Guys, you’ll love hearing all about Josh + Mel’s wedding. It was every bit as bright, fun, creative, and personal as they wanted it to be, all within their $12,000 budget. We’ve got lots of photos by Jenna Bechtholt for you to scroll through, plus a few super helpful planning tips from the bride herself!
Mel’s gorgy bouquet recipe: garden roses, ranunculus, peonies, scabiosa, seasonal flowers, and foliage
One of the many DIYs! Melissa explains, The succulent pots and tassel garland were all hand painted and decorated by me and a handful of my closest friends and family. My sister created and printed all of the extra signage we had by the succulent pots, guest book, dessert table, and personal hashtag sign. In place of the guest book were DIY multi-colored hearts that guests could write on. I used a heart-shaped punch and paint chips to make them. Our family friend Irene made the seating sign, our centerpieces were all DIY, and our friend D created our awesome backdrop.
Major bonus that their venue The Thursday Club accommodated their 100 guests and allowed them to transition from the outdoor ceremony to indoor reception.
So cute.
The best part about the day was the ceremony. We truly tailored every last bit of it to fit us. Josh’s sister’s sang a rendition of Hallelujah, his grandparents read a poem that left nearly everyone in tears, and we even had a very special friend create a memorable pre and post ceremony announce. Aside from seeing Josh for the first time, my favorite moment during the ceremony was when we took a shot of saké right before saying our vows. It was a fun way to honor my Japanese heritage, acknowledge our family and friends, and give the two of us a chance to relax a little bit. It definitely brought a bit of comic relief to an already emotionally heightened day, especially when I was caught off guard by how high the best man had filled my shot glass up.
A few wise words for those planning…
1. Figure out your budget before doing anything else. This will help you determine the size of your wedding and how you want to allocate expenses.
2. If you can, enlist the help of a professional wedding coordinator so you can enjoy your beautiful day stress-free. Both Courtney and Sharon from The Joy Parade proved to be invaluable resources to us leading up to, and during, our wedding day.
3. Find a photographer whose work you really connect with. You will have these photos for the rest of your lives.
4. Do not compromise your vision as a couple. We almost cut the poem reading and saké shot from the ceremony based off of outside opinions, but I’m so glad we stuck to our guns because those ended up being standout moments for us and our guests!
We second that advice. Congrats!
Photographer: Jenna Bechtholt Photography / Videography: Daryl Hutchison / Venue: The Thursday Club / Event Design & Styling: Bride’s sister, Jaime Nickerson / Event Coordination: The Joy Parade / Personal Florals: Rebelle Fleurs / Ceremony Backdrop: D Camilo / Invitations: Zazzle / Hair & Makeup: Kimmi Le / Catering: The Urban Oven / Custom Doughnuts: California Doughnut / Photobooth: Focus Photo Suites / Bride’s Dress: Allure Bridals from Strut Bridal Salon / Shoes: Anthropologie / Necklace: Anthropologie / Rings: Family / Lipstick: Sephora Long Lasting Lipstick in 4161C & MAC Lip Liner in Beet / Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Jos A Bank / Shoes: Chuck Taylor’s / Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie, Adrianna Papell, & Aidan Mattox
