1. Real Weddings

An Elegant DIY Wedding at The Community House in Moorestown, New Jersey

Joe Ware (26 and a union pipefitter) married his bride Kim Ware (25 and an occupational therapist) in an elegant wedding with rustic DIY touches in Ne

Joe Ware (26 and a union pipefitter) married his bride Kim Ware (25 and an occupational therapist) in an elegant wedding with rustic DIY touches in New Jersey. The couple first met as teenagers and formed a strong friendship before they began dating a few years later. After buying their first home in 2011, the couple held a housewarming party where Joe surprised Kim with a proposal in front of all of their friends and family. “It was a beautifully perfect moment and of course I said yes!” Kim says. The bride and groom chose The Community House, an old mansion in Moorestown, New Jersey, as the location for their special day. “It was the perfect size to hold all of our guests and truly encompassed the look we wanted for our day – unique, elegant, rustic and timeless,” says the bride. A natural and rustic color palette was incorporated into the décor at the ceremony and reception. Joe and Kim made many of the decorations themselves with the help of friends and family members. Family style dishes were served for dinner followed by a red velvet cake for dessert at the reception as guests danced the night away to the sounds of a DJ. “We wanted our wedding to be a celebration,” the couple says. "Our goal was to keep the party going."

Strapless Satin Allure Wedding Gown
Strapless Satin Allure Wedding Gown
Kim found her perfect wedding dress, a strapless satin Allure gown, at Jay West in Haddonfield, New Jersey. "I wanted my dress to be beautiful yet simple," she says.
Kim's bridesmaids donned short black dresses that were purchased at Ideal Fashions in Hammonton, New Jersey. They completed their looks with elegant updos, pearl necklaces and nude heels.
"I went a little wild and found bright electric blue heels to wear underneath as my something blue, which happened to match Joe's beloved 1989 Chevy perfectly," Kim says.
Joe and his groomsmen wore gray Calvin Klein suits from Macy's. The groomsmen wore black undershirts and black ties while Joe wore a white undershirt and a black tie. They all completed their looks with fedora hats that the bride found at Target.
Elegant Ceremony at The Community House
"Joe created a large 3 ft by 2ft metal pipe symbol intertwining the letters J and K," Kim says. "He welded the pieces together and painted it a dark bronze. It was the centerpiece over the mantle at our wedding."
Card Box with Initials Display
DIY Chalkboard Menu
"We decided to opt for a different type of guest book," says the bride. "We found a very unique wooden bench and provided our guests with black markers to sign."
DIY Wooden Place Cards
Reception Room at The Community House
"My flowers were primarily white hydrangeas and spider mums with greenery for the undertones," says the bride. "My mom has a green thumb and did an amazing job in doing all of my centerpieces and bouquets. She purchased the flowers through our local Produce Junctionrnand spent all summer perusing yard sales for vases. It was incredibly cost effective and perfect!"
Joe created the table numbers for the reception from a newly fallen tree by slicing the tree in chunks and nailing in the numbers with roofing nails.
For dessert, guests were treated to a red velvet cake with white buttercream frosting. "We added a large air plant on top with wooden engraved initials placed at the bottom of the cake," explains the bride.
White Wedding Cake with Air Plant Cake Topper
Bride and Groom's First Dance