for damage to your property.  

Finally, take a look around your property. Decide if there are any structures or trees you would want to highlight. A little landscape lighting can go a long way to setting the ambiance of your wedding once the sun goes down.  

Michelle Lindsay Photography

I know I’ve talked about a lot of lighting here; I imagine that you are seeing your wedding lighting budget explode. It doesn’t have to be that way! With your wedding at home, you have a lot more prep and set up time than at a special event venue. You can definitely DIY some of these things! Whether it is installing flood lights in strategic places, or hanging mason jars from a big tree, there are opportunities to DIY and cut some costs on your home wedding lighting. Just make sure that you communicate what you are doing and what power sources you are pulling from with your wedding vendors. One more thing: I don’t recommend that you DIY any lighting inside your tent. If something were to go wrong, you would be on the hook for a very expensive wedding rental item.  

Thanks again for stopping by my advice series on planning a home wedding. If you need more advice, and just can’t wait until next month, you can visit the Your Wedding At Home blog or you can download my free ebook, The Elegant At-Home Wedding. I would love to chat with you about any questions you might have about your home wedding!

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miscellaneous  / Tips & Advice

Homespun Bluemont Vineyard Wedding
July 19, 2017

Today’s Bluemont Vineyard Wedding is DIY done right! The bride, friends, or family crafted almost every detail. Every piece of Tiara and Mark’s day was touched with love; you can tell it was a team effort to bring this beautiful day together. Tiara wore the same garter as her mom did  on her wedding day. Her aunt made it! Her mother utilized her talents as a florist to contribute all of the flowers. They’re so pretty and go perfectly with the aesthetic of Bluemont Vineyard.

Throughout Tiara and Mark’s relationship they have traveled many miles to see and be with each other because Mark is stationed in Italy for his job in the Navy. All of the guests were given pieces of paper to make paper airplanes to toss during their recessional after their I Dos. This was such a fun and unique way to represent all the miles of their relationship! The very last detail that we wanted to share from this homespun wedding were the boxes. Both of their mothers each placed a note and a bottle of wine in a box to be opened on their one year and three year anniversary. Finally, the couple placed their own bottle and notes for their 5 year anniversary! How adorable! Thank you to Photography by Marirosa for sharing this wedding with us today.

The following Washington DC area wedding professionals contributed to their wedding:
Photographer: Photography by Marirosa
Makeup: Laura Henderson Makeup
Hair Stylist: Kirsten Marie Design
Venue: Bluemont Vineyard
Floral Designer: Bride and Brides Mother
DJ: DubCdjs
Invitations: Twig and Juniper
Bridal Salon: Cherry Blossom Bridal

For more wedding vendors, please visit our Washington DC area wedding vendor guide. For even more amazing local ideas, check out our wedding inspiration galleries and other Washington DC area real weddings.

 

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