Mimi Sue's Cottage

A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. Thomas S Monson







Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Home Made Wedding Reception

Who says wedding receptions have to be expensive?
 
 Last week my darling friend and neighbor's daughter got married.
 
She asked all of her friends for help.
 
So we did.
 
This is just the top layer of the cake, the rest of it had already been eaten!
 
It's sitting on a wooden, handmade box that has cute little messages burned into it.
AND  the birds on top are made of balsam wood.
 
 So adorable.
 
They had the reception in an old barn just west of town.  The farmer let them
have their reception in it for free.  He just asked that the family do some sort
of community service instead of paying him.  Great idea!

 
See that mower hanging from the ceiling?  It's decorated with grapevine
and little lights and chandeliers.  That middle one is from my
entryway.  The mister was kind enough to take it down and haul it
over to the barn for me.

 
The mother of the bride made these fabulous garlands out of coffee filters.
 
Loved that look.

 
The flowers were done by a friend.

 
Borrowed old doors for the photo booth backdrop.
 

 
Lots of presents for the newlyweds.

 
My friend Janet and I made these little three inch pies for the reception.
 
Apple, berry, and cherry.  One hundred and fifty of them.


 
It was such a fun day and with everyone helping it wasn't a huge amount of work.
 
And it didn't cost a huge amount of money.

10 comments:

The Gathering Place said...

I really have a love for simple country celebrations and the barn setting looked festive and fun. Your neighbor is lucky to have good friends to help. The coffee filter looked awesome.

Primitive Stars said...

Oh I love that for a wedding, right up my ally....love all the decor but those old doors re beautiful....Blessings Francine.

Gayle said...

Sounds like a really smart family! I've always thought it was ridiculous to spend huge amounts of money on a wedding reception! You were a good friend to help.

Sue said...

This has been the best idea I have seen in a long time...What a wonderful idea for both someone on a budget for a wedding and someone who is not....So personal and charming....I love that you took down the chandelier to hang in the barn....now that is really the sign of a good friend....the cake was great...better then those fancy hundreds of dollar cakes you see...it's like something you would see in Country Living magazine....

wendy said...

Perfect..is all that needs to be said. I hear of some couples spending THOUSANDS of $$$$ on weddings, and I have to think, what a waste.
Spend it on yourself
Keep it simple and real

What a generous gesture of that gentlemen to lend them his barn, and only ask for community service in return.

Such a REALITY of life and what is needed

Karen Mortensen said...

So pretty.

Lewaina@cliffsideranch said...

I love it too! All those pies! Awesome!
True labor of love.

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

How lovely...and so full of love, too!

Scrap for Joy said...

I love all of the ideas from this reception. It really looks like something right out of a magazine. The photo booth idea using doors is so creative. This just shows you that you don't have to spend the National average of $25,000 on a wedding and reception. Well done! Best wishes to the bride and groom! Your husband is really a peach!
xoxo
Joyce

Lynn said...

What a lovely wedding reception. And your pies are simply adorable! Bet it was a really special day.