by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
Okay…now this is seriously what I like to see (plus it’s more than enough to bring a tear to my usually stoic eye), this is what Boho weddings are all about and this is what I mean when I say Laid Back and beautifully Badass! I’m looking through gorgeous wedding photos of a pair that truly look destined for each other: many of the photos are shot in the pouring Cornwall rain but instead of looking like wet cats, I see joyous laughter, an outstanding pair of wedding Crocs (decorated by Julie’s Hens), umbrellas and, above all, I see that this wedding was about love, love and more love!
Judging from the pics, this wedding was a picture of fun-loving, boho bliss, from the white Volkswagen wedding van to the rustic and wholesome table settings and decor inside their bespoke wedding teepee. Of course, what is a Boho wedding without the perfect Dreamers and Lovers Dress? Julie couldn’t have looked more gorgeous than she did in her dreamy long sleeve, low backed gown and garland of romantic white roses and heather. The only jewelry she wore was her beloved Grandma’s wedding ring, gifted to her that morning by her Mom.
Andrew wasn’t so bad either, in his dusty blue Reiss three piece, sweet TM Lewin silver tie and leather shoes…all of which took nicely to being rained on during their photo shoot and definitely shouted Bohemia for all the world to hear. The two bridesmaids were in white Marks and Spencer and the Maid of Honor wore a mint green dress from Zara.
The couple had been enjoying a stroll along the cliff-tops, they pulled into a pub for a much needed ale and then Andrew led Julie to a sheltered cove…both of them feeling a little tense. He dropped to his knee and ‘Kabamm!
The proposal happened on a beach near St Agnes. The couple had been enjoying a stroll along the cliff-tops, they pulled into a pub for a much needed ale and then Andrew led Julie to a sheltered cove…both of them feeling a little tense. He dropped to his knee and ‘Kabamm!’
The wedding was to take place on September 2016 at St. Mary’s immaculate RC Church in Falmouth. Pictures of the ceremony show family and friends full of smiles and it’s no surprise that Julie felt this relatively unplanned part of the wedding to be one of her favorite parts.
The couple wanted the reception to be relaxed and laid back, nothing too extravagant, just farm-party vibes and a warm atmosphere. It was important for the couple that the guests feel just as special as the bride and groom. It looks like things turned out just as they had hoped.
A bohemian teepee (from Work Inspired Tents) was erected in a field at Restronguet Barton, with a view of Mylor Harbour. There was more than enough room for a love-filled, farm style banquet and loads of post-dinner dancing.
Food was all Cornish and Northern, as Andrew springs from Falmouth, whilst Julie is from the Manchester area. Dinner was catered by Jane Meredew and included fish gluons, cream tea, pasties, Yorkshire pudding and beef for canapés; with pork loin, potatoes, salads and fresh bread for mains and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Um, hello…where was I?
But the deliciousness didn’t end there. The wedding cake was Cornish cheese (OMG), all provided by the same incredible caterer.
DIY decoration (which looked sooo perfect!) included bunting and wildflowers in jam jars and baked bean tins. A little ingenuity can go a long way and boho is definitely the answer if you want a warm atmosphere thats beautiful and easy on the budget! The couple created a ‘find your face, find your place’ seating chart for the guests to have a little fun with and gift cards were held in a vintage suitcase…sweet. The couple also made a donation to Aurora foundation in lieu of traditional favors.
Andrew’s Dad created the incredible wooden signs all over the venue and the name card holders for the country style table settings. He did an amazing job. A memorable feature in the photographs is the massive letter sign, spelling out LOVE…that really sums it all up, if you ask me.
don’t take on too much, weddings are stressful enough. Get friends and family to help and make use of their skills where you can. This will save you cash and make the event that much more personal
Julie’s advice to wedding planners is this: don’t take on too much, weddings are stressful enough. Get friends and family to help and make use of their skills where you can. This will save you cash and make the event that much more personal…also, use Pinterest for ideas! It poured cats and dogs on their special day so it’s essential that you be prepared for anything. This savvy couple was prepared indeed, they’s borrowed 30 umbrellas from an estate agent friend, just in case.
