What’s a country soiree without a BBQ feast?  We created dinner “kits” for each guest.  Each metal tin is filled with the evening’s menu, bamboo flatware wrapped in a bandana napkin and their bamboo dinner plate.  The guests can fill their plates with the delicious BBQ ribs, baked beans, and grilled corn coming off the grill.  And since BBQ is nothing without a great beer we created custom beer labels just for Johnny & June.

For a simple, homespun photo booth backdrop (or even a seating card display) Paige created a NO SEW  gingham bunting. Simply string up twine between two stakes, (only tie up one side to start) cut large squares of gingham or liberty print fabric, and punch tiny holes in each corner. You can also use pinking shears to give the fabric a textured edge. Weave the twine through the small holes in the fabric pushing the squares together on the line, then tie up the end to the other stake. We then used the hearty daisies as “button” adornments by pushing the stems through the holes for an extra touch. Down right cute and easy as pie.

The morning before the wedding, we imagine Johnny surprising June with a small gift.  Something like this horseshoe locket necklace from Firefly on Abbott Kinney.  A picture of the couple on the inside will be a sweet reminder when she’s touring apart form her new husband.

For favors, we gocco’d muslin bags with an image of a harmonica and “Happiness is You” – an ode to one of Johnny’s love songs.  Inside is a thank you note attached to a harmonica and small bottle of Jack Daniel’s Whiskey.  Perhaps guests could even serenade the new couple with the harmonicas as they make their way back down the aisle.

Event Design/Styling: bash, please (yes, please design + bash eco events)

Floral Design: succulentLOVE

Photography: Sarah Yates

As we continue our homage to famous couples, our inspiration today comes from a love story straight out of Nashville.  Johnny Cash and June Carter shared a passion for music, performing, and most especially for one another.  Their relationship began rooted in deep friendship and support, with June supporting Johnny through some of his darker times.  In 1968, Johnny proposed to June on stage during a live performance.  They were married a week later.  Johnny and June shared 35 happy years creating beautiful music together.

Inspired by their country aesthetic and down home tendencies, we imagined an intimate farmhouse hoedown.  Our welcome “table” is fashioned from hay bales draped in a homemade yellow embroidered table runner backed with a lovely yellow and white gingham.  In the spirit of this homespun affair we potted marigolds and daisies in wooden boxes and covered daisy plants in a coordinating black and white gingham.  Vintage western elements such as horseshoes, cowboy boots and harmonicas add to the décor. Our color palette is directly influenced by Johnny’s signature color of black, with June’s happy disposition in yellow.

We created a music-lover’s guest book out of old records with the couple’s logo.  Guests can use metallic markers to write well wishes to the happy couple.  Perhaps those sentiments will inspire lyrics to a new love song.  Old 45’s were also used in the design of the couples invite.  Kelly designed the record invite to be mailed in a gingham lined record sleeve.

June’s bouquet is sweet and lovely just like the singer.  We incorporated petite daisies to complement the potted plants in the décor and added in some vibrant red anemones to add some country sass.  We wrapped the bouquet in strips of black and white gingham.

Event Design/Styling: bash, please (yes, please design + bash eco events)

Floral Design: succulentLOVE

Photography: Sarah Yates

Stay tuned for Part II coming up next!

The lovely ladies behind Bash, Please recently headed down south for this sweet little welcome table based on the love story of Johnny Cash and June Carter. Check back tomorrow for more southern goodness…

Photography by Sarah Yates

Different hues of gold painted wine and water bottles mixed in with the transparency of the clear are the perfect shaped candle holders.   White milk glass containers house perfectly happy florals of queen anne’s lace, paperwhites, tulips, daisies, monte casino, ornithogalum arabicum, and jade green trachyllium from succulentLove. DIY elements include paint your own wine bottles + hammer + nails, create mix CDs of your favorite love songs with gocco’d covers, hammer & nail place cards (spray paint blocks of wood, stamp your guests’ names on a piece of kraft paper and attach with a gold spray painted nail.  Dress it up with a bit of ribbon or tulle)

Concept & Styling:  yes, please design & bash eco events
Photography: Bonnie Tsang Photography
Florals: succulentLOVE
Cookies: Danielle Keene from Bittersweet Treats
Rentals: Fete Accompli Events

It’s always been very important to me to strike a balance in the content we offer on Once Wed. Don’t get me wrong…I love a beautifully done photo shoot just like the next girl, but if none of the details are relevant or attainable it falls into the eye candy category which doesn’t help you much when your trying to plan a DIY inspired wedding. Some elements from this shoot might be too out of reach for some, but everyone can collect old wine bottles and spray paint them or gather milk glass from local thrift stores…

Our head table background is a white on white painted Chevron pattern with a mix of gold tone hammers and nails, milky ropes , fawn and honey colored ribbons, wispy strips of golden tulle, gold rick-rack, natural twine, and glass orbs filled with sugar cubes and wheat grains. The perfect blend of feminine textures, avant garde utilitarianism, and earthy details.

The table scape is moody vintage meets modern happily ever after, a perfect juxtaposition that embodied John and Yoko.  Old jeans and untamed hair yet driving a white rolls royce. Ghost chairs are divinely invisible allowing the textures of the design to be the showcase. Ivory burlap draped across the table brings in the feel of bohemian simplicity.  Gold rimmed champagne glasses from a flea market filled with peace and love cookie favors (Bittersweet Treats), mod-white square dinnerware from England, and vintage gold flatware make up the varied place settings.

Photography by Bonnie Tsang

Last bit of inspiration coming up next!