Warning: This post will be long and picture intensive!
First of all, I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers leading up to my daughter’s big day. I received emails and Facebook notifications the morning of and I was overwhelmed to know so many were praying. God was truly faithful and I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day for my daughter and her groom.
I have been working on this post for a couple of days. I thought about doing just one post, but it would be too long. So, I am going to break it up into two posts. If you’ve visited my Facebook page, I have posted many of the same pictures there, so this may be a little redundant. My iPhone battery died right before the ceremony, so I was unable to take any pictures. But I was probably too distracted to even think about it. I am so grateful to family and friends who have sent me all of their beautiful captures to share with you!
The wedding ceremony took place on the grounds of the Shinn Historical Park. It was so beautiful and green. The reception was on site on an old tennis court. The weather was in the upper 60′s, just a little cool in the shade, and very windy at times. But, it didn’t seem to bother anyone too much. We drank lots of coffee to stay warm.
Here are some pictures of the venue and how it was decorated. My daughter gained a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and added her own taste. I have the most amazing friends, who spent countless hours using their gift of creativity to make may daughter’s day just perfect. I am beyond grateful.
The historic Shinn House
Guests arriving
The entrance, in lieu of programs
Pick a side!
A peek at the reception site
The trees were decorated with hanging mason jars, filled with baby’s breath, as well as paper-mache balloons.
Hanging mason jars
Paper-mache balloons
Photo tree
The reception area was so beautifully decorated. Each table had it’s own personality and flair. My daughter and I and many friends thrifted 150 cake plates and knives. We borrowed 150 dinner plates and forks from a friend that were used in her wedding. We had some of our own tea cups and tea pots, and many were borrowed. And books! Lots and lots of books were thrifted to showcase my daughter’s love for books, as well as to add height and personality to each table.
Amazing friends putting on the finishing touches
Another view of the reception area
Lovely table decor
A few notes about the above collage. My daughter choose to have an old Bible in lieu of a guest book. People signed their name on their favorite scriptures. It is vintage looking and will make great decor in the new couple’s home. They Bride & Groom had their own cake, which was rainbow on the inside. It was shared with the bridal party, and we bought 3 Costco cakes for our guests. We decorated “honeymoon jars” to take donations for the bride & groom. I do believe they were blessed! The groom is a fantastic musician, and created CD’s as favors. Many of the songs are original, written by the groom. He wrote a song entitled, “The Bride” just for Alyssa to walk down the isle too!
It was a beautiful day!
What an amazing day! I hope you haven’t been too overwhelmed by all of the loveliness. I have had waves of emotions, even in putting together this post, as I reflect on the goodness of God towards my daughter and Anthony, and on the fact that I have a daughter who is married and now under the care of someone else. It’s surreal. It’s good. And at times, hard, but I know I will get through this phase.
I hope to put up part 2 in the next few days of the lovely iPhone captures of the bride and groom. And I cannot wait for you all to see the professionals pictures as well.
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SO lovely Barbie!! Really beautiful and creative! Congratulations!
Thanks my friend!
It looks so beautiful, Barbie! And I love all the creative touches. And look at that sunshine! Can’t wait to see the rest
Thanks Jennifer. I just posted Part 2!
Looks like it was a beautiful day!!!! Congratulations.
Yes, it was beautiful. Thanks for taking a look!
Oh wow! So many beautiful details
Looks like it was a perfect day!
It truly was a perfect day! Thanks for stopping by!
Everything looked beautiful
Our oldest daughter got married in January and it was wonderful day but a hard one too 
Yes, it has been hard. I keep expecting her to walk through the door any minute. It will take some time to adjust. She was such a beautiful bride!
Hi Barbie,
What a glorious day you had and Alyssa is such a beautiful bride! I love the decor and how you put it all together.
Thanks so much for putting this post together.
Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you my sweet friend!
Lovely wedding! I love the unusual touches- the pictures on the tree, the handwritten signs, the honeymoon jar. :^) patsy
Patsy, thank you for much for stopping by!
Oh Barbie! The decorations are BEAUTIFUL!!!!! And I love the idea of having guests sign over their favorite scriptures. What an awesome idea! Pinterest is an interesting place indeed.
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It sounds like it was so unique — never to be replicated. I love it!
So happy for you all!
Love you,
Beth
Thank you my friend!
Everything is so beautiful. the decorations are gorgeous. I love the guests signing by their favorite scriptures. What a wonderful idea. So many personal things were incorporated into this wedding from the books, to the cd’s and the thrifted plates Amazing. Congratulations.
Thank you so much Donna!
Everything is beautiful! I love all the personal details. What a special day.
Melissa, thanks for stopping by. It really was a beautiful day!
Wow! Just beautiful! I love the idea of having an old Bible in lieu of a guest book!
It was such a beautiful day. Thanks for taking a peek!
Barbie, I loved every bit of the wedding details. Everything was so unique! The Bible with the guests signing their favorite Scriptures; wow! I love the setting, the decorations and how the groom wrote songs for his bride. Truly amazing! I want to see photos of the mother of the bride!
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Hi Debbie! Sadly, I haven’t found anyone who actually took a picture of me with my daughter. I cannot believe I didn’t at least get one snap shot. As soon as I find it, I will post it!
absolutely gorgeous!!! I LOVE her ideas!!! the Bible is such a special touch for a special day… beautiful!
Yes, we love the Bible idea. It’s something that looks old and vintage and will sit on her mantle for a long time!
I could stare at these pictures for hours! simply lovely! so blessed to have caught a glimpse of your daughter’s special day! thank you!!
Thank you for taking a peek. It really was such a beautiful day. I just posted “part 2″!
Wow! So many creative and lovely touches…thanks for sharing
Thank you Dolly!
Barbie, what a breath-taking wedding! Beautiful, love, love, love ALL of the pictures! Praying for your heart in this transition.
Thank you Kelli! My heart needs it!
What a beautiful place to get married!!! Wow! And I can’t imagine upper 60′s! I’m jealous! It’s been 100 degrees here! I want to come to California.
Ah, I would love for you to come to California. And I’ll visit you perhaps one day when it’s not so hot
Beautiful….Debbie sent me here to read this to encourage me…the day our only daughter got engaged my husband also lost his job…we are walking by faith and not by sight as we prepare her wedding….her and her groom will be paying for it, unless God brings a miracle…I am praying for the miracle…your wedding post are an encouragement to His faithfulness….thanks for sharing
Oh Janette, I am definitely praying for you, your husband as well as your daughter and her fiancé. I cannot tell you the hand of the Lord on this wedding. He is faithful and He will provide!