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Casual Backyard Wedding Reception: Alexandra and Carvil in Canada

July 4, 2017

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My sister-in-law Alex found the man of her dreams and in May they were married in Michigan.  Since he’s Jamaican and she’s Canadian, most of their family was unable to attend the wedding.  Last weekend we celebrated the Canadian portion and it was so much fun!  More details after the jump!

Gorgeous inspiration for your casual backyard wedding reception. Check out the bride's sweet wedding dress with a bright floral pattern. Don't they look stunning? I love the groom's navy suit with coral accents.

Alex and Carvil’s wedding in Michigan was casual floral fun, and the theme continued North of the border.

I am in LOVE with Alex’s dress.  After searching online and coming up empty, Alex bought a fabric she loved and asked a local tailor to craft this dress.  Carvil is equally stunning in his dark blue suit and contrasting coral tie.

Guests arrived late afternoon and were invited to relax and visit in a treed canopy.  The party was BYOC- Bring Your Own Chair.

Related: Money-Saving Boutonnieres and How to Decorate Your Own Wedding Cake.

On the menu?  Burgers, Hotdogs, and plenty of salads.  The lights above the food tent added a special touch.

To keep the children occupied, we filled a wheelbarrow full of bubbles, hula hoops, balls and balloons.  Tears may or may not have been shed when this particular balloon popped.

Dessert was a simple but delicious strawberry shortcake.  Many of the guests came back for seconds.  Watch for the recipe later in the week.

While the food was amazing, the yard beautiful, and the twinkling lights serene, nothing was more stunning than the happy smiles of the bride and groom.

Here’s the larger version of the floral hoops I made a couple of posts back.  If you ever make these, make sure to put flowers on both sides!  I did not account for the wind twirling them around.  However, everyone was having so much fun that nobody seemed to mind.

All in all, the Canadian reception was a magical day full of friends, family, and fun.

P.S. Bocci ball is definitely my new favourite summer game.  Anyone can play and it is hours of fun!

Farmhouse-inspired wedding arrangement, perfect for a casual backyard wedding!

Just in case you thought we could get through a post without flowers, here they are!  Peony season for the win!!

I’ll be blogging about the actual wedding when the photographer gives them their pictures, and the Jamaican portion in the winter.  I’m so excited to meet Carvil’s family and see the non-touristy Jamaica!

Have you thrown a backyard wedding reception?  I’d love to hear about it.

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

9 Comments
Filed Under: Entertaining, Fun, Outdoor Life, Weddings Tagged: Backyard, backyard reception, barbecue, bocci ball, bubbles, family, peonies, wedding, wedding reception

About Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

Comments

  1. Cheryl Owen says

    July 4, 2017 at 11:18 am

    So beautiful and great commentary as usual! Yes it was a very fun and lovely event to help them celebrate. It was also great to finally meet and chat with you.
    Reply
  2. Christine C says

    July 5, 2017 at 10:10 am

    What a fun event! Beautiful pics and such a happy couple! LOVE bocce!
    Reply
  3. Yolanda says

    July 5, 2017 at 12:05 pm

    Looks like it was a beautiful day :) My friends got married a few summers ago (a very small affair), so they followed it up with a backyard pig roast reception. They are a relaxed, fun couple and the reception was the same. I loved it! The year after another friend of mine had a backyard reception. Maybe this is becoming a trend?!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 6, 2017 at 9:53 am

      If it is, it's a good one!!
      Reply
  4. Danielle Fairhurst says

    July 6, 2017 at 11:58 am

    This is a great post and the wedding looks so beautiful! I'm getting married in 2 years so I've saved this for reference :) Dani x | www.flourishingfreelancer.com
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 6, 2017 at 6:44 pm

      Glad you liked it!
      Reply
  5. Dianne says

    July 6, 2017 at 10:06 pm

    I absolutely love this. If I could go back in time I would totally do something like this, and that dress is so beautiful!
    Reply
  6. Melissa Javan says

    July 7, 2017 at 6:08 am

    This is SO beautiful. Congrats to your sister.
    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Plan an Outdoor Wedding that is Simple & Romantic - Pretty Simple Ideas says:
    February 19, 2019 at 2:55 pm
    […] of outdoor weddings, check out this casual background wedding from Shifting […]
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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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