Vintage Cactus Wedding
It is always a treat when I have the opportunity to feature a reader’s wedding on Once Wed especially one with so many creative and thoughtful details. Emma, the bride, is clearly one talented gal and created a lot of what you see below including her beautiful wedding dress. Isn’t it amazing what a bit of vintage trim and a new overlay can do to a simple, white dress?
When I started planning our wedding I knew that we didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but being a designer, I also wanted as many creative details as possible. Almost everything was DIY and we had such a great time putting everything together. The wedding details ended up being an eclectic mix of everything that we love: the old west, mexico, succulents, vintage ephemera, moss, Liberty florals, our frenchie, Colby and of course humor!
For my dress I had a vision of this shimmery fabric and I couldn’t find a dress with it anywhere so I ended up making it. I found the fabric and vintage metallic trims in NYC and instead of making my dress from scratch I re-vamped a dress that had a perfect fit that I bought off the rack. My Matron of Honor, Tina, designed my headband, necklace and bracelets out of re-purposed vintage pieces.
I designed and printed all of the escort cards and program fans, which were inspired by old timey western posters. I love moss and had to incorporate it somehow so we covered a table with it and stuck all the escort cards into it. It was possibly my favorite detail of the wedding.
Our centerpieces were a wonderful collaboration of family and friends. My mother and our dear friend Ann gathered all the succulents and potted them the day before the wedding in little terra cotta pots. They arranged them on the tables with Mexican tiles that had been brought to us from Mexico from my sister-in-law, Kelly. For the table names I used scans from a book from the 1940s that I found in a thrift store years ago called “What kinda cactus izzat?”. I had used cactus on our invitations so I loved being able to incorporate the cactus motif but in a more humorous way.
Wedding Coordinator: Lindsey Webb
Vintage Trim: Tinsel Trading Co.
Bridesmaids Jewelry: Susan Beh at Dinosaur Designs
Antique Wedding Band: Erie Basin
Bridal jewelry: Tina Lurvey
Centerpieces: Ann James
Flowers: Verbena Floral Design
Venue: House on the Hill
Photography: Katherine O’brien
Catering: Matt’s El Rancho
OMG that dress is amazing! any info on it?
oops maybe i should have read a little more. any thoughts on selling it?
This is just divine! That wedding dress defies tradition and I LOVE it! I’m also totally into all the foliage…so fresh and clean.
i adore this wedding…great colors!!
Where is the grooms tie from?
GORGEOUS! a friend of mine tumblrd this and i instantly perked up because i grew up in austin. i think i went to high school with the groom, in fact. wish i could remember his name!
LOVE the dress and the whole feel of the wedding all together… and i love how big her bouquet is!
Oh my god that dress! So unique. I’m in love.
The groomsmen ties are Liberty of London for Target.
Wow Emma! That dress is absolutely to die for. I must have clicked back to this post at least 10 times today to check it out. You are so creative and talented!
Wow. I absolutely love everything about this wedding, from dresses to flowers to the beautiful patterned tapestry…
The dog makes it!
I am completely drooling over her boquet…so pretty! The escort cards, program fans, and tiles on the table are over the top awesome!! So creative..I ? it.
The dress is BEAUTIFUL.
love love love…oh my gosh this is so pretty and perfect love the flower backdrop – what a great idea
i’m a fan of the dress! emma, what kind of fabric did you end up using?
I love everything about this wedding but I especially love the Frenchie :) I have two at home and this one just looks adorable in her/his bandanna.
oh my oh my oh my! so so so lovely! i love every single image! what up perfect bangs ;)
CUTE! looooooooove it!
Love the cactus them. Very unique and creative.
Love the pop of colors and flowers.
This is possibly the most authentically unique and beautiful wedding I’ve seen! Every detail is coordinated elegantly, but none of it seems over planned. Inspired!
This dress is AMAZING. Well done, it’s so dreamy. I want that fabric!
I never would have thought of a cactus themed wedding but this is gorgeous! Emma, I am astounded by your creativity.
You can really do a lot with succulents. At one of our Hudson Valley weddings last weekend the couple used succulents beside purple, blue and pale green flowers in the bouquets and terrarium centerpieces on the tables that also featured insects and animals skulls from the bride’s private collection. (She is a zoo keeper.) It was a little quirky and really, truly beautiful.
STUNNING!!! All about your love and the day not the money! I love it!!!!
oow they are so cute…i love it…they are so amazing in those dresses…
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Wow. Incredible. That dress is beyond is gorgeous.