Catering By Robert . Event Concepts : 02/01/2016

Friday, February 26, 2016

A DIY Wedding on Steroids!

Cathy and John
Bird Island Lake Ranch
Photos by Brian C. Idocks Photographics
except those noted*

Have you ever wondered if any wedding client has come really close to incorporating everything she had on Pinterest boards or clipped out of magazines? This was the couple that did! And they gave a whole new meaning "Do It Yourself."

Cathy and John wanted to enjoy their day and they wanted friends and family to do the same. So we became the "facilitator" amd they counted on us to carry out their wishes. Cathy emailed me 101 pages of pictures of her items with their exact location at the wedding site - Bird Island Lake Ranch in rural Pasco County.

Thank goodness they had pro photographer, Brian Idocks capturing all of the details, because there were MANY!

Cathy and John delivered everything via a moving van, if that tells you anything!
This opened the doors to a new kind of DIY!

And speaking of "doors" Cathy is a locksmith. Everyone's seating placements were attached to an antique key and table number pieces resembled a vintage door lock on each table.

We Love Challenges! It's this kind of teamwork that makes all weddings we do successful on many different levels.

Cathy hired our colleague, Vicki Goonen of Beachangels Weddings, to handle the enormous task of coordinating the ceremony and placing those specific items (and taking them down). John and his guys skillfully handled stringing up the mason jar chandelier (made by a friend), posting signs and setting up the Ipad Photo Booth with props and features.

Our staff took care of the reception items that included the décor for "fruit market" stands that lined the perimeter of the main seating area (all out in the open).

Every aspect of the celebration was held all outdoors. Most of our food preparation was done inside the screened "mess hall" on site and in the "fry shack."

We had many of our favorite vendors: DJ Josh from DeLite Entertainment and florist, Carmen (Carmen's Flowers) . Our granddaughter, Caitlyn, who worked at Sweet Tweets Cakery at the time was relieved when she arrived to set up the wedding cake, cupcakes, and groom's cake. We had installed mosquito netting above the display table.

Here are pictures of this amazing undertaking. Thank you Cathy and John for including us!

The ceremony area décor was expansive and
included tiered bales of hay and a drapery/wood door
entry (from the venue).

The chandelier Cathy and John had made along with the prototype picture on the right!

The social hour was held in the front portion of the event area where the dance floor was located. The farm's high top picnic tables were topped with our lanterns first used at the ceremony area. Introductions and the toast were done in this area before guests were excused

to find their seats for dinner.

For hors d'oeuvres, we hand passed sweet potato fries, mac and cheese pops, Fried Green Tomato Crostini, Mini Meatballs and Fruit Skewers.

The main reception was held facing the lake. Cathy and John were determined to have "something" featured in every one of the old fashion "market stands" that outlined the area. So everything from food stations to a photo booth were utilized in these areas. Cathy also named every stand on a hanging black board.

The tables where children sat had mason jars with candy treats, coloring books, and "rustic" crayons.

Because of so many trees in the area, we hung a mosquito net canopy above the cake display table that included a small cutting cake, groom's cake and mni cupcakes from Sweet Tweets Cakery. Cathy provided the interesting stands.

Later in the evening, we set up a S'more station utilizing our paella burner. Chocolate dipped graham crackers hung from a clothes line over the burner and marshmellos were pre-skewered ready to be toasted.