it’s the little things i love about you

So you probably know, when it comes to weddings, I’m not generally big on details. Yes, some are really quite stunning and yes, I do shoot them. But they’re not at the top of my list of “things that are really important on my wedding day.” I can confidently say that pretty much all of my brides feel the same; otherwise, they wouldn’t hire me, they’d hire someone who features lots of that kind of stuff on their site. DIY is a whole other ballgame though; I love details that are DIY; they’re much more intimate and meaningful, and I love not only shooting them, but also deciphering exactly what their meaning to the couple and/or guests must be. Celine & Mark (both teachers) featured a lot of books; that was rad. Mai & Rich (who live in the artful world of film & photography) featured table numbers based on photos of themselves in different parts of the world (their photo of themselves in Japan was at a table reserved for Mai’s parents…get it?). Also: very cool.

J&T are a very shy couple who did everything kind of on the low key side; backyard wedding, only closest friends and family, and very informal. We were expecting something really cute but not something so so stylin’. Jodi told me she got a lot of ideas from magazines, and man, she was definitely reading the right material. All the details in her wedding were very artful & colorful and so so adorable that we took extra time shooting them for her, and in a variety of ways (digital, film, polaroid: that kind of thing). Their home is full of the art they collect, so it’s no surprise that their backyard was transformed into a little bit of an art gallery of homemade goodies and DIY pieces that really popped.

While I’d love to feature some of the adorable portraits we got of the newlyweds (as I said, they’re very shy and I want to make sure they’re comfortable with this before I do so), I’m just as happy to feature the details that made up the day. And also? These aren’t even all of them. Every time I turned around to shoot some very awesome thing stashed halfway behind a hedge, I’d see something out of the corner of my eye…”oh, something shiny!!” and dart into that direction.

So take a look and grab some inspiration; there’s more than enough for everyone.

Oh oh oh! I also wanted to showcase J&T’s details because they prove that you don’t need a big-time budget to put on a stunning affair, and they show just how far you can go with a DIY wedding, even when you’re still in your own backyard.

(ps: You’ll notice that I did sneak in just one photo of couple–from behind–because I loved the umbrella she was holding and the swish of her hair as she walked.)