by Jen Hart | Bohemian Brides, Real Weddings
I’m inclined to think of rustic or vintage boho as very much an American thing but our beautiful D&L bride, Lauren, and her hubby, Nick, are here to prove that moody vintage and rustic boho weddings go down just as much a treat in the chilly UK and judging by these gorgeous pics, the genre feels right at home…. anywhere in the world!
The Hunt for her Long Sleeves Lace Wedding Dress from the UK
When it came to picking the perfect dress, bohemian goddess, Lauren, had already run the gauntlet of boutique appointments but with no luck. Lucky for her, she’s an Internet savvy diva and came across Dreamers and Lovers on one of the many wedding blogs she followed. Obviously skeptical about ordering online, Lauren requested 2 sample dresses for the home try-on, one of them being the lovely Valentina boho wedding dress.
She instantly knew it was far more her style than any of the boutique try-ons and she sent in her measurements, along with a request for a few customizations. Lauren was swept away when it arrived, with add-ons, perfect to the last stitch and fitting like a laid-back boho wedding gown glove! She was absolutely pumped about having something that wasn’t readily available in her area and even more excited by just how chill and comfy she felt in it the whole day!
The bridesmaids were all shapes and sizes, including Lauren’s preggo sister-in-law, so they opted to match the floral pallet as near as dang and ordered a selection of boho bridesmaid dress styles from ‘Boohoo’ and ASOS’ online. Even the groom opted for the online route, sending his measurements in to Oliver Wicks for his sexy threads.
Their Dreamy Outdoor Venue – Perfect for a Bohemian Bride + Groom
Now, both Nick and Lauren knew that a run-of-the-mill wedding venue just wasn’t going to cut it for them…as serious lovers of the outdoors, their dream had been a woodland wedding but being in the heart of England, they had to consider, weather, access and protecting their beloved guests from mudslides and frostbite (lol). Luckily for them, Nick discovered the Wild Garden at Hyde Estate in West Sussex online, a large pond, plenty trees and a labyrinth of picturesque little bridges were more than enough to capture both their imaginations.
Lauren and Nick weren’t about to let the details slow them down either. The venue wasn’t licensed, so they finalized all the legalities at Guildford Registry Office a few days prior, who allowed them to have Lauren’s Uncle Glen marry them on the day, as special treat as he put together all the best bits from Internet ceremonies and the couple wrote their own vows! Undaunted by the lack of ablution facilities, they hired loos! They even hired a generator, since the venue had zero power!
They rented a couple of giant white teepees from Makatipis, complete with mirror ball, lighting and dance floor. Indeed, everything had to be rented… tables, chairs, crockery, glassware…one thing was certain, this DIY boho wedding turned out a little more expensive than expected, what with all the extras made necessary by the unique venue but y’ know… even though they’d expected a manor house wedding with all the necessaries included to be the pricey option, it was all well worth it in the end!
Now, in spite of the fact that the Wild Garden venue was beautiful in and of itself, this boho bride had been keeping a sneaky Pinterest wedding board for years prior to the proposal, you go girl!! Meaning, there was a wedding vision well in place, a boho décor vision as well and, come hell or high water…those visions were going to be met! There was to be a vintage/DIY/botanical theme and the couple, who share the same tastes, had to scour a good number of car boot sales before the time to gather all the bits and bobs they needed. Some things were also bought on Gumtree, while others were bought new.
The venue was split up into sections, which made it more interesting for the guests to sit or stand around and chat in different sections or explore. They had a bar area, with a borrowed drinks trough and everything displayed on a table with big drinks dispensers. Nick made a big ‘Bar’ sign and a clever ladder with shelving to keep the glasses in!
For the chill out section, a green leather chesterfield couch was found on gumtree, as well as a convenient bar trolley! Creative Nick even made the dream-catchers himself! The pair made a ‘family-tree’ with old family pictures as a tribute to family members who’ve passed on. And speaking of trees, they used a natural aisle of trees for the ceremony and lined it with glass flagons filled with flowers and with giant white balloons tied to them, all signs were hand painted on stained plywood and doors, benches and archway were crafted by DIY extraordinaire, Nick!
