Are you going a little nutty for pumpkin spice? We sure are! Now that autumn is officially here, we can finally indulge in one of our favorite fall flavors.

As most of you will already know, candied nuts are da bomb; but these are off the charts! We used pecans, but you can also use cashews, walnuts or almonds. They are a delish fall snack, and they also happen to be ideal favors for a fall wedding – pairing perfectly with our pumpkin spice latte favors.

Here’s how to make Candied Pumpkin Spice Pecans:

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 pound pecans

3/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, blend 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Add tablespoon of water to large bowl.

Add egg white to water. (Don’t add the yolk!)

Beat egg white until fluffy. We used a whisk.

Add nuts and coat with egg white.

In a separate bowl, add sugar, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and salt.

Mix well, then add to nuts.

Stir well to coat nuts evenly.

Place nuts in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. And there you have your gorgeous candied pumpkin spice pecans!

If giving as favors, place in paper or cellophane bags. Your guests will love you!

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For Ashley and Kyle, having an intimate wedding meant not having to sweat the small stuff. Because there wasn’t a large guest list to impress – just their immediate family and few close friends with whom they could laugh off any mishaps – the couple didn’t let the threat of impending rain or a reception venue change rattle them; they simply focused on the most important task at hand; getting married! In the end, the rain held off, the wedding went off without a hitch, and the newlyweds couldn’t be happier with their decision to keep things small and intimate.

Special thanks to Alex and Katie of Red Boat Photography for sharing Ashley and Kyle’s sweet North Carolina nuptials with us!

Ashley, 26 & Kyle, 29

Location: Winston Salem, NC

Wedding Date: June 17, 2016

Number of Guests: 21

Wedding Cost: $3,500

Wedding Ceremony Location: Spring House 

Wedding Reception Location: Spring House 

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Kyle and I wanted to have an intimate wedding so that we could stay focused on the most important things. What was important to us was that we ended up married at the end of the day, and that the most important people to us could be there and enjoy themselves.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

We really didn’t face too many challenges due to it being an intimate wedding. Once we found the venue, they were so helpful that any concern we had was immediately addressed. We did change the reception venue from the Main Dining Room to the Sunroom at one point to make sure that we had enough space as the guest list was being adjusted, but that turned out to be a very good decision. The rest fell into place pretty easily. After all, that’s what we wanted. Most of all, we simply  wanted something that was stress-free and enjoyable.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

It wasn’t too difficult for us to keep the guest list small. Since we knew from the beginning that we wanted to stay small we focused on inviting immediate family and our closest friends. Our family is all quite spread out, and Kyle is originally from Oregon, so we knew that would help keep it small. In the end, we had lots of people that were happy for us and supportive from a distance, and we were very excited to share all the pictures and memories with them afterwards. 

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

We didn’t really have any issues.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

There were a couple of highlights from the ceremony for me. Firstly, I was really happy to have both my Dad and my Stepdad walk me down the aisle. I’ve been so lucky to have two men who love me and who taught me how a man should treat me. I wouldn’t have had it any other way but to have both of them give me away. Another highlight was walking around that corner and seeing Kyle in his dress uniform for the first time. He is in the Army and I had never seen him in this uniform before; he looked so handsome! And then we were married, and that was truly the best part.

What were the highlights of the reception?

Our venue had a gorgeous Library Bar where we had a nice champagne toast following the ceremony, and a beautiful sunroom where we had dinner. The highlights for me were being able to spend time with our families and really enjoy that time. Everywhere I looked, I could just feel the love in the room. These were the people that have loved and supported us through our entire lives, and they were there because they were happy for us. It was a wonderful feeling and we couldn’t have been more thankful. The food was also phenomenal (I’m still dreaming about the bacon corn chowder).

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The best thing about having an intimate wedding was that we were able to spend personal time with our family and friends that were there. It was easier to not get caught up in craziness, even though it still seemed to fly by. Another great thing was that it was more about just being there, rather than putting on a show, which meant that things didn’t have to go perfectly because it was all family and we could just laugh it off. For example, a few minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, my dad and stepdad came to me to let me know that there was a good chance it was going to start raining during the ceremony and to ask whether or not I wanted to wait a little bit for it to pass. I decided that I was ready to marry this man, and if it started raining then we’d just run inside and finish the ceremony in there. While there was a bit of lightning, the rain held off, but that is definitely not something I would have been willing to risk with a larger guest list. Also, as we were walking in, there was a spot that narrowed and since I had both my dad and stepdad escorting me, we weren’t all able to fit through together. My stepdad did a little hop over the side, and we just kept walking. I just remember thinking, this probably isn’t normal but I’m going to get up there and marry Kyle.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

You really just need to decide what is important to you. At the end of the day you will be married either way, so what do you want to look back on and remember? I’m thankful that when I look back I remember specific memories and conversations with everyone that was there, because I had the time to spend with everyone. I’m grateful that I had a few quiet moments alone throughout the night with my new husband. I’m grateful for my grandmother helping to lace up my dress, my dad and stepdad unintentionally matching, my grandfather’s silly stories around the fountain, and my best friend meeting Kyle’s best friends, and many more small details just like those. Those are the things I feel like I got by choosing an intimate wedding. And we loved it that way.