It’s no secret these two are deeply in love and we wish them more of the same in their future. Rest assured though, rain on one’s wedding day is an unmistakable good omen, so their future will undoubtedly be filled with joy and abundance. Bless you both…and your guests while we’re at it!
VENDOR CREDITS
Photographer: Olivia WR Photography
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
A self-confessed hippie with what she claims are far too many hair extensions, she met her soul-mate, a hipster Swedish guy with piercing blue eyes
Here’s a Real Bride Story to prove that D&L’s been helping boho wedding dreams come true in just about every far-flung corner of the globe.
Vibeke is what you’d call a striking Norwegian beauty, a self-confessed hippie with what she claims are far too many hair extensions (although, to us, those just look like lustrous blonde locks). She met Simon, a hipster Swedish guy, with skinny jeans and piercing Swedish blue eyes, whilst studying economics in Norway in 2008. He was studying fire engineering at the same University when fate decided to introduce them to each other one night at the student pub. They danced a little, flirted a lot and within no time, they were very much an item. They were head over heels in love and Vibeke says she can still feel the butterflies whenever she recalls those heady times.
Life isn’t always peaches and cream though and after their studies came some trying times as the loving couple were forced to live in separate countries. Yet life would have a hard time keeping this pair apart and they finally moved in together in Sweden and soon had a beautiful son named Alfred. The decision was made to move to Vibeke’s homeland of Norway so they bought a quaint little cottage and that’s where they brought their second, adorable son (Teodor) into the world…but not before the night of the long-awaited proposal.
Then he went down on one knee and proposed. Vibeke, who’d been hinting (or nagging, as she puts it) Simon for some time, spent all of 15 minutes saying things like: “you know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to…”
It all went down the night they moved into their new place, their first purchase together. Both of them were staying over at Vibeke’s parents’ house, exhausted from moving all day amongst a sea of boxes and bags. Sticky, smelly and dusty from the day’s work, they sat down on the couch at last. Simon was leaning forward, looking agitated, so Vibeke told him: “come on, relax…we’ve got no more to do tonight.” Simon replied: “well, there is one thing I have to do, now we have a new house and everything.” Then he went down on one knee and proposed. Vibeke, who’d been hinting (or nagging, as she puts it) Simon for some time, spent all of 15 minutes saying things like: “you know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to…” etc. but she finally came to her senses and gave him a “yes, of course!” Phew!
So, since Vibeke was heavily pregnant during her dress hunt, there was always the question of whether or not she was going to be back in shape by the time the special day came along. It turns out the stars were smiling on her in more ways than one! Being a hippie girl through and through, she sat back and simply googled ‘lace wedding dresses’…which is how she came across the Dreamers and Lovers website. She ordered the perfect dress for the laid back, totally DIY wedding that they had in mind. That was a month before the birth of their second beautiful son but if you’ve seen the wedding pics you know, she looked an absolute vision and no baby weight in sight.
The wedding was to be held on an old farm on the borders of Stavanger, a picturesque coastal city in Norway with a rich history dating as far back as 1125, it hardly gets more romantic than that and what’s more, the couple are proud to call Stavanger home.
85 Guests were invited and the couple had determined to do as much as possible themselves, knowing that that would make the experience a far more personal one. They wrote simple, candid vows both about the things they love about one another and the little things which annoy them, a detail which really had the guests laughing. Vibeke commented on Simon’s ability to make such a racket climbing the stairs that she’s certain he’ll one day make a hole through them.
The ceremony was overseen by one close friend whilst another friend, Lisa, sang Håkan Hellström – Valborg, a Swedish song with poignant, beautiful lyrics. Vibeke’s best friend crafted her bouquet, wild, summery and gorgeous and V wore a truly bohemian wildflower crown which couldn’t have looked more perfect with her laid-back gown. The room was decorated with a score of lights and wildflowers by the couple personally, which turned out to be truly rewarding.
Simon made desert himself (hello!), a delicious panacotta with raspberry topping and, as is tradition in Norway, friends and family brought the cakes. I rather like this tradition as it worked out that the couple had, instead of one wedding cake, 12 unique cakes with different fillings and frostings.
