My Ren Fair Wedding

Last year, Larry and I tied the knot – literally – at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. We plan to visit again for our anniversary, albeit a little belatedly, but I thought I would post a few photos from the ceremony and reception on my blog today. (I’ll post more photos and explain more about the festival in an upcoming post.)

I have helped plan, decorate, set-up, and clean up for several weddings in my life, and I’ve gotta say: It takes a lot of time, energy and creative effort.

When Larry proposed to me in 2010, I was thrilled, but … I moved to Texas from Washington State, so I had absolutely no idea where to begin when it came to planning our wedding.

It was so easy and fun!

Up in Washington, I knew the hot venues. I knew which caterers could be trusted, which bakeries made tasty cakes, and which florists made pretty bouquets.

Hey, I worked in food service for years, even owned my owned coffeehouse/restauarant.  In my spare time I hung out with photographers, cooks and  musicians, so up north, I had a clue.

However, here in Texas? I knew nothing!

At the time we were planning our wedding, I didn’t have any local friends who I could ask for advice. All my pals were thousands of miles away. Plus, I was still really anemic and had very little energy. Not exactly what Charlie Sheen would call a winning combo.

Long story short: we decided to get married at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas and it was fabulous. I highly recommend it.

Not only did they have a certified officiant to conduct the ceremony, but they have a fantastic baker who creates magnificent cakes, a great florist, good food, and – best of all – after we were hitched, we goofed around for the rest of the day.

No clean up necessary!

As you can see, I dressed as a purple fairy. I considered many traiditional Medieval maiden outfits, but – this is Texas, y’all! The day we were married, it was in the 90’s and humid, so I’m glad I opted for lighter clothing! I made the headdress, and am especially fond of the little bird because I’m an avid amateur birder.

Larry, my handsome prince, actually made the anvil that you see in the photos. Isn’t that cool? We wrote our own vows, and the cords you see (which we tied during the ceremony) were made by his daughter and me. You can see my husband’s son and daughter in one of the photos here, too. Larry’s daughter even sewed her own dress – his do-it-yourself spirit runs in the family!

So if you’re planning on getting married and you want a convenient, playful, fun experience, consider having a wedding at a Renaissance fair. I’m so glad we did.

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