Meaningful Wedding Ideas to Incorporate Family and Friends

This wedding is bursting with ideas to involve family and friends while utilizing some beautiful family heirlooms.

Patricia and Cody are an intentional couple. They have close relationships with their family and friends, and the pair based their day around celebrating these bonds coming together. They placed the following meaningful wedding ideas to at the top of their planning priority list. With some thoughtful family heirlooms utilized in key placements and beautiful moments bringing their loved ones into the middle of the ceremonies, you are sure to walk away with ideas to involve your own loved ones.

Something old and something new heirlooms

Incorporating a key family heirloom was important to this bride. She knew that she wanted a minimal and timeless aesthetic for her wedding at The Wilds venue which would be the perfect backdrop for some specific visual points.

The one part of her bridal look that she knew she needed for sure were her mother’s pearl drop earrings worn at her parents’ wedding. She chose a beautiful sleek gown at Marie Gabriel Couture, knowing that it was the one once she put on her heirloom earrings.

Cody’s look translated the timeless style in black and white, with bold black and gold accessories, sure to become new family heirlooms.

Putting their people first

For Patricia, special moments before seeing her groom were important. Moments of poignant symbolism, such as her mother and sister putting on her final outfitting touches and a first look with her father were crucial. We love hosting these heartfelt moments in our light-filled bridal suite.

Patricia’s mother, Heather, had the following to share on her experience on wedding day at The Wilds venue in Bloomington, IN:

Walking into The Wilds the morning of our daughter and son in law’s wedding and seeing everything set up just the way our daughter had planned took my breath away. The venue was absolutely stunning. The wedding was in March the trees and flowers were not in bloom yet, but the hillside that the venue sits on was beautiful! Alison and her team are helpful, kind, professional, and just the best! After the ceremony, Brian was there to help clean up. We accidentally left an heirloom wedding cake topper that adorned family wedding cakes for 60 years. After we left, Brian noticed the cake topper and made sure to keep it safe until we picked it up. You really feel like a part of their family. I would highly recommend The Wilds for a wedding or other event. You will not be disappointed!

A fun first look with her bridesmaids kicked the party-energy into gear, it was time to get married!

A bridal party with heart

One of the best ways to take care of your family and friends on your wedding day is with a meaningful wedding photography plan. We love Patricia and Cody’s photographer, Jordan Leffel, and her mentality toward the formal photography of the day. She believes in creating some classic arrangements with a few fun but simple variations to get the bridal party back to the reception quickly. Spirits and energy stay high, and the genuine joy in these photos is infectious!

We love how she utilized our entry patio and outdoor wedding ceremony pavilion spaces for Patricia and Cody’s big day, keeping both locations convenient to access and visually unified. With beautiful spaces so close together, your party can breeze through portraits and be back to the celebration with energy to spare.

The bridesmaids blue dresses were inspired by the floral work of Pomp and Bloom. As soon as Patricia decided that this floral design with pops of light blue was the one for her, she knew it was the choice for her ladies. To keep with the timeless design prompt, the groomsmen were classic in black and white suits by Men’s Wearhouse.

Keeping family at the heart of the ceremony

For this couple, family continued to be the counterpoint of their heartfelt wedding ceremony. Cody’s brother officiated for the pair, a meaningful wedding element which especially touched the heart of the bride.

Showing off the seasonal beauty, Pomp and Bloom created a lush asymmetrical ceremony arch floral design. The neutral and soft backdrop of our late winter Brown County woods created a calm atmosphere in which the delicate pops of blue could thrive.

Patricia and Cody’s forever became official with the signing of the marriage certificate, and looking forward to the next 50 years, the bride has this ultra sweet vision:

In 50 years, I see Cody and myself still cracking jokes. I see our family growing and possibly being settled down out west or near family. I believe we will be traveling and living a full and happy life.

We wish for all of that and more for these two!

Don’t sweat the details, your vendors have you covered

Patricia’s word of advice to other couples planning their own weddings is not to sweat the small stuff. In the hands of top-tier vendors, your vision can come to life.

From the start of our planning process, we provide our couples with resources to make your Pinterest wedding dreams come true. Our trusted recommended vendors went above and beyond to match that same experience, allowing Patricia and Cody to enjoy making memories with their loved ones.

Their easy-breezy romantic portraits are a true delight as a result of their care-free energy on the day of the wedding. Capped off with class, the pair ended their session with portraits captured in their ultra-cool getaway car. The vintage Chevrolet Bel Air with cherry red details made for the perfect touch of old Hollywood wedding glam.

Meaningful wedding reception ideas

The reception began with the ultimate personal tribute. Cody’s sister wrote a song for the couple and performed it the night of their engagement as a surprise gift, she and their brother kindly reprised the performance for Cody and Patricia’s first dance at the wedding reception. The pair danced under a bespoke neon sign of their new family name, gifted to the groom by the bride.

From there, the excellent experience for their guests continued. In our generous reception hall, guests enjoyed delicious food by First Class Catering. When it was time for dessert, the cake by Icing On The Cake held another heartfelt family heirloom. Patricia and Cody’s cake topper was originally used by the bride’s grandparents. It had since been used by her parents and the bride’s older sister, so it was incredibly special for Patricia to use it for her own wedding as well.

Outside on our patio, the bride’s father created a custom geometric photo backdrop for beautiful guest photo opportunities! We love this touch of DIY that invites a wonderful opportunity to capture beautiful guest images to cherish forever.

A lasting impression

We believe in making every step on the road to marriage as smooth as possible, and we are so thankful that Patricia and Cody walked away feeling the love in each moment. The couple, now based in New York, had the following reflections of standout experiences from their wedding with us at The Wilds:

The Wilds was the dream team when we came the morning of the wedding day. The whole place was set up! I cried seeing my Pinterest board dreams come true!! Also the online wedding planner given to us by Alison was legendary!! I used it every step of the way!! The way Alison listened to every small issue and made sure she did everything in her power to make me dreams come true meant the world to me!

We were so happy to be a part of Patricia and Cody’s forever, and we can’t wait to be a part of yours, too! To start planning your dream wedding at The Wilds, contact us here.

The Vendor Team

Indiana Wedding Venue	—	The Wilds Wedding Venue
Bar Service	—	Upland Brewing Co.
Wedding Day Caterer	—	First Class Catering
Wedding Cake	—	Icing On the Cake by Kristina
Wedding Desserts	—	Rainbow Bakery
Officiant	—	Friend
Photographer	—	Jordan Leffel Photography
Videographer	—	Gabriel Wheeler
Florist	—	Pomp and Bloom
DJ	—	Manly Music Productions
Bridal Hair & Makeup	—	Friend
Signage	—	Friend
Wedding Dress Shop	—	Marie Gabriel Couture Bridal
Wedding Dress Brand	—	Demetrios Bride
Suit Shop	—	Men’s Wearhouse
Wedding Ring Shop	—	Rogers & Hollands

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