The Best Connecticut Venues for your Fall Wedding!

Part 1 and Part 2 of this blog series have given you a glance at some of the magic Connecticut offers for your wedding day. Now, it’s time to cozy up to one of the best seasons Connecticut has to offer: Fall! A Fall Wedding in Connecticut is as anticipated as any combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

Despite what those holiday commercials say, Fall is the most wonderful time of the year! From the warm days and cool nights, right down to the foliage. It is, in my opinion, the best time of year to take advantage of the great outdoors.

Fall Wedding Venue Must-Haves and Considerations

• Indoor Options or Tenting Capabilities: You’ll see this noted on every venue list because Mother Nature is a finicky woman! While Fall tends to provide more expected weather circumstances, it’s the one thing none of us can control. If your venue lacks an indoor space (many unique locations do!), be sure there’s room to place a tent on the property. Even if your plan is to go alfresco, a rain plan is always a good idea!
• Exclusivity: Just like summer, this is a coveted time of year! Make sure you understand how many celebrations your venue hosts on any given weekend or per day!
• Noise ordinance: As we’ve said in the Spring and Summer wedding venue list, be sure to take the cutoff time for music into account, especially if your Fall wedding will be taking place outdoors in any capacity!
• Availability: The Fall is the most popular time of year for weddings here in Connecticut. Between the perfect temperatures, relative lack of destructive weather, and the foliage… Those scrumptious colors that dress our trees are quintessential postcard images and highly sought after! If a Fall wedding is what you’re after, the availability of your potential venue is something that can go quickly.
• Ways to keep your guests warm: This time of year is when we begin to see the nights get a little cooler. Infuse ways into your design to keep your guests warm. These things can include a hot cocoa bar, late-night bonfire, or custom blankets for guests to grab-and-go!

Here we have it! Read on to begin falling in love with some of Connecticut’s greatest Fall wedding venues!

 

Smith Farm Gardens

Smith Farm Gardens is one of my favorite locations for a wedding in Connecticut, no less a fall wedding, because it’s comparable to having a home wedding without having to build the venue in your own backyard! Their well-manicured gardens and grounds are noticed the moment you step foot onto the property. It’s idyllic in every sense it can be!

Set on 15 acres, your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception can host within a list of beautiful corners of this property. The vegetable and flower garden, apple orchard, or the main house with its original posts and beams and massive fireplace inside! You can certainly toast with a large number of guests here as your event takes place 100% outdoors with the capacity for a tent! To top it off, there are stunning onsite accommodations in the house, which is perfect for getting ready and hanging with your favorite people once the last song has been played.

 

Audobon in Greenwich

The Audobon, specifically the Barn at Greenwich Audobon Center is idyllic for the lovers of a rustic aesthetic. This restored 1800s structure with its original exposed beams is perfect for a smaller, yet still lively guest group of 80 – 100 guests. Apple orchards and trails hug the property, offering unique opportunities to take advantage of the layout of your entire event!

For those with a philanthropic heart, the site fee goes to not only maintaining the inherent structure of the barn but also supporting a sanctuary for nature’s smallest creatures throughout the state!

 

Mayflower Inn & Spa

There is something picturesque about saying your vows with the colors in front of a pond filled with the reflection of the Fall foliage. Postcards couldn’t paint a better picture, though I’m sure a live painter could!

For smaller, more intimate celebrations, the Mayflower offers The Garden Room and The Tap Room which have been recently renovated to create a space you’ll never want to leave. For groups up to about 150, you can host your loved ones in their brand-new custom tent, tucked privately behind the spa alongside the property’s pond. Not only are onsite accommodations available, but this venue is also the perfect location for a full weekend buyout as there are personalized amenities to appeal to any type of adventurer! I love how easily this property lends itself to a destination wedding as the onsite offerings, most notably the spa and surrounding trails allow for enjoyable getaways no matter the interests of your guest group!

photo: Carla Ten Eyck // planning + design: Jubilee Events // floral: Blush Floral Design // tent decor: Drape Art Designs

 

Chatfield Hollow Inn

Also known as the Chatfield Hollow B+B, this natural oasis offers a variety of ceremony locations. Choose between their two ponds, fruit orchard, grassy meadows, or birch grove to start. Imagine being snuggled in among all the colorful foliage, or having a small breeze carry some leaves around you and your guests during your vows. Just like a pretty snowfall without the cold and wet!

