There’s something really special about summer weddings – relaxed, out of doors, sunshiny. Though they live in New York, Alice and Nick were married in June, at the groom’s family’s farm in Virginia, and it’s full of all those wonderful summer things – even a barbecue dinner! Working with a tight budget, they created a day that was laid back and beautiful by getting creative, doing a lot of things themselves, and employing the help of talented friends and family. Alice shares some of the DIY projects they took on:

My mother sewed table runners, arranged flowers, baked pies, made jam for favors and even had her college typewriter tuned up for a guest book! I did my own hair, one of my bridesmaids is a makeup artist, the whole family helped set up everything, and guests brought pies for the dessert buffet. A friend illustrated the invitations. Nick’s father made the arch out of a cattle feeder and grapevines found on the farm.

The couple’s friend, Nancy Cuervo, designed the invitations, including the mason jar bouquet illustration, and then Alice and Nick letterpressed them at a friend’s studio.

Women from Alice’s and Nick’s families did all of the centerpieces with flowers from their own gardens, supplemented with blooms from a local farmer. Alice’s mother scoured every antique store in New England until she found enough blue ball jars!

Guests went home with jars of homemade jam.

Says Alice, “Having the wedding in a place with so much family meaning made us feel like a part of something old and beautiful.”

Photography: Sarah Cramer

Venue: Panorama Farms in Earlysville, Virginia

Invitation design: Nancy Cuervo

Bride’s dress: J.Crew

Groom’s suit: Brooks Brothers

Tent rental: Skyline Tents

Cake: Albemarle Baking Co.

Bunny-head cake topper: Melabo

Alice has another budget tip for you: I’m a photographer, so we splurged on photography, which was worth every penny. We hired Sarah Cramer to shoot getting ready, ceremony and portraits and then saved by asking friends to send us their reception photos.

Thanks so much, Alice and Nick, for sharing your wedding with us!