backyard wedding – Fayeruz Regan

It all started with the invitation, where wedding details were engulfed by a swarm of Max and Carol’s favorite things: octopuses, motorcycles, milkshakes, Star Wars characters and more. A friend of the bride drew the original invite by hand. Without realizing it, the theme of this wedding became My Favorite Things.

The wedding ceremony was peppered with references to Star Trek, the Declaration of Independence, Emily Dickinson and other cultural references near and dear to the couple. As was the man who officiated; who is a close friend of the groom’s.

Carol is a local fixture, as she was once a baker at the Richmond institution Dixie Donuts. She literally has an art wall in her home, made of contributions from her admirers. She did not let her guests down, baking an array of home-cooked cakes and tarts. From a churro bundt to chocolate peanut butter cake, every dessert was labeled by a cross-stitched sign.

The groom is a bit of a Renaissance man, and handmade the wedding bands by amalgamating a variety of precious metals in his workshop. He also adorned the altar with a found piece of beach wood, which he branded himself. Combining their names, it reads: La Casita LoBrown. One of his most popular contributions was a giant BBQ pork, pulled from the on-site smoker. To honor his Mexican heritage, he and his sister also made homemade chips, salsa and guacamole.

Though a backyard wedding allows for more casual dress, the event was not short on style. Refreshingly, the males stood out as statement-makers. There’s Southern rock and then there’s Southern punk rock, and among the sea of beards and tattoos, there were playful nods to Southern gentlemen everywhere, with pastels and linen suits.

It was a summer wedding after all, and there were 4th of July poppers to explode as the couple made their way down the aisle…and zoomed off on a motorcycle.

There was a gourmet lemonade stand, with flavors like watermelon basil, and lavender – both 100% addictive.

Revelers were free to cool off in the living room, where the TV was removed and the place adorned with displays of the couple’s favorite things.

Friends of the couple learned to play a few songs that were meaningful to Max and Carol. When vows were exchanged, thunder rumbled. At the reception, silent heat lightning illuminated the sky. Never had I been to a wedding so personalized, with the happy couple leaving their signature on every detail. It was truly a night to remember.

A sweet chalkboard message and carport strung with white curains serves as a warm welcome.

Attorneys Marcus Lange and Zawadi Brown were already engaged, but when a San Francisco law firm offered Marcus a dream job, he and his fiancée decided to start this new venture as man and wife.

We had two weeks to pull off one of the happiest days of their lives, and it was a success!

Sans Fancy Venue!

Everyone knows that a wedding date is at the mercy of the wedding venue. Since official venues were out, we chose our backyard! Since it’s the East Coast, we got a spacious white tent in case of rain.

Sans Caterers!

Instead of locking down official caterers, the couple cherry-picked their favorite foods, and dishes that highlighted their heritage. The groom is German, which meant schnitzel and sauerkraut potato balls. The bride is from Trinidad with a Rastafarian and vegetarian family, which meant a mix of vegetable patties, jerk chicken and plantains. They also offered one of their favorite dishes: mutton biryani from India. Guests are still raving about the All-Around-the-World menu!

Sans Bakery Cake!

Instead of trying to score a last-minute wedding cake from a bakery, they called on food artist Carol Brown, known for her impeccable baking at Dixie Donuts and beyond. She outdid herself, with a homemade red velvet cake, chocolate brownies and a classic pound cake. For good measure, Marcus and Zawadi provided chocolate-covered strawberries as well.

Sans Decorators!

Rather than hiring a decorator, Zawadi and friends, (including myself) created hand-made decorations in various shades of purple, the wedding color. Silver was the accent color. Billowy tissue paper balls were strung about, wisteria hung from the railings and the ceremony took place under a tree that was positively dripping with colored ribbons and strands of crystals. When the wind blew, it was ethereal.

Sans Florist!

The couple skipped major florist fees by marrying outdoors, as our yard has a peach tree, fig free, Concord grape vines, a weeping cherry, daisies, hydrangea bushes and more. In fact, every flower from the purple hydrangea was snipped and placed on every table. Adding to the rustic theme were mason jars filled with sand and lit candles, lanterns hung from the trees and burlap runners featured ladylike polka dots.

The ceremony was short, sweet and personalized with the couple’s own vows.

Sans Bartender!

Rather than hiring a bartender, the couple offered a conveniently pre-mixed signature drink, the Trinimeister. Combining both their heritages, it was a mix of Jaegermeister, coconut rum, pineapple juice and Sprite, which fit right in with the summer day. Beer and wine were also available, though as the party went on, more and more bottles of liquor filled the bar.

Who needs a wedding planner when you have friends?

It was a day with zero humidity, sunshine and a cool breeze. It may well have been the prettiest day of summer. Mr. and Mrs. Lange were surrounded by love, with friends and family who all rallied together to make this day unforgettable.