Backyard Wedding in Winston Salem North Carolina

Backyard Wedding

When Hanna told me she was having her DIY wedding in her parent’s backyard, I was eager to help. She had her day pretty much planned out, with family and friends helping with the decor and details. And boy, does Hanna have an eye for design! She even created her own invitations and programs! I love day-of coordinating for DIY brides; allowing them to relax and soak in the results of all the hard work they put toward this day.

I stopped by the family home in Pfafftown for a walk-through about a month before the wedding. Hanna and her parents put SOOO much work into totally renovating the backyard for Hanna’s wedding! And so when I arrived at the house, they were waiting for the grass to come in. I’m talking straw everywhere, all over the red clay that we Carolinians know so well. But Hanna and her mother both seemed perfectly at peace with the possibility of not having grass at the ceremony site. So ok. If they were fine, no need for me to worry. I kept that image in my head, the ceremony chairs and arbor all set out on a lawn of straw. So you can imagine my amazement when I arrived for the rehearsal and saw the backyard had been transformed into a thick green carpet of grass! My jaw was probably hanging open. I think they were all laughing at my surprise.

Anyway, down to the details now!

The Ceremony

Hanna put a lot of DIY love into her wedding, and I had so much fun setting up her decor. Her aunt did the floral arrangements for the day, and at the ceremony site we lined the aisle with beautiful jars of flowers hanging from shepherds hooks. Guests signed a photo book and left their favorite recipes (such a yummy idea!), then took their seats and enjoyed the live string music. Petals were scattered down the aisle, and lovely wooden doors shielded her entrance until just the right moment. After Hanna’s entrance (and a valiant escape attempt by their pup), she and David literally “tied the knot” in a cord of three strands unity ceremony.

The Reception

Guests moved down to the barn for cocktail hour while Hanna and David enjoyed their photo shoot with the talented Cindy McFarland.

I was excited to try my first Moravian chicken pie, and I was not disappointed! Hanna’s church family provided all the delicious food for dinner, which was held under a couple tents just outside the barn. Hanna’s delicious assortment of cakes sat upon rustic wooden stands (handcrafted of course!). As the evening continued guests heard heartfelt toasts, laughed as Hanna & David revealed their differences in the Shoe Game, and danced the night away til the sparkler exit. Ok, Hanna & David weren’t actually ready to stop partying, so after their sparkler “exit” they came right back to the dance floor and kept the party going. Perks of hosting your wedding at home!