True Blood Star Kristin Bauer Planned the Impossible – A Stress-Free and Affordable Dream Wedding – Find Out How!

My dear fellow True Blood junkies, I have grrrrrreat news! As you know actress Kristin Bauer (vampire Pam from our favorite HBO show ever) wed South African singer Abri van Straten at her family’s farm in Racine, Wisconsin, in a gorgeous rustic ceremony on August 1st. She called in to share her wedding story with CWB.

Kristin and I chatted for over an hour about the ups and downs of wedding planning, and I was so moved by her kind spirit, and shocked at how little she cared for the usual wedding drama. (You go, girl!) Want to know how she pulled off the DIY wedding of her dreams with little fuss, or money? Read on!

The Worry-Free Plan
Kristin only wanted two wedding details to be perfect. Fun for everyone, and to ensure that the ceremony and reception remained a stress-free zone. After seriously considering eloping, she decided to think outside the box instead. Since her family reunion was already planned and to be held on her family’s beautiful 45-acre farm, she thought, why not get married there?

“I’ve been in four weddings, and they were really big and seemed overwhelming,” explains Kristin. “We made sure to plan our wedding in the easiest possible way.” By choosing to marry at her family reunion, Kristin didn’t have to worry about getting her family together, and to keep things intimate she and Abri decided not to invite any friends.

A Short Vendor List
Kristin has a big family, so opting to wed at her reunion (which was actually planned before she even met Abri) made it easy for her to avoid having to select and book vendors. The caterer and the tent were already booked, and there was no way she needed a planner to tell her how to celebrate with family. The photographer who shot the wedding also shot the reunion festivities. She skipped the florist too.

“I didn’t want to purchase flowers for eco-reasons,” says Kristin. “Plus, the fields there are filled with such beautiful, natural flowers. My sister went out that morning and picked the flowers we placed in giant buckets for the wedding. We were calling my sister the wedding planner.”

Kristin fell in love with the first and only dress she ever laid eyes on – a Grecian-style , white, silk chiffon gown with a pleated waist by Alberto Ferreti. She paired it with a silk chiffon veil pinned in the back, and wore her hair down with a flower -- Abri’s favorite.

The Sweet and Simple Ceremony
“I just wanted to get married in the field,” says Kristin, insisting there wasn’t a bridezilla bone in her body when it came to finalizing wedding plans. “We had them come and mow a big circle for the ceremony. We did a big hay ride with the kids up to the circle, and everyone just sat on hay bales around us.”

Thought it had rained that morning, by the time her family began to arrive for the sunset ceremony, the clouds had started to part, providing the perfect backdrop for the couple’s “I dos." The bride’s uncle gave her away, and the groom’s sister (who’s a judge) married them. Getting the chance to just hang out in her jeans in the hours leading up to the ceremony helped take any edge off. “I felt really calm and really happy,” says Kristin.

Her Laid-Back Bridal Party
When it came time to tell her girls which gowns to buy, Kristin took the approach every bridesmaid dreams of: “I’d say, ‘If you like it, I love it,’” Kristin recalls. “I was amazed that they picked the same dresses. They were very adamant that they coordinate themselves. I just wanted them to have something they could wear again.”

The Reception
After the hillside ceremony, the gang headed over to a tent outside the main house for a reception. Buckets of wildflowers right from the yard were placed on red and white checkered tablecloths.

The No-Fuss Menu Beans, corn-on-the-cob, and pie were on the menu for the evening (Kristin’s childhood favorites). Everyone kept asking Kristin what kind of cake she’d like, and “I said let’s just have Wisconsin pie like always.” Her nieces (ages 14,16,16, and 21) wound up surprising her with a homemade cake they spent a month perfecting the recipe for – and succeeded. “it tasted real good,” says Kristin.

Taking notes? Kristin has lots more to share , so check back in later in the week for more of the series.

photo: Ari David Rosenthal