For Vibeke, the biggest challenge was most certainly trying to plan a wedding with two small boys in tow so her advice to boho brides to be is…try to get married before you have kids!
Oh, about Simon…V had this to say: “he’s honest, sincere, outgoing, smart, he’s not materialistic, he’s kind and good with people and he’s a wonderful father. After a long day’s work, he still has energy for me and the kids and I feel completely safe when I’m with him and he is, indeed, my rock.” Now, if you ask me, a girl can need little more and I’m pretty sure that this happy family will continue to grow in love and happiness, if not in size as well.
The couple are focused on family now, in their little cottage on the coast of Norway. They are taking good care of each other and chasing after the little ones can be exhausting, Vibeke loves them all so much that for her it’s worth it a billion and one times over.
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
This moving love story, simply put, was meant-to-be. At only 15 years old Lizzy told her Dad, that she would one day marry an Edwards Boy. A year later from their first date, they got married, she married Dan Edwards.
I had the pleasure of watching a beautiful, 4 minute video of Lizzy and Dan’s Spokane wedding, courtesy of the The Cayve Film Co.. Besides the breathtaking fly-over of the reception venue, in a gap between the orchards, right next to the golden wheat fields at sundown…it was the obvious chemistry between these two that really took me aback. The way they seem to stare into each other’s souls, in fact, the air of romance throughout the entire 4 minutes was more like something you’d expect from a Hollywood movie than a real life wedding film. As I went on to learn about Dan and Lizzy’s unique love story, I started to understand where all that chemistry came from: this one was quite simply meant to be!
It all began when Lizzy was just 15 years old. She attended a church dance that included churchgoers from all over Idaho…there were, to say the least, lots of people there. She remembers seeing Dan and his brother and asking someone, “Who are those boys? They’re sooo cute!” And they responded, “ Those are the Edwards Boys.” Lizzy went home that night and told her Dad, “One day I’m gonna marry an Edwards Boy.” She actually continued saying that to people for many years, even though the boys had no idea she existed. You can imagine her surprise when, a year ago, she got a friend request from one Dan Edwards on Facebook. A mutual friend had told him that he should ask her on a date. The message he sent with the request said that he’d just like to get to know her better. Oh, you heard that right by the way…that was only a year ago. They had their first date on August 27th 2015 and they got married on August 27th 2016, beautiful!
On that first date they’d gone zip lining in Coeur d’Alene, so when it came time to propose…Dan decided to take Lizzy back there. Only, this time he took her to a tree house that had been built along the course. He’d had it strung with lights, candles burning, music playing, 100 roses and an exquisite view of the sunset…just like a movie. After he’d asked for her hand, both their families materialized out of the trees to give congratulations. Lizzy loved having her family there to share in the moment with them.
She wanted something timeless, she wanted to look back at it, years from now and still be in love with the style that she chose
Finding a wedding dress was exactly what Lizzy had always dreamed it would be. She knows she couldn’t have found a more perfect dress for her special day. She had always loved lace and she’d envisioned a simple but elegant long sleeve gown…that is exactly what she got and wow! She looked magnificent. She wanted something timeless, she wanted to look back at it, years from now and still be in love with the style that she chose…luckily, that’s what boho is all about. Lizzy considers herself blessed to have found Dreamers and Lovers and she says that her dress made her feel so beautiful on her wedding day (even though we know, she’s beautiful anyway).
The couple planned a medium sized wedding, with 150 guests attending. One of Lizzy’s favorite details was the wedding venue and watching the video, it’s easy to see why. The reception took place on her Uncle’s farm in North Idaho. Lizzy grew up on a farm there and so the area holds deep sentimental value for her. The reception was held in an avenue between the apple and peach trees of her Uncle’s orchard, which overlooks the wheat fields,…a mind bogglingly beautiful expanse, bordered by a breathtakingly atmospheric mountain vista.
