Ashley and Eric Anderson Wedding Story

Wedding Theme

Natural, Rustic

The Day We Said Yes

Friday, July 8th, 2016

Our Love Story

We originally wanted to have a destination wedding, but we wanted to be local. We got the best of both worlds. We turned the weekend into a short getaway. We loved that it was in the Black Hills and all of our events (ceremony, reception, & dance) were on-site. It was totally our style and the ceremony was more intimate being tucked back by a cabin in the woods. We wanted a wedding that involved all of our closest family members and friends, and we wanted to give them the best experience that we would always remember and they would too. Our goal was to have it be laid-back and casual, and not too formal. “Rustic, classy, outdoorsy, and casual” are the words to best describe the vibe. Since it was outdoors, we wanted to incorporate some games into the reception.

How We Met

Eric and I met the summer of 2013 when I was moving back to Spearfish. We were set up on a “blind” double date with mutual friends. We realized we had lots in common and spent a year hanging out occasionally doing outdoor activities such as golfing, hiking, and snow shoeing as friends. By the summer of 2014, we were a couple and realized we were perfect for one another. We still spend lots of our time biking, fishing, hunting, camping, and many other outdoor activities.

Planning Our Day

I enjoyed the events that involved other people. I really enjoyed picking out my dress (even though it didn’t take long) with the moms and sister-in-laws! I also enjoyed making the boutineers with Eric’s mom and sisters. Pinterest-ing was also one my favorite parts of planning. The bridal showers and bachelorette party with my closest friends was also a highlight! We also added some personal touches for decor on the special day. Eric and I created several wooden signs and tiered  tree slice cupcake stand that were on display at the wedding- Eric is super handy and the signs were so fun to make. A couple of my friends helped paint and add finishing touches to them. Eric’s mom and sisters helped make the boutineers out of shotgun shells (passed down from Eric’s grandpa) and silk sunflowers. My aunts and grandma helped make out favorite sweets for the wedding dessert table.

Wedding Hint

It is seriously the best day of your lives. Keeping it simple is OKAY, because in the end- you are MARRIED! The small moments that money can't buy are what you will remember most. We really enjoyed taking a moment right before our ceremony to be alone and reflect before we walked down the isle. I would also say it is important to have an attentive photographer, because the day goes so fast and some important moments are captured that you (the bride & groom) miss.