It takes an experienced event coordinator with lots of ingenuity to transform a horse farm into a wedding venue.

In November 2006, Gwen Helbush, of "Where To Start", met Lindsay, Matt, and Lindsay's parents for the first time at Donna and Art Anderson's horse farm. All four are deeply immersed in the horse business; Lindsay and Matt train horses and teach riding during the week. On the weekends they join her parents traveling to horse shows around the country.

Lindsay always wanted to have a home wedding. The problem for Gwen was how to turn a farm, "a bit rough around the edges," into the wedding venue of Lindsay's dreams. Another complication was Lindsey's mother's budget proposal: "Not a penny more than $60,000."

Gwen soon found out that their requests for the wedding were not outrageous. They wanted an outdoor wedding - no frills, no fuss; high quality food, a candy station, and In-N-Out Burgers.  After a thorough site inspection and a few days mulling it over, Gwen came up with a plan. "It won't be easy," she told the Andersons, "and you need to make some tough choices. My first suggestions are to make some upgrades to the farm which, you can declare as property improvements. Then you put in some sweat as equity, and I can give you the wedding you are dreaming about."

Gwen's challenge was to stay within the budget and to find the skilled professionals who could transform the farm into a show place without disrupting the Andersons’ home and their business. From November 2006 through May 2007, Gwen made weekly trips to the ranch. She oversaw the building, painting, pruning, and planting. Following her design, Lindsay's dad and Matt added a platform for the ceremony under an existing wisteria-covered arbor. The adjacent picture-perfect pasture was a great place to put up the chairs for the attending guests. Each week a piece of the puzzle was added to the big picture. A lovely surprise was the neighbors' reaction to Gwen's letter announcing the wedding. They offered their property for overflow cars, and brought fresh eggs and berries for Lindsay's wedding day breakfast.

One week prior to the big event, the delivery and installation began in earnest. Power was pulled from the house to the horse arena, the designated area for the tents. For safety reasons the ground was first sterilized before fresh sod was placed on the ground. Three days prior, the rough installation of the lighting was working and the tent was standing. One day prior, the rentals were delivered.

The wedding day began with the arrival of the florist and the caterer. As the guests arrived, valets whisked their cars out of sight. Tuxedo-clad waiters offered glasses filled with pink lemonade and peppermint garnish on gleaming trays, giving a hint of the color theme. Gwen's staff members greeted the guests and directed them to sign the couple's engagement photograph. Lindsay and Matt's parents welcomed the guests at the ceremony site before the groomsmen helped them find their seats to the soothing tunes of a solo guitar.

At the stroke of 5 PM, Matt and the officiant, Lindsay's Uncle Alan, took their places on the wedding platform.  When Lindsay and her beaming father, Art, walked down the aisle; the music swelled, and two curious horses popped their heads out of the stable to watch the wedding. It was a personal and touching ceremony, culminating in a sweet kiss by the new Mr. & Mrs. Archer.  To the applause of friends and family, Lindsay and Matt ran back towards the house, while the parents lead the guests from the pasture to the poolside for drinks and hors d' oeuvres.

At 6:50 PM, the sides of the tent opened. Beautifully decorated tables sported sage green tablecloths and napkins, shiny silverware and sparkling glasses. Tall glass vases were filled with green apples and an abundance of pink and white roses, hydrangeas, gerbera daisies, and variegated ivy.  Once everybody was seated, Lindsay and Matt arrived. They started the evening with their first dance, whirling over their new monogram shining on the dance floor. A trio played dinner music, and the guest enjoyed a delicious Mache salad. Witty and poignant toasts by the bride's father and the best man entertained the guests before they were released to the dinner buffets. The tables were laden with meat and fish entrees, and deliciously seasoned local vegetables. The candy station was a big hit. Old and young filled their monogrammed favor bags with the pink and green treats.  

After dinner the guests danced to light rock and jazz.  Lindsay and Matt sliced the wedding cake, sharing the chocolate wonder with their guests. A few hours later, the smell of In-N-Out Burgers filled the tent. The tasty snacks were highly appreciated, giving the guests energy to dance the night away. Late that night, the first guests departed in their lavender-scented cars through an illuminated driveway. The handmade lavender cachets, left in each car by the valets, were Lindsay and Matt's parting gifts.

By Monday afternoon the renovated farm was back to work, all remnants of the celebration gone, except for the newlyweds’ memories that will last their lifetime.