Another one of Lizzy’s favorite details was the fact that that, instead of hiring a bunch of vendors, most of the work was done by family or friends. Lizzy’s neighbor did the flowers, her brother made the cake, her mom made all the food; her dad built the most gorgeous farm table for the desserts. The family was involved in every step of the process and they wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It was a blessing having them involved in her big day!
One of the biggest challenges for Lizzy during the planning process was making herself happy, instead of everyone else. With everyone wanting to share their opinion, she began to get worried about pleasing everyone and not hurting anyone’s feelings. That’s when she decided tat it was okay to say no to people and do what she really wanted instead. Once that decision was made, the process became a lot easier. After all, it’s the Bride’s day (and the Groom’s, of course ;)…), not everyone else’s!
Flower-wise, Lizzy wanted to see a lot of green in the arrangements, with white and pink roses and a very neutral palette. The result was incredible elegant, especially with the bridal party all dressed in white. Lizzy wanted flowers wherever possible throughout the reception area, on the tables, covering the archways and on all the cakes, etc. The couple visited a local flower farm and bought everything they needed in bulk. Lizzy’s neighbor, who worked at a florist shop for 10 years, put all the bouquets, centerpieces and everything else together.
For the all-important element of food, another one of Lizzy’s favorite parts, they wanted to keep with the farm theme. The menu included barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, and homemade bread with jam and little homemade pies. Wedding favors were caramel corn in mason jars…yum!
As mentioned, Lizzy’s brother actually made the wedding cake and although she was a little nervous about not having it professionally done, it turned out better than she could ever have imagined. It was a simple, three-layered cake with white frosting and flower decorations. There was a separate dessert table with carrot cake, a coconut cream cake and various hand pies, courtesy of Lizzy’s Mom.
Lizzy’s advice for future Brides is this: Don’t procrastinate!
Lizzy’s advice for future Brides is this: Don’t procrastinate! In the end she had so much stress and all because she’d left certain details to the last minute. Having everything prepared and done early will save you a great deal of stress.
As for Dan and Lizzy…she is finishing up her Biology degree while Dan focuses on the family business. They recently bought a little fixer-upper house and they’re enjoying putting their stamp of love on it. It’s a fun project for a newly married couple; he does all the handiwork while she picks out paint and furniture.
Looking at this stunning pair, the love and close family bonds which are so evident in their wedding video…I just know that things will work out fine, sooner or later I think that the family might even expand a little. We wish them all the best and thank them for the part they allowed us to play in their special day.
CREDITS
Photographer : Paris Tews
Dress: Lizzy wears a modified version of the Lisa Dress
See the Lisa on bride Julie here and on Chloe here
We recently featured it in a gorgeous editorial with the most gorgeous florals. See Lisa in its magical form
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Real Weddings
In college, when Sydnie was a freshman, Andrew was the super cute, popular sophomore that all the girls liked. She never even dreamed she would date him, much less end up marrying him. Yet it was only a matter of time before the two of them were close friends, close enough to visit Russia together. After a couple of years as friends, they started dating and now…now they look like one of the happiest married couples you ever saw. Indeed, looking through more than a hundred wedding photos of the couple I have yet to find one where it doesn’t seem like you can almost hear the out-loud-laughter.
After they started dating, the couple had to make do long distance, they lived in completely different states: Sydnie in Oklahoma and Andrew in Los Angeles. On the evening of the proposal, Sydnie was out having dinner with some friends, completely unaware that Andrew was, in fact, driving down to Oklahoma to ask for her hand. After dinner, Sydnie and friends went walking in the park when she was surprised to see one of Andrew’s friends walking toward them, holding a photo of the couple. After that, Sydnie followed a path of pictures of the two of them throughout the years, which eventually led to a romantic letter. At the bottom of the letter were the words: ‘turn around.’ That’s exactly what Sydnie did, to find Andrew down on one knee. After the sheer surprise of seeing him right in front of her and quite a few exclamations of “you’re here!” Sydney finally said yes.
