Elly & Shane Private Home Wedding
Vendor Team:
Day Of Wedding Coordinator- 618 Events, Maggie Farchmin and Jackie Holt
Venue- Bride and groom’s home in Champaign
Catering and Pies- Pauly’s BBQ
Photos- Rebekah Albaugh
DJ- Crash Events
Toilet Rental- VIP Midwest Service Enterprises Inc
Tent, Tables, Chairs Rental- Create A Scene
Bouquets- Petals and Plants
Guest Transportation- Starr Limos
Elly started planning her wedding at her home and quickly realized she’d need help with day of coordinating. She was looking at my website and saw her co-worker’s picture! She talked to her co-worker and was told to definitely hire me to help! So sweet!
I met with Elly and her sister for the consultation and they quickly had realized they were in over their head. Elly’s sister had gotten married recently but it wasn’t in a tent at her home. It’s a bit difficult to articulate but whenever there’s a tent involved it’s WAY more work- for both client and planner. What I like to say is that we’re essentially building a wedding venue and have to take into account everything that would be included in a venue such as power needs, trash, ground material and levelness, temperature control, and not to mention weather elements.
Ever since my son was born in summer 2022 I have become really picky with what I accept for myself and what I pass on to my teammates to plan. I really love events that don’t take place at a traditional venue because they are more of a challenge (for the above reasons) and so rewarding! So when I saw Elly’s inquiry come through I was really excited to chat with her!
Elly and Shane live in Champaign in a “shouse” which is a shed-house. Then they also have a shed in their yard on their beautiful property. Because the ceremony and reception were taking place at their home, after they booked, I went out to the house to help me visualize the property and where everything will take place. This meeting was SO helpful because the ceremony was to be a standing ceremony over by their gazebo and then the cocktail hour and reception was in the shed and a tent that would be rented.
I had heard of standing ceremonies but had never coordinated one. Elly and Shane offered a happy hour prior to the ceremony starting which is a great idea for more socializing and mingling! This also allowed guests to grab a drink before moving over to the gazebo for the standing ceremony. Everyone feels less awkward standing around with a drink in their hand. Additionally, if it was going to be hot weather this allowed for guests to stay cool. They did have a couple rows set up for family. What’s really important if you offer a standing ceremony is clear directions. No one likes feeling as if they’re doing something wrong so clearly explaining the guests can stand wherever for the ceremony is important.
After the ceremony the bride and groom finished up family and couple photos and then headed to their cocktail hour to continue socializing with their guests. Once the reception started it was smooth sailing. Elly and Shane were not super particular and were just excited to party with their people!
During dinner, the sun was shining right on the guests inside the shed. We had all the shed doors open to the tent so that it felt like one large space. However we explained to the tent guests we were shutting the doors just momentarily to relieve the sun streaming in. They totally understood and the guests in the shed who were blinded by the sun cheered when we closed the door! Before doing this we ran it by Elly and Shane to ensure they were OK with it. I’ve learned if I explain why I’m doing what I do or why I suggest this or that, then my clients trust my expertise vs just telling them or just doing it. Now of course sometimes there isn’t time to ask and they’re hired me trusting I know best and have their best interest in mind,
The toasts were all very intimate and personal. I always love hearing from those closest to the bride and groom. Elly and Shane’s first dance started out as a slow dance and then the DJ acted like his system shut down (music and lights) but then brought it back with a really upbeat mash-up that Elly and Shane had created. It was awesome! From there, the party was started! Elly’s parents frequent The Regency Ballroom and several of their dancing friends were in attendance so the floor quickly filled up. Elly and Shane had foam glow sticks to keep the party bumpin’.
Jackie and I cleaned up trash from the tables and moved the trash into the shed to help the couple out. Since it was dark and everyone was in the tent or shed we also cleaned up the yard games so they didn’t get left out in the dewy grass. We checked the restroom trailer to ensure it wasn’t a disaster and then we headed out. It was the PERFECT day with incredible fall weather for an outdoor event.
I had two favorite parts of their wedding day.
1) Shane secretly learned the piano and surprised Elly by playing their song at the reception. Elly’s family is really musical and Shane admitted to having no musical ability (although we all now disagree). The morning of the wedding, the DJ and I were made aware of this surprise and Shane was asking for the DJs help to move Elly’s great grandmother’s piano from the house into the shed. Oh- without Elly noticing of course. It worked and she didn’t notice and she had NO idea Shane learned to play. The moment was so romantic and I’m pretty sure there was no one dry eye in that shed.
2) Their officiant had them write “secret vows” for each other. So at the ceremony they vowed to each other things that the other had written. For example, Elly vowed to watch the entirety of every Bears football game with Shane (Shane wrote that and Elly had to repeat after the officiant and vow it). It was HILARIOUS! They didn’t know what each other wrote so their reactions were in-the-moment genuine and priceless.