Lindsay and Aaron, who met in high school, had their relaxed backyard wedding in Sadieville, Kentucky. Their day was filled with beautiful DIY details, blush pink accents, and a grassy aisle between a creek and a grove of trees. Hay bale seating with homemade quilts welcomed their guests with country charm. Their reception area was surrounded by woodland beauty and featured not one but three delicious naked cakes complete with berries and blooms on rustic tree stands. Wouldn’t you love to have a cake like that!? They finished out the night with dancing and a bonfire under the stars. Thank you Cassie Lopez Photography for sharing these photos and congrats to the lovely couple! Read below for more details and their savvy wedding planning advice.

From the Groom…

Before the Ring:
Although we went to the same high school growing up, we really didn’t meet until we worked at McDonald’s together. At the time both of us were dating other people. A while went on where we would talk about our current relationships and how unfulfilling they were. After some time I (Aaron) broke up with my girlfriend and decided that this Lindsay girl was really something special. I told her that if she ever dumped her loser boyfriend to give me a call.

After several hours spent over several weeks of after work talk we decided to date when Lindsay’s relationship ended. As time went on we had many talks and many dates. We grew into love and the rest has still to be written…

Inspiration + Details of the Day:
Lindsay had a country upbringing so naturally we wanted an outdoorsy wedding. We loved all the color that comes with fall and it was 9 months after I proposed in January. Some of our ideas were borrowed from others and some were stolen from Pinterest, but ultimately Lindsay was the mastermind behind the magic.

Most Memorable Moments:
One of my favorite moments was watching Lindsay being led off of the tractor that her and her dad restored together, then proceeding to walk down the aisle toward me. Another would be the comic relief that our Pug offered during the ceremony. He was very cute in his little bow tie. Ultimately, it would have to be the love that we felt when we were surrounded by everyone we cared about watching us start the rest of our lives together.

Advice to Couples in the Planning Process:
There is so much advice we could give. One would be to create a budget and stick to it. Remember that at the end of the day its memories, not money spent, that is important. A cheaper wedding can be just as beautiful or, maybe even more so, than one where you break your budget.

Another thing would be to remember that your wedding is about you and your soon-to-be spouse. Don’t stress out over making everyone else happy. Your wedding should be a combination of what each of you wants. NOT all of your guests. You can’t make everyone happy.

Also, develop a schedule of when everything will get done leading up to your wedding and STICK TO IT. Nothing is more stressful than skipping deadlines and then rushing to get everything figured out. Also try to have almost everything done before a week before. You’ll need that last week to breathe and relax (and catch up on last minute things you forgot).

Have a back-up plan for as much as you can. Options make you feel secure in case something doesn’t turn out the way you wanted it. Finally, Have Fun!! Likely, not everything will happen according to plan the day of. Who cares? In the grand scheme of things, your day is about starting your life with someone you love. Have fun with each other and don’t stress the little things.

Photographer: Cassie Lopez Photography / Venue: Private Residence / All details: DIY