Remember those tipis they hired, well, those needed decorating and they were pretty big! Luckily for the couple, their family members were feverishly engaged in setting everything up a few days prior. They had giant clear balloons filled with confetti and ferns hanging from the tipi apices, one of which popped during a speech, showering confetti all over the place, unplanned but seriously cool!!!
They had long tables full of flowers for the sit down meal, the table setting had been planned in advance, so they knew what they wanted on each one. They had collected lots of old jars, bottles and vases of different sizes and colors to put flowers in, as well as little terracotta pots filled with wax flower and eucalyptus. The tea light holders were jars from Nicks parents that Lauren had painted gold, while table names were vintage bird postcards from Etsy set in little Rose Gold wire stands, also found on Etsy.
To get the party started, Nick came up with the idea of playing ‘Hook A Duck’ to find your seat…they found their ducks online, wrote the bird names on the bottom and stuck guests names on top. Nick made a huge barrel for the pond and he also made the sign, Nick turned out to be seriously handy, and handsome as well…score! Not only did the game help folks kill time during photo hour, it broke the ice and guests had crazy fun doing it!
DIY Floral Arrangements
When it came to the all important floral aspect, the couple knew they were already spending a lot and that florists can be seriously pricey, so they ordered all their own flowers and foliage and did all the arrangements, centerpieces and bouquets themselves, with the help of Becky the bridesmaid for bouquets and flower crowns! Lucky for the ladies, the hen-do had actually been a flower crown-making workshop so they didn’t have to count on the Internet for all their how-tos and inspiration!
Speaking of Becky, who is also Lauren’s cousin…, she turned out to be hella useful during preparations as she also happens to be a professional make up artist who even works on West End productions in London. In between her London shows they got together for a little trial with Lauren showing some of her favorite hair and make up Pins. While Lauren isn’t big on make up, she trusted her cousin to get it just right and that’s exactly what she did on the day, with a bunch of giggles to boot. When the gals were ready, Nick surprised them with a vintage car pickup from the hotel to the beautiful venue!
Food was a vegetarian BBQ (since Nick is a vegetarian), courtesy of Jonathan’s Catering near Cirencester, although it was a sit down meal it was served buffet style, with folks getting up to dish by table…which added to the relaxed atmosphere. Everyone enjoyed the munchies and Jonathan managed to get all their requests in within budget!
The gorgeous 3 tier, blueberry and lemon sponge cake with ombre icing, gold leaf and edible flowers was thanks to the baking talent of Nicks own brother, Dom……They were, of course, thrilled with the result!
So you see, with a little help from friends and fam, a handy hubby-to-be and some original thinking, you can turn even the most unequipped venue into the perfect boho-wedding spot.
We wish the stunning couple all the best and decade upon decade of love and laughs to come!
Check out this other amazing UK bohemian wedding we just looove.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Louise Scott Photo
Featured on UK Wedding Blog Rock My Wedding
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Wedding Dresses, Wedding Dress Collection
Our Lumina collection is here..an exclusive surprise with just six styles. I’m so excited to share this new line with you, featuring styles, which evoke romance and the effortless spirit of boho. Easy-going brides opting for a relaxed, intimate wedding, with a finish that’s still chic, will be in love with these dresses.
This collection marks a break from D&L tradition; we’ve chosen to keep things fresh throughout the year, with a series of mini-collections instead of the annual large collection to which we’ve grown accustomed. This just feels right and authentic to whom we are as a brand.
On the subject of sizes, it can be so easy to fall into a groove, thinking, without realizing you’re doing it. In retrospect, I don’t understand why we listed our sizes as 0-14, when in reality we create size 16 and 18 on a regular basis for so many of our brides.
That’s why, the Lumina collection is our first collection where our samples will be offered in sizes 2-18. It feels so good to do the right thing and while I know that there are many sizes we aren’t covering, unfortunately change does take time, and this will be something I will be keeping in mind going forward.
The design for this collection was slightly different. Rather than create a storyline, and then design each dress to fit in to that story, we created each style individually. The only constant was the dresses each had to fit in the narrative of the easygoing bohemian bride. I took many of our best selling favorites, tweaked their silhouette, expressed them in different fabrics and most importantly worked on getting the best possible fit for each design.
