![music-themed wedding invitation suite music-themed wedding invitation suite](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-1.jpg)
One of the first things Arja + Gijs decided on was that their ceremony had to take place where they both grew up, in the countryside of The Netherlands. They found a vineyard perfectly suited for the relaxed Burgundian outdoor and vintage breezy look they were aiming for then sprinkled creative handmade details throughout. Arja and her mother in law may have also cleaned out an entire shop of their peonies too, but we’d do the same thing too if we were told it’d be impossible to find them!
![music-themed wedding invitation suite music-themed wedding invitation suite](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-2.jpg)
Gijs and I are musicians and also run a music blog, so we wanted the invitation to be very musical as well. Gijs bought a hundred love songs on 7” 45rpm records, and I designed a package which included the record, the wedding invitation with our love story on it, a hand drawn route to the locations and of course the album cover for the record. We printed, folded, sewed and wrapped the invitations ourselves. We even drove cross-country to deliver the packages (we live in a small country).
![handmade lace wedding dress handmade lace wedding dress](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-3.jpg)
My wedding dress was made by my mother, Slavica. She is a painter but she also studied fashion at the art academy when she was my age. I picked out the lace and made the design then she amazed everybody by making the most beautiful dress I could imagine.
![engraved wedding show charm engraved wedding show charm](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-35.jpg)
![handmade lace wedding dress handmade lace wedding dress](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-4.jpg)
![gold pocket watch and suit vests gold pocket watch and suit vests](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-5a.jpg)
![unique diamond wedding ring unique diamond wedding ring](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-34.jpg)
![succulent boutonnieres succulent boutonnieres](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-33.jpg)
![light pink peony bouquet light pink peony bouquet](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-20.jpg)
The most beautiful bouquet I could imagine, and the one that struck me the most while looking for inspiration, was a bouquet filled with luscious peonies. Nearly everybody had told us it would be impossible to find peony’s in the Netherlands at the end of June, but somehow we got lucky. When my mother in law and I found a place packed with peonies (the day before the wedding, eeks!), we bought the whole stock! Such a relief.
![decorated wooden cart decorated wooden cart](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-7.jpg)
![pink peony hair accessory and lace wedding dress pink peony hair accessory and lace wedding dress](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-37.jpg)
![pink peony and green wedding bouquet pink peony and green wedding bouquet](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-19.jpg)
![countryside wedding portraits countryside wedding portraits](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-21.jpg)
![countryside wedding portraits countryside wedding portraits](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-22.jpg)
![vintage car escort vintage car escort](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-6.jpg)
![chair flower and paper tag accents chair flower and paper tag accents](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-8.jpg)
![paper flags and flowers paper flags and flowers](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-13.jpg)
![paper welcome sign and barrel tables paper welcome sign and barrel tables](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-14.jpg)
![babies breath vases and tied notebooks babies breath vases and tied notebooks](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-15.jpg)
![outdoor yard wedding outdoor yard wedding](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-11.jpg)
![pink potted flowers pink potted flowers](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-42.jpg)
![outdoor garden wedding outdoor garden wedding](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-9.jpg)
![pink peony hair accent pink peony hair accent](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-10.jpg)
![paper flag celebration paper flag celebration](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-12.jpg)
![quirky groomsmen photo quirky groomsmen photo](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-16.jpg)
![mixed bridesmaid dresses mixed bridesmaid dresses](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-17.jpg)
![hanging doily garland hanging doily garland](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-39.jpg)
![fun wedding group photo fun wedding group photo](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-18.jpg)
![vintage car reception arrival vintage car reception arrival](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-38.jpg)
Dying over those flower pom arches!
![balloon tags balloon tags](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-36.jpg)
![mirror hanging escort cards and framed family portraits mirror hanging escort cards and framed family portraits](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-32.jpg)
![paper doily charge, orange napkins and rosemary plate accents paper doily charge, orange napkins and rosemary plate accents](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-27.jpg)
![pink peony centerpieces pink peony centerpieces](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-41.jpg)
![paper wrapped guest gifts paper wrapped guest gifts](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-26.jpg)
![hanging lights hanging lights](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-28.jpg)
![hanging doily garlands dessert table hanging doily garlands dessert table](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-31.jpg)
![simple glass bud vase and twinkle lights simple glass bud vase and twinkle lights](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-30.jpg)
![hanging twinkle lights and the first dance hanging twinkle lights and the first dance](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-23.jpg)
![all girls photo booth session all girls photo booth session](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-24.jpg)
!["I got you babe" photo booth sign "I got you babe" photo booth sign](/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/netherlands-wedding-25.jpg)
A friend of Arja’s gave her the best tip:
Everybody has their own mental picture of a perfect wedding. It is always good to stay open to fresh imput, but when people, with all the goodness of their heart, share advice you are not at all stoked about, just say: “Thank you, we’ll think about it.” Don’t waste time arguing about the smallest details and save your energy for all the fun stuff!
Photography: 2Rings (Esther de Boer and Marco Reeuwijk) / Ceremony location: Vineyard ’t Oerlegoed in Gendringen / Reception: Farmhouse De Bongerd in Gaanderen / Bride’s dress: Made by mother of bride, Shoes: Patricia Pepe / Groom’s suit: Suitsupply, Shoes: Bitter, Tie: Zara / Catering and sweet table: Tim Sprangers and Mikko Kuiper / Cake: Sweet Appetite (Marieke de Korte) / Bouquet and boutonnieres: Ad ten Have