Planning the perfect backyard wedding with farmhouse tables.
The long farmhouse table set the tone of the day for Kayleigh + Dave’s perfect backyard wedding. In Sea Girt, New Jersey a small group under 20 gathered to watch these two tie the knot. The affair was relax but beautiful, simple but perfectly detailed.
This was in part due to Kayleigh’s good taste and the master planning from Taylor, one of her best friends, and lead designer at Hill Event Co.
With a larger gathering schedule for next September at Hayfield Catskills this intimate wedding was all about home. The beach is just minutes away, a classic Cadillac was at home along with a tandem bicycle… and we used them all.
Rather than spend all of our time at home, we approached the day like a portrait session with a ceremony and reception at either end. All in all this is what we photographed in 4 hours. Learn more about Mary Dougherty Photography here.
With the moon in the background and strings of lights overhead, everyone sat at farmhouse tables for a dinner to celebrate the wedding. To dive in even more keep scrolling for each detail.
Getting Ready for a Backyard Wedding
Photos started just before the ceremony and Kayleigh saw her dad for a quick first look. She wore a Loulette Bride dress (and will wear a different one next year). She completed her look with Loulette’s Blondie Veil which was made for 2020 brides.
– Loulette Bride
Dave waited by the tree in the backyard, the dogs sat near family and Kayleigh walked in with her dad. It was a simple and sweet ceremony that Kayleigh and Dave had been looking forward to for years.
Guests enjoyed Oysters, deluxe grazing platters and a variety of drinks during cocktail hour. Kayleigh is a food blogger and had no problem setting these up for her own event.
Taylor Larson, Hill Event Co
A wedding a planner can make all of the difference, even when you are having a backyard wedding. The small details were elevated, the transitions were directed without confusion, and most importantly the bride and groom were at ease.
We combined cocktail hour and family photos in the backyard. As a result they were easy to capture. The Cadillac waited and took us to the beach just a few minutes away.
Sunset on the beach is always a good idea. We captured a few iconic beach wedding portraits. These images were all shot on Fuji 400h film with the Contax 645 and developed by the Find Lab.
Backyard wedding reception
Dinner was catered and courses brought out family style. It was honestly the best backyard party. The newlyweds exited on tandem bicycle. Okay, they didn’t leave but it was so fun to photograph this getaway.
I love so many pictures from this day! I hope you feel the same – leave a comment or reach out on Instagram!
