Melanie and Cameron

I was married in my parents' backyard, in the same home where I was born and raised, under trees that my father planted when I was a baby. Rather than buy expensive flowers from a florist, we planted a variety of native plants the year prior to the wedding so the garden was bursting with flowers not only for the wedding but also for years afterwards. Tables were simple, with watering cans as flower holders. We set up lawn games, like croquet, to play during the reception. A musician friend who is a guitarist wrote and performed the song to which I walked down the grassy aisle. And, of course, I made my own handmade paper wedding invitations. So I am partial to garden weddings held at home. Melanie and Cameron had a wedding that was close to my heart. They got married in the house where the bride grew up and all the little details were created by the bride and groom, and their friends and family — except, that is, for the plantable paper that I made!

Photo credit: michelle edmonds photography

In the brides words: "We decided to have our ceremony and reception in the backyard of the house that I grew up in. I have great memories in that house and it made for a very intimate wedding. My parents worked tirelessly throughout the summer tending to their wonderful garden to make it picture perfect for the big day. In addition to all of his hard work in the yard and help with crafts, my dad found the time to build a beautiful cedar arbor for us to be married under.

"I wore my grandmother’s wedding dress that she wore when she married my grandfather in the 1950s and I carried a handkerchief that both my mother and sister carried on their wedding days. In keeping with our love of family and history, Cameron used his grandfather’s ring as his wedding band and we decorated the dance area with family pictures and old postcards.

"As vegetarians and nature lovers, we wanted to make our wedding as environmentally friendly as possible. We had re-usable glass mason jars for drinks, vegan food, vegan cupcakes, and plantable wildflower seed paper for our favors.

"We ended the night with a lavender toss as we made our way to my Dad’s 1957 Chevy (that the groomspeople decorated so well), surrounded by our beloved family and friends. It was a perfect day filled with love and lots of laughter that we will not soon forget."