It doesn’t have a name yet. How about Sydnie?” Sydnie was super excited to be wearing a wedding dress that was named after her
The couple was engaged for ten months, more than enough time to plan a full-scale party for 200 people and, lucky for Sydnie, her mom was there to help and guide her every step of the way. As for the dress? Sydnie happened to see an article on Pinterest about why you MUST have pockets in your wedding dress…one of the featured dresses was, of course, from Dreamers & Lovers. She followed links through to the D&L website and simply loved every one of the designs. Whilst visiting Andrew in LA, she set up an appointment with D&L in Torrance and visited the shop with her mom in tow. She tried on a few of the bohemian wedding dresses but when Yanique pulled a dress from the new collection…Sydnie knew that it was the one. Even better, when her mom asked what the name of the dress was, Yanique replied: “It doesn’t have a name yet. How about Sydnie?” Sydnie was super excited to be wearing a wedding dress that was named after her.
Sydnie’s mom is a serious lover of flowers and enlisted a wholesale florist company, fiftyflowers.com for supplies. She personally put together the bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets, the table arrangements and every boutonniere. Some of Sydnie’s friends arranged the bride’s, maids of honors’ and the flower girls’ flower crowns. The flowers were bright wildflowers, peonies, Billy balls, babies breath, Peruvian lilies, garden roses, spray roses and tons of fragrant eucalyptus.
I love you and will never stop pursuing you
The couple didn’t have readings but rather did communion together whilst in the background, their favorite artist, Josh Garrels, played the beautiful song: Heaven’s Knife. Vows were self-written, as they wanted the ceremony to be extra personal. A line that the couple loved so much that they still say it to each other every night before they go to bed was one that Andrew said right at the end of his vows: “I love you and will never stop pursuing you.”
They got married under a big and beautiful tree with an instrumental version of a Bon Iver song playing…the moment Sydnie walked down the aisle, the song picked up: it was one of Sydnie’s favorite details about the wedding. Everything came into focus in that moment and all Sydnie could focus on was Andrew, she cried all the way down the aisle.
Cake? Andrew is a bit of a freak for cheesecake and so a friend and college roommate of Sydnie’s made them a delicious cheesecake with strawberry topping. They also served cupcakes, cookies, chocolates and pies.
At the end of the night, they rounded off celebrations with a 5-minute fireworks display and whilst the couple ran off to begin their lives together, every guest lit a sparkler of their own. For the couple, every aspect of the wedding was exactly as they’d hoped, even better actually… and it was the perfect start to their long and happy lives as a married couple.
Sydney offered some great advice to other laid-back-brides like her…don’t stress, remember that every one of those moments during planning: picking the most beautiful venue, finding the perfect dress, hiring a photographer, they are all special memories so enjoy them! As for the wedding, relax and make the most of what will be the most beautiful day of your life, as long as you make it how you want and don’t stress!
The blissful pair now lives in LA together and will soon be attending graduate school. Andrew will be getting his masters in Linguistics and Biblical Languages and Sydnie, in Intercultural Studies. We know they’re just meant for each other and we wish this beautiful boho couple all the adventure they need and all the love they can bare!
The Sydnie dress, bride Sydnie is wearing cane found here along with the other boho wedding dresses in the Dreamers & Lovers collection.
PHOTO CREDIT:
The Kindred Collective
by Jen Hart | California Wedding, Real Weddings
Aah…Looking at Chloe in her wedding photos: Marilyn Monroe comes to mind, only in some far cooler, far more bohemian and laid back incarnation, I love it! Yet this wasn’t some high-paced, sweep-me-off-my-feet, Hollywood romance. This laughing couple goes way back! Chloe and Brian met at one of their local beaches in San Clemente just before starting High School, making this a love story that’s been brewing for quite some time!
The proposal happened whilst the young flames were camping at their favorite spot on Lake Mary in Mammoth. The pair had just returned from a 10 mile hike to the gorgeous lake and were kicking back with some beers and a deck of cards when Brian declared that it was time to snap some pics with the Gopro before sundown (Chloe’s favorite time of day!).
