Luna and Jesse opted for a casual backyard wedding at the bride’s parents’ place. They said their vows in front of the Tiny House they dreamt about while living in Spain, and later built it together from the ground up as soon as they returned. They called this labor of love The Bower House. Throughout the wedding planning process, Luna spoke to her concern for the environmental impact that throwing a big wedding can have. She even got the endearing nickname Trash bride. It was REALLY important to them to have a party with minimal waste and incorporate reusable components whenever possible. Because of this, they carried out a small backyard wedding. Jesse made the wedding arch out of car parts found at his parents’ property in California, Luna made the dress for her backyard wedding reception using components from her mother’s wedding gown. They hired a local florist with a micro-farm to ensure the flowers we local. They collected platters and silverware from second-hand stores and even repurposed a few signs and table decor from other weddings. Her mom made all of the napkins from old sheets and the table cloths were made from muslin that Luna and her mom will 100% reuse for future sewing projects. As the guests arrived in the front yard, they were first greeted by the couple. Next, the wedding party gave them the lay of the land, showing where to get drinks, appetizers, and most importantly, a little color-coded wooden circle. About an hour later, the couple explained that they were to find the other folks with the same colored circle. Next, they were given a designated leader and a big box with more glasses for cocktails, a few tools, icebreakers, and very specific instructions to complete their given task. They got to work either decorating the wedding arch with flowers or creating ikebana (Japanese floral arrangement) for the table that stretched across the entire yard. Meanwhile, Luna slipped away to put her wedding dress on and have a second look with Jesse before the backyard wedding ceremony. Luna and Jesse were reunited with their guests as they met them all in the street. With Paul Simon Playing on the loudspeaker, the couple led them to the tiny house where the ceremony would take place. Luna’s brother played the piano, her brother’s childhood best friend officiated, and Luna’s dad gave a sailor’s blessing – so to speak – acknowledging the cardinal directions, which included all of their guests chanting. They promised to love, to forgive, to listen, and to choose love. The ceremony ended with birdseed in the air and noisemakers cheering on the newly married couple. When a dear friend asks you to be in their wedding, it’s always “Hell yes!” And, when they also ask you to photograph their backyard wedding, it’s a huge honor. For Luna and Jesse, I did both, which meant I had my gear on the back of my sequin dress and ran around taking photos in suede heels all day. It also meant that I had such an intimate look into their relationship from its beginning, and telling their story in photographs has been almost like a body of work that I have been curating for years now. It is often hard to fully focus my lens with tears of joy in my eyes. Venue: Bride’s parents’ house, Florals: Rowdy Poppy, Dress: BHLDN, Suit: Suit Supply Catering: Eclat Catering, Rentals: mostly found, collected, and repurposed & Partytime RentalsThe full documentation of a very intentional, creative, and rustic backyard wedding with a tiny house and personal touches galore.
They wanted their small backyard wedding to feel as thought-out, and personal as the Tiny House they planned on saying their vows in front of – not to mention sustainable.
They felt that their community was so important in cultivating a successful marriage, and they wanted to include them in the celebration as much as possible.
The ceremony with a Nautical Surprise and the banging of pots and pans
An intimate look: Love, Legacy, & Friendship
