A Whimsical, Bohemian Wedding at Gaie Lea in Staunton, Virginia

Kelsey Brunton (27 and an assessment coordinator) and Jay Kirland (27 and a college football coach) became husband and wife during a small, intimate wedding surrounded by their closest family and friends at Gaie Lea in Staunton, Virginia. Since Kelsey's mom died of cancer a few years ago, planning a wedding without her felt daunting. “I had to envision a wedding without my sweet Mama—someone I always thought would be there,” she says. But with help from friends and family, Kelsey and Jay’s wedding was brought to life with upcycled and DIY decor. Their wedding was a “Tuscan, organic, recycled, farmers' market, Anthropologie-inspired mash-up” with a gold and poppy palette and rustic and natural accents. “In keeping with this theme, I really wanted to challenge myself to use recycled products or collected pieces from around the house to make this wedding something we could afford.” For instance, the couple created bar signs with growlers and wine corks and used recycled beer bottles for centerpiece vases. Rustic wooden palettes were repurposed into a wooden "love" sign. “We wanted individuals there whom we care for and love, with great food, and we wanted everyone to have a wonderful time as we embarked of the rest of our lives together,” Jay says. —Marissa Hermanson