Catamaran Wedding

I finally get to share the beautiful photos of Beth and Mike's summer wedding at the lovely Catamaran Resort! It was a beautiful day and being surrounded by family and friends was a perfect way to start their new life together. Right after the wedding, the bride moved back to Arkansas where her husband was residing, and where she was originally from!

Please enjoy the photos by Alexandra Oat Photography.

To learn more about this day, in Beth's own words, please keep reading....

How long did you take to plan your wedding?

6 months.  We were engaged over Thanksgiving.  I started planning right around the end of the year for a July 9th wedding.

Did you go over budget?

Yes.  The items that put me over were primarily the venue (Catamaran) and hiring a videographer.  Those turned out to be totally worth it!

What made you choose your venue?

The location.  The Catamaran has gorgeous views, it was close to the ceremony and my home, and it gave my guests a place to enjoy themselves in the hours between the ceremony and the reception.  Also, we wanted to have a venue that would handle most of the reception details for us, including food, drinks, cake, etc.

What unique touches did you add to personalize your event?

We used my own convertible for the getaway car.  We didn't have a ringbearer or flower girl at the ceremony, but we had all our nieces and nephews "introduce" us at the reception.  We opened up the speeches to everyone after the Best Man and Maid of Honor, and those were full of personal anecdotes that had us all laughing and crying!

Did you include any special family traditions?

Not really.  I wore my mother's pearl necklace but that was about it.

What was your theme?

We didn't have one.

Did you do a first look, yes or no, and why?

No.  We had plenty of time after the ceremony before the reception started (Catholic gap) to get photos.  I think first looks are usually done to get the photos out of the way so that you can move straight to the reception from the ceremony.  Plus we wanted our first look to be as I walked down the aisle.

What was the best part of your day?

When I saw my fiance at the front of the church.  He was so choked up with emotion and I knew that he was feeling the same depth of love and awe at what we were about to do that I was.  But really the whole day was one big best part!  I enjoyed every minute of it.

How many guests were invited? How many attended?

Originally 76 were invited and we guaranteed 50.  We only got 42 from the original invites, so I sent an additional 10 at the last minute to fill the guarantee.  So that makes 86 total invited and 52 attended (including the bride and groom).

Did you DIY? Which parts?

Yes, I did pretty much all the stationery.  Invitations, programs, menus, escort cards, and table numbers.  I also made "wedding wands" to wave as we walked down the aisle and sewed cute little fabric baskets for the flower girls.

All about the food/music- describe why you selected what you did:

The Catamaran offered a package that included hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, table wine, champagne toast, and 3-course dinner of appetizer, entree, and wedding cake.  We were trying to keep costs down, so although the Catamaran has many food options, we went with the chicken and negotiated an additional salmon entree.  Their food  and the cake from Flour Power were delicious!

As for music, my now-husband has very unique tastes.  We wanted to be able to have specific songs played, so we opted for a DJ instead of a band.  The DJ played all his "unusual" music during the cocktail hour and my "normal" music for the dancing.  We also didn't want a cheesy loud DJ.  Ours was just right--he did all the announcements but after that he let the music speak for itself.

Did you have an absolute favorite vendor?

I love our wedding video from Murasaki Media.  Every time I watch it, I tear up and it brings me back to the moment.

See the teaser-

Beth & Mike {teaser} from Murasaki Media on Vimeo.

Any advice for engaged couples-

You have to find what works for you.  Don't let other people influence you--it's your wedding!  Find what is most important to you and don't worry about the rest.  If you don't have [photo booth / favors / video / open bar / 200 guests / whatever], at the end of the day you will still be married and that is the most important part.

Vendor Love:

Venues- St Brigid Parish and Catamaran Resort
Photographer- Alex Oat Photography
Videographer- Murasaki Media
Florist- Elegant Touch Floral Designs
Cake- Flour Power
DJ-Kevin Noble
Coordinator-Affairs by Amy