Thomas & Brynt contacted me to help them plan and coordinate their backyard wedding ceremony & reception. They had a great idea of the type of wedding they wanted and mostly wanted their guests to have fun celebrating and enjoying the lake. We had a GREAT backdrop to work with!
Just a few additions to the backyard enhanced the festive atmosphere!
They encouraged their guests to wear lake attire and made it abundantly clear that playing in the lake was not only allowed, but encouraged! To achieve this, they added a fun & functional changing tent and inflatable intertubes, both in the water and on stakes to prevent them from blowing away.
They added some faux wisteria from Amazon to the existing trellis to add some whimsey & romance.
Safety was a huge concern for them. I provided them with a helpful checklist of considerations about having an event on private property, encouraged them to get event insurance, and helped brainstorm a list of items to provide like sunscreen, bug spray, and first aid kits.
We set up a reception tent on their driveway so guests could receive some goodies up on arrival. These goodies included water shoes (mandatory when in the lake), a beach towel, and a fan. This was a great surprise & delight moment for their guests!
Guests had more surprises after the reception tent: A photobooth, doughnuts, pastries, & mimosas!
Once all their guests arrived, I moved the excess towels & water shoes to the changing tent area along with the sunscreen & bug spray.
The ceremony vows were very personal and full of honesty, love, & laughs. It ended with confetti cannons that were strategically placed along the aisle ways!
We have to talk about their menu! (I LOVE a good brunch menu!) In addition to the doughnuts and pastries provided pre-ceremony, Elegant Appeal Catering cooked made-to-order omelets, hashbrown casserole, & candied bacon. Yum!
Michaels Entertainment was set up on their balcony. This gave him a great vantage point to see how the crowd was reacting and to adjust the music, if necessary. I kept him informed on the flow of the day from the “ground level”. And who can be mad at this view?!
Their neighbor took photos during the ceremony, immediately printed them, and displayed them in frames! This was a surprise and everyone loved them!
And although it isn’t necessarily a pretty addition to your event, restroom rental might be a necessity if you are having an event at your home. We found an easy-to-access, yet discrete area on the side of their house to place the restrooms.
Caterering & Bartending: Elegant Appeal Catering
Rentals: Memorable Party Rentals
Restrooms: Portable Toilets Michigan
I realized wedding planning was my passion when, after working a 12-hour wedding day, I came home and was so energized that I couldn’t go to sleep. I had just worked an entire day, on my feet, and was ready to plan the next event instead of heading to bed! In former careers, an 8-hour shift would leave me exhausted. This new-found energy around my work was very welcomed! Now I plan weddings all around the Metro Detroit & Ann Arbor areas.