One of my best memories of the day involved how the wedding had turned into a family affair.  Everyone had helped in one aspect or another so that it really felt more like a celebration of two families as opposed to two people.  For example, my bridesmaids made the boutonnieres that morning, the groomsmen and cousins helped with the setup, my grandmother and mother landscaped the area and my aunts helped find and paint the mason jars for the tables.

Name one thing you regret…

Weddings are stressful times in general, and can be more so if you don’t let go.  I tried to do as much as possible myself to save on costs for the wedding and ended up inconsolable the morning before the rehearsal dinner because a bird had died -outside.  That was really the turning point and a more relaxed attitude helped me to enjoy that night and the wedding – especially when the hair stylist decided to change my hair, the officiant was late, and I forgot to order the number of tables the caterer requested.

… And one thing you’re really happy about/ proud of.

Happy about/proud of:  One the most memorable details for me was the ceremony spot. That was a collaborative effort. My grandmother had spent the last few months landscaping her entire yard for the cocktail hour and ceremony site. I was trying to incorporate those family members that had passed on, like Ethan’s father, and found that including the family wedding photos at the site seemed the most natural way to remember and include them.  Of course, I was busier than expected on the day of, so I relied on the groomsmen to set up the entire lawn area.  It’s the memories like that, of people pitching in and helping to create the wedding that are my favorite. It reminded me of an old fashioned wedding and made it feel so much more family and friend oriented and less like just another big party.

I was also happy how the wedding incorporated so much of us.  Among my favorites, the boutonnieres and confetti were made from Jane Austen books, my favorite author, the plates were made of bamboo and easily compostable, and the tables reflected our geeky side and were named after fictional and historical places we’d love to visit.