Last week I gushed about the setting for Nell and Josh’s gorgeous Connecticut farm wedding, and today I’m happy to share Part II- all about the wedding day. Next week I’ll share even more about their amazing details–from flowers to color palette and decor. So, onto the big day…
I adore a bride and groom who kick off their wedding day with an early morning group hike near their wedding venue. Young and old traversed beautiful wooden paths through spring flower-filled fields and hiked up to an exhilarating overlook in Washington, CT before everyone dispersed to get ready for the wedding. That afternoon, I photographed the bridal preparations in a gorgeous red barn with double height windows and amazing natural light. And what’s not to love about a bride who pairs her stunning Monique Lhullier dress with a favorite pair of Old Gringo cowboy boots? Nell and Josh did a quick “first look” in the barn (I loved witnessing their smiles and first hug) before heading out for group photos prior to the ceremony. They had planned for a casual outdoor ceremony, complete with a carefully crafted aisle that had been painstakingly mowed into a field by the bride’s father. But as we know, you can’t always plan for everything…and a torrential rainstorm forced the vows under the reception tent. The bride and groom took it all in stride, and you’d never know from the beaming bride that weather had hampered their original plan.
Their ceremony–officiated by the bride’s sister–was beautifully personalized with a group reading from their closest friends (each read a line), an adorable entrance from their dapperly dressed nephew/ring bearer, and an engaging song performed by three close friends. Friends and family huddled close together under the gorgeous Sperry tent as Mother Nature’s symphony provided background music to the vows, which created an intimate, memorable atmosphere. Following the ceremony, guests were treated to drinks and camera-worthy passed appetizers, before sitting for dinner at elegant burlap-covered tables decorated with candles, coral and turquoise napkins, and potted spring flowers. Following dinner, the evening heated up with some major dancing to Joe D’Elia and the All Star Band, complete with a wild trombone player who cavorted and played among the guests!
Two unique twists rounded out the perfect evening–a homemade dessert table, and a paper lantern launch. The bride shared that “we have lots of talented bakers in our lives, so we asked my Uncle to bake our beautiful wedding cake and a group of friends to create their favorite dessert treats. We found that having people help was a great way to celebrate them and to make people feel involved in the day.” The result was a drool-worthy spread of carrot cake, profiteroles, and brownies, each displayed with a handmade label of which friend had created it. In addition to this sweet finish to the night, the rain finally cleared, which allowed the party to spill out of the tent and light beautiful paper lanterns. As each guest set them off into the sky, the visual display of many colorful lanterns floating up above the dark fields was truly striking. What a unique way to send up well wishes to the newly minted couple! Congrats to Nell and Josh on pulling off the most beautiful rainy wedding day ever, and thanks for letting me record part of it.
For those of you that were a part of this special day, what is your favorite memory? Let us know in the comments!
Stay tuned for more about the creative and stunning details next week!
