You never know where this publisher is going to make an appearance – completely anonymous – as a worker bee at a local wedding. I got the word from Cheryl Sage at Accents by Sage, that she could use a little help for a backyard wedding. Having been her floral assistant in the past, I knew what I was in for. The couple Amy & Ben, decided to get married at Amy’s parent’s house in Elk Grove. If my folks had a yard like this, I would have done the same. Probably consisting of a couple of acres, it was beautifully landscaped. Lots of green grass, tall trees, and flowering plants. Plenty of room to set up a tent and gazebo already in place for the ceremony.
We arrived on Friday to start the set-up. Sharri Black with Three Palm Events was coordinating and draping the tent, ceremony area and blocking off areas to hide the portable restrooms and catering staging areas. The goal Friday was to get draping done in the tent, around the gazebo and panels to hide the portable restroom and catering staging area for Sharri’s crew. The Accents by Sage crew, which also included a couple of gals from Simple Country Weddings, were there to hang moss balls from the trees and get the reception tables arranged and prepared for the fresh flowers that would arrive on Saturday. However…it was windy. Not just a little, but very windy. So all we could do was hang items from trees and pull chairs and tables into position. We left the rest of the items near where they would be set-up for the following day and hoped that the wind would not be a factor. The draping was in place, and they were hoping for the best overnight.
Saturday. Still windy. Any of the draping that was set up on a pipe and drape system was down and having to be reinstalled. However, it was go time, so we started the prepping the tables. All the chairs had to be folded and placed around the edges to keep linens in place. Any lightweight items were being knocked over. Be we persevered and finally got them set with chargers, centerpieces and candles. Ceremony and gate arrangements were created on site, and by 4:30, all the vendors were there and ready for the ceremony starting at 6:00. Here are some photos of the decor from the wedding, and from what I could tell, the couple and family were very happy with everything.
I love outdoor weddings, but it was a reminder that weather is unpredictable, and make sure you hire wedding professionals who can made do, or have a Plan B in place when dealing wind, rain or extreme heat. Luckily for Amy & Ben, they did just that, and their wedding was a success!
