After an absolutely perfect bridal luncheon earlier in the day, the fun continued into the evening with our rehearsal picnic. What to do about our rehearsal dinner was a decision we left until the very end. I couldn’t quite make up my mind. Should we rent out a room at a restaurant? Practice at our venue and then send our friends on their way while we shared an intimate meal with just our families? In the end, we chose to rent out a shelter at a local park, serve tacos, and invite friends and family alike to share a picnic table (or two). I loved the simple and relaxed tone.

We covered the tables in colorful Dollar Tree tablecloths and my mom (who honestly doesn’t believe in a party without favors) set out decks of cards, fans, and other festive trinkets. We pulled up lawn chairs, chatted about wedding set-up strategy, played a few boisterous rounds of Thirteen, and my brother even took his discs out for a spin.

After everyone arrived, we dug into the build-your-own taco bar provided by Moe’s catering. Highly recommend! Moe’s will send someone to set everything up for you and it’s SO affordable. Definitely a no fuss option when your mind is spinning with a list of Wedding Day To-Do’s.

With our bellies full we took to the field to rehearse our ceremony. Our dear friend Ben acted as our officiant and he spent the evening making sure every detail of our script was perfect and ready to go for the following day. We had everything mapped out in no time!

Because our friend Carrie is the sweetest wedding photographer in the world, we ran off with her into the meadow to take a few “AAAH! We’re getting married tomorrow!” photos. I’m so glad we did. After a year of living in Miami, it was crazy to me how GREEN everything looked in Lexington. Kentucky is beautiful, y’all!

So glad we set aside some time to frolic with our friends and family in the great outdoors! We loved having our tribe all together the night before such an important day. Tomorrow, I’ll post about our wedding venue. xoxo

(My dress and Chet’s shirt are both from Target. We rented the picnic shelter through Lexington Parks and Recreation.)

(Photos by Sur la Lune Photography.)