May 15th, 2016
Raymond, ME
Most brides DIY some aspect of their wedding, but Whitney Anderson made her own dress for her spring nuptials to Ed Herro at Camp Wohelo in Raymond, ME. “I borrowed a sewing machine, went to Lost Angeles’ Garment District, and watched a bunch of Project Runway episodes and YouTube videos,” laughs Whitney, who had only sewed one dress before, in high school.
The rustic Maine camp, where Whitney was a camper and later a counselor, was the perfect site for a DIY wedding. The couple, both screenwriters in Los Angeles, hosted multiple craft nights with their bridal party to help cut out place cards, tie together strips of fabric for ceiling draping, and hand-letter signage. Guests also got involved when a family friend hosted a floral-arranging class the afternoon before the wedding to help assemble bouquets, boutonierres, and centerpieces. “It was a great way for our guests to get to know each other and feel like they contributed.” Whitney says. As another ice breaker, their 100 guests also participated in a self-paced scavenger hunt, seeking out plaques in the cabins with the bride’s name on them from her camp days there, while learning about other guests at the same time (one guest was on a US Air flight 1549 that landed in New York’s Hudson River in 2009).
“We wanted our guests to be involved throughout the whole process, so we had to let go of a lot of expectations in case things didn’t turn out exactly like we planned,” Whitney says. “At the end of the day, we were married to each other, surrounded by our friends and family, and that’s all that mattered.”
-Written by Joni McNeal
{the wedding recipe}
Ceremony/Reception
Camp Wohelo
Raymond, ME
Dress
Made by the bride
Hair and Makeup
Bei Capelli
Scarborough, ME
Flowers
Creighton & Sons Wholesale Florist
Portland, ME
Caterer
Tammy Murray
Raymond, ME
Pies and Whoopie Pies
Two Fat Cats Bakery
Portland, ME
Photographer
Emily Delamater