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  • Hi, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle.

    You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

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Merry Wedding 2012

February 18, 2013

We planned and executed a wedding in just 6-months time to meet our goal of getting married on Christmas Eve. Thanks to everyone for showing interest in our planning; in return, I come bearing pictures.

On our wedding day.

Of the 900+ photos that we received from our photographer, we thought it would be nice to share a few in the off chance that anyone else is planning a wedding 1) during the holidays, 2) on a budget, 3) with DIY personal touches, 4) in a retail store, or 5) as a cocktail-style affair. It was nothing but untraditional, as far as most weddings you could imagine, but it came together really beautifully for us, for our family.

Nearly all of the decorations you see in these photos were already in the store where we were married. We brought in tables (wooden ones), 25 rented chairs to surround those tables, and also 7 bar-height cocktail tables for people to stand at which we arranged to form an aisle. We hung several old white sheets in a hidden corner of the store where I could change on site into my dress and do my own makeup, all of which I did about an hour before the wedding as guests arrived. My mom, my sister, and the photographer intermittently kept me company. I peered through some holes in the sheet-curtain and watched people quietly, I was so happy.

My dad walked me down the aisle to an acoustic rendition of Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed,” a song that my husband gravitated to; we created our own playlist for the wedding, I should tell you more about that sometime. We were in full control of the ceremony and made it our own (big thanks to blogger friend Michelle who shared her own ceremony script with us for structure and guidance, and to my cousin Matt, who got ordained online for the occasion). Without bridesmaids or groomsmen, it was really easy to coordinate our wedding and keep the ceremony very personal. Pete’s daughter Julia is the only one who stood with us, and we incorporated her into the ceremony by giving her a necklace just before doing our vows. It went flawlessly, except when the store’s phone rang loudly as we were pronounced husband and wife, but something was bound to go awry.

Our reception immediately followed the ceremony; the caterers and bar had set up before the ceremony and we all happily ate and drank for hours. Our menu was divine–farmer’s cheese pierogis and polish sausage bites, meatballs, cucumber cups, stuffed mushrooms–all things that could be eaten easily without needing a full set of silverware or table. There was no formal dance floor, no choreographed routines, no father-daughter dance, just lots of hugging and smiling.

And with that, go ahead, enjoy the photos in no particular order, and remember that you can click on each photo to see it larger.

  • Our winter wedding. Pre-wedding.
  • Our winter wedding. Pre-wedding my family helped us get final details in order.
  • Our winter wedding. Our handbuilt wedding tables. Pete's dad and Julia played at one end in the hour before the wedding.
  • Our winter wedding. I used props from the store when I was getting ready. The sheets draped everywhere were from home.
  • Our winter wedding. Patiently waiting.
  • Details at our merry wedding.
  • Our winter wedding. Those faces scream "THIS IS GREAT CAKE".
  • Guests at our Christmas Eve wedding.

Notes:

  • Location: Preferred Plants, Rochester, NY
  • Wedding dress, suit, and best girl dress: J.Crew
  • Bouquet: Magnolia, Douglas Fir Pine, Colonial Pine, Tallow
  • Photography by Katie Duane.
Share

Wedding

Emily
I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

11 Comments


Mark Winters
February 18, 2013 at 10:09 am
Reply

A wonderful day.



Laurel
February 18, 2013 at 12:19 pm
Reply

Gorgeous!!! I loved your dress too!



Annabel Vita
February 19, 2013 at 5:45 am
Reply

So gorgeous! Julia looks so happy and cute too – and I love that bear in the back of the pic of the three of you!



    Emily
    February 19, 2013 at 9:22 am

    Thanks Annabel! That little bear almost sneaked into the back of our car. I kind of want it in the background of every wintertime picture for the rest of my life. :)

Anna
February 19, 2013 at 8:11 pm
Reply

Gorgeous photos!

And, this is kinda crazy, but your cousin Matt and I actually overlapped in grad school for one year. Talk about a small world!



    Emily
    February 19, 2013 at 8:13 pm

    That’s super weird! Is that how you found the blog? Have I met you and not even known?

    Anna
    February 19, 2013 at 9:08 pm

    Actually I found your blog through apartment therapy! I don’t think we’ve met :)

    Emily
    February 19, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    Haha, then it is SUCH a small world!

Pete
February 20, 2013 at 9:06 am
Reply

What a woman.



Mindy
February 20, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Reply

That last picture of the three of you is my favorite! I love how Julia is hugging your leg!



    Emily
    February 20, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    Thank you Mindy, that’s my favorite too. I mostly love how candid they all were :)

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  • HI, I’m Emily

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