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And so it’s part two of the wedding, way back in June!
I am so excited to finally have the pictures uploaded and ready to show you!
[And edited a bit too, but that sounds funny for me to say since I just take pictures for fun.
Talking about editing makes it sound like I think I'm a professional or something, and I so am not.]
It’s been something on my want-to-do list ever since the day after the wedding.
Three babies, a crazy summer, Zoe starting K-5, and numerous other things have almost brought blogging to stand-still for me.
But even if I never blog again,
I am determined to show pictures of one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever been to!
Let me introduce you to
The Wedding of Kenneth & Ervina
~ a garden reception ~
This wedding was so special. From the calmness of the bride the week of the wedding,
to the many people that helped set up the reception, to the fun bridal party ~ it was just beautiful in every way.
Ervina was a bride unlike almost any I’ve ever seen.
Her prayer was that her wedding and week of the wedding would not be a crazy and stressful time,
as weddings can often be, but that it would be a time of peace and joy.
And her prayer was answered.
Ervina was radiant, refreshed, and peaceful the whole week.
I’m her sister, and to say that I didn’t see her stressed for a moment is saying a lot.
Her peaceful spirit carried over into all areas of the wedding.
The morning of the wedding dawned clear, bright, and perfect as anyone could wish.
And really, the whole day was simply perfect.
The ceremony was like a worship experience,
and the sweet presence of Jesus was so clearly evident that day!
Because of how the day was planned with the photographer and everything else, it was such a relaxed morning.
The bride went running early in the morning, and returned for some quiet time with Jesus before the day began. ♥
Some of her friends brought her Starbucks coffee as she was getting ready,
and another brought souffles from Panera for the bridesmaids!
Goodness, it was fun.
Details
Shoes – purchased from Target.com
Embellished with flowers and feathers by yours truly
Dress Sash
Francesca’s provided part of the inspiration with the cream flowers,
and I filled in with the white, lace, and bird cage veil netting.
[goodness, not to draw attention to it or anything, but i'm rather in awe of her tiny waist!]
My grandmother helped me finish up the last stitches. These hands are precious…
Beautiful bride’s bouquet.
The Bridal Party went to a beautiful old train station for the pictures.
Most of the pictures I have from there are thanks to a friend of the bride who snapped a few for me.
Ervina had an assortment of flowers for the bridesmaids to make their own bouquets the morning of the wedding!
I thought it such a lovely idea. Each bouquet was so unique, and reflected the style and personality of each bridesmaid.
My sister Jana ended up making mine for me ~
in between helping the bride with hair, french manicure on her toes,
my two girls with curling irons for their hair and getting dressed, my own self to get ready, I didn’t have a moment to spare that morning!
I loved the bouquet she made for me. Peonies are one of my very favorite flowers, and I had several of them!
The bridesmaids were asked to wear lace, in shades of cream, ivory, or soft pink, and could make them any style.
Ervina’s dress was lace also, so the only thing she asked was that they be knee-length to set her own dress apart.
The dress I made from a sheet and a piece of lace from an antique shop turned out rather to my liking,
although making it in my two-week postpartum state for the wedding at 5 weeks postpartum was rather a challenge.
[can we say that crunches began in earnest two days after the baby's birth, and other forms of exercise began much earlier than usual?]
The shoes were also our own choice.
Remember the shoe dilemma I posted about before the wedding? So many pretty shoes, and I can only pick one pair?
I went a bit more fun and choose the cream with polka dots. I’ve worn them quite a bit since, so I think it was a good choice.
So many darling shoes!
The Bride & Groom
The day of being a bride… it’s a day that is gloriously wonderful, a dream come true.
Ervina was radiant and gorgeous.
Kenny’s eyes said it all as he looked at her ~ this man adores his bride.
The Groom & Groomsmen
Bridesmaids
Bridal Party
This is the only picture I have of the whole bridal party, so forgive the blurry, not looking, etc. etc.
Bride & Sisters
These two are the best friends in the world.
A light-hearted moment.
Family
Father. Mother. Third Daughter. Third Son-in-law.
[except we don't call them in-laws in our family. we just call them brothers.]
Mother. Daughter.
The Barkman siblings
Sister with Big Little Brothers.
Sisters again!
This may or may not be one of my very favorite sister pictures ever.
The Barkman Family, now with three married daughters!
Zoe
Olivia
[edit: HOW could I forget to add that this particular flower girl was found in the swimming pool by Rachel Beachy and husband,
during the reception?? Fully clothed in flower girl attire and all. Thank goodness for friends. 
