My brilliant father mentioned to me, after discussing our wedding plans and location in their back yard, “What do you want for your back drop?”

I stood there stunned, “I don’t know? I haven’t even thought of that?”

So… on to Pinterest! After browsing hundreds of pins, I picked out 3, and showed them to Sam.

The one Sam liked most? The last one.

“Got any twigs lying around for that?!” I texted him.

His reply? “Yes we do. And your Dad has 3 big piles of branches and twigs too. I will text your Dad not to put his in the wood chipper.”

So here we go. We have an inspiration picture to go with, and now we have to execute.

Sam and I picked out some flowers at Joanne’s. Turns out we like pink and purple! Looks like our wedding colors are chosen. Here are the flowers:

I got off work Friday, exactly one week before the wedding, and Sam and I got to work. I knew he had in mind how to construct this arch, so I let go of control; how I had it in my head to build the arch, and empowered him to execute this project by being next to his side as the assistant.

One thing about my Sam, is that he has great artistic insight. Through his woodworking you’ve seen it (more furniture builds to come!) and I haven’t even mentioned yet his oil on canvas art. So I encouraged his creative juices to flow!

First: we gathered all of the branches. We had been pruning trees all along this journey and had a large brush pile full of branches to choose from!

Then we arranged them on the ground

Sam did some quick calculations in his head, and figured out how long we needed these branches. (About 19 feet; he’s a genius at math as well.)

Sam sawed off the ends of the branches to get a straight edge to work with:

Drilled a screw in a scrap piece of lumber:

And attached the branches:

Phase one complete!

Then we stood up the arch for a preview:

These bones will do nicely 👍

Then we attached some branches together for added support using flower wire bought at a hobby store.

Next, we took the arch over to the deck where the ceremony will take place:

We perfected the angle of the arch placement, and Sam secured the arch to the deck:

And we posed together to make sure the arch was right:

We returned the next day, and I got around to planting more flowers, and decorating this arch.

With flowers placed, it was starting to come together! I’ve never done flower arranging, and now I have a new respect for it.

The groom’s side will be filled with white apple blossom and cherry blossom flowers, and the bride’s side will be decorated in light pink roses. We will fit some of the purple wild flowers in there somewhere.

Here it is so far- and now I’m left with decorating the arch a day before the wedding.

Wish me luck!

With Love, Erika Nora