We featured Anna & Valik’s ultra-fabulous country engagement session last summer and today…we have the privilege of featuring their equally fabulous and eclectic, vintage-country wedding! So fun and full of color and personality–from all the rustic elements in attire and decor, to Anna’s ceremony entrance on a horse, to their barn reception venue and loads of DIY details! It’s the sweetest of love stories–where all of their wedding dreams came true! Read along as our beautiful bride and country girl Anna, shares the day, the details and the people that made it possible.

Wedding Style Vintage, Southern, Rustic
Wedding Colors Mustard Yellow, Turquoise, Plum, Brown.
Ceremony & Reception Lindsey Plantation Taylors, South Carolina
Wedding Photographer Julie Izotov of My Forever Images

Highlights of the day The weather was perfect, but the day before it was really cold…but we prayed and God took care of it all. It went by very smooth and relaxing. It was like a dream!
Advice you’re glad you took Don’t spend a lot of money on your wedding! Spend more on your honeymoon. We saved money every chance we could and God blessed us abundantly with a beautiful wedding that we shared with our close friends and relatives.
Advice you’d like to give There’s no reason to stress, or spend lots of money. Think about what you’d want, not what others would like because you’ll never impress everyone.
Best part of the wedding day Riding in on the horse and seeing my now husband beaming with joy!

And what about all of your lacy details? Yes. Yes. Yes! I love lace! I think it makes any setting look romantic.

Can you tell us about the eclectic attire of your bridesmaids and groomsmen?
We let them chose their outfits. To the guys, we gave an idea and to the ladies, I gave colors. They wore what they wanted to wear! I never liked the idea of the bride choosing some dresses and everyone looking the same–and then after the wedding, you don’t know what to do with the dress. So, my bridesmaids wore what they had or something they could wear again.

And your cowboy boots? Yes–gotta love em. They’re just like lace… they complete any outfit.

Oh my! You rode in on a horse?  Yes, that was my dream, the whole barn wedding idea. I wanted it to be different–not something everyone is used to, and something that represented us. We both love horseback riding. My next dream is to live on a ranch with a view and horses.

How about your barn venue? A few years ago I fell in love with a barn wedding idea and told my parents about it. Funny, my parents got married in a barn too–not because they wanted to, but because that was the only place that could fit all their guests! But, yes I love everything country…the barns, the fields, the view, the hay bails, the wildflowers, etc.

Tell us about your Sweetheart Table In the Russian culture, they like to sit the whole bridal party with the bride and groom at the reception. The American weddings that I’ve been to, I loved the fact that the bride and groom were by themselves and it was all about them–and that’s what I wanted. And because of the way this barn was set up, we couldn’t fit the bridal party up there with us and I wanted it to be one long banquet table–which my husband and brothers built in 9 hrs! Yep …all those picnic tables!!

Your tablescape is so creative: burlap, books, buttons, and spools! My cousin (who was my wedding planner) had them or found them at the flea market. She came up with the idea and I loved it!

Birds & Nests I saw the idea for the cake topper in a magazine and thought it would so go for our wedding–two lovebirds! And, my other cousin made the delicious cake.

The Hanging Pictures I saw the idea online and loved it! I was going to just have pictures hanging, but one of my bridesmaids made us a slideshow too…so that was sweet.

2 Dresses = ceremony + reception I bought them both brand-new and online–one on ebay and the other one on Pre-Owned Wedding Dresses and both were less than if I would have bought one at the bridal shop! I liked the idea of 2 dresses–but I kind of  had to…because I really wanted a mermaid dress–but would not have been able to ride on a horse with one. So, I got an a-line dress too–I loved both of them!

Special Acknowledgements from Anna…

Nothing would not have been possible without our Amazing God that took care of every little detail. My husband–who was willing to do something different and be there by my side through it all! My cousin, Irina Murzagildin–for running around town and searching Craigslist and eBay and going to flea markets and garage sales to find us the best deals on everything. And, who put the whole thing together days before and day of the wedding. My amazing friend Nadia Grigorchuk–for doing our flowers and going and picking wild flowers the day before the wedding. My dear friend and bridesmaid Marina Bachinskaya–for doing my hair and makeup. My Aunt Galina Arbatskiy–for altering my dresses. My cousin Julia Rovinsky–for baking the delicious cake. My best friend and cousin Julie Izotov–for capturing the day with her camera. My cousins David and Dima Zaytsev–for capturing video of our wedding. And because of all our friends and family who helped out, the list would be endless if I start. But God knows who they are because He sent them to us.

Aww, how sweet and thoughtful. Anna & Valik’s wedding is proof that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have your dream wedding come true! But, with the love and support of family and friends, you can accomplish just about anything! Congratulations to you both–thanks so much for letting us in on your big day–so full of personality and creativity! Here is their wedding video–watch it. you’ll love it. I promise!

See more eye candy and glean more ideas for a country-rustic wedding at My Forever Images! By the way, Valik & Anna are photographers themselves–you can check out their site here.

Happy Friday! How’s the weather where you are? For us, the temperatures have plummeted to single digits, the snow has paraded on in…

Yet, despite the arctic chill, I keep thinking of the beauty and charm of winter:  horse-drawn sleigh rides, sipping hot cocoa by the fireplace…winter is a wonderful season to do many activities–including getting married!

