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An intimate afternoon at home
  Who says your wedding has to follow anybody’s rules -- except your own?
    When Debbie Erickson and John Elliott planned their June 2005 wedding, they wanted it to be fun and intimate, and full of details that had special meaning to them.
    The ceremony and reception were held in the back yard of their Wilmington home. Their biggest investment was in landscaping
 
  and a new deck, which doubled as a dance floor.
    With 70-plus people expected, they took the precaution of calling all their neighbors, so they wouldn’t be surprised at parked cars or dance music. This “also ensured that a neighbor wouldn’t choose to mow their grass in the midst of our ceremony,” Debbie said.
    A key piece of advice: “Spend time on the little things that make
 		 
 

 

an event memorable."
    Some examples:
  • The reading was a love poem the bride’s mother, Damaris Sayce, had written for her husband, Donald Sayce, years ago.
  • Fans helped guests keep cool on a hot summer afternoon. “My Mom painted each and every one.”
  • Personalized drink coozies -- “a bit of a trademark” for John -- were keepsakes for guests.
  • Bud Light. Yes, there was wine --red, white and champagne -- but the groom doesn’t drink anything but Bud Light. Don’t mess with a guy’s beer!
  • Coca-Cola and Orange Crush in bottles. (“I did have a crush on John, after all,” Debbie joked.)
  • A special floral wreath of baby’s breath and rosebuds for Debbie’s dog, Camden. Jan Gilbert of Flowers by Jan did all the floral arrangements.
  • The “aisle” the bride walked down was a path of rose petals, strewn by her nephew and nieces.
  • Rice Krispies marshmallow squares, John’s favorite dessert, were served along with the traditional cake.
  • Hula hoops on the dance floor inspired kids -- and fun-loving adults.
Practical considerations
     An outdoor wedding in June does face three natural challenges.
    Starting the ceremony at 5 p.m. helped avoid the day’s worst heat. To ward off skeeters, tiki torches burned citronella-scented oil; a bottle 		 
  Battery-powered Japanese lanterns
hung in trees gave evening light.		    
   
  Fans painted in an original design
by the bride’s mother, Damaris Sayce.		    
   
  Favorite drinks, above, and the groom’s
favorite sweet snack, right, as a
supplement to the wedding cake.

Resources
   As a service to our readers, here are links to some of the vendors and wedding professionals involved in this wedding
A Tent Event
Flowers by Jan
Marc Siegel Music
Jeffrey Otto Photography
   

 

   
    The centerpieces were set in
one-of-a-kind silver vases.
   
  Debbie Erickson exchanged vows with John Elliott in their Wilmington back yard. Officiating was Dr. George Gates.
The floral arbor was from Flowers by Jan.

   Hula-hoops amused
dancers of all ages.

  of insect repellent was placed on each table.
    Then there was the rain. As luck would have it, intermittent showers came and went for much of the day, but ended in the nick of time. The back-up plan, to move everything into the house, wasn’t needed.
    Although the bride’s professional background includes substantial event-planning experience, she knew better than to try to manage everything single-handed. “Hire someone to be your eyes and ears the day of the event,” Debbie advises,

   “and don’t plan on doing anything the day of the wedding except act like a bride.”
    While she did put together a detailed agenda, she let her coordinator handle all the details the day of -- as well as such mundane day-after chores as getting rental items returned, and even taking out the trash.
    “Planning a small wedding is no easier than a big one,” Debbie said. “So don’t kid yourself that it will be easier or require less planning. A great event looks easy, but is very well planned.”

  

 


 
For a reception that went into a summer
evening, insect-repellent torches, plus handy
bottles of bug spray, assured guests’ comfort.

   
   
  Rose petals on the lawn formed the processional aisle.

 		 
   
  ‘Top Dog’ Camden got a floral collar and billing in the program.

 		 

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