Hi friends! It’s Courtney (Melissa’s daughter). I’m excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at our wedding planning and the mood board I’ve put together.
If you’re new here or catching up, my fiancé and I got engaged a few months ago at the end of October. It was the sweetest surprise proposal on the beach with family and friends there to witness it. We’re planning to marry this coming July!
UPDATE! I published a new post with photos, details, and wedding-planning advice. Click HERE to read.
Once we were engaged, we dove into planning. We prioritized securing key vendors early — the date, venue, photographer, and caterer — since wedding dates are in high demand these days. We also chose the dress and suit. With those big items settled, we’ve been focusing on the fun, smaller details.
I’ve collected wedding inspiration on Pinterest for years, and after the engagement I made private boards to pin freely. To pull everything together visually, I created a wedding mood board in Photoshop to capture the overall vibe I imagine for our day.
I appreciate many styles, much like with home decor, so making a mood board helped me narrow choices to what feels right for us. It’s like picking a cabinet color for a kitchen remodel — you can love many options but ultimately must choose. The mood board made it easier to imagine the feeling of the day and refine our vision. These images aren’t exact plans and could change, but they helped clarify the direction.
Here’s our wedding mood board:
A few wedding details (answers to frequently asked questions):
- Venue – We chose a magical venue in Washington. Part of the celebration will take place in a beautiful garden surrounded by historic buildings, flowers, and plants. The ceremony will be in a charming barn-like building with an outdoor patio. The space is naturally lovely and versatile, which reduces the need for heavy decor.
- Theme – No formal theme, but we’re aiming for a relaxed “garden party” feel.
- Casual or formal? – Somewhere in the middle: not ultra-formal, but not a backyard barbecue either. Think cozy, charming, and fun.
- Food – We’re having a local taco food truck for the reception dinner — a tasty, memorable choice we’re excited about.
- Size – We expect about 120 guests, which feels right for us.
Other details we’re planning:
- Candlelight and string lights for atmosphere.
- Botanicals and pressed flowers to complement the garden setting.
- Personal and sentimental touches — for example, guests will be able to leave messages in bottles, inspired by how I was proposed to.
- Color scheme — No strict palette. Bridesmaids will wear muted pink, and the venue’s abundant flowers will contribute color alongside neutral accents.
That’s all for now! I’ll share more posts with wedding details and planning tips as we move forward. I’ve been posting planning snippets and sneak peeks on my Instagram stories (saved to highlights). Feel free to follow and send me a message if you have questions or suggestions.
We’re so excited to begin our life together and to celebrate with loved ones this summer. Thank you for following along!
Follow Courtney on Instagram
Courtney’s engagement proposal story
UPDATE! I published a new post with more photos, details, and wedding-planning advice. Click HERE to read.