A core focus during our creation of Lumina was achieving the most flattering fit for each style. I worked diligently with my team to perfect the fit of the foundation garment; while bride-to-be’s visiting our design studio/showroom, employees, and friends tried the garments in different sizes…we literally studied each fit. This is the part we can never get wrong that remained the same in this collection.
Designing this collection felt enlightening and liberating. I’m a self-taught designer, who went to school for Fashion Merchandising rather than design. Interestingly, my first ever collection, which I created some 5.5 years ago, was designed similarly to this one… and I loooooved it. No formal approach taken, just on a mission to create the best fitting, romantic and gorgeous silhouette I could dream up. I certainly hope that Lumina excites you as much as it does me.
The Styles of the Lumina Simple Wedding Dresses
Our new Anais is a spin-off of our best selling Azalea, with that same defined waist and that ephemeral and romantic lace that is now synonymous with the Dreamers & Lovers brand. Our Chloe and Audrey dresses are both a nod to our Catherine and Julia dresses, only, with the added long sleeves that so many brides have been requesting. I personally love the closed back but with the sheer lace…it really is magic in dress form.
The new Claire is an extension of our Clover and Arabelle dresses, some of the very first designs I ever created. The new Hazel is a dress that’s lived in my dreams forever and is finally getting her day, it has the same defined waist as Azalea, only, I added a ruched waistband, a split second decision made after seeing the first sample on our bust form.
The Grace dress is actually a dress I tried to introduce about three years ago, but it failed, the fabrics just didn’t synergize. Perhaps it was just not the right timing, but now I’m confident it is. Hazel, Claire and Audrey all combine lace bodices with silk skirts, an ensemble brides have expressed heightened interest in over the years.
At the dawn of our Dreamers & Lovers journey, I designed our dresses, photographed them, blogged about it and would rant about the how and the why. It has been a few years since I’ve done that and I wanted to return to that time. If you’ve made it this far through my ranting today; thank you!
Our Inspiration
My inspiration is always our bride…we see her as a fun-loving freethinker. She loves the outdoors, to dream and to love and, as it should be, her wedding is an extension of who she is and of her life. It was for this reason that I opted out of a non-model for this shoot. Instead I found the sweetest girl, who was like so many of the girls I meet in the studio everyday, so full of life, love and laughter. Someone who, like so many of my brides, celebrates what it means to embrace the bohemian way of life.
Amelia was just that and after working with her on the shoot, I fell in love with her even more, and saw our brides in her eyes. She is a fun-loving student at Pepperdine, who loves to travel, and loves taking on creative pursuits. Most of all she was laid-back and real, just like the brides I design for.
We hope you will love the Lumina collection. I chose the name Lumina on a tip from a friend, and fell in love with its meaning, simply light!!
Final Thoughts
Lumina’s laid-back wedding dresses are a symphony of laces and silks, rich and decadent yet ethereal in weight and wearability. These are bohemian wedding dresses through and through. We are sensory beings, inspired by what we see in the mirror, what we feel against our skin and how it makes us move; how our image becomes a conductor of sentiments to the people we interact with.
Lumina won’t let you forget for a minute that you’re doing all this for love, she will be soft, she will be gentle, she will enrich the soul of the world and those who cross our paths with love that feels its own timelessness. Illuminate your love with the spirit of boho, speak in poetry and never forget that real love rules the world.
Love and Light.
Yanique
PHOTOGRAPHER: Christine Ta – For Love and Light – @forloveandlight on Instagram
by Jen Hart | California Wedding, Real Weddings
Magical DIY California Bohemian Wedding at Saddlerock Ranch
Now…at Dreamers & Lovers, we see a lot of love, as you can imagine. Our bride stories are one of the treats that make us feel so blessed! The very-much-unfinished tale of Jen’ and James Caratola, though, is one of the tales that made me think: that’s what I want! The couple share such a deep and powerful love that pours like poetry from every word of her interview, from every line of their self-written ceremony and from the breathtaking photos of Jen’ in her Valentina gown from D&L and James, her VIKING man: I just can’t wait to share it all with you!
The couple created a wedding website, which shared the story of their meeting and touched upon the very powerful mechanism of destiny and God.
The couple met just 5 years ago, despite the fact that they had grown up together on a one-bridge island, just half a mile away from one another…With more than a hundred mutual friends, the couple had been in the same room countless times over the course of their lives until 5 years ago, in a miracle of love at first sight, Jen’ asked her friend…”Who is that?” Obviously, to destiny…and God, it was time for them.