Along with the clear top tent on-site for up to 150 guests, the property — including their charming inn — belongs to you the entire weekend. With fully functioning flower and food gardens, you have the opportunity to bring the freshest details to your menu or decor, found right on site. The amenities and care this location provides is unparalleled and ideal for a variety of design approaches for your fall wedding!

photo: Carla Ten Eyck Photography

 

Jonathan Edwards Winery

Located in North Stonington (not to be confused with the beautiful town of Stonington), Jonathan Edwards offers all the lush, rolling greens that a vineyard should. Hugged by trees that provide a colorful splash of Fall foliage vibrantly welcomes guests to the property. The winery includes a tent for dining and dancing all night long for up to 200 of your friends and family. Additionally, their rustic barrel room is perfect for a smaller affair – even that back up rain plan we mentioned! Their tasting room and the wrap-around porch are the best way to take in the views of your entire wedding day in addition to enjoying their wine that is produced during this season.

Entering the Fall season reintroduces you to those sinfully-favorite foods that we all love to indulge in! Surrounding Jonathan Edwards Winery are several local farms that your caterer can partner with to create a one-of-a-kind farm-to-table dining experience for you and your guests!

photo: Robert Norman Photography // planning + design: Jubilee Events // floral: Just For You Floral Design // lighting: Ryan Designs

 

Gallaher Mansion

Having enjoyed the most amazing Fall wedding at the Gallaher Mansion, it’s no wonder why this venue sits comfortably on our list! The Gallaher Mansion provides a timeless setting and romantic views indoors and out. Open to hosting 100 guests inside the gorgeous stone monument or 200+ on their tented terrace, the Gallaher offers some rentals and several other amenities to help make the day your own!

Pro tip: take advantage of the side garden and sprawling lawn for photos or other moments of your wedding day to create a big impact for your guests!

photo: Anaise Prince Photography

South Farms

One of the most iconic farm venues in Connecticut, exclusively reserved for weddings and celebrations taking place onsite! Set a little more inland in Morris, South Farms is one of our favorite family-run farm venues! Once you step foot on the property, you’ll know exactly why! Not only do they offer the parlor, hayloft, bull room, and stone barn, plus their brand new Garage, opening the opportunity to their couples to host just under 50 guests all the way up to 175. Whether rustic, natural, or industrial, this space offers so much to its clients and exceeds your wildest dreams!

 

Graybarns on the Silvermine River

Where luxury meets comfort! The Graybarns is the first venue I think of for the perfect intimate wedding. Able to accommodate up to 75 guests, you and your guests can enjoy a variety of settings throughout the property, including their courtyard, the barn, the tavern, and the porch. I anticipate seeing a surplus of more intimate events with our couples this year and beyond. This venue is the perfect location to make it your own for the weekend!

As if the venue wasn’t enough to love as is, they have the most flavorful and memorable menus to enjoy, something that certainly impacts the overall experience imparted on you and your guests! Their onsite accommodations make getting ready and other weekend events seamless and relaxing.

 

Winvian Farm

This storied estate offers multiple sites and venues on its unique property, prepared to host you and your loved ones with their onsite accommodations. This charming site is 113 acres of rolling lawns, stone walls, wildflower meadows and enchanted woodlands, all of which are in their full, lush, colorful state during the Fall, making an impactful statement for your wedding weekend experience!

With the level of opportunity of Winvian Farm, you can host more intimate celebrations to grander affairs with larger guest counts. I love how easily this property lends itself to a destination wedding as the amenities, most notably the spa and surrounding trails allow for enjoyable getaways no matter the interests of your guest group!

 

Chamard Vineyards

Another popular vineyard, but this time located right in Clinton. Whether you’re hosting an intimate celebration of 30 guests up to a bash of 150 of your loved ones, the vineyard has several outdoor and indoor locations for your ceremony or reception. As an added bonus to the local wine you can enjoy, Chamard is responsible for your fresh culinary experience. While quiet and set back, the vineyard is not far from the center of town, so some noise ordinance rules may apply!

 

The Best Venues for Your Connecticut Spring Wedding!

It’s that time of year again… engagement season! Hundreds of thousands of couples are taking that exciting step forward in their story to make their union officially official. After the champagne has been had, the confetti tossed, and the cheeks back to normal after the palpable smiling, you get ready to dive into planning. First up: your Spring wedding venue!

The real first and most important step is mulling over the ideas in your head to determine where exactly you would like to host this monumental day. Once you’ve had the opportunity to explore options granted to you, you will have a better idea of just WHEN you should notify your friends and family to break out their dancing shoes to come to celebrate with you. Connecticut has quite a list of exceptional venues set in a variety of locations to fit your personality and needs. We are here to give you, our faithful readers, a list of the best of the best. Since many of our Spring wedding couples are gearing up for their day, we’ll start there!

