Danielle & Brody - Backyard Garden Wedding

Danielle and Brody were my first couple of 2018 to get married! They made it official on a cloudy May day. It was absolutely amazing. These two planned everything themselves, it was a true labor of love from these two.

Their wedding day took place at Brody’s Family’s landscaping nursery. Danielle said “As soon as we got engaged, we knew that we wanted to have our wedding at the nursery. Walter’s Nursery is located in Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania and has been in Brody’s family for nearly 100 years. We knew that having our wedding at the nursery would be such a great way to celebrate our marriage at a place where we felt like we were at home. Situated between the canal and the Delaware River, we joined families and friends in our very own special place. ”

Even though these two were so hands on in the planing process, Danielle said it never really felt like it was her own wedding, but the moment she slipped into her dress and headed for the nursery, it kinda sunk in that she was getting married!

“if I could imbed any memory into my mind forever, it would be when we were pronounced. Our best friend Bryan married us and the moment he said “I now pronounce you husband and wife” I immediately felt my stomach drop, next I cried, he cried, we cried, and I felt his arms wrap around me. I have waited for that day since I was 12 years old.  ”

If you couldn’t tell, these two have some AMAZING style. I loved the contrast of black bridesmaids dresses with Danielle’s lacey long sleeved dress. The juxtaposition was just so perfect for her feminine yet badass style.

“The dress I wore was the first I tried on. My aunt and mom were the only people to witness me in my dress when I first spotted it on the internet and needed to see it in person. I had no idea what I wanted to wear but long sleeves was what I could always envision. The underlay of my dress was a nude warm color and ivory lace laid on top. White isn’t typically in my wardrobe so this soft combination felt like it was made for me.”

When I first met these two for their engagement session, Brody was wearing a hat similar to the one he’s wearing in these photos. I asked him if he’d be rocking one for the wedding day and they both said that Brody is never without a hat! I loved his all black look, and how it fit him and his style so well. “Brody wears black and only black, dressing him head-to-toe in all black (cue Johnny Cash) was fate. We didn’t want to completely take tradition away so he wore a black vest on top. Brody’s boots and hat were purchased long before our wedding and it felt so natural for him to wear what he wanted. Overall, the two of us didn’t feel it was important to follow wedding standards. We kept everything at low cost and realized it was more important to focus on the two of us rather than what we looked like. ”

Danielle and Brody really just wanted a laid back wedding filled with the people, food and music they love. Everything they picked out meant something to them and every person there had affected their lives in one way or another. “My mom bought flowers from multiple grocers and local markets, which we used to fill the upcycled wine bottles on the tables. Our bouquets were also made by my mom, using the same flowers and together we wrapped them up with faux leather of assorted brown colors. Our utensils for our food were eco-friendly. Our square cork colored plates were compostable along with our black flatware. My best friend and bridesmaid made all of the signage. Together we picked colors and she did all of the wording and creativity herself. The farm style tables were crafted by a friend, which embraced our stripped feel free of table cloths. The dance floor was old pallet wood from the nursery that was jazzed up by adding the checkerboard pattern to bring life to scraps. Our bartenders stood behind a beautiful bar that was supplied by our friend Bryan, as it once was a piece of furniture in his historical home. The more I think about all we wanted was something that was effortless. ”

During the reception as I was chowing down on the most delicious taco, my second shooter grabbed me and told me that Brody was getting his wedding band tattooed on. The tattooer, JP Conrad, a good friend of the couple, was a guest at the wedding. He creates works of art with both traditional machinery as well as stick and poke! JP came equipped with his tools and went to work tattooing Brody’s finger! Danielle said, “I like to believe that Brody and I are practical people. I am very honored to have been given such a beautiful ring from Brody in such a beautiful place. In return…he was unsure if he wanted to wear a ring himself. Brody spends most of his time fixing old motorcycles and cars. You’ll typically find him with his hands dirty, covered in grease. As a manual laborer, this deterred him from wanting a ring, so we improvised.”

“We didn’t tell anyone it was happening and we just let our friends and family watch as we drank, ate, and laughed. The day after, we both talked about our favorite parts of our wedding. We agreed on the ceremony being the most emotional but Brody’s dearest memory was the tattooing of his wedding band. It was truly something unusual, yet so memorable. ”

“It was principal that our wedding was going to be fun and emulate the commitment Brody and I have had for one another since we were 12 and now 26. Our day embodied multiple reflections of the two of us without taking away what was important like family, friends, gin, whiskey, and tacos. ”