The pair soon discovered that, in addition to their ‘almost-shared’ youth, they’d lived only a breath of 5 blocks from each other when both had stayed worlds away, in Philadelphia, where one had lived, a vagabond graduate student, the other, a blossoming corporate professional.
There first year together was a whirlwind, as James was constantly moving on clinical rotations…Jen’ visited him in South Carolina and on the dock at Charleston Harbour, James discovered their shared curiosity and explorer spirit. When Jen’ departed on the northbound for Philly, he felt taken with longing and almost wanted to chase her down. It was the start of many travels. It was the start of the kind of the love that could make anyone BELIEVE!
Big Sur, in CA, has always been a special place for the adventurers but on September 24th, 2016, it became even more special….While on a camping trip with a handful of their dearest friends, James asked the question that had been on the tip of his tongue for a year, when he asked Jen’ to marry him. With Jen’s beloved ocean below and James’ beloved mountains above, the mountains finally met the sea.
Finding the Perfect Wedding Dress for her Boho Wedding
First up…to find the dress! Jen’s parents had flown in from NJ for the long-weekend, to help with wedding planning and to help their daughter find the ONE (the ‘other’ ONE, haha). With Mom and Dad in-tow, Jen’ booked and attended 4 appointments at different bridal spots. While she tried on so many beautiful wedding dresses at the first two shops, she just wasn’t sold on one yet. That’s when they visited Dreamers and Lovers, where Jen’ tried on more than a handful of favorites!
Browsing one of the racks, Jen’s Mom handed the assistant a laid back wedding dress, asking her to have Jen’ try it on for size. Turns out, Mom knows best, as always…because Valentina was perfect! It was love at first sight for the second time. Jen’ purchased the dress shortly after that and even though she still went to the last appointment, nothing could compared to the Valentina boho wedding dress.
When Jen’ did her first fitting with her two besties, her viking Fiancé sent a gift of flowers to her during the dress appointment, out of the blue. “That is just the kind of man he is and how special he makes me feel”, says Jen’ and we have to admit…she sure is one lucky, lucky Bridechilla.
The lovers invited 125 guests to the event, which was booked at Saddlerock Ranch and Hilltop Estate, a beautiful log cabin on top of the mountains, with views of the vineyard, rolling hills and the ocean (the mountains and the sea, remember…) and while the venue couldn’t have been better chosen, planning was intense, since they had to bring everything themselves…down to the kitchen utensils. The ceremony and reception were held outside the cabin, perfect.
Dreamy DIY Details from the Wedding
Jennifer composed a song herself, on the piano, recorded it and walked down the aisle with her Dad to it but most special was how many guests flew all the way from New Jersey to attend, even their grandparents, a real treat! It would be a night to remember, dancing together with their loved ones under the stars…
The couple wrote their entire ceremony themselves and it only makes sense that we share a few snippets, straight from the day:
The Ring Ceremony (Jen’s ring was custom-made and James’ ring was a unique mix of wood and metal)
You’ve brought rings with you today that shall represent these promises. People say that a ring symbolizes no beginning and no end. But these rings did have a beginning. The stones began as a simple structure that only time and pressure could form. The wood was taken from a tree whose roots grew deep and strong. The metal was forged under immense heat and took effort to shape.
Something miraculous was made from raw elements.
This couple had its own humble beginning. Your love is the process of shaping something beautiful where there was once nothing at all. As you wear these rings over the years, may you carry this love to the end of your days.
And the Vows (With Jen’s favorites in bold)
Jennifer, you’ve made me a better person in countless ways. You’ve taught me strength, patience, attention and humility. You’ve given me perspective into the meaning and purpose of this life. My highest highs and lowest lows need only your presence for enrichment. I want to share every thought, every sight and every feeling with you, my love. I vow to carry when you need, to hold you when you want, and to follow you when you lead. I vow to never lose sight of the amazing person that you are and the great fortune I have, to be your choice.
James, life is grander with you in it and our adventures are unforgettable. You melt my worries and ease my stress. You’ve shown me, and those whom I hold most dear, a love that I never dreamed possible.