Spring Wedding Venue Must-Haves and Considerations

• Tenting Capabilities: Every year, it seems like winter creeps further and further into what should be the warmer months. April showers should bring May flowers, but often times we are still seeing snow showers in April and we haven’t wrapped our minds around it yet. The reality is: a Connecticut wedding can impose unexpected weather! Even with a light drizzle, rain can put a damper on some big plans you’ve made. Make sure your space can accommodate a tent if your guest count is on the larger side and you’re aiming for any aspect of your ceremony or reception to be outdoors. This makes Plan B is just as perfect as Plan A.
• Indoor Rain Plan for Small Guest Counts: If you’re hosting a more intimate celebration, you may feel comfortable shifting part or all of your event indoors in the case of inclement weather. Consider what this plan might look like at your potential venue, and whether or not that’s something you would enjoy or be able to customize with your design team!
• Availability: Many locations have a strict season, particularly May (think Memorial Day Weekend, which is the unofficial start to summer) through November, so be sure to double-check you can host your wedding during the time frame you most desire.
• Noise ordinance: Because a portion, if not all of your event can take place outdoors, it’s important to note the noise ordinance of that town to coordinate the end of the event time appropriately. While getting shut down due to noise is a sign of a great party, we’d rather you be dancing until the very last song!

Top 10 Locations Perfect for Your Connecticut Spring Wedding Venue!

Penfield Pavilion

Located in Fairfield and set right on the beach, this venue features a covered patio overlooking the water, creating the perfect backdrop to your event — I mean PERFECT. It’s even better for those cozy, outdoor dinners with your nearest and dearest. Set for up to 180 or 300 guests depending on event style, the venue offers some rentals and heat or AC depending on the time of year!

The Lace Factory

Centrally located between New York and Boston in the quaint, quiet town of Deep River, the Lace Factory is the most beautiful industrial location in the state. There are a few settings within the venue perfect for every moment of your wedding day, including the courtyard just outside for a ceremony. Guests can even enjoy scenes of the Connecticut River when arriving by the Essex Steam Train (oh yes!!), adding further to the charm of this venue. Ideal for up to 200 guests to celebrate all night long or the opportunity to design distinct spaces in the main space for your ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and dance floor for a small guest count!

Mine Hill Distillery

Roxbury is one of those small towns of Connecticut filled with plenty of history and the nicest people! It also has a special venue in the Mine Hill Distillery, a location boasting four different buildings and riverfront scenery ideal for small intimate dinner parties up to large weddings under a tent. Elliott, the man behind this idea will be one of your dearest friends by the end of your time with this venue. An 1872 train station that has been given some love brings the right level of history and design together in one place.

Eolia Mansion

Located right in Waterford, this may be one of our favorite mansions in Connecticut (there are a few to brag about!) because of it’s exquisite drive up. The estate is surrounded by perfectly cared for gardens and shrubbery at every turn, including its two picturesque ceremony settings. Between the venue’s stained glass and floor to ceiling windows are acres of lawn that lead to the Long Island Sound. Perfect for smaller guests, but no more than 150 and offering few tables and chairs and a covered stone patio for even more entertaining opportunities. A few of our favorite Eolia Wedding galleries are located right here, but be sure to check out the blog to see the versatility of this sweet spot!

photos: Katie Slater Photography

Wadsworth Mansion

Built in 1900 as a country summer residence, the historic mansion in Middletown has been sustained for elegant, personalized weddings. Their doors are open to intimate celebrations throughout their multiple rooms or large weddings for up to 200 guests. If all your friends and family will be joining you, their rolling green lawns and the postcard-worthy backdrop of the mansion make for the perfect tent setting. You can check out all the ways we’ve loved on the Wadsworth Mansion here!

photos: Brigham & Co. Photography

Audobon Greenwich

One of the best Fairfield County venues with 360 degrees of immaculate views. Their picturesque barn is perfect for an intimate crowd of up to 90 guests, accompanied by an idyllic lawn perfect for cocktail hour or a ceremony. As if the Audobon Greenwich in’t perfect enough, they are also exclusively catered by On the Marc, a Connecticut and New York staple for creative, flavorful food! Nothing says farm to table quite like this Connecticut wedding venue!

