Even a small, intimate wedding has a lot of details...

Trying to keep a wedding small and intimate on a shoestring budget is not an easy task. There are still a lot of details and we are fortunate to have so many friends and family helping us out. Still recovering from the fire last year, which is an entire journey of its own, planning a wedding back home, 600 miles away has it's challenges.
So we want to give a shout out to those that have not hesitated to put their time, money and heart into making this the perfect day for us!
Location! Location! Location! My best friend, Jenny, jumped right on securing her family's winery for our ceremony! Finding a venue is one of the first and biggest challenges when planning a wedding.
Kent's cousin (brother) Sean didn't hesitate when we said we wanted an after party with bonfire, music, dancing and fun! He locked in a perfect location not far from the wedding...the Elks Park and he insisted on paying for it!
Uncle Kermit and Aunt Christi locked in our minister, who is now 86, and married the two of them over 40 years ago! He also baptized Kent and Sean.
Jason, Kent's other cousin, has offered to be our DJ...no doubt he will do an awesome job. He even has his 4-wheeler decked out with a bad ass stereo system!
My fabulous and incredible sister has offered to make the deserts in a jar for the reception...which are amazing! There's a couple photos of the ones she did for her daughter's rehearsal dinner in one of my blogs.
My amazing brother and brother-in-law are going to help with photos and videography...they are awesome! Of course my wonderful neighbor from back in Vienna will also be doing some of our photography! He is great and the first photographer I thought of to hire for the wedding!
Another one of my great friends has been a gem! She has offered to make the wedding bouquets for me and the bridesmaids as her wedding gift! That is so cool!
Jenny has also started collecting mason jars that will be used for centerpieces on the tables. She is also my wedding planner and doing everything on her own time...she is awesome! Her husband is also getting in on the action! He has already booked our double honeymoon for next fall...a CRUISE! What a gift!
Our beautiful daughter, who is also an inspiring photographer, is taking our engagement photos today! We are very excited and look forward to having lots of fun with that!
I am sure this isn't the end of what our family and friends will do to make this a perfect day! So it's important to say thank you to everyone! We don't know what we would do with out you!!!

My brother

Jenny and Russell

Kermit, Kent and Sean

Hubie

Tracy

Nathan

Sean and Jason

Janie

You all rock!!

More DIY ideas that I am considering for our wedding

Guest Book - My lovely niece did something similar to this, but I haven't seen her finished product yet...I love how personal this idea is!

Next on this list is desert ideas~ we aren't really traditional and my best friend did something similar to this idea. We're thinking of a variety of deserts and wine from the Merry Family Winery that will compliment one another~

Flower inspiration~ I found these on a DIY wedding website and just love the colors...doesn't look that difficult~ I think I'll leave out the butterfly though...it seems to take the focus off of the flowers.

And here is a wedding favor I like...candles!

Wedding Signs

Here are some more wedding ideas that I love...

Wedding inspirations....

Here are some wedding inspirations that I love...

The bridesmaid dresses...definitely our style for our wedding

The groomsmen...love this look

I'm going with fall flowers in Mason Jars...keeping it country

Very vintage...love the sash - I'm thinking of making something similar to this for my dress!

Skyler Goes to Vegas

This summer Skyler took a vacation to Las Vegas with his older brother. His brother had to leave mid week and Skyler hit the town taking photos of all of the casinos on the strip! He walked 9 miles one night just to take it all in...lol His favorite casino was Caesars Palace since that is where The Hangover was mostly filmed! Here are a couple of photos from hi Iphone~

Matthew is back to college this week

I can't believe that Matt is getting ready to start his second year of college at WVU this week. Time goes so fast! I wish I could be there as he is setting up his new apartment and preparing for his first day. I sound like a mom whose child is starting first grade...haha - it's just hard because I feel like I have missed out on so much being here in Georgia over the past few years. I'm so lucky because he is independent and can take care of himself and the things he needs to do. I know he is going to be successful no matter what! Good Luck this week Matt...I cant wait to see you at the end of September!

Our Wedding is only 7 weeks away

In just under 7 weeks, Kent and I will finally make it official and say I do! Of course, we said I do to each other long before this. The day we celebrate with friends and family and take our vows is October 1st in Bidwell, OH. The venue we chose is the Merry Family Winery. The Winery is owned by my best friend's family and that is where she and Russell were married almost two years ago. So it is fitting for us to do the same! The Winery is beautiful and with a late afternoon/early evening ceremony...I couldn't ask for anything more.

I thought I would start blogging again, thanks to my new friend Margo, who has inspired me. I love reading her blogs and she was the first person I contacted when Kent and I decided to get married back home. So instead of  a wedding website, that I still don't understand how to do, I thought I would blog about the progress of the planning and any updated information on the details of the event...lol -

Here are a few photos of the Winery where we are getting married. I love the idea of the wedding being in the fall with all of my favorite colors. We are going with a rustic theme and it will be very casual. We are more about everyone having fun and celebrating with us!