the "catering" and reception...

...this is EVERYONE who came to our wedding...dogs and all...what a great group...

As you might have gathered, we didn't hire anything to be done at our wedding...just short of a nurse at my work to be our photographer... Rob Hart. So about 99% DIY?! This included the "catering"...this was graciously done by our dads. Our dads were responsible for BBQing... this is something you would normally find them both doing at any other family function...so why not a wedding?! Well...probably because its a HUGE task, especially with a less than adequate grill as it turned out. But it looked like they had a blast, drinking their beers and socializing with the other males who gathered at the grill.

...my dad in the background man-ing the ribs, matt's dad man-ing the salmon...

...you can see how the men just started to gravitate towards this pile of coals...

We had salmon, ribs, and portobella burgers. With some random sides of... local french fries, potato salad, regular feta/cranberry/candied walnut salad. It was super tasty food...everyone was content I believe. My parents brought up many cases of two-buck-chuck from Trader Joes (our most favorite store) in California, we had white wine sangria, and widmer hef on tap. It was great to be able to do the rehearsal dinner the night before for the same number of people because it helped us to prepare for serving 75 people...how much food to have, alcohol... because the night before the margs ran out extremely fast. So we made lots of sangria for the wedding!

...my mom enjoying the sangria...

...my brother giving a high-five to his daughter...what a sweet moment I missed that day, but thankfully for pictures I get to enjoy it forever now...

...ahhh glorious two-buck-chuck, which we are still finishing off to this day...

...jessica looking as stunning as ever carrying a case of happiness...

...the most photogenic girl of the night, my niece haley, also my sweet flower girl...

...some of our friends playing bocce ball among other games...

It was a buffet style for the food... then people found any old seat at the tables. I didn't really want to do assigned seating that way friends and family could mingle as they wish...plus nothing was really hard-fast and formal at the wedding.

...fun string lights?! I think so...

...us laughing and crying over the very touching toasts...

...matt and i thanking all of our loved ones for their incredible support and making our dream wedding come true...

The string lighting my dad executed with lots of smart thinking bodies...figured out how to make my whimsical lighting come to life....and boy did they!! That happened the day before so the rehearsal/welcome dinner could have lighting as well. And then they extra lights were strung up by Matt's aunt Patty and cousin Lori...and I didn't even know how beautiful they were until I saw pictures afterwards... just breathtaking. So all of that lighting was a beautiful amount of light for eating and the toasts from Kelsey, my sister, and Ryan and Dylan- Matt's best friends...then we thanked everyone for the amazing amount of help and love and support they all gave us. The toasts were awesome...tear jerkers for sure. The main theme between all of them, which was funny, was that no one thought we'd make it...until they saw us together and happy...and now they know we will be happy and more than content forever. [side note: Matt and I met in Colorado...3 months later moved states together to Oregon where we knew no one, moved in together, merged dogs and all... and now 2.5 years later we are married...living in Idaho and havent had a bad day yet, we just knew the day we met this was it, we were utterly happy]

...my girlfriends trying to coordinate logistics: how to bring 200 cupcakes outside without a tray in sight...

...huridly trying to light candles, it was much darker and later than we had expected...

...our little 8" cake with the bird toppers, and bunches of cupcakes with toothpicks adorning little amy butler fabric ties...

...matt and i cutting the awkward little cake and laughing...

After dinner and the toasts we had cutting of the cake. This was something that I thought was silly. Why would we cut a cake in front of 75 people just starring at us? We specifically made an 8" cake alongside our cupcakes to cut...but not eat. We didnt have plates or forks to eat the cake... we had cupcakes afterall! So I protested...but people like to see newly weds cut the cake... so that we did. I was also worried that Matt would shove it in my face and I would get grumpy. He must have sensed that...because he didn't do it....we cut it, and gave each other a bite...it was fine. Something I wish I stood my ground on a little stronger on however....would have been a little more genuinely us. I had an issue with some wedding traditions...the "should-dos" of weddings...but I will get into that on a later post.

One tradition I loved was our first dance as a married couple. Our song from month-one was "Lay Lady Lay" by Bob Dylan. This song was one that Matt played in his big man-ly truck, with his 2 big burly dogs, driving through the wild backroads of colorado...when it played... I just looked at him and thought he was the man I was hoping to find...a strong, caring, funny guy who I was crazy about and who wanted to be with me. Just awesome. So, when we thought of a first dance song, there was no question in our minds... but would our parents feel wierd with a lady laying on a brass bed? Turns out no. We approached both sets of parents... and come to find out the song is from their generation and have some really fond memories of the first time they heard it. Our first dance was wonderful. It just sealed the night perfectly. We just had the wedding of our dreams, and now we get to be husband and wife forever.

bridesmaids and groomsmen...

...the whole wedding party- bridemaids, groomsmen, matt and I, matt's uncle- our officiant, parents and siblings. After a whole week of BBQing, rafting, wedding prep we felt like one huge family, it was phenomenal...