Mayflower Grace Hotel

Perfect for the more intimate event with your nearest and dearest, this Washington space boasts charming settings throughout their hotel. We’re thrilled to revisit this venue, and will surely include it on some lists aside from our Spring wedding selections as they’ve just added a gorgeous custom Sperry Tent to their back lawn overlooking the pond!

There isn’t one area of this entire property that isn’t dripping in natural beauty, especially when it comes to their gardens! The lush Shakespeare Garden is the most perfect ceremony backdrop, but this can be your backdrop should you opt to host a grander wedding with more of your loved ones. Set for a more intimate affair, treat your guests to a scrumptious and memorable menu in their Garden Room, set perfectly for up to 40 guests. For a slightly heartier guest list, their tent is the perfect location, and if I may say so, one of our favorite tents ever. You know how much we love a good tented wedding! You can see it here!

photos: carla ten eyck photography

J House

While Connecticut houses some of the most natural settings perfect for any aesthetic or vision, it also has some modern spaces up its sleeves. The J House in Greenwich is one of the newer, more contemporary locations that offer the coolest settings for your ceremony and reception for up to 150 guests. From open terraces completely untouched by any surrounding buildings or skylines to their open-air patio specked with greenery and soft lighting. With all the outdoor possibilities, J House mirrors the number of opportunities to host your event indoors in one of their upscale restaurants or dining spaces! The beauty here is the flexibility to make it your own. The different moments of your day are 10x more memorable with a venue as unique as this one here!

The Hickories

The Hickories is a gem of a venue and for many reasons one that we like to assimilate ourselves with. As a working farm growing fresh, organic vegetables, fruits, and flowers, The Hickories is dedicated to sustainability, all of which can be used in some capacity for your event. Farm to table was never so literal (or delicious)! Choose from their rustic 1800s barn, the farmhouse lawn, or their one-acre trout pond as the perfect setting for one of your life’s biggest memories!

Florence Griswold Museum

Home to a variety of Impressionist and contemporary artists, this Old Lyme museum offers many perfect choices for your event. You have the option to enjoy the indoor atmosphere surrounded by classic art and well-curated exhibits or the views of the Lieutenant River from the stone patio or Miss Florence’s charming garden — or both! It is a Spring wedding, after all, and Mother Nature can be unruly. One of our favorite weddings was set at the FloGris on Hurricane Irene back in the day. We’d love to tell you about it sometime or you can check it out here! photos: carla ten eyck photography

Though the list stops at 10 there are many, many venues throughout the state that would be perfect for a Spring wedding. You may seem them again in future seasonal posts because they lend the perfect level of personality and unique opportunity for couples to bring their story to life for their wedding day! And don’t think this is where it all ends in our beautiful New England state. Keep reading for more venues based on your season. You never know where you might fall in love!

As an event planner and designer, you are constantly living in all of the seasons, all of the time. During the chilly winter months, we are looking ahead to the warmer season when most of our events take place, while those warmer months are prime for planning! Though the colder season is not ideal for an outdoor event, there is a beauty that exists for weddings and events and found in a variety of venues. Take Chamard Vineyards for example — a lush, open idyllic space to host your nearest and dearest over an intimate dinner under a big top tent. When the temps are below pleasurable, though, they have a several unique settings for your event.

The Color Story

The magic you’ll see below took place in their barn — a loft like, rustic space set with handmade farm tables and large barn doors that provide a cozy, warm feeling. With deep, moody tones in marsala, gray, and black, a touch of gold, and texture, we highlighted why winter weddings are just as perfect as any other season!

Each event gives us as designers the opportunity to create a personalized celebration around the person or guests of honor. Each element should be infused with an affinity you possess, which ultimately cultivates your unique wedding aesthetic.  Flowers by Justine and I took the idea of a classic table runner and tailored it by creating a runner of colorful tapered candles, mixed among lush, draped greenery. The gold touches on and around the table added the perfect level of romance and elegance to the room and complimented the dreamy gowns hand selected by Beth Chapman at The White Dress by the Shore.

Design Elements: Texture!

Texture was the next big element we had to have! There are many unexpected ways to bring this in and it was planned most prominently in the fashion and the cake (that CAKE!!). You’ll see our bride wearing a gorgeous Robert Bullock gown, one that we wish we could casually wear ourselves! Our sweet confection by our favorite at Sugar Therapy donned details from the gown in addition to some other elements we knew we’d find in our setting.

Design and Scribe provided all signage and calligraphy, the perfect touch to this table. Our girl hand wrote every text in gold on a textured black card, set against the wood grains of the table and painted gold china set for each guest. Even in the coldest of degrees, we had to get outside a bit. That texture was taken right outdoors where Justine created the most beautiful ceremonial backdrop with all of the greenery and moody tones!