I vow:
To always return that same love, now and to the Man you’ll grow to be,
To be the greatest supporter in your life and aspirations,
To care for you when hurt or sick,
To be your partner through thick and thin,
To be your teammate when raising a family
I vow to love you till my dying day and embrace every step of our journey. Never skipping a day to remember these promises, and to always take every chance to see this world that our eyes were meant to see together.
Wedding flowers, by the way, were succulents, greens, white flowers and…purple cabbage!!! It was a standing joke on the day that if the bridesmaids got hungry during the event, at least they could eat their bouquets. Hmmm, good idea, though I worry I’d munch my whole bouquet and stand empty handed, I kinda dig purple cabbage.
Jen’ says that weddings have become so cookie cutter and expensive, it’s important that boho wedding planners think outside the box. The pair did a lot of things on their own, instead of enlisting vendors for EVERYTHING. James made custom leather bowties and suspenders, with handmade leather luggage tags, with names, for the guests as gifts (what a brilliant idea #gottarememberthatone).
Jen’ designed the invites and skipped out on save the dates by sending the invites out early; she also bought terrariums and filled them with succulents grown by her now-mother-in-law, which were used as centerpieces. She also had a good friend work on photos and paid for raw footage of the day but put the video together herself!
Last but not least, as a dessert, the couple had towers of doughnuts from their favorite, DK’s doughnuts in Santa Monica and coupled that with fresh fruit for everyone to enjoy! When ‘cake-cutting’ time came, the couple shared great big, simultaneous bites of the favorite kind of doughnut!!
So you see ladies, real love is REAL THING…DIY weddings can be OFF THE HOOK…and if you plan ahead like James and Jennifer did…and get married over Labor Day weekend, you can plan anniversary getaways for the rest of your (love) lives.
Thanks so much to J & J, who’ve freshly moved house to Santa Barbara, for the blessing of their story…the future awaits!!
CREDITS
Photographer: Kristen Victoria Photography
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Brides, Real Weddings
The Mind of the Boho Bride on her Wedding Day
You saw him from afar, the guy of your wildest dreams, you made a friend, you got a little closer than friends, you started to realize you couldn’t do without him, then he proposed. So you conquered the uncharted coasts of (insert name here), pretty much! Engagement ring on finger, preparation for the bohemian wedding of those same wildest dreams under way, it strikes you hard …there’s the wedding night to come, the moving in, the MARRIAGE, the walk into the sunset, it’s deep, it’s vast, it’s real life and it’s yours. You’re stoked.
Clearly, you’ve zoned in on the ‘ONE’ or maybe even the ‘TWO’ (bridal separates), as far as your gown is concerned, you’ve opted for a few customizations to make it just right and can’t wait to try on the final product. There’s no time to play the waiting game though, since a sweet ton of things need doing, including all your cray-cray DIY projects…and you’re more than a little worried about enlisting enough help from your busy collective F&F for that.
The fact is, you chose a laid back wedding, a boho wedding and a beautiful, simple wedding dress because you’re chill as a freakin’ ice cube…well, usually. At the mo, a strange panic is setting in, especially since you’ve given yourself exactly 3 months to plan absolutely everything, plus your boss decided to hit you with an extra couple of tasks, with a smile: say whaaaat?!
The fact is, you’re usually so chill that you half expect it’ll ice your windshield over, but now, your system is awash with a totally odd compilation of hormones, neurotransmitters and a trance party of conflicting emotions, What The Actual F? You feel like a walking sweating teepee. Um…are you seriously getting married?
The months before the wedding are jam packed, the feelings unusual, sorta like…premenstrual. Still, when the day finally arrives, it can be really intense, your laid back persona might even seem to have gone underground when you wake up from that nervous, probably pretty disrupted sleep. Let’s talk about some of the things that go through a bride’s mind on her wedding day: a day so full of action that it often speeds by far to fast to be fair. Maybe, knowing what to expect will help that special, once in a lifetime day tick by a little slower. Maybe, reading this will help you make the most of it, instead of stressing.
#1: “Okay, checklist item A, OMG, B, Oh no, C, what was it again?” The longest night of your life
Remember those December 24’s as a kid, biting your nails in almost unbearable anticipation…or the same, before your finger-displayable birthdays? There might only be one night, post-childhood, that could compare to that sort of insane sleeplessness. There’s one night that may well make you feel like an 8 year old again, exhausted as you are from a week of work, final, mad preparation dashes and nervous tequilas with the crew…and that’s the night before your wedding.