We were soo thrilled that our friends were willing to trek all the way out to Idaho and be in our wedding. It meant the world to us to be able to spend some great quality time with them before the wedding too....BBQing, playing lawn games, drinking, rafting, and prepping for the week. We provided some cabins to stay in...cramped as it was... they did get to stay on the property...and then some camped along side our tent as well. It was awesome to have them so close and really be a part of the wedding week but also not put them out anymore money than they already spent in traveling. They helped immensely with all of the set-up and take-down, and had smiles on their faces...just awesome.

...some of our friends camped along with us...but our tent was romantically secluded...

...the lovely girls, and you'll notice the ONLY picture I have of the quilt covered haybales down the aisle for the corral ceremony...

...we decided that Haley, my neice, could hold a mini bouquet instead of flower petals and a basket. it was a little more natural and alot easier. She also had a flower in her hair- same as the fabric flowers on my dress, it was adorable...

...the girls cute boots, we had the bridemaids and groomsmen sit on haybales for the wedding, kind of nice...

...as part of our quaker-style wedding, Tracy said a sweet blurb about love and life during the ceremony...

...my sister trying to not be a wino drinking out of a rather large jar...

We asked the girls, as you know, to wear whatever green/turquoise cotton-esq-summer dresses they wanted, any jewelry, and cowboy boots. They could do their hair however....washed...unwashed... whatever made them feel pretty. The cowboy boots turned out amazingly well...all super cute, unique boots...the girls rocked them. So thank you fellow bloggers for all of your input...they were super adorable without being too country. They each looked like themselves...each with a unique personality...own style...and all of them super beautiful. We were all shocked that with what little guidelines I gave them for their clothing that they all coordinated so well. I was so proud that these beautiful, strong, unique women were my best friends and they could share such a huge day in my life with me. Not to mention all of the support the gave me.... oh my gosh...helping me to remember to eat or drink some sangria on my wedding day (I kept on putting down my drinks and forgetting and getting too busy to pick them up again), cooking for the fiesta-rehearsal-homemade-taco-night, making fresh guac from homegrown avocados, helping with decorating and arranging the tables, keeping the timeline going, helping with the floral bouquets, making the icing then icing the cupcakes...and much more that I am sure was soo behind the scenes I wasn't even aware of it.

...what guys do before a wedding...sit and drink...how nice..

...all great guys in the line-up, along with Emma who waltzed in as she wished...

And the guys all wore what Matt wore... a pair of khakis, brown leather shoes, and a white long sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Casual, but crisp and clean...they all looked very handsome. The guys were a huge help also...helping with our playlists, man-ing the stereo (we didn't do the DJ thing, we did the IPOD thing), stringing lights, placing all of my decorations, cooking, or just being chill-no-drama-happy guys having a beer playing ladder ball- they were awesome. And these guys, bless their little hearts, kept on running back to me and asking me what I wanted. My dad helped with that early on so I heard after the fact...any question that someone would ask him... he said ask Lindsey...doesn't matter what you think she wants...just ask Lindsey.

...and whats the end of a party without shakey-face?!...

[all photos from rob hart, jessica harlin, kenny anderson, and kevin apparetti]

hair and make-up...or lack there of...

...all of my girlfriends extremely ready, and I am not...but don't they look great and natural? one of my favorite pictures by far...

...I am trying to help kelsey my sister get ready, safety pin to the rescue...

As you can tell from the photos... I went pretty natural. I was extremely comfortable and I felt like myself. I had this fun plan to do a messy side pony tail with curls, but when it came time to get ready, in about 15 minutes, I opted for my traditional hair style...down with a little volume. This was also true for the make-up. From other bloggers I had gotten the idea to go to Sephora, buy all of the makeup that they put on me for the look I want...learn how from the beauticians.... then re-create it on the day of. So I did just that. I learned how to prime my eyelids (what the heck?!), color in my eyebrows, put on loads of natural looking foundation...the works. Well, as it turns out that wasn't really me either. I looked at myself in the mirror trying to frantically get ready...and decided what the heck, why am I doing this?! I know my eyebrows won't look photogenic, and I did want to look beautiful on at least this one day... but I was too worried about touching my cheek to the white dress or hugging my friends, or looking back at my pictures and wondering why I looked so fancy...when the rest of the day was casual. So I did my own thing, and returned the make-up when I got back into town.

...my bridemaids looking simple, and naturally beautiful...

...my dad and I having a drink looking at the wonderful string light creation he made, just comfortable like a backyard BBQ...except I am wearing white...

15 minutes to get ready?!...yeah...I didn't account in all of the time it would take to delegate the "tasks." I don't think I actually set up or decorated a single thing, which in my mind I was doing all of the day of set-up by myself...how ridiculous that thought was! So I spent the day delegating to my wonderfully supportive family and friends who brought our dreams to real life. And I was able to get ready in 15 minutes, just like any other day...and spend more time on enjoying the day than in front of the mirror. So in the end...I loved how I felt beautiful on my wedding day, I love my pictures... its simple. Its us. I love it.

...matts side of the family

...my side of the family...

...the end product after all of our work...