We always have the greatest time collaborating with our creative partners and to sweeten the excitement for this shoot, Bliss Celebrations Guide featured this piece on their blog. Thank you to the team for sharing with others the joy we had in creating this!!

Nicole + Kristian’s Webb Barn Wedding

Set in the small, quintessential town that is Wethersfield, Connecticut, Nicole and Kristian celebrated their forever on the most perfect Fall day. This was the kind of setting one can only dream about as it was just the time of year when the leaves have turned and there is still a hint of rich color spread throughout the landscape. It is still warm with that sweep of cool air you invite because it means big warm sweaters and comfy jackets. All of those comfort food favorites are at their prime. Everything was just as it should be!

One of the most beautiful aspects of Nicole and Kristian’s day is how personal and celebrated everything was. Their ceremony musicians were close friends and students that the couple both mentored. Their beautiful wedding party was comprised of siblings and friends who had been in their lives for decades. The details surrounding their wedding decor came from small business creatives whose talent completed the design and added colorful touches wherever you looked.

With no shortage of inspiration, our color palette began with deep, warm colors of blush, cream, marsala and burgundy, dressing the table in big blooms of roses and those to-die-for dahlias. We’re talking very moody and to-die-for colors and details by the always amazing Jakkelyn Iris! Lush greenery intertwined our candles and showcased our hand painted table numbers and hand picked wildflowers graced the acrylic namesakes each guest was gifted to take home. Complementing the inherent wood structure of the barn were drapes of whimsical twinkle lights, crystal chandeliers, and romantic draping to hug the guest tables, thoughtfully designed and created by Drape Art Designs. It was one of those scenes that you can’t tear away from and smile every way through — it made you glow just as our space did! Speckle in Nicole and Kristian who were completely wrapped up in and around each other and it was the best love fest to signify this new adventure!

Behind Nicole and Kristian was one of the greatest, most thoughtful, and hardest working groups you’d ever be so lucky to collaborate with! Everyone brought their magic and art that day and built one of the most memorable days at one of our favorite venues. Lots of love goes to each and everyone as we couldn’t have done it without you!

N+K: here’s to life’s kindness and love always keeping you warm! XO!

 

CREDIT REEL

Photography: Katie Slater Photography
Reception Location: The Webb Barn
Flowers: Jakkelyn Iris
Catering: David Alan Catering
Ceremony Music: Friends of the couple
Reception Entertainment: After Hours DJ
Lighting + Draping: Drape Art Designs
Beauty: Simply Gorgeous by Erin
Bride’s Gown: Hayley Paige
Food Trucks: Fryborg Food Truck, Tipsy Cones, Danny’s Little Taste of Texas
Church: Wethersfield United Methodist Church
Signage + Stationery: Etsy Shops — OAKYdesigns, BareInkCo, Michelle Groth Fine Art, ChickadeeDixie, Cre8teDesignLLC, StudioNellcoteDIY
Rentals: PEAK Event Services, CT Rental Center

The ever gorgeous Kyoko and Rick are on Carats and Cake today!! Click the link and show them some love.

These two are a very special in our hearts here at Jubilee Events! We had the pleasure of witnessing Kyoko’s sister Sumiko wed Max back in 2014 and were right alongside this amazing duo to celebrate their day. We cannot tell you how much we adore every member of this family and are so fortunate to have witnessed and shared so many milestones and memories!

CREDIT REEL

Photography: Chike Photography
Ceremony + Reception Location: The Webb Barn
Flowers: Sharon Elizabeth’s
Beauty: Larissa Lake
Catering: David Alan Catering
Rentals + Linens: PEAK Event Services, La Tavola Linen

Oh, how I love and miss Vanessa, Lauren, their children and their friends / families! They planned one epic summer destination wedding in Maine that culminated in a spectacular, Barn at Walnut Hill wedding.

I’ve know Vanessa for years as the hard-working, creative mastermind behind her design company Two Paper Dolls. She’s wildly talented, the true definition of a boss lady (and one whom I immensely admire), and has an enormous heart. Lauren is very much the same– she’s the wildly talented, boss lady of Vanessa and Lauren’s sweet family (and my admiration for how dedicated she is to her family is overwhelming) with a heart to match the size of Vanessa’s. As a team, they’re pretty incredible.

