As per usual, Jon and I do things a little "different". Our wedding was no exception. We had a destination wedding in Kauai HI and held a wedding reception 7 months later in our home town, Lake Chelan WA.

Simple & Elegant Wedding Reception in Lake Chelan • neutral gold decor • DIY • The Winemakers Wife • Meagan Kludt

Party planning and entertaining have always come natural to me. I'm bossy. I'm organized. And I love to make people happy. It would be an understatement to simply say I was excited to plan a party in celebration of my marriage in which I got to invite some of my and Jons closest friends and relatives.

I though, no big deal! I can do that all by myself. Now. Add in a newborn.

I had so many amazing plans. So many DIY crafts to make my reception utterly personal and ridiculously Pinterest worthy. Key word, HAD. I didn't have time for any of that once Vienna came! So .. Plan B. Call in the troops. Many of my girlfriends have gotten married in the past few years, all with AMAZING wedding decor. So what did I do? I borrowed.

I called Brittany Stansberry and used her wood planks as the base of my centerpieces. See her Wedding featured here on Green Wedding Shoes & Seattle Bride.

I called Brittaney Johnson and used her large coffee cans spray painted gold, her large mason jars and her lanterns as our entry walk way decor.

I called Tiffaney Balloon and used some amazing rustic lace as table cloths. See her Wedding featured here in Seattle Bride Maggazine.

I asked my sister to make some directional signs out of pallet wood.

I had some wine bottles, some spray painted gold and some glittered gold, from previous parties I had planned.

I went to Pier One and bought anything that was gold for my and Jon's dinner table settings.

One of my favorites was having games set up on the helicopter pad for everyone to enjoy! I tasked my dad with gathering the games and setting them up. Jon and I even got to get a few minutes of fun in before walking into the reception.

The one thing I did end up doing at home (and cursing every minute of it) was rolling silverware with adorable Doyles and tiring them with jute rope. And folding napkins. They turned out adorable and was with the time.

At the end of the day it was easiest to accept the fact that I wasn't going to be able to do everything myself. When I finally put my stubbornness in my pocket and asked I realized how much I truly needed the help. But even more amazing was how willing people were to help out! It made my reception so much more fun and memorable having so many amazing people help me out. Each time I look at our reception photos I see so much of everyone else! I don't just see a beautiful centerpiece, a hand made sign or a Buffett of amazing food. I see each and every person that helped make that day a reality.

Cheers to all of you, the ones who came and drank with me, the ones that set up the day of, and the ones that contributed their personal items or personal time. Without you all it just would have been as unforgettable.

Here are a few of my favorites from the reception. These are my people. This is my happy.