Vendors:

Gown: Bridal Mart

Venue: Spring House

Catering: Spring House

Cake: Delish

Floral: Botanica Floral and Gifts and table florals by Spring House

Jewelry: Family Heirlooms

Hair and Makeup: Local Honey Salon

Photography: Red Boat Photography 

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For Alison and Matt, keeping wedding costs manageable, and in turn, the guest list limited, was a top priority for the couple. These self-imposed restrictions, however, didn’t stop the fun-loving couple from having a super stylish wedding day at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden in Austin, Texas. After a Beatles and John Lennon filled wedding ceremony outdoors  – and an awesome outfit change for the bride, the newlyweds partied the night away at their reception complete with great music, lots of dancing, and a tambourine exit (so fun!).

Special thanks to Kristi Wright for sharing all the incredible details of Alison and Matt’s awesome wedding day with us today!

Alison & Matt

Location: Austin, TX

Wedding Date: March 5, 2016

Number of Guests: 75

Wedding Cost: $25,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum

Wedding Reception Location: Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

In addition to trying to keep costs as reasonable as possible, we also wanted to make sure it was small enough to allow us to really enjoy everyone who was there to celebrate with us.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

Making the guest list was challenging since we had a fairly large family list to start with and wanted to make sure to also include old and new friends we’ve met here in Austin.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list? 

Once we set the number, it wasn’t too much of a challenge. Getting married outside of our hometown also made it a little easier.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

None. Our families and friends were extremely supportive throughout. We were very lucky to have a team of extra volunteers on hand to help – from table square sewing to tambourine crafting, they just wanted us to have our perfect day.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We kept it short and sweet, so probably saying I do! We had a keyboardist play some of our favorite Beatles and John Lennon songs for the ceremony. I walked down the aisle to “Real Love” and we exited to “Two of Us”, so that part was really special as well.

What were the highlights of the reception?

Aside from being able to enjoy the company of our guests, we picked all of our favorite music and were able to dance and relax for the rest of the evening. Sharing our last dance to Benny and the Jets with our friends is a great memory.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Having all of our favorite people in the same place at one time; we really got to enjoy every moment of our wedding day.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Be able to make decisions between yourselves and keep things in perspective. Taking the time to find people that are reliable and understand your vision is a huge help.

Vendors:

Venue: Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum

Photographer: Kristi Wright Photography

Event Coordination: Your Wedding, Your Way

Catering: Dagar’s Catering

Hair & Make Up: Laura North Artistry

Wedding Paper Goods: Designed by the Groom

Flowers: Dagar’s Catering

Cake: Polka Dots 

DJ: Kit Ketterman 

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Can you picture yourself getting married here? If the answer is yes, you are in luck! Zingerman’s Cornman Farms in Dexter, Michigan is giving away an intimate wedding for up to 20 guests!

A wedding at Zingerman’s Cornman Farms is the ultimate in rustic elegance. Romantic and relaxed, elegant and authentic, Cornman Farms is the perfect venue for an intimate wedding with your nearest and dearest.

Want to win? Here’s how to Enter:
1. LIKE @cornmanfarms + @intimateweddings
2. LIKE the Cornmanfarms Intimate Wedding Giveaway post (find it at @cornmanfarms) and TAG as many friends as you like (in separate comments please)
3. Deadline to enter is 12pm EST on 10.10.16. Cornman Farms will announce winners that evening. Photography by @nicolehaleyphoto

Comments left on this blog post will not count. You must leave the comment at @cornmanfarms.

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If you’re currently planning a country-chic wedding, you might be having a difficult time choosing a wedding invitation. With so many beautiful rustic options, it can be tough to narrow it down. To make it a bit easier, we’ve made a list of some of our favorite rustic-inspired wedding invitations from Etsy.

Nature and rustic charm really take over in this great wedding invitation set by FloptyDooDesigns.

With some beautiful whimsical fonts and beautiful scenery, this rustic wedding invitation by TheOystersPearl is absolutely perfect.

If the previous design was lacking some color for your liking, then you’ll love this slightly brighter design by starboardpress instead.

We love the twine knot in this invitation by SweetSights, making it sweet and personal all at once.

For some gorgeous rustic graphics, look no further than this vintage wedding invitation by PaperHeartCompany.

When it comes to rustic flare, LoveofCreating knows how to make the perfect wedding invitation set.

Burlap and lace are the perfect rustic-yet-chic combination, so we love this set by ForestFernDesigns.

For a classy yet rustic invitation, this wood and flower set by oakandorchid has everything you could possibly want.

This old-styled font paired with simplistic details makes this set by LaPommeEtLaPipe the perfect choice for a romantic rustic wedding.

Finally, let your friends and family have a little fun with this rustic mad-gab invitation set by AnnsPaperie. Plus, you’ll love reading all of their funny answers!

*This post contains Etsy affiliate links

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