Barn at Walnut Hill Wedding: Vanessa & Lauren’s Story

Here’s a bit more of their story, as written in Martha Stewart Weddings:

Vanessa Kreckel and Lauren Martin go back—way back, to the 1980s, when both were growing up in eastern Pennsylvania. As grade-schoolers and throughout high school, they played field hockey and softball together. If you ask Vanessa, who is two years older, she’d say she was the cooler of the two. Lauren remembers it differently: “I thought she was annoying; I hung out with her best friend’s younger sister.” In 1993, Vanessa went off to college and the two didn’t cross paths again until 2008, when the magic of Facebook rendered them “friends.” Lauren was now a physical-education teacher living in New York’s Hudson Valley, and Vanessa owned a graphic-design and letterpress firm, Two Paperdolls, in Philadelphia. “The best day ever was when she invited me to ‘like’ the Two Paperdolls Facebook page,” says Lauren. (Vanessa swears she was oblivious to these cyber flirtations.)

Offline, the best day ever was still to come, when the pair met again at a mutual pal’s Boston wedding in 2010. “I walked in and was like, ‘Is that the Lauren Martin from high school?!’ She was grown-up, gorgeous, and gay,” says Vanessa. After a night spent laughing and catching up (and with Lauren copping to her Facebook crush), Vanessa says, “I pretended that I didn’t know how to drive back to Philly and thought it would be a swell idea to follow Lauren to her place and find my way home from there.” They’ve been a couple—well, really, a family—ever since: Landon, Vanessa’s now 9-year-old son from a previous relationship, fell in love with Lauren, too. “The first time he met her, he told me, ‘I know she’ll be my mom someday,’” remembers Vanessa.

Another “best ever” contender was Mother’s Day 2012. By that time, Lauren was living with Vanessa in Pennsylvania and pregnant with their son Cash, now 2. That morning, Landon walked in with a poster Vanessa had made detailing the women’s relationship. “He gets down on one knee and says, ‘Laur, will you marry us?’” recalls Vanessa. “Who could say no to that?”

After baby Cash was born, the pair started scouting wedding locales in earnest, hoping to find a New England barn. Lauren suggested Maine, and after the family spent a weekend there, they settled on The Barn on Walnut Hill, a four-acre estate 20 minutes outside of Portland in North Yarmouth, and invited 100 guests for a summer weekend soirée.

Barn at Walnut Hill Wedding: The Wedding Weekend

The celebration started with a chartered whale watch in Portland’s Casco Bay. “The Bloody Marys were gone before we even left the dock,” says Lauren, who, along with Vanessa, met up with guests that night at a local brewery for a backyard-style barbecue. The next day, on June 28, 2014, in a sun-dappled forest, Vanessa, carrying Cash, walked down the aisle with her father as a band played “Ho Hey,” by the Lumineers. Lauren, escorted by Landon, followed, to the sounds of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love.” The 35-minute ceremony, officiated by a friend, featured vows the couple had written themselves and a sweet speech from Landon.

Next order of business: partying down. After freshly shucked oysters and cocktails on the lawn, guests moved inside the barn for a dinner of dry-aged beef and poached Maine halibut. A DJ spun a mix of new and old jams as revelers ate slices from five kinds of pies (served instead of cake) and took turns at the penny-candy dessert bar. At night’s end, the newlyweds left amid a sparkler send-off—capping off what both women agree was the ultimate best day ever.

Barn at Walnut Hill Wedding: The Details

And now onto the details, as featured in Martha Stewart Weddings:

Vanessa, a graphic designer, created the letterpressed invites. The suite incorporated laser-cut wood pieces, rustic twine, and other Maine-inspired accents. Burlap bags, stocked with provisions, a “hangover kit” in a paint can, and the weekend’s itinerary, welcomed guests.

Lauren carried a free-form bouquet of peonies, anemones, succulents, seed heads, and blackberries, tied with an accordion-pleated silk ribbon. A vintage velvet ribbon, found in a Parisian warehouse, tied off Vanessa’s cluster of peonies, succulents, anemones, blushing bride proteas, and seeded eucalyptus.

Laser-engraved wood covered the programs. Included was a letter Vanessa wrote to Lauren’s father, who passed away in 2006. “Lauren’s dad was her favorite person, and vice versa. I knew celebrating this moment in her life without him was going to be really difficult,” says Vanessa. “By writing the letter, I wanted to honor him, tell him I would take care of his daughter for the rest of her life, and also let him know I’d come a long way from our field-hockey days!”