That totally necessary, desperately craved beauty slumber will likely be standing somewhere near Jupiter, laughing at you hysterically, no sheep in sight, just a still standing pasture fence and a gate… the gate to the rest of your life.
The night before your wedding, you will be running over every single aspect on your wedding schedule, looking at every corner of your ideal image to try to find something amiss. You’ll be wasting your time, that much goes without saying but the fact is that you won’t be able to help yourself.
Boho diva or no, remember, stress is a leading cause of outbreaks and God forbid you wake up after a 3 hour snooze with a whopper on your chin, your forehead, or even…your NOSE! Meditate, watch a movie that’ll draw your attention, drink some red wine but for goodness sake, get some sleep and eat so you don’t look like the boho chic walking dead.
#2 “No thanks, I’m too excited to eat.” The champagne pain
Girl, don’t be cray. Studies have shown that the brain is responsible for burning 20% of your body’s energy. What happens when you’ve been stressing and worrying obsessively and you wake up with about 82 voices in your head is that that number goes up.
Even if you’re a careful eater and hunger is the very last thing on your mind; even if you’re terrified of bloating your tummy and being gaseous at the altar (just imagine), the fact is, now more than ever, you need a bigger than usual, high energy breakfast, along with about an hour to let it settle before you get too active.
No doubt you’ll be quick to accept that second champers and OJ but on a stomach that’s got no more than a small yogurt in it, all that you’ll get in return is a feeling of being wind-blown, in a place with no wind and legs that feel disinterested in the idea of keeping you moving.
#3 “It’s too much, it’s all too much!” The panic attack
It matters not how much you disapprove of time wasting, fluttering, near terminal glee, hugs and freakin’ expectations…that’s because, this morning, however many people RSVPed, well, that’s how many people will have you at or pretty dang close to their center of attention and there will be no escape.
What I’m saying is, basically, you just gotta chill like you’ve never chilled before and let folk fuss over you, don’t let them make you do anything unthinkable like wear a shade of pink lippy that makes you look 20 shades feminine-er that yourself . Otherwise, what’s gonna be going through this bride’s head is a whole lotta: “It’s too much, it’s too much…OMG, WTF?!!”
And seriously, bridechillas aka (dreamers & lovers brides), ladies of the times, don’t do panic attacks…how you gonna wear a laid back wedding dress, a totally groovy bohemian wedding dress and act like a high strung nut-case? That type of foolishness is for cupcakes, hello!
The Bohemian Wedding Day..and Dress
#4 “I feel ridiculous, walking slowly down this aisle like an airhead.” The princess parade
The aisles walk; okay, think about this one. Try it out with whoever is handing you over, do rehearse. Don’t parade yourself for the guests, walking at the pace of a song which makes you feel constipated, in front of a smiling, awkward audience.
Choose music with a pace that’ll get you there in just enough time to think: “Well he is looking fine, and so am I, and this is really happening in 3, 2, 1.” The aisle walk is a special thing and too much of: “this is taking ages, I feel stupid smiling at everyone, oh shoot he must be wondering why he’s here” is gonna leave you flustered when you arrive at the altar.
You should be looking at your man all the way, making eye contact even, thinking “SCORE, SCORE!”
#5 “Um………………………………………….” Terror in virgin territory
Believe it, there are still a great many boho sistas who, for religious, cultural or moral reasons, will be getting their cherry picked for the first time on their wedding night. For those chaste chillitas, there will likely be one of two tracks of thought traversing their minds pretty incessantly all day (with variations, depending on what kind of intel they have, from whatever sources, about the Birds, Bees and things like Man-bottoms).
Track 1: I hope he still likes me once he’s seen my nipples, my lady bits and my extensive (and possibly not as bad as you think) cellulite…and I hope he doesn’t expect me to act like a porn star…oh, oh and …I hope I still love him once I’ve met Walter (ahem).
Track 2: Oh My Word, Can We Hurry This Reception Up Or What? As in, look how fine he is all clad in his blue suit, I cannot cope any longer?!
