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Handmade Athens Wedding

Handmade Athens Wedding

Newlyweds Deanna and Kevin had not one, but two receptions — one more intimate, and then a grander reception with more friends and family the following day! I have to say, judging from these pictures from Twin Hearts Photography, both days were raging successes. Deanna and her mother DIYed their hearts out, ending up with a wedding weekend perfectly tailored to the couple!

outdoor wedding portraits
outdoor bouquet throws

From the bride, Deanna: We wanted a small, private wedding, but since I’m the only daughter, we compromised by having an intimate wedding and reception – with a big party the next day at a local bar! We choose The Hill because it was both rustic and natural while still being elegant and lovely. We hosted our larger wedding celebration at Little Kings Shuffle Club, one of our favorite hangouts in downtown Athens, Georgia.

calligraphy wedding programs

Handmade Athens Wedding

newlyweds getting ready

Handmade Athens Wedding

unique grooms boutonnieres

We kept the wedding and reception under 40 people. Since we chose not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen, we turned the traditional rehearsal dinner into a Weary Travelers’ Dinner for all of our friends and family arriving the night before the wedding. It allowed us to catch up with everyone as they were coming in and took so much pressure off of the actual wedding day because we were all so comfortable with one another by then.

outdoor wedding ceremonies

outdoor wedding recessionals

Handmade Athens Wedding

gold wedding rings

Handmade Athens Wedding

newlywed outdoor portraits

We DIY’d until we dropped. We thrifted suitcases, books, and jars. Kevin hand-poured candles into jars we’d collected, built and finished a set of corn hole boards, glued little pink paper squirrels onto straws, and filled and decorated individual honey jars for our favors. We designed, printed and hand-assembled all of our invitations and programs. My mom and I glued and glittered cut outs, pine cones, and magnolia husks. My mom also created the lovely fabric chandeliers used at the ceremony. The bases of the chandeliers were tomato cages! I found small metal serving trays at a local dollar store, so I painted the interior with chalkboard paint and used them on picture stands as our drink menus at Little Kings. One of my favorite memories is being on a screened-in porch with my mom and a few others arranging flowers in jars while I created all of the corsages and boutonnieres. I’d never seen and smelled so many amazing flowers in my life.

outdoor wedding receptions

Handmade Athens Wedding

pink reception cocktails

Handmade Athens Wedding

gold glitter signs

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honey wedding favors

The dress I wore was my mother’s wedding dress from 1979. I had it completely restructured and shortened by an independent seamstress, and I added a fluffy ivory crinoline underneath. I put a framed picture of my mom in the original dress on the guest book table. Kevin and I decided to wear our wedding clothes for both the actual wedding and the wedding celebration the next day. We wanted the gathering at Little Kings to feel as much like the wedding as possible for the people attending, while still maintaining a casual atmosphere. We reused nearly all of the décor and flowers from the ceremony for the celebration at Little Kings the next day.

bride and groom

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outdoor game sites

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guest book tables

Any advice for brides planning their weddings now? Find a great photographer that matches your style. We can’t tell you how important it was for us to have photographers who captured the details and mood in a way that allows us to relive everything now that the day has passed.

outdoor bouquet throws
outdoor bouquet throws
vintage dessert tables

outdoor first dances

sparkler reception getaways

View all images from this wedding in the gallery

Wedding Music:
Processional: “Wild Horses” performed by Vitamin String Quartet
Recessional: “God Only Knows” performed by Vitamin String Quartet
First Dance at The Hill: “Come Pick Me Up,” Ryan Adams
First Dance at Little Kings: “Sea of Love,” Cat Power

Wedding Location: Athens, GA / Photographer: Twin Hearts Photography / Wedding Venues: The Hill (owned by Lee Epting of Epting Events) and Little Kings Shuffle Club / Event Coordinator and Caterer for The Hill: Epting Events / Flowers: DIY — combination of flowers from a florist, Kroger and Trader Joe’s / Wedding Dress Reconstruction: Janna Dudley Design, Inc. / Jewelry and Shoes: Macy’s / Veil and Garter: DIY / Hair and Makeup: Bride / Groom’s Attire: J. Crew / Caterer for Little Kings: Hallie Jane’s Catering / Cakes: Cecilia Villaveces Cakes / DJ: Richard Vinal / Officiant: Reverent Alison Eskildsen from Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens / Stationery: DIY using Paper Source paper goods

View Comments (8)
  • What a beautiful wedding! I love the details – the groom’s boutonniere, the flowers (amazing that they were DIY!), the table numbers and Mr & Mrs/Guest Book signs, all those cakes, and the little pink squirrel straws! So sweet. I wish I knew what that pink drink was.

    • Hi, Christina –
      The drink is called a Pink Squirrel! It was a favorite drink my great grandmother used to serve. It uses 2 oz. Cream de Noyaux (a red liqueur) and 3 oz. Cream de Cacao. It can be mixed with 4 oz. half and half and poured over ice, or it can be blended with 2 scoops of ice cream and some ice. It tastes like chocolate, almond and cherry…very sweet!

  • Awesome! I love that you guys made so much of it yourselves. Plus, you look adorable.

  • What a beautiful bride and handsome groom–and absolutely lovely wedding. Thanks for sharing. My husband and I have been married for 45 years–I hope you will be so lucky!

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