Rise and shine LBBers! We’ve got a treat this morning. A few weeks ago, we visited Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park, and I was absolutely floored at the beauty the public state park possessed. Today the amazement continues, this time captured by Robert & Kathleen Photographers, a wonderful team of fantastic artists. And the wedding in question is absolutely, positively, one hundred percent proof that I need to get my little bootay over to Connecticut and get myself invited to a wedding (which I can only hope is as fabulous as this one). The handsome couple tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony, and followed it with a reception bursting in the seams with style. Definitely click here to see more.
Tim and I were introduced by mutual friends in New York City where we live. We wanted the wedding to feel like part of nature away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our venue search took us to every corner of Connecticut (where I grew up) before we discovered Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park and fell in love. When we visited there was a terrible storm. Even in the torrential downpour it was breathtaking. Eolia is a magical place that had all the elements we wanted for our special day. A gorgeous mansion with a show stopping view of the water and the most beautiful gardens you can imagine. The grounds are lovingly and meticulously cared for.
It was important to us that the wedding reflect Tim and I as a couple. I wanted to design the ceremony music and readings to reflect our interests, personalities and values. The wonderful harpist Sharon Rondeau arranged “The Dog Days Are Over” for the bridesmaid’s entrance and learned “Clocks” for our recessional. I felt that we created a ‘Midsummer’s Night Dream’ romantic atmosphere. I always wanted mostly white and silver for the colors and once I saw the mansion I thought that purple and white flowers with lots of greenery would add to the ‘secret garden’ feel. Our florist Ganims Garden Center and Florist was unbelievable. I gave her photos and pictures of my