]
Flower Girls and Program Attendent
The Yoder Family ~ Groom’s family
Again, the only picture I have of the whole family. Sorry you all!
[is it better to not show it at all or to show it with half the people hidden?]
Kenny and his four beautiful and sweet sisters.
I don’t know who is more lucky – Ervina, to have them for sisters-in-law, or they, to have Ervina for a sister-in-law.
The dashing Mr. & Mrs. Good
Kenny’s nieces
beautiful sisters~
Jillian, darling flower girl
The most darling little two-year old boy present [nephew of the groom]
The Reception was held on my parents’ beautiful property underneath a tent large enough to hold 350 people.
It was gorgeous, it was simple, it was breathtaking.
It had a feel of elegant and royalty, but with the ease and enjoyment of a garden party.
I think I especially enjoyed it because our very own wedding was set in this exact spot seven years ago.
A big white tent was set up in the meadow,
the grounds were meticulously prepared by mom and helpers for months before,
and it was just a magical feel about it ~ both our wedding, and Ervina & Kenny’s!
Being there in that place with a wedding brought back so many special memories!
Ervina & Co. (meaning friends, family, & relations) helped create an outdoor seating area.
It was Ervina’s brainchild, and we enjoyed helping far too much.
Part of my wedding gift was the ‘Mr.’ and ‘Mrs.’ and ‘happily ever after’ pillows I made for them, which they used at the seating area.
The sofas and chairs were picked up at yard sales and second-hand stores, with the exception of the white sofa.
This beautiful vintage sofa my mother found for free beside the road!
It was missing legs, but that was easily remedied for the occasion.
I gave my family strict instructions never to part with the sofa.
I will carry it upon my back, from Pennsylvania to Georgia, if need be,
before they are allowed to sell it!
That’s how much I love it.
The guest book signing area, complete with Claudia’s vintage record player
that was actually playing as guests walked through and signed.
My husband helped create a doorway going from the outdoor seating area to the tent reception,
from beautiful old doors from Kenny & Ervina’s actual house that they had bought and were remodeling.
The guestbook, ideas by Ervina, carried out by Jana.
During their nearly two years of dating, Kenny & Ervina wrote many letters to each other.
They chose to do this rather than emails, for the sake of old-fashioned communication,
the fun of getting real letters in the mailbox, and having the hand-written notes.
If you notice, the top letter went all the way to Cambodia,
and it was not the only one Kenny sent during Ervina’s 3 months there the summer of 2011.
There were a bundle of letters at the wedding, but securely tied with ribbon lest guests think they were free for the reading.
A chalkboard timeline of significant events of their relationship.
Refreshements before the meal included make-your-own yogurt parfaits,
and three kinds of drink: iced coffee, strawberry lemonade, and sweet tea.
I’m not sure if the drinks were the hot item or if the guests kept returning for refills or because of the adorable straws in blue vintage jars.
My husband Ben and daughter Olivia, with my brother James.
Table Arrangement Details
The guest tables were set up in long rows, with white tablecloths and linen runners placed on top of them.
The centerpieces were wildflowers and flowers from friends’ gardens,
snipped and set in glass vases of all kinds - Ervina found them all over at thrift stores and goodwills.
It created such a symmetry, and yet diversity, that was gorgeous!
Soon after Kenny & Ervina’s engagement in October, Ervina and Claudia began collecting plates and goblets for the wedding.
Not just for the bridal party, but for all 350 guests!
It created such an elegant atmosphere with the real china, and yet the uniqueness and diversity of the plates made it fun and relaxed.
As for favors, Ervina and some of her friends made strawberry jam and put it in small glass jars, embellished with lace and twine.
The Bridal Table was similar to the guest tables,
but with all white and green arrangements, chargers, selected plates & goblets, and cloth napkins.
There was a gentle beauty that was breathtaking about the day, and about the reception, and particularly this table.
It was such an honor to be seated there!
We made the lace hoops from lace Ervina collected throughout her engagement and from large embroidery hoops,
and hung them alternating with glass jars with candles.
Our own little family. ♥
And thus concludes the day of loveliness…
May their marriage be even more beautiful.
To see more images, visit the photographer’s website here.
Tori captured some beautiful exquisite pictures of the day, and her style of photography is so natural and creative!
If that post receives 25 comments, Ervina will be enter a drawing for a big enlargement, so comment away on there!
~clarita
