Backyard Wedding in Atlanta from Buffy Dekmar :: Callen & Danny
Sometimes when you’re planning a wedding, the perfect venue is right in your backyard – literally! Callen and Danny were joined by 50 of their friends and family for an intimate celebration at their home. From the romantic floral details by Amy Osaba Events to the delicious menu from Sun In My Belly, it was a truly memorable day.
SEE THE GALLERY FOR MORE DETAILS FROM THIS BACKYARD WEDDING FROM BUFFY DEKMAR.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? Do what you feel is right, and what makes sense to you as a couple.
What advice do you have for other couples in the midst of planning a wedding? Have fun with everything and don’t take it so seriously.
If you had it to do over again, is there anything you would do differently? No, it was perfect. Every single vendor we used made sure everything ran smoothly, and the day would not have been the same without our wedding coordinator Shanna Skidmore from Amy Osaba Events.
“Danny and I decided to see each other before the wedding, which was so nice,” shares Callen. “We had some photos taken, while our families peeked through the windows of our home. We then got to hang out in the backyard with a few people before the guest began to arrive. It made everything feel more calm. I would recommend it to any bride!”
The Ceremony
“We decided to have the ceremony and in our own backyard. Before moving into the house, we knew the backyard was something we eventually wanted to redesign and that is exactly what we did. We used our venue money and basically transformed our yard into exactly what we wanted. It was the best decision we have ever made, and we are still enjoying our new backyard everyday!”
Your ceremony in three words. Romantic, relaxed, unforgettable
How did you go about planning your ceremony? My husband’s best friend, Kevin married us. He wrote his own ceremony, as did Danny and I. We then combined our ceremonies and just picked and chose what we liked and what was important to us. Kevin and Danny have known each other for 16 years, and I met Kevin in high school when Danny and I first started dating, so he knows us as a couple quite well.
What was your ceremony music? We had a string trio playing, it was beautiful: Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bridal Party), Pachelbel’s Canon in D (Bride’s Processional), Spring from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
What were your ceremony readings? One of my best friends, Megan, did a hand blessing, but of course added her own twist. It was so sweet and meaningful.
What were your vows like? We wrote our own vows. They were very similar to our personalities: mine was sweet and his was funny. I tried not to stress over them, vows should sound like you, so it was perfect!
What was your favorite thing about your wedding ceremony? Walking down the aisle, seeing Danny waiting underneath the flower arch and looking around at all our guests was my favorite part. I was so happy to be marrying my best friend.
Is there anything else that you’d like to share about your wedding ceremony? The flowers were stunning, and the ceremony was everything I envisioned
The Reception
“We have a massive Silver Maple tree in our yard, and every fall the colors are absolutely brilliant. We knew we wanted our wedding to be then and the weather in Georgia is usually perfect, and it was! That being said, I was inspired by a fall harvest.”
How would you describe your reception? Playful, rustic, harvest, romantic.
What was your favorite moment or part of the reception? We rented large farm tables and pushed them together to create really long tables. It was so great to have everyone sit down together for an amazing dinner. It was a moment in time that will always be remembered by us as something incredible. The food was also a favorite for everyone I think.
Menu: passed hors d’oeuvres: mini corn muffins with carolina pulled pork + purple slaw / alison’s famous deviled eggs with candied bacon / fried green tomatoes with spicy pimento cheese / seared crab cakes with ancho chili aoili // buffet: local apple + crispy pancetta served over fresh local greens served with a light gorgonzola vinaigrette / horseradish encrusted salmon with seasonal chutney / wild mushroom ravioli + truffled mushrooms + brown butter sauce / pepper seared filet of beef with burgundy demi glaze // sides: roasted sweet corn + zucchini in thyme butter / garlic + shallot sautéed haricot vert with grape tomatoes and toasted pine nuts / roasted fingerling potatoes with truffled mushrooms / fresh artisan breads with rosemary butter
What type of cake or dessert did you serve? We didn’t do the traditional cake cutting; instead we had a dessert bar that was made up of homemade chocolate chip cookies with little shots of milk (my husband’s favorite). We also had lavender scented cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes, and local apple tart in a cinnamon crust.
Did you have a signature cocktail? Yes, Danny and I found our cocktail when we were in Bozeman, Montana. It was called the “GFC.” It was made with infused ginger vodka, fresh lemon and lime juice, muddled basil, and it comes with a piece of candy ginger garnish! Sun In My Belly was able to recreate the “great f***ing cocktail!”
Please tell us about any other special details or moments from your reception. Danny and I love to travel, so in order to keep the buffet line running smoothly, we made table markers with some of our favorite places traveled together. We gave the DJ a list of events that happened in each specific place, and the tables had to guess if it was their given destination. If so they got to get up to get their food. It was a fun game, and fun to see the tables squirm to get the right answer.
Are there any DIY details you’d like to tell us about? I drew our large tree and had it printed on canvas to use as our guest book. We now have it hanging in our bedroom. I also found these beautiful gray woven blankets from West Elm on sale. I was so worried that it was going to get chilly at night, so I purchased blankets for all of the girls. I tied them up and embossed a little letter on each one. I feel like it is something they still use in their homes.
What was your first dance song? Danny and I danced to “our” song, “Do You Remember” by Jack Johnson. We picked that song in high school because the lyrics were so much like us, and 13 years later we danced to it at our wedding.
Is there anything else that helps tell the story of your wedding? It was everything that I could have imagined. I am so pleased that we had such an amazing photographer so we are able to relive it again and again!
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