transformation

I'm not quite sure how it happened,
but I have somehow started planning weddings...
I think some would call it a sickness...
an "I-have-to-offer-my-help-because-I-love-these-people"
sort of sickness.
It's a good thing...
and it's been so much fun...
but WOW! it's some serious work!
Friday was the big day
for this sweet girl in my ward.
The reception was in her
grandparents beautiful backyard.
We started setting up at 9:30 am
and finished at 7:00 pm...
just in time to change clothes
and run back to help with the ice cream bar.
By midnight, everything was undone
and Tim was helping me return the last
of the massive amounts of stuff we had borrowed.

It was a beautiful night
and the pictures really don't do it justice
but you can get the basic idea.

We had the entrance lined with 9 of these lanterns.
Opposite the lanterns, on the deck railing,
we had lights with pictures hanging of the cute couple.

the backdrop was the focal point of the night,
which was awesome because we made it!
The gal who was helping me bought
doors/shutters at habitat for humanity...
grand total of $35
Tim hinged them together,
added all the shelves,
and pretty much made it look fabulous!
Another neighbor painted it for free
so that his daughter can use it for
her wedding in November.

We filled it with battery powered candles
and added the lights and fabric
behind the windows.
seriously! could it be any better!?

We added lights to these paper lanterns
and hung them in place of the swings.
We added my hammock underneath
to hold all the gifts... it was perfect!

ice cream bar...
easy, cheap, and still elegant.

table centerpieces...
the only cost was the flowers...
everything else was borrowed

so there is way too much flash in this picture
but it was so dark, I was having a hard time
getting any pictures...
the balloons finished off the tables beautifully.

This was placed just near the exit from the backyard...
what you can't really see in all these pics
are the lights/lanterns/pictures
hanging from all the trees.
It was magical once the sun went down.

Exhausting day... but so happy to be able to help
pull off something so wonderful!