It was July 8 here, high summer, but not so hot you couldn’t be outside. Anke and Paul had a dream: if we are going to get married then absolutely on our own land. Since they live next door to Anke’s parents’ farm, they could very easily throw the party here. A backyard wedding, in other words. With corn and barley field. And then in appropriate places trails and a clearing. A design was made and then the meadows were seeded to create a beautiful ceremony site as well as a party site.
How cool is this backyard wedding (or actually mid-field wedding)?
I started with the preparations. In their own home, everything was going to take place. Anke upstairs and Paul downstairs. The nice thing was that I could just walk back and forth between the rooms where she and the children stayed. Super convenient! I took some photos of the preparations and captured the morning portion that way.
The first look would take place at the same spot where later the ceremony was going to be. In the middle of a beautifully sown field, children there, and then those looks at each other: beautiful!
Getting married with children at your wedding? Read more tips here.
Photoshoot in the Achterhoek
For the photo shoot, I had about three quarters of an hour. We stayed around the house and made several images. With the horses, with the corn, in a nearby path, next to a ditch: fine images in nature and on the beautiful land of the Achterhoek.
Not much later, the first guests arrived. Everyone took their seats, for this unique wedding, at the ceremony site and the wedding could begin.
A rural backyard wedding
How special is it to be able to get married at such a location? A wedding in your own garden, or actually on your own land. And what luck with the weather! That threatening sky, interspersed with some sunshine here and there completed it. And then those colors,…. all so warm.
Best Day Ever!
The styling was all arranged by Nailia of Best Day Ever. Very coincidentally, she lived near the bride and groom. She had brought her entire team to help set everything up and so guests were able to enjoy a delicious sweet table, linger in a stretch tent and take seats at cute seating areas. She had also arranged the ceremony setting, as well as the dinner portion. Top of the line!
Tractor at your wedding
Well, of course that group photo could only be taken one way! I had initially intended to take it near an open field, but as more and more men climbed onto the hay bales and the women were called in, I quickly took some pictures. Instant atmosphere!
Can you also get married at home?
The answer to this question is, of course, YES! See an overview of how cool it was to be able to dine here. In the middle of the field, openness everywhere, beautiful Dutch clouds, a little sunshine: what a dinner!
After dinner, the first dance took place. First, some additional evening guests arrived. When all of those had conveyed their congratulations, people waited expectantly. And they got an awesome opening dance. A complete medley. The bride and groom first arrived in bathrobes, but then showed off a well-rehearsed dance.
And in between, I also had five minutes for a short photo shoot with setting sun. If the sun is just right and the bride and groom are up for it, I like to take them for a very short time. It’s a moment when you can enjoy a moment together and then as a bonus get some nice pictures too.
I stayed to photograph a few more speeches. It also turned out to be a tradition for neighbors to be hoisted onto chairs and then carried around. Complete with lots of serpentines. I thought this was another very nice, colorful, middle-of-the-nature, bohemian, backyard wedding. May many more follow <3.
Addresses of this wedding couple (many arranged through Best Day Ever)
Caterer: Achterhoek Catering
Styling: Best Day Ever (Nailia Yermakova)
Wedding Planning: Best Day Ever (Nailia Yermakova)
Cake and Sweet Table: Regina’s Bakery
Technique: LoveSound & Friendly DJ Ron Lammers
Wedding officiant: Ellen Severijnse of You 2 Wedding
