Laurie Underwood’s all-white backyard wedding proves that with creativity & proper planning you can have your dream wedding- even in your own backyard!
When the pandemic halted Laurie and Damon’s original plans to have an intimate wedding in Florida, they had to regroup. They knew they would have to have the wedding closer to home, but could they pull off having a wedding in their backyard in Chicago? After investing in some backyard renovations, the answer was absolutely yes!
Laurie shares, “Damon created a beautiful waterfall as our ceremony backdrop along with a deck for elevation. He also created a pergola lounge space to add to the vibe we wanted to present during the reception. I myself designed the décor and branding and we basically worked together as one to create the wedding we both wanted.” Laurie’s sister acted as the coordinator, and the wedding went off without a hitch.
Guests came wearing their best all-white attire and enjoyed a family-style vegan soul food dinner. Laurie, who is a bridal gown designer, wore two looks- a high fashion black ball gown, and a fun and flirty white dress. Not to be outdone, Damon also made a statement in his floral print jacket. The night ended with dancing and fireworks!
More on their love story and intimate backyard nuptials below! And check out their feature in Munaluchi Issue 25 here!
- Couple: Laurie Underwood & Damon Russell
- Occupations: Laurie is a Bridal Designer and owner of Laury Bride; Damon is the Wine Owner of Herbal Vines (89 Halsted).
Quick Facts:
- Wedding date: August 14, 2021
- Wedding location: Couple’s South Chicago Home
The dress…
The bride-to-be…
The groom…
The proposal…
Damon surprised Laurie with a birthday trip to Rhode Island, where he proposed on a Venetian gondola along the Providence River.
Theme & vision…
Looking back on their wedding day, it was everything they dreamed of! And it all came together with careful planning and attention to detail.
Being extra intentional with every detail, Laurie recalls, “Our wedding was an all-white attire wedding.” During the planning stages, she told her now hubby Damon, “When people come into our yard, I want them to be wowed.”
“I didn’t want it to feel like just another family holiday picnic,” she adds. “So we were very strategic and intentional when it came to set up, décor, and how everything was to be laid out.”
Mr. & Mrs…
A family affair…
The details…
Laurie explains, “Our wedding featured personalized seating, a family-style vegan soul food dinner (we were a house full of 75 black vegans for the day), fireworks and sparklers, and just an enjoyable time spent with family and close friends, where they were given the opportunity to step out in their finest all-white summer style.”
Sweet treats…
Cutting the cake…
Favorite thing to do as a couple…
Laurie shares, “We enjoy spending quality time with our children and working together on our goals and aspirations in support of each other.”
Looking for more inspiration like this all-white backyard wedding?
Click here.
Vendors:
- Dress: Laury Bride @LauryBride
- Groom’s Jacket: Custom-made by Laury Bride
- Photographer: Emily Melissa Photo @em.tog
- Cake: Alexandria Gooden @cakes_by_dria
- Makeup: Siobhan Wright Beauty @siobhanwrightbeauty
- Hair: Brandie Demeritte @bdemerittebeauty
- Wedding Design and Decor: Bride
- Wedding Home Backyard Renovations: Groom
- Day of Coordinators: Victoria Beaty (Friend) and Trudy Underwood (sister)
- Catering: Majani Soulfood Vegan Cuisine @majanivegancuisine & Vegan Sugga Donuts @vegan_sugga
Stunning place, details and wonderful people. Thank you!
I had my wedding and reception at home, and I would certainly encourage anyone who wanted to, to try it.
Advantages:
There’s no venue to book, and no one to compete with. First Saturday in June? No problem.
There’s no deposit and no set time limit. You can start setting up days in advance if you want, and clean up days later.
It’s free. Or at least, you’re already paying to be there.
You’re already there. You can wake up in your own bed, eat breakfast in your own kitchen.
Your guest list is limited to the number of people your home and yard can hold. I’m listing this as an advantage, because more guests tend to mean less interaction.
The guests get to see your home. Assuming you have some pride in your home and can tidy up, this is a very good thing. It’s a way to connect with people differently than you would in a hotel or on a beach. People you know and like will feel free to come see you again. Your home probably already reflects your tastes and personality.
Disadvantages:
There’s no professional kitchen. Especially with a smaller crowd, this isn’t hard to plan around.
Unless you have a very intimate guest list, you will need to bring in chairs and tables, and possibly dishes (which a hotel or restaurant might already have).
You will probably take on more of the cleanup and setup tasks yourselves.
You will have people running around in your house for a day or more, including anyone you hire to bring in flowers, food, music, etc.