One day Megan’s friend came up to her and said she’d met someone to be Megan’s next boyfriend. “I didn’t take her seriously at all,” Megan says, “given that she’d never done something like this before.” But that guy, Adam, looked Megan up on Facebook, and the two decided to meet. “I guess my friend was kind of right, except that he became more than my boyfriend, he became my husband.”
For this local bride, the road to getting hitched was an exercise in planning the ultimate DIY wedding. “I spent eight months, as a full-time job, collecting furniture and décor, making signs, stationery and wood crates with the help of my husband-to-be in order to make my dream wedding come true,” she shares. “I also had [the] help of many friends and loved ones to turn my vision into reality. From the favors, flowers and wedding programs to making burlap runners, custom signs and pillows…I did it all!”
With a bagpiper playing and a row of groomsmen wearing tartan ties from the island in Scotland where Megan’s family is from, the bride walked down the aisle to her groom. An American ceremony with a Scottish twist, the festivities included a handfasting and broom ceremony where the past was literally “swept” away, leaving the bright future ahead. Twinkling lights in Mason jars hovered over the couple as they exchanged vows in an elegantly rustic and romantic barn setting at Fausel Ranch in Placerville.
The reception that immediately followed the ceremony was held outdoors near a stream running through the property where guests dined at farm-style long tables, and enjoyed croquet in the lounge area.
Adam’s mother made the wedding cake and friends and family made the other confections that filled the dessert buffet. Megan and her 10 bridesmaids opened the dance floor by performing a line dance to Alan Jackson’s “Good Time.” The DJ played country music and other popular hits, both old and new, all evening long. At the end of the night, the gathered group sent the happy couple off with a sparkler farewell.
“Although everything didn’t go perfectly, for us, it was the perfect day!” the bride shares.
First Dance Song
When You Got a Good Thing by Lady Antebellum
Father/Daughter Dance Song
What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Mother/Son Dance Song
Godspeed Sweet Dreams by Dixie Chicks
Cake Cutting Song
Forever and Ever by Randy Travis
Bouquet Toss Song
Haven’t Met You Yet by Michael Buble
Garter Toss Song
Real Good Man by Tim McGraw
Details about the cake
Lemon cake with raspberry puree
Details about the flowers
Mostly big gorgeous dahlias from the dahlia farm. Also used hydrangea, amaranthus and lisianthus.
Details about the favors
“Meant to Bee” jars of honey and honey-roasted peanuts
Anything else you’d like to share about your wedding?
This was the ultimate DIY wedding. I spent 8-months as a full-time job collecting furniture and decor, making signs, stationery and wood crates with the help of my husband to make my dream come true. I had the help of many friends and loved ones who also helped turn my vision into reality. From the favors, flowers and wedding programs, to making burlap runners, custom signs and pillows, I did it all!
With a bagpiper piping me down the aisle and groomsmen wearing tartan ties from the island in Scotland that my family was from, it was a Scottish twist on an American ceremony. This included handfasting and a broom ceremony where the past was literally “swept” away, leaving the bright future ahead.
I have started a business renting out my beautiful decor, and styling/coordinating weddings and other events. I have a passion for seeing the beauty in things. When the dream of marrying my husband came true, another dream of sharing in other brides’ special days came true as well.
Any tips you’d give brides and grooms planning their wedding today?
As cliche as it sounds, I would tell all brides and grooms to stop and take in that day as much as you can. It goes by so fast and you have to remind yourself to remember all the details that made the day so very special.
Relax, try to enjoy it, and remember that at the end of the day, you are marrying that person who makes your life complete.
