dolly in love ... and her totally diy free spirit wedding

yes, 3 weddings in the span of a week: a big one, a tiny one, and one perfectly charming, totally DIY, utterly romantic medium size one.

dolly and tyler.

beautiful dreamers extraordinaires...

so, dolly is the sister of my sister-in-law amy. so the timing was extra convenient for matt and amy and their kids, who were coming to town for both our mom's and her sis's wedding.

dolly and i have a sweet kinship...plus the fact that she loves funky thrifted clothes, lives with her hands in the dirt, dances like a wild woman, laughs often, and believes with all her heart in sustainability and a nature-centered life, which she shares abundantly with her little 3 year old son Teddy. i adore the gal. you would too.

so, dolly was unbelievably relaxed and nonchalant when it came to planning the wedding festivities. all she cared is that it feel like a "big patchwork quilt" of love and friendship, that the colors evoke meadowlands and the"deep spring greens like the hills, floral, woodsy and prairie."

her sisters and friends collected wildflowers, vintage tablecloths, mason jars for lanterns and vases, candles and feathers and all those pretty little natural goodies that make a place feel special and vibrant and welcoming and fun.

these crafty cuties proceeded to create an outdoor romantic space on the lawn of the local church that made me want to steal every one of these ideas and permanently transform my backyard!

another fun fact is that the Smith family has 13 kids. yes, you heard me right! and each one is gorgeous and sparkling and sweet hearted to the very core.

here is amy with another radiant sister, merry.

(both in adorable thrifted soft bohemian vintage frocks i might add!)

and here i am with another of the sisters, Glory. i've known her since she was a small girl at camp and i was her "big sister," tickled by her sweet and sparkling presence. who'd have thought how our families would be linked forever.

at the wedding we immediately discovered that were both wearing dresses passed down from our mamas from the 1970s!

ok and all those 13 kids? they, in turn, have kids.

so together there are like a million children all under the age of 8 or so.

throngs of wild cousins running amock. it gives a heart some summer gladness.

dolly made little garden fairy tutus for all the girls. they were all "flower girls."

bella with her cousin rowan:

a sleepy garden fairy, little Lilah:

below Jenny (amy's oldest sister and addie's best friend from waaaay back!) greets the matriarch of the whole gang, Grandma Eileen.the girls tell the most adorable and hilarious stories about her. she is so proud of her granddaughters and has many little quirky rituals she makes them all do together as a group, like wear matching dresses and shout a family cheer of "we LOVE ya!" or something like that.

dolly's sister-in-law jessica once worked in a bakery. somehow during that short time she acquired mad skillz. check out this AMAZING cake she created....and the rustic wooden cakestand was built by the dad of this lovely clan, Mr. Lowell Smith.

the cake was three layers, chocolate, lemon, and carrot. that lemon cake was seriously the yummiest thing i've ever tasted. it went too fast! i crave more every day since then!

old friends all aglow:

{haha, may 21, we made our own rapture! the real, right-here-on-earth kind :)}

dolly, tyler, and teddy.

more countryish details: lemon water in big glass jugs.

homemade hibiscus tea, paper cups and wildflowers:

bread and butter to keep busy fairies dancing:

mason jar lanterns strung up all around the perimeter:

with glowing candles as the sun goes down:

wooden crates of peacock feathers and fresh flowers:

and a vintage suitcase with photos of the adorable couple and a guest book to sign:

it was especially great for me to get to hang out with matt and amy for a few days. matt is the next one after me in my family and we have always been super close. he is the kind of person that you can converse with for hours on end and it never gets old. he is hilarious and brilliant.

two of my favorite guys yakking.

bella found me these wildflowers:

maid-of-honor, the luminous Diana Worden, borrowed a dress from me a couple weeks before the wedding. I think she looks like Priestess of the Blooming Fields. which, of course, she is: she was the one who gathered most of these lovely flowers! she knows herbs and folk wisdom too, a bewitching little gal.

ladies danced on into the night. these girls know how to whoop it up!

all the sisters and sisters-in-law hoisting dolly for her bridal-day HURRAH!

oh friends thanks for indulging me in more wedding fun.

i knew you guys would love this one ;)