Lord - Rustic Wedding Chic

Rustic Wedding Chic

Maggie Lord

Digital Edition 1.0

Text 2012 Maggie Lord

Photographs 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except brief portions quoted for purpose of review.

Gibbs Smith

P.O. Box 667

Layton, Utah 84041

Orders: 1.800.835.4993

www.gibbs-smith.com

ISBN: 978-1-4236-3069-2

To my niece, Aidan Elsie Panian, who reminds me that true beauty comes from being exactly who you are.

Thank you to the Rustic Wedding Chic readers, contributors and supporters; without you, none of this would be possible.

Thank you to the contributing photographers, flower designers, event planners, artists and others who provided the beautiful inspiration. Especially, Ash and James Photography, Brklyn View Photography, Carrie Wildes, Charlie Panian, ee Photography, Hinkley Photo, Kate Holstein Photography, Krista Lee Photography, Kristyn Hogan, Mirelle Carmichael Photography, Orchard Cove Photography, Our Labor of Love Photography, Revival Photography, Sparkle Photography, Tahni Candelaria-Holm, Tom Moore Photo, Vanessa Joy. And a special thank-you to Virginia and Chelsea with Bluebird Productions and Catherine from Farm Couture Living for their wonderful insights and informative additions to the book.

Thank you to Meghan Schaetzle and Marisa Beltramini for their dedication and hard work.

Thank you to Mary Louise Dudley who brought a world of knowledge and a sense of direction to the project.

My sincerest thanks to the entire team at Gibbs Smith for their professional support and dedication. Especially my editors, Hollie Keith and Madge Baird, for fostering this project through the many stages.

Thank you to my family who has supported all of my entrepreneurial endeavors dating back to Maggies Shell Shop.

Thank you, Mickey Kelly Murray, who a long time ago introduced me to what rustic and chic really means.

Id like to also thank Susan Kelly Panian for providing a fundamental base of love, guidance and confidence and whose optimism is unwavering, and Ed Panian for always contributing a creative spirit.

Edward and Charlie Panian, thank you for your technical help, artistic instruction, inspiration and for believing in the blog from the earliest of days. Thank you to my nephew, Eddie, whose imagination and spirit reminds me to dream big; Jen Pokorney who is always there with a hot meal and sound advice; and to my grandmother, Mariann Kelly, for her wisdom, style and unconditional love.

To my husband, Jon, who supported me through the days of planning our own rustic wedding and every day since.

And lastly, to my son, Jack, who played at my feet while this book was written and who brings me endless joy.

A country chic bride and groom take a moments rest at their outdoor wedding.

A few perfectly placed bright flowers are mixed with red berries in this rustic wedding bouquet. Photo by Brklyn View Photography.

A brides rustic bouquet looks perfectly in place upon a painted wood chair. Photo by Hinkley Photo.

Wooden directional signs add both country charm and are also helpful for your guests, especially when your wedding is on a larger piece of property such as a farm. Photo by Brklyn View Photography

A rustic wedding is a state of mind, an overall aesthetic and feeling woven through the many beautiful moments of a wedding. The word rustic implies a whole world of possibilities. Just as endless as a brides expectations, so too are the various forms a rustic wedding can take. Now more than ever, couples are yearning to place their own original stamp on their weddings in hopes of creating a more unique and personalized experience. It is this desire for a more original ceremony that often leads couples to the wonderful and expansive world of rustic weddings.

A long pathway of trees acts as a wonderful symbol of the journey of marriage this new bride and groom are embarking on. Photo by ee Photography.

Perhaps what comes to mind when you think of rustic weddings are locations like barns, mountaintops, fields and orchards, or details like wood beams, tiny lights, magical table dcor and thoughtful favors. While all of these examples are true, the real beauty of a rustic wedding is its versatility. Rustic weddings come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. The weddings you will see in this book are as unique as the couples who planned them. I have seen couples make almost any setting feel rustic, from traditional country venues such as farms, barns, lodges and vineyards to family backyards, extravagant resorts and even urban hotels.

As a couple, you should first strive to define the essence of your style. Once you have an idea of what you want, you can easily take the rustic-style elements that fit your taste and adapt them to your own venue and budget with a fresh and personalized twist. As you will experience throughout the book, rustic weddings can be many things because their beauty is never limited. The fantasy of your dream rustic wedding is yours to have.

Here is a white lace wedding gown in the still moments before the bride starts her getting-ready process.Vanessa Joy Photography

You may now be saying to yourself that all of this is easier said than done. The story of your wedding day is yet to be written and there are endless possibilities, with inevitably some twists and turns along the way. Almost every couple will admit that the time leading up to their big day includes some of the most stressful moments of their lives, but planning a wedding should be fun. Allow yourself to get excited about the fact that your wedding is one of the few days in your life when you are able to curate the entire experience, from start to finish. Relaxing and enjoying the overall process is crucial to making the day a success. And theres no reason to be afraid of imperfections. In fact, sometimes its those obstacles that make for the most memorable moments. Every wedding, no matter how flawless the planning, has its fair share of wrinkles and quirks. Embrace each moment, perfect or not, as one small piece of fabric that, when sewn together, creates a wonderful patchwork quilt of memories you will cherish for a lifetime.

A wedding gives you the opportunity to express your love and to realize your creative ideas, so your big day makes a true and unique statement about your bond. A marriage is the union of two individuals who wish to spend their lives together. A wedding, on the other hand, is the joyous celebration of this union and should reflect both of you as individuals and as the couple you form. Remember that you are inviting your wedding guests to share in the celebration of your love and it is so much more than the dress, cake or flowers. Even though each of these details is important, its key not to lose sight of the fact that on your wedding day you should be surrounded by the people you love and the things that make you the happiest. By being true to yourself and letting your imagination flow, you can bring this special day to life.