Winter has its charms and benefits, so if you haven’t set the date yet for your wedding, don’t rule out December, January, and February! Even if you don’t consider yourself a “snow bunny” (or bride), you might want to read our Five Cool Benefits of a Winter Wedding below.

#1 — Less Competition

Have your heart set on a particular reception hall or photographer? Winter weddings are far less common, which means you’ll probably be able to snag that highly coveted venue or wedding vendor that you’ve been dreaming of. And since their schedule is likely to be pretty open, you won’t have to settle for a less-than-ideal wedding date (such as a Friday, which can be hard for guests that work). Less competition, more freedom of choice — it’s a winter win-win!

#2 — Lower Prices

Are you a bride on a budget? A white winter wedding can save you lots of green. Because December through February is such a slow season for wedding vendors, many of them offer discounts or are willing to negotiate prices. You can save a lot of cash once you add up your savings on a DJ, florist, bakery, dress shop, etc. You can then either pocket those savings, or re-invest them into other wedding items, like decor, apparel, and accessories. Spend less, get more…another win-win for the winter bride!

#3 — Fun Decor & Accessories

Winter has so many themes and motifs that you can weave into your wedding day. You can go quirky and cute with some fun penguin cake toppers (see above) and a hot cocoa/cider station at the reception. Or, you could create sophisticated romance with a bold palette of scarlet red roses and evergreen centerpieces.

To stay cozy and warm, you can drape yourself in elegant cover-ups and accessories. Stay fashionably warm with some faux fur ear muffs and hand warmers–or accessorize you and your bridesmaids’ dresses with a chic stole, shrug, or wrap (see below). Or, how about wrapping a cashmere scarf over each of the groomsmen? Very handsome and chic!

#4 – Beautiful Photo Ops 

For unique wedding photos, just step outdoors! Winter is such a beautiful, romantic, and unique time of year. From snow dancing down to the the ground and blanketing the landscape, to frost dusted over tree branches, winter offers plenty of opportunities for stunning wedding photography. An added bonus? No fears of looking sweaty or having your makeup melt under the hot summer sun! And if your cheeks get a little rosy…well, that will just add to the adorable beauty and romance of your wedding photos.

#5 – Unique & Memorable Experience for You AND for Guests

Because winter weddings are far less common, simply having your wedding in the winter will make it very unique and memorable. You and your wedding guests attend so many weddings throughout your lives, so having a winter wedding will be something fun and different for everyone involved.

Read how our intern Kathryn describes one adorable and memorable winter wedding she attended:

“My favorite winter wedding was in the month of February. It was my cousin’s wedding, and although they were on a very tight budget, everything was perfect! Her bridesmaids wore navy dresses with one or two little snowflake clips in their hairdo’s (too cute!). The backdrop behind the head table was full of white string lights with a sheer white fabric hanging over them to create a soft glow. Her snowflake theme wasn’t too over the top, but you could see how everything connected.”

So, what do you think of winter weddings? Have you attended a winter wedding, or do you plan to have one yourself? I’d love to hear your thoughts and memories!

Rachel for MagnetStreetWeddings

Photos: Penguin Toppers Photo (RedLightStudio from Etsy), Bridesmaids and Bride/Groom Photos (Brosnan Photographic)

Just when you thought you were done being tempted by sugary delights …

All things confectionery, there are few things cuter than the inspired designs of sweetly-decorated cupcakes! Am I right? So delicate and whimsical–they are certainly the attention-grabbers at the dessert table.

To inspire you further, these lovely little works of art present yet another easy and fun way to carry your wedding look and jazz up your dessert table at the same time! To illustrate, we’ve paired 4 fanciful cupcakes with 4 wedding invitation designs–from color and design, to shape and pattern. So fun!

Simple & Sweet.

Simple Love Rectangle Wedding Invitations

Light & airy.

Lovely Blossoms Square Wedding Invitations

Pretty in Pink.

Paris Appeal Layered Wedding Invitations

Butterflies in flight.

Fluttering Bliss Tea-length Wedding Invitations

Which is your favorite?

MagnetStreet Weddings has 2 new options for Table Number Cards! YAY! Another case where form and function are coming together for a perfect union. Alright, I’m being a little dramatic but I do love our pretty, practical and totally new table card options: large tent style for eye level candy and the larger 3.5×5 flat cards for a more over-the-top eye appeal.

The flat table number cards have been a huge hit so far ~ probably because you can get really creative with the display. These pretties can be tucked into centerpieces or nestled into topiaries and unique photo holders. They can be put into frames and onto easels for yet another stylish presentation. So many ways to display!

SMALL tent style … LARGE tent style New! … FLAT CARD style New!…

featured above in the ever popular coral color
Something Blue

small tent style
large tent style
large card style

featured above

Blissful of Dots

small tent style {2.5×3.5}
large tent style {3.5×5}
large card style {3.5×5}

Pair of Pears

small tent style {2.5×3.5}
large tent style {3.5×5}
large card style {3.5×5}

Easy to personalize! Coordinate Table Cards with the rest of your wedding stationery using our design tool to change the colors and fonts. So many designs … Check out all of the place cards and  table number card choices at MagnetStreet Weddings.

Happy Friday!