Brian (absolutely killing it!) set about aiming the Gopro and positioning the two of them in the middle of a copse of trees…picture the tranquil meadow vibes at sundown (killing it!). As they strike a pose, Brian bends to his knee, spills out his man-heart and begs Chloe to be his forever-sidekick: birds were chirping in the trees, as Chloe warmly recalls. On the way back, the couple gave a ride to some hikers who’d been roughing it for days; to the brewery of course…they were, needless to say, the first to learn of the happy couple’s engagement.
When asked about her favorite detail of the wedding, Chloe admitted that it was, for sure, her dress!
When it comes to the story of how Chloe picked her bohemian wedding dress…like so many D&L brides, Chloe is a little different! She had determined to order her dress from some cheap online store after all other arrangements had been made (hmmm, interesting) but what was to be an offhanded BTW turned into a dream shopping experience the minute Chloe caught sight of the Lisa backless dress from D&L.
Chloe recalls that the whole experience turned out to be just perfect because D&L offered anything but your run-of-the-mill bridal shopping trip. Chloe recalls the entire journey with joy, not least of all her memory of meeting the beautiful Yanique (designer extraordinaire!) Chloe was excited just to spend time with Yanique on each visit. She ended up choosing her online favorite: Lisa. What surprised and delighted Chloe even more was the fact that the dress was made to order, at a price that fell well within her meager budget. Plus, it was without question the most beautiful dress she had ever seen! When asked about her favorite detail of the wedding, Chloe admitted that it was, for sure, her dress!
“You were my first kiss, my one girlfriend, my only love and now it will forever be you and me.”
So, the wedding was to be a not-so-small business, with 200 guests invited and Chloe still feeling that she had left many people out. The Christian couple was married by their Pastor and good friend, who did a beautiful, short sermon on the true meaning and beauty of marriage with Christ at the center, especially for them. Vows were self-written as the couple felt that would make it all the more special. Chloe’s favorite line from Brian’s vow was “You were my first kiss, my one girlfriend, my only love and now it will forever be you and me.”
The flowers were, as Chloe says, UNREAL…San Diego floral designer, Julia Heit, with the help of Chloe’s sisters, Carli and Kayla, far exceeded expectations. They were the most beautiful arrangements Chloe’s ever seen and she really felt that her floral dreams came true. For lack of a better term: the flowers were Awesome!
The couple was super happy with their food vendor, the awesome BBQ dudes from R&R BBQ, Rod and Roger Livingston. These family friends have just opened up two restaurants in Utah to massive acclaim. They drove their smoker all the way out to California for the occasion and started meat smoking at 6am on the morning of the wedding. Needless to say, it was the best meal ever! Guests confirmed that they’d never, in all their lives, had a better BBQ…in fact, a few of them ended up regretting the number of servings they went back for.
For dessert the couple had super simple but delicious bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes. They also had powdered and crumbed donut holes in little bags for the guests to grab, plus individually wrapped, chocolate covered apples. It was inexpensive and what’s great is that the guests had a selection from which to choose.
Bride Chloe in Lisa Dress shown BUSTLED
A friend’s band, a father and daughter duo named Esther and Brian Bent, played during the reception and thoroughly rocked it with an upbeat, rockabilly vibe. They opted just to make their own playlists, instead of enlisting a DJ. Esther, however, took charge and MCed the occasion. It worked out perfectly and saved stacks of money.
Friends, Niles Jeran and Sara Edwards took the incredible wedding pics and Mikey Fetner did video. The couple is extremely grateful to all who helped out.
Chloe’s advice for chilled out brides is this: just chip away at it a little at a time and actually enjoy the planning process, even when it’s hard, because you’ll never get it back. Also, seek out those you know with special talents or professions you can use. Knowing the vendors can really make the world of difference!
Next for this stunning couple, just the ‘lifetime’ cruise at each other’s sides, enjoying every day, even through the trials, growing with each other and sometime soon perhaps some babies!!! We wish nothing but prosperity and good fortune for Chloe and Brian…and babies and love and more babies, Yeeeow!
VENDOR CREDIT
Photographer: CA based NILES GREY – www.nilesontheroad.com
To see other brides wearing the very boho Lisa wedding dress, see here