In Conclusion:
Not every girl grows up imagining every detail of her ideal wedding celebration, day in and day out. In fact, a good many sistas, especially those of the free-spirited, hair in the wind, soulful, boho persuasion…they get caught with a serious case of romance, unexpectedly and from the stars enough to have the whole idea of floral crown, crying moms and all the wedding proverbials be really, truly, fully, awkward…and every little traditional fluff can end up feeling a task for, depending on just how much of a hippie spirit you are: unless of course, you learn from our D&L brides, run over your bridechilla mantra at least every hour or so…
“Let me just, make the guy proud, instead of making him wonder”
“an easy wedding portends an easy marriage”……. or something to that effect, just relax, put your hands in your boho wedding gown with pockets, thank goodness this is 2018 and such things are possible….breathe, and savor the miracle of it all.
Wishing you love and freedom. xx
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS
All photos of Bride Carolina + Groom Nate’s wedding was taken by the freakin talented Katie Edwards Photo
Interested in reading the details of Nate’s & Carolina’s laid-back Tulum boho wedding see it here
by Jen Hart | Bohemian Brides, Real Weddings
The Boho Bride & Her Flowy Wedding Dress
Paige and Tyler’s story is one of patience, friendship and two people who took the time to get to know one another before deciding to spend their lives together. It was Paige’s freshman year when a friend told her about a great looking guy who shared her love for God and before she knew it; he was knocking on her door, inviting her for a game of sand volleyball, one of his favorite pastimes. Flops, socks and a cheetah print bikini and Tyler was obviously hooked…the road to a romantic relationship, however, was going to be a long one, in spite of the fact that they both had strong feelings for one another from the get go.
They became close friends, even journeying to Spain together to study during their junior year. Some people have a lot of patience…I certainly don’t know if I would make it as far as they did before calling it like it is. The plus side is that, by the time they got together, they would know for sure whether or not it was meant to be. Six months after their stay abroad, they began spending more one on one time together and soon, that one on one time turned into dates.
After spending their last school year, at Cal Poly, as a couple, college loomed and a forced separation was imminent. Paige got a job in Southern California, while Tyler stayed on an extra year to finish his degree. They got together during holidays and some weekends, counting down the days to when they’d be living in the same city again. That day would be a long time coming, as Paige moved to Texas for graduate school and Tyler remained in California, working and applying for medical school.
Three years of long distance later, their paths finally took them to the same city again. Tyler began medical school in California and Paige landed a job close by. It was only a month later that Tyler asked her to be his wife…he’d had plenty time to think things through. Paige was, of course, well and truly surprised. Paige’s mom had been in town visiting and for some reason she’d thought he’d definitely not pop any big question while her mom was so close at hand.
One morning, Tyler nonchalantly invited Paige to join him on a hiking trail he’d heard about from a classmate. Since she loves exploring new places, she was keen as can be but she certainly wasn’t prepared for what Tyler had planned. Arriving at the hiking spot, there was a choice of two paths to take, one of which was paved and full of people, the other a little more rugged and definitely more intriguing to Paige. Tyler had thought she’d need convincing to take that particular path with him but, that day, he was in luck as she lunged, determine to take THAT path and no other.
On reaching the top of the hill trail, he wrapped his arm around her and a few moments later Paige was greeted by a sight she’ll never forget. There before them was a table set up with flowers and a card, overlooking a breathtaking lakeside vision. Paige had waited years for that day and couldn’t hold back the tears as he ushered her to a spot between two trees and got down on one knee. She later learned that there had been GoPros positioned in the trees and that a stealthy friend had flown in to take sneaky photos of them from a distant hiding spot. It was more romantic than she ever could have dreamed.
All about her Laid-back Flowy Wedding Dress
When it came to finding her perfect, laid back boho wedding dress, Paige knew what she wanted. She was very particular, she loved lace but was very picky about what kind of lace she wanted; she also planned to steer clear of bedazzlement, tulle, poof and the dreaded outcome of walking down the aisle like a heavily decorated cupcake. More than anything, Paige wanted to feel comfortable on her wedding day.