The couple (Lauren in Anne Barge Black Label and Vanessa in Claire Pettibone) wed in front of a canvas scroll custom-printed with a quote from the 13th-century poet Rumi. The ceremony, which was officiated by Vanessa’s childhood best friend’s husband, also featured selections from “We Are Six,” by A.A. Milne and the Goodridge Ruling, which legalized gay marriage in Massachusetts in 2003. The couple recited promises to each other that they’d written themselves. Lauren, who went first, surprised her wife with an original poem. “It was hilarious—and it rhymed!” says Vanessa. (An excerpt: You are gorgeous and smart, my perfect mate / And as everyone here knows, always fashionably late.) “My vows were more serious and emotional,” Vanessa says, laughing.

“The most beautiful part was that our kids were there with us on the day we became a legal family,” Vanessa says of her favorite memory of the day.

Die-cut escort cards printed with guests’ names and a map of Portland hung from a wall on the barn’s facade, where the dinner was held. For dinner, all 100 guests sat at two long tables under Edison bulb fixtures. Vintage vessels, holding a mix of blooms, plants, and herbs, helped set the boho scene. Table numbers referenced important numerals in the newlyweds’ lives—nine, for example, represented how many miles they hiked on their first official date. Inspirational quotes also appeared on the hemstitched linen napkins. The newlyweds started the dance party by twirling to Lionel Richie’s “My Love.”

Watch Vanessa & Lauren’s Wedding Film

Vanessa & Lauren | A Wedding Trailer film in Portland, ME from Matt Buckman on Vimeo.

 

Want to see more weddings like Vanessa & Lauren’s? Check out our destination weddings, barn weddings, same sex weddings and rustic weddings archives!

Vendor Credit Reel:

Location: The Barn on Walnut Hill

Event Planning: Jubilee Events

Catering: Eventide Oyster Co.

Floral and Event Design: Flora Fauna

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck

Videography: I Do Films

Stationery and Calligraphy:Two Paperdolls

Music: Carte Blanche [ceremony and cocktail hour]; Ray Jarrell [Reception DJ]

Rentals: New England Country Rentals; Revolve Furniture

Hair: Catie & Amy

Makeup: Diva Borelli

Brides’ Gowns: Claire Pettibone[Vanessa]; Anne Barge Black Label [Lauren]

Boys’ Attire: Trico Field

Boys’ Bow Ties: Forage

Wedding Rings: Anne Sportun; Todd Reed

Lighting: Ryan Designs

Custom Fabric Printing:Spoonflower

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Our clients always give special attention and care to the way their ceremony looks and feels. It’s the part of your wedding day everyone is here to witness, so putting some thought into the backdrop of where you’ll exchange vows is important!

For outdoor wedding ceremonies in Connecticut, there are a variety of fun and unique options for backdrops. Always consider your surroundings and why you chose the location. That will help to guide you in making decor decisions to enhance the feeling and atmosphere. Here are 3 stunning outdoor ceremony backdrop ideas for your Connecticut wedding:

3 Stunning Outdoor Ceremony Backdrop Ideas for Your Connecticut Wedding

Photography by Jasmine for Carla Ten Eyck

Family Tree: Stella and Brian created a family tree by hanging family wedding photos on a beautiful oak where they would say, “I do.” They hung one empty frame and during the ceremony snapped a Polaroid picture of themselves to add to the tree. We’ve seen this look inspire so many other couples over the years!  We love that people reuse the idea for their ceremony! Want to see more from Stella & Brian’s big day? Check out their blog post!

Photography by Justin & Mary

Orchard Blooms: Steve and Lauren Ann’s wedding took place in April, several weeks before the orchard they were set to say their vows in would be in bloom. So they created their own. The couple asked Hana Floral Design to decorate a bare tree with bright pink blooms, bringing to vibrancy and life to their early spring ceremony. Want to see more of Lauren Ann and Steve’s Spring wedding? Check out their blog post!

Photography by Carla Ten Eyck

Fabric or Paper Backdrop: When Vanessa, owner of Two Paper Dolls (TPD Design House) wed Lauren, she chose several inspiring quotes about love and printed them on over-sized pieces of fabric. They selected their favorite to stand in front of while they exchanged their vows to each other.

There is nothing we adore more than a great love story! Of course, we are met with many every day as we elaborate on them to design and plan our clients’ weddings. Nicole and Mikey’s story was one in the making since they were 9 years old, a detail that only began to etch at how sweet their love is for one another. As someone who loves special and symbolic meanings, it is vital that we note Nicole and Mikey’s wedding date of September 9th – a day that has become a part of our hearts forever!

