“I was very excited to shoot this wedding because the bride is my niece! I had the privilege of hearing about and seeing all the wonderful details that were coming together before; the changes that were being made to the backyard; the dress(es) that were being purchased and sewn etc… for months before the big day arrived! Arlene thought of so many exquisite details that were executed by her, Ron and their family and friends. They pulled together this rustic backyard wedding with exceptional class and style!” – Kristy Klaassen Photography

“One of our favorite memories of the day was lighting the paper lanterns at the end of the night and letting them float up into the sky. It was a great moment to stand back and watch them go, while reflecting on our wonderful day…

..We had big DIY plans and hoped to make as much as possible by hand. I made the dried flower bouquets with my mother-in-law; sewed the burlap cutlery and menu holders myself; my husband made the wooden head-table backdrop with some friends, as well as the log-slice cupcake stand. My dad and uncle made the wood hip-roof barn front guestbook and seating chart wall. My friends helped me wrap the  jar candles in burlap; my aunt (and photographer!) painted the road signs; and friends arranged the hay-bale seating areas and wound the hundreds of mini white-light strings around the slip-rail fence. We had so much fun working on and finalizing all of our projects, and really couldn’t have done it without all the help from our family and friends!!!

..While it wasn’t something that I specifically set out to have… I did have blue flowers in my bouquet and the girls had blue dresses; I borrowed my veil from a friend and my jewelry was all new…

..I think the biggest thing to remember when planning your wedding is to listen to everyone’s advice, and pick and choose the parts that you want to use. This is YOUR big day, so infuse as much of your own personality into it as you’d like to! Don’t be shy either, do something extraordinary!” – Arlene, the bride

photography: Kristy Klaassen Photography // bridesmaid’s dresses: Jozina’s Designs // limo: Pacific Harmony Limo Services // catering: Ramada // invitations and programs: Millers Pro Imaging // groom & groomsmen’s boots: Stampede Tack // groom & groomsmen’s attire: Le Chateau // wedding dress: David’s Bridal // all the amazing details (dried flower bouquets, centerpieces, table numbers, candy table, seating chart display, etc! were handmade by the bride, her groom and family and friends!