katie + steve

from Area Woman Magazine Feb/Mar '20

by Lake & Home Magazine | Area Woman Magazine

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DECEMBER 15, 2019

WORDS : MEGAN ELGIN PHOTOGRAPHY : KELYN & CO. STUDIO

It’s not often your children know your heart better than you do, but in Katie and Steve’s case, their children brought them together to make one beautiful blended family of nine. Steve’s daughter would babysit often for Katie’s two girls. “Abby kept saying, ‘You have to meet my dad,’” and finally Katie agreed. After four years of dating, adding a two-year-old daughter to the mix, and Katie’s girls asking Steve “When do we get to call you dad for real?” they were engaged on November 9.

An intimate wedding with fifty guests was planned for December 15, chosen so they could get married the same day as Katie’s parent’s 35th year wedding anniversary. Katie says, “I knew I wanted it at Wild Terra. I knew exactly how I wanted everything. Most of the planning was done in two weeks.” She found a number of vendors through Instagram, looking at their photos to find the ones that fit her vision of a simple vintage wedding with a bohemian flair. She personally called all of their guests with the details, rather than sending the invitations. “It was more personal that way and everyone we wanted to be there came.”

Amy Lee with Breathe and Relax Events helped coordinate the decor rentals and set up everything on the wedding day, taking the pressure off Katie and Steve. The Wild Terra staff transformed their upstairs event space from a ceremony venue with couches and chairs lined up in rows, to a dining hall for supper and finally into a dance floor. “They were so accommodating,” says Katie.

Starting off with their first look, which took place on the exact spot they would say their vows a few hours later, everything was shared with their family. Steve’s favorite part of the day was sharing the moment he first laid eyes on Katie with the entire family surrounding them. The wedding party was made up of their seven children, their future son-in-law and Katie’s sister as maid of honor. Katie’s favorite part of the wedding day was the ceremony itself. A family friend officiated the wedding and created a very personal ceremony for them including all of the kids. Katie says, “I’m not an overly emotional person, but I was so emotional I couldn’t hold it together that day. I just felt like it had so much meaning.”

“Everything we had was really personal. It was about the intimacy of us,” says Katie. With the small guest list, she was able to keep costs down and spend money on the things she knew she really wanted without feeling guilty. “If you have a smaller wedding, you can splurge on those things you wouldn’t have been able to with a large wedding,” Katie advises future brides. “It’s supposed to be the most special time in their lives, but it ends up being the most stressed out time. Keep it about you and not your guests.”