As our dear bride put it perfectly, “What started as a school kid crush has flourished into a lifelong friendship and commitment to one another…” filled with the greatest of adventures. When you glance at Nicole and Mikey, you still catch that flirtatious look they would sneak one another, the inevitable smile that made your cheeks warm, and your heart feeling like it would beat right out of your chest.

Meeting their families only cemented the love these two grew, for this group was the epitome of family! They were so ready to celebrate love and every time you were in their presence, you felt like you were at your own family gathering, just short of a homemade lasagna on the table! It was no wonder how Nicole and Mikey grew a unit full of care, admiration, and respect of their own that you are proud to witness.

Furthermore, you saw this in the way Nicole and Mikey hosted their guests that day, treating them to thoughtful touches from the moment they arrived with welcome sips and treats and all throughout the reception as everyone found little personalized notes on straws and their menu cards. The sweetest display was the literal family tree that anchored our couple’s ceremony space, beginning their journey with those most important standing beside them. It was a crowd favorite to read the moniker the ever-famous Julia Child coined: “Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is one of life’s primal and most innocent delights – one that is both soul satisfying and eternal.” A gentle but momentous reminder why we were all together that day!

Now, with a story so incredible and a love so deep, you knew their wedding day could only mirror such romance. Starting with the Webb Barn, Nicole brought in a soft palette, ideas of crystal chandeliers, and sheer, draping fabrics to complement the dark wood of the venue. We added touches of gold throughout the space not only through some of our rented pieces, but with a series of mismatched, gold framed mirrors that reflected the energy brought into the barn by our couple and their family and friends.We are forever grateful to have had the wildly talented Katie Slater on board for the day as she captured every bit of the emotion and beauty present that day!

We also had a collection of beautiful vintage furniture – from seating to that gorgeous vintage desk guests used to sign that guest book – that our couple found at various flea markets or from their own home. Along planning, it was a pleasure to learn of Nicole’s keen eye for detail and design – it was a true collaboration of sorts and an endearing process to watch her vision come to life. It was this day just over a year ago that inspired our girl to launch her new venture: A Turning Page, a studio offering design, styling, and decor services to all of CT. We cannot wait to see the heights this takes off to, but more importantly, we cannot wait to get our hands on the various goodies that Nicole and Mikey have single handedly discovered and refurbished. 9.9 is living proof!

Nicole and Mikey, thank you so much for giving us the wonderful opportunity to learn your story and see it come to life. With a history rooted so deep, we are honored to have witness a day out of many that will be full of happiness and excitement. Cheers to many lifetimes of adventure!! XO

CREDIT REEL

Photography: Katie Slater Photography
Ceremony + Reception Location: The Webb Barn
Flowers: Just For You Floral Design
Videography: Dmitry Gordievsky
Catering: David Alan Catering
Music: DJ Max Baun – CZone Music
Bride’s gown: Christos from Everthine Bridal Boutique
Stationery: crafted by the Bride, Silk + Willow
Hair and Makeup: Larissa Lake
Bridesmaids’ dresses: WTOO and Hayley Paige Occassions from Bella Bridesmaids
Games + Furniture: A Turning Page
Photo Booth: Snapseat
Barn Decor + Lighting: Ryan Designs
Rentals: Rentals Unlimited / PEAK Event Services through Jubilee Events

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We are so excited to see the newest special issue of Martha Stewart Weddings– which features the gorgeous destination wedding of our clients (and friends!) Vanessa and Lauren. The newest issue is now available on your iPad and in stores. It was such a pleasure to work with Vanessa and Lauren on their wedding. You may know Vanessa Kreckel from her amazing company, Two Paper Dolls. The paper goodies of this wedding were off the chain! I can’t wait to share with you more images from Carla Ten Eyck of this truly special day… but for now, please pick a copy of Martha Stewart Weddings to see more details of the day!

CREDIT REEL

Planning, Coordination & Design: Candice Coppola, Jubilee Events
Photography: Carla Ten Eyck
Paper Art: Two Paper Dolls
Location: The Barn at Walnut Hill
Catering: Eventide Oyster Co.
Floral Design / Props: Floral Fauna
Hair: Catie & Amy
Makeup: Diva Borrelli
Musicians: Carte Blanche of Elan Artists
Videography: I Do Films
DJ: Elan Artists
Airstream Trailer: Vintage Maine Vacations
Tents: Sperry Tents
Lighting & Draping: Ryan Designs
Furniture: rEvolve Furniture Company
Rentals: New England Country Rentals

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