A Country Wedding

Your wedding is an ideal time to gather family and friends together in joyful celebration. And while you're at it, why not garner their assistance in the planning and preparation?

Like an old-fashioned barn raising or quilting bee, your wedding can bring loved ones together to work toward a common goal: making your day perfectly memorable.

Choose your wedding location with care, making sure it's a place that's close to your heart. Whether it's the home you grew up in, a unique family gathering spot, or the botanical garden where you and your true love first kissed, that special setting will guide you in choosing your wedding theme and colors.

Even a barn on the family farm can provide a romantic backdrop if the details are chosen with care. Whatever the site, you can easily adapt our ideas to fit your surroundings.

You'll need a passel of tables and chairs for seating and dining, so call on friends and relatives to help you search garage sales and secondhand shops and dust cobwebs from the ones you pull from attics and basements. A month or so before the wedding, host a painting party and ask everyone to contribute a brush and white paint; with a fresh coat, the dissimilar pieces will coordinate and look as good as new. To perk up the tables even more, drape them with a soft covering of tulle netting, tied at each corner with ribbons so it won't blow away.

Rather than renting china, stemware, and flatware from a rental firm or catering company, purchase inexpensive, mismatched pieces. Choosing a theme, such as pink flowers, will make it easy to browse for pieces at garage and tag sales. You'll be delighted by the treasures you'll discover... and when the wedding is over, you'll be set to host large family gatherings with a full china closet.