Today I felt like reflecting on the weddings we have been a part of this summer, as well as, my very own day. Weather and venue location are two key things that come to mind, as I think back on our summertime weddings and our own wedding. During the planning stages it surely may feel as though these two factors may determine your entire wedding day, and without achieving perfection (which lets face it the weather just isn't always 70 degrees with no chance of rain, now is it?) you may ruin the most important day of your lives...Hold your horses though! Keep in mind this bit of advice that carried me through my own wedding day:

Your wedding day is one day, your marriage is for life, and your big day should definitely be special, but not on the world’s terms. Make it the best day you can! 

Let me back up for just a moment...with a little bit of back story...

Sandy and I got married October 2015. We planned for an outdoor wedding ceremony in a sacred spot that meant a lot to both of us; my husband's family owns a special place in Valle Crucis, NC that features one of the most peaceful little meadows this world has to offer. My husband grew up fishing and enjoying that meadow most of his life, and we have continued to fish and have campfires in the meadow for many years. Now, while parking, lack of restrooms, and a few family opinions were all factors that stood against our decision to say our vows in that meadow we still felt so strong and so excited about doing it. And so we pressed on...planning...checking the farmer's almanac, praying, and hoping that the weather would do as the farmer's almanac said it would! It called for our weekend to be a "peak" weekend for leaf change and an even less than normal chance of any precipitation. Turns out you just have to go with the flow...the flow of the flooded Watauga River that is....as Hurricane Joaquin was unleashed during our "peak" weekend! So we took cover under the barn (our reception venue) instead...We missed out of a few key details, like the hundred year old chapel door entrance and the list goes on...But our guests never felt that we missed a beat! Under a roof in the barn's breezeway, we held each other's hands and said "I do" and the rain continued to drip and create a mist (that I thought was kind of romantic actually) and the wind whipped through on and off but we still got married, we ate pie, and danced all night! Point is we had some beautiful plans in mind for our meadow set up, and we did not get the chance to see them all through on that day...but since that day we embarked on this crazy venture we call Mountain Craft, and now we see creative and beautiful wedding plans through time and time again. We've had the opportunity to bring our old church pews (our very very heavy old church pews) to the top of a mountain with a view. The land belonged to the bride's brother, and to their knowledge her's would be the first wedding to take place on that little piece of heaven on earth. Our church pews created an outdoor church setting like no other, and the weather cooperated for them! YAY! 

Another little ceremony that comes to mind, was a sweet intimate wedding that took place on the on a patch of land next to the father of the bride's barn. Our "touch of white" church pews were placed outside on the day of (in hopes to keep them dry from any chance of rain...as there was a chance the day before). Only her closest family members gathered for the special occasion, and we got to see our pews be a part of yet another outdoor wedding! The bride had a vision for her day, and it was a blessing for us to see it through.

So, all I have left to say is choose your venue...the one that works for you...the one that maybe means something special to you. Go ahead and plan to fill it with creativity and vision...make it special and one of a kind! There has never been such an awesome time for weddings than now...with all the options and all the talented wedding vendors out there. You can truly make all the big and small details your own. Just never loose sight of the grand picture. This is a celebration and so matter the rain drops or sunshine above CELEBRATE!

And thank you for letting us continue to be a part of it all! 

Best wishes, 

Andrea