After many a long afternoon and night, scouring Instagram and Pinterest, she became aware of the fact that she had saved multiple pictures of different brides, all wearing the same boho flowy wedding dress, the Lisa. Not only was Lisa the epitome of her wedding dress dreams, the About Us page on the D&L website made her fall even more in love, Dreamers & Lovers and the laid back Lisa dress spoke to her, they WERE her!
Despite the fact that she’d already found ‘the one,’ Paige booked appointments at local boutiques so that her and her mom could do the ‘girl thing’ when her mom came to visit. She’d tell the assistants that she wanted long sleeves, comfortable, no glitter and preferably soft lace. The thing is, she couldn’t get the Lisa out of her mind. A short while later she ordered Lisa and Aurora to try on from Dreamers & Lovers but dreading the idea of not having her bridesmaids close at hand for the big try-on, she decided to fly up to Northern California and convince the gals to skip work and join her for an impromptu appointment. The choice was clear, Aurora, which was brand new at the time, was to be the one. Paige couldn’t have been happier in a million years.
Details of her Chic Bohemian Wedding
Location was of the utmost importance to the couple, who ended up getting married on the lawn at Paige’s aunt and uncle’s house in Northern Michigan, overlooking the most magnificent lake. When Paige was in high school she’d spend a few weeks there each summer and she’d always envisioned a wedding there. When her family offered, she jumped at the chance and looked forward to spending the day with 95 nearest and dearest, many of who had to catch a plane flight to get to the enchanting Michigan venue.
Jamie, at Pontius Flowers, helped Paige bring her imagination to life with organic, boho blooms and tons of fresh greenery. Because the planning was long distance, the couple enlisted the help of friends and family who lived closer to the destination during planning. Her cousin built a beautiful bar by hand, along with corn hole boards made out of pallet wood; her uncle made a birch wood arch and easel and Paige and her bestie worked together with watercolors and love to make original wedding stationary. Before the couple’s send off, another one of Paige’s beloved cousins treated the couple and guests to the ultimate firework show. It’s those details, which required the help of loved ones that the couple will remember the most.
Tyler and Paige are big on pie, so they visited a local bakery and ordered an assortment for the reception, while a friendly neighbor on the lake contributed some of her famous raspberry pies. On top of that, since Paige’s gran is somewhat traditional, a small, semi-naked, white wedding cake with raspberry filling was ordered for the two lovebirds to cut together.
Vows were self written, with Paige’s favorite from Tyler being: ‘You are my priority on this earth and I vow to rely on the strength of our Heavenly Father to shoulder the challenges we will face and always protect you and our marriage.’ Tyler’s favorite line from Paige’s was: ‘You bring laughter and joy into our loves and you always know how to make me smile. I feel so proud I get to call you my husband and so honored that you would call me your wife.’ Readings were Genesis 2:18-24, Matthew 19:4-5 and Romans 11:36.
“if you can’t afford a wedding planner, find a way to afford one! Even if you’re a control freak, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by letting someone smooth out details in the last week and especially on the day”
Paige’s advice for boho brides to be is that, “if you can’t afford a wedding planner, find a way to afford one! Even if you’re a control freak, you’ll be doing yourself a favor by letting someone smooth out details in the last week and especially on the day”. 2500 Miles away from the wedding venue, with a 3 hour time difference, Paige found herself having to wake up extra early to call vendors before work. Another challenge was choosing vendors based purely on internet searches, especially with Northern Michigan being a little behind California in terms of wedding resources…actually, with some vendors, there was only one choice available!
At the end of the day, the pair loved everything about how the wedding turned out. It was an unforgettable celebration, especially for all the loved ones who flew in for the event. They were blessed with perfect weather all weekend and spent the days boating and swimming in the lake. It wasn’t a stretch for friends and family to understand exactly why the couple had chosen that particular, far away venue.
Now, with Tyler half way through medical school and Paige working in public health as a registered dietician, the couple is looking forward to their long future together. They live in Northern California now but are both ecstatic about their planned move for Tyler’s medical residency. Little ones are surely on the cards but no time soon, for now it’s all about enjoying their time together and appreciated uninterrupted sleep for a few years, if they can help it. We wish them years of adventure, romance, friends and family!
Wedding Photographer: Jenna Borst Photography
To see other boho brides wearing the Aurora and other Flowy wedding dress styles see our Photo Album
For a listing of our complete lineup of bohemian wedding dresses go here
