I met Liz when I was 16 through a mutual friend and instantly we got along. It’s pretty impossible not to love her. Although, we haven’t seen much of each other throughout the years, I still consider her a friend. Last year she married the love of her life and I couldn’t be happier. I have never met Nick but I am sure he is an amazing guy.

The invitations were designed by Melissa Kae and the envelopes were adorned with the crafty bride’s handwriting.

Their wedding was a gorgeous collaboration of DIY projects and handmade decor, which were all thought out to the last detail. With Mother Nature surrounding them, they shared their vows and cleverly created a celebration that was a dream come true. Looking over the photos of their special day I was seriously moved. This is why I had to share it.

The programs were created by the bride. Her inspired idea came from the first RSVP that arrived at their door. The envelopes were repurposed as covers and special papers such as onion skin typewriter paper were used for the contents. The handwritten text was done by the bride as well.

October 1, 2011 was a day Liz and Nick along with 91 of their closest friends and family will never forget. Held at the Glasbern Inn in Fogelsville, PA, their wedding celebration was an intimate experience that was nothing less than authentic. From all the beautiful handmade details and vintage materials to the independent vendors they had help them, this was surely a wedding that reflected their personal aesthetic and style.

They chose this particular inn because it was a halfway point between their families in North Jersey and friends in Philadelphia. Their guests were invited to an unplugged ceremony so all were present in the moment. I love this! After, they wined and dined and truly had a farm to table experience. Not only is the Glasbern Inn a sustainably managed bed and breakfast, it is also a farm where all the food served is grown and raised right there on the grounds.

Walking in to Somersault by Zero 7, the bride looked stunning in her strapless lace dress by Marisa 737 and red BCBG heels. Around her neck she wore a Sahlia Michelle aquamarine necklace along with her grandmother’s 80 year old aquamarine ring. The groom stood waiting in a classic suit with a plaid tie and the bridesmaids all wore dresses from the JCrew bridesmaid line they picked themselves. They were all carrying white lanterns filled with wildflowers. The bride’s rustic style bouquet and boutonnieres were crafted by Love N’ Fresh Flowers, the only sustainably managed flower farm in Philly.

Sharing their written vows among the countryside, as the sun peeked out from behind gray clouds, their guests watched as Everlong by the Food Fighters was played by the acoustic guitarist, Dave Duong. Carried down in a vintage black ring box the bride found many years before, their rings were delicately brought by Liz’s 6 year old godson. The bride’s sister gave a reading from The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo and the newly married couple walked out to Hands Down by Dashboard Confessional.

The reception decor was done by the bride and groom as well. All the escort cards were handwritten by Liz and adorned by a personalized button for each of the guests. The tables had collections of vintage bottles filled with an array of wildflowers. These one of a kind bottles were excavated by the bride in a Phoenixville landfill and spiffied up by the groom.

Antique patterned paper was used at the base of the centerpieces, tiny button placeholders rested at each setting and the table numbers were made out of pieces of wood shingles. To bring a little fun to the tables, the couple had included open ended sentence cards for the guests to answer which are now resting in their guestbook along with the photos taken at the photobooth.

The bride and groom’s table was sweetly decorated with fresh flowers, personalized mugs and scrabble tiles.

One of the most memorable moments was Liz and her father sharing their first dance together. Helping him up from his wheelchair, her brother joined the two as they danced to Like Someone in Love by Bjork. Liz and Nick chose Love Song by the Cure (bride’s favorite band), the 311 (groom’s favorite band) cover, for their first dance.

The couple served milk and cookies for dessert and had a red velvet cake made for them by Sweet Elizabeth’s. The reception was warm and cozy as the fireplaces blazed brightly. The sign that hung on the stone wall was put together by the bride and groom by repurposing an old frame they found and painting the inside with chalkboard paint.

Guests had a great time in the photobooth which was lined with Edma fabric from Ikea. With silly props at their fingertips, they snapped photos full of happiness and laughter. They were asked to add one of the photostrips to the couple’s guestbook, made by Three Trees Bindery, and keep the other for themselves.

Most of the guests had a peaceful nights rest at the inn and joined the newlyweds for a delicious breakfast the morning after. What a beautiful way to end such a special occasion. Now the two live happily ever after and are expecting their first child at this very moment! The magical celebration was captured beautifully by Dave Waddell at Siousca Photography.

I honestly feel this is one of the most endearing weddings I have ever seen and its not just because I know the bride. From every detail to the location of the event, you get a sense of who the bride and groom are as individuals as well as who they are as a couple. It’s clear they are madly in love and felt it was important for their special day to represent how they feel, what they believe in and how they view the world around them. By creating an event that was sincere, personal and true to themselves they received everlasting memories of a dream come true wedding they will cherish forever.