Okay, so I know it’s not Halloween yet and we are still clinging to the last days of summer. But if you’re planning a Halloween wedding (or a wedding with a candy bar or unique décor or, heck, even a backyard wedding) then you have to check out Laurin and Brett’s wedding, photographed by Ashley Photographer, which has some of the most inventive wedding décor I’ve seen in a long time.

Laurin took the idea of a Halloween wedding (her favorite holiday, by the way, which always adds a nice touch) and had a great time with it, while still somehow keeping it, dare I say, classy (I know, not the word you’d normally use to describe a wedding featuring skeleton serving forks). She has one of the best candy bars I’ve ever seen, a fantastic mirror wall that she and her family created together, and a cake that looks like it came from a TV show. Not to mention an absolutely adorable wedding party that features really fun dresses and stunning bouquets.

Ahem. Is it time yet for me to stop gushing and for you to go take a look? Yep, I think so.

(Don’t forget to check out Laurin’s inside scoop on their Big Day after the photos!)

Laurin’s Inside Look at Their Wedding

October 30th 2010. A day i will never forget! I got to marry my best friend, what’s better than that?? Never thought i would end up with Brett, but super excited i did!

Did you do any DIY projects?
A couple of different DIY things my family and i did was pretty much the entire wedding reception (except the bouquets)!
-Our favors were candy apples that we put together and i made the little “thank you” note attached to it.
-The food was done by my aunt, Bridgette Server. She is amazing and does catering for fun in Utah.
-My candy bar was all my vision. I handmade the sign “Love is sweet Trick or Treat”. I wanted a lot of candy and variety – especially because it was the day before Halloween! My awesome bridal party set it up for me while Brett and I were off taking pictures with Ashley and J.
-Our amazing DIY wall was all my mom’s vision. She was inspired by the Viceroy Hotel in LA. We bought all the mirrors/frames/decor and hung it all the day before the wedding. I had help from all my family and a couple family friends. It was quite the project putting those mirrors on dry wall!

My vision was to just have fun and to capture every moment because it only happens once! I loved sharing my special day with family near and far and all my friends!

Tell us about your wedding location.
Our wedding location was at the Newport Beach Temple. It was very special and has great meaning to us because it is a part of our religion in which we both grew up. We loved getting married in OC where we also both grew up. It was a gorgeous, perfect day! I’d have to say the most meaningful part of my day had to be when i saw my husband cry for the first time during our vows. It was so special, and something i will never forget. I am sure i will forget memories from our day, but that i will keep with me forever!

Did anything out of the ordinary happen?
There wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary that happened besides the fact that we had an amazing costume party after our reception! Who does that?! We did! Too much fun. Halloween is my fav holiday so i just had to. I didn’t want the day to end so what better way then to have a costume party to end a great day. The dance floor did get a bit slippery from the moisture in the air so we did have a couple slips – of course we all had many laughs! Oh! Something else i just thought of. Brett and I had to stop for gas on the way to our picture session location. Too funny. Ashley even snapped a picture of it.

What did you do for events surrounding the wedding?
The events leading up to the wedding were fun! I wanted no stress and relaxation. I ending up having two bridal showers and a bachelorette party. Brett had a bachelor party with his closest buds. A big group of us went to Disneyland two days before the wedding. I had a lot of family from out of town, so it was fun going with them. The day before the wedding, we had a big family breakfast at Pancake House in Orange, Ca., one of my fav breakfast places. After breakfast the bridal party and my mom went to get nails done. Once all the fun and relaxation was over, it was crunch time. We set up the entire DIY wall the day before the wedding. It rained that night so we had to cover it with big tarps. Thank goodness only one or two mirrors fell off and we were able to replace them. I was so proud of our wall, it turned out awesome!

How did you know Brett was the one?
This is a funny question because I am so stubborn that there isn’t a certain moment when i realized he was the one. In the beginning of our relationship i cut my thumb open really bad and Brett took me to the hospital. He was so compassionate and strong (even when he almost passed out from all the blood). I knew i wanted this man to be my husband and the father of my kids. He is an amazing person inside and out, who always puts me first even when i don’t deserve it. I am learning each and every day how to think for two, and i love the challenge! I can’t wait for all of our many adventures to come!

Any advice for brides-to-be?
All you new brides out there, HAVE FUN!! Don’t take any of your precious time together for granted. Enjoy your wedding day. It flies by too fast. All that planning for one day and it’s over in a blink of an eye. Cherish the time planning with your soon-to-be husband. You will want to get frustrated at times, but in the end, life’s too short to fret the small stuff. Whatever is going to happen on the wedding day will happen. Smile until your face hurts. Stay positive, your special day will be perfect no matter what happens!!

Vendors:

Photographer: Ashley Photographer
Favors and Gifts: Garvey Nut and Candy
Reception Venue: Private Residence
Dress Store: David’s Bridal
Cake Designer: Flour & Flower Designs
Equipment Rentals: Saddleback Rentals
Shoes: TOMS Shoes,Vans Shoes
Tuxedo and Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

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