A Vibrant Eclectic Wedding at Carriage House Event Center in Altamont, Illinois

Brent Garner, 24, an IBM System Administrator, married Jodi Garner, 23, a sixth grade teacher, in an eclectic wedding in Ilinois. The couple first met through mutual friends after realizing they had tickets to the same concert. "I was interested in him, but I had no idea that those feelings were mutual," Jodi says. A few months later, the couple planned their first date where Brent asked Jodi to be his girlfriend. After spending part of their relationship long-distance, Brent surprised Jodi with a proposal on Christmas Eve with a ring that had his grandmother's diamond. The couple chose Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lillyville, Illinois, the church the bride attended while growing up, as the location for ceremony. Their reception was held at Carriage House Event Center in Altamont, Illinois. "We wanted our reception venue to have a welcoming atmosphere and beautiful design without adding a lot of decorations," says the bride. "We also needed enough room for 450 guests, and the open balcony for extra tables was functional and added to the main room's overall appeal." A color palette of kelly green with bright spring color accents tied together with a "whimsical tea party" theme made for a vibrant and fun reception. Jodi made many of the decorative items by hand and also collected items from family and friends. Brent designed the save the date cards and watercolor invitations and the bride handmade all 250 tri-fold programs. "We wanted our whole day to have a special handmade touch, from planning the decorations to choosing the music played by the DJ," Jodi says.