If you dream of having a wedding reception that makes your guests feel like their seated amidst an enchanted forest, then you will love these inspiring photos from Taylor and Joshua’s rural woodland Michigan wedding! They met in Nara, Japan, where there are hundreds and hundreds of tame deer wandering around the parks. “We spent so many dates there, walking around in the sunshine, and feeding the deer,” says Taylor.  Each table at their reception had different deer figurines that her mom sourced from antique shops. Gorgeous green florals, candlelight, and a berry-covered naked cake added to their amazing celebration, photographed by Allie Siarto Photography.

From the bride:

We are really, quite lucky in that our parents decided it was best to give us two weddings. We had just been married a week before in Florida, but this second wedding blessing and reception in Michigan allowed everyone in the family to be there. My aunt and uncle lent us their barn in the woods, so a woodland theme seemed to fit really well and be different than our wedding in Florida.

I loved all the vintage books that my aunt had sourced in deep greens, the cute little deer my mom had scoured antique shops for. We had a typewriter I had lugged over from England, cute handwritten signs by my amazingly talented cousin, mason jars, twinkle lights, and the most amazing wood log planters. We were very lucky – a lot of people came out to help us – some family friends lent us hundreds of beautiful antique dishes, some other family friends did the food, my uncle smoked a whole pig AND built a huge wood bar for the event.

My aunt officiated, and my cousin drove us around on the golf cart while we searched for the perfect photo spot. It was…so different from our wedding a week before, in such a good way that it allowed us to relax and enjoy time with our family and friends – and some real good BBQ food!

Photography: Allie Siarto Photography / Venue: Uncle Bart’s Pole Barn, Bay City, Michigan / Florist: Beth Gaertner / Invitations: BeholdDesignz / Catering: Richard LaRocqueWedding / Dress: Modern Trosseau from The White Magnolia, Tampa, FL / Bridesmaid Dresses: Dessy / Hair+Makeup: Jill Weber / Groom’s Outfit: The Edinburgh Woolen Mill