Gabrielle and Bruce - Admiral's Mansion, Mare Island, Vallejo

September 2015. Photos: Rachel Simpson Photography / Calligraphy: Gabrielle Wunsch

If DIY weddings were an Olympic sport, this bride, Gabrielle, would win a gold medal - no question.  

Folks, this woman did her own gorgeous calligraphy for the invitations, favors, and wedding signs, created floral arrangements for the ceremony and reception sites, and made all the food for 90 guests. I'm sorry, do I need to repeat that? She MADE the (delicious) food for all of her guests. The buffet included marinated and grilled steak, marinated and grilled tofu, potato salad, farro salad, marinated zucchini noodles, and a salad with homemade vinaigrette. 

Not to be outdone, her groom, Bruce, made all of the beer for the guests. I probably don't need to point out that it takes a lot of dedication and planning, not to mention extreme skill, to create FOUR delectable beers worthy of guest consumption. (If you're wondering, the beers were Mannekin Pis Belgian Ale, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Porter, Oktober Fest Lager, and Kitchen Sink Pale Ale). 

Below are the pictures to prove that a DIY wedding is completely possible and can turn out incredibly beautifully if you are willing to dedicate yourself to each minute detail. Bruce and Gabrielle did - look how well their wedding turned out!

Meghan and Cheri - Kenwood, CA

April 2015. Flowers and Site Design: Erika Anderson Designs / Photos: Robin Jolin Photography / Signs: In the Moment / Cake: Jasmine Rae Bakery

The wedding of Meghan and Cheri was Hitch Perfect's first same-sex wedding. Their song was "Ribbon in the Sky," so Erika worked with them to tastefully incorporate ribbons into various parts of the site. The shepherd's hooks along the aisle and all of the signs had ribbons streaming from them and all of tables were decorated with a criss-crossing pattern of ribbons under the place settings. And can we talk about Meghan's stunning purple wedding dress?? The sheer tulle over the shoulder, the subtle ombre shading, and the fabric petals all made for an incredibly unique look. 

Jessica and Jonathan - Barndiva, Healdsburg

January 2015. Photos: Misti Layne Photography / Flowers: Dragonfly Floral

Jessica and Jonathan are both professional musicians, so their schedules can get a little hectic. They had a small block of time free in January and decided that would be a good time to get married, so they planned a winter wedding in wine country. Jessica's bouquet is one of my favories; anemones are just such classic bouquet flowers and they pair so well with so many color schemes. Also: check out those shoes! Most wedding shoes are covered in sparkles or are the bride's 'something blue,' but these were just complete knockouts. The black lace and peep-toe were completely unlike any other wedding shoe I've ever seen and they paired beautifully with her black fur overcoat (it's pretty chilly in January!).