1. Real Weddings

Ellen & Mitch: A Wedding at Home in La Porte, IN

When Ellen pulled up to the Four Moons bar in Chicago and saw her blind date, Mitch, in a white Jeep Cherokee identical to her own, she knew she'd lik

When Ellen pulled up to the Four Moons bar in Chicago and saw her blind date, Mitch, in a white Jeep Cherokee identical to her own, she knew she'd like him. It turned out to be more than like, and after their first date, Mitch asked her to meet him again the following week. The Bride Ellen Griffith, 25, high school English teacher The Groom Mitch Foley, 27, sales The Date October 20 About a year-and-a-half later, Mitch wanted to do something really special for their engagement. The couple had planned a winter trip to Germany. After a tour of the stunning Schloss Neuschwanstein castle in the Bavarian Alps, they grabbed a few bratwurst and some spiced wine and enjoyed the spectacular view. As they were taking in all in, Mitch proposed. They immediately began planning a fall wedding on Ellen's parents' farm.

Three candles wrapped in green and brown ribbon and twine, surrounded by grapevine wreaths, sat on half of the tables.
Burnt coral roses decorated the four-tiered, white fondant-covered cake.
Ellen and Mitch exchanged traditional vows in her parents' backyard under an arch decorated with fall leaves and branches. Guests sat on large hay bales covered with khaki canvas during the ceremony.
After dinner in the reception tent, a bale of hay with a sign directing guests to the barn for the rest of the evening's festivities.
The Favors
The bride designed and assembled earthy invites complete with an oak tree motif -- to represent growth and strength -- printed on ivory card stock and wrapped in a chocolate-brown enclosure. In honor of the meaning in the tree motif, the couple planted two oak trees on the farm the day after the wedding.
To add a unique element to the reception, the couple hung a leftover RSVP postcard -- printed with a barn reminiscent of the one on the farm -- and images from the couple's childhoods from twine with clothespins.
Simple vases were filled with burnt coral roses and green bluperum.
They used three areas for the event: the backyard for the ceremony, a large white tent for dinner, and the barn for dancing and drinks.
Simple ivory escort cards printed with each guest's name and table number were attached to twine with clothespins and strung between two posts.
Both outdoorsy types, Ellen and Mitch thought that her family's farm would be the perfect location for their wedding
Each of the flower girls carried a white wicker basket filled with burnt coral and yellow flower petals.
Ellen carried a hand-tied bouquet of burnt coral roses accented with green bluperum.
Mason jars filled with sand and candles hung from the trees between the reception tent and the barn space, which was used for dancing.
To keep with their simple and elegant style, the bride asked each of the seven bridesmaids to wear a black dress of her choice. They tied their looks together with moss green pashmina scarves that Ellen and Mitch bought when they were in Prague a few days after their engagement. The guys wore classic black tuxes and Mitch chose a khaki suit with an ivory vest and tie.
Guests gathered on the back porch and around the pool to sip cocktails before the reception.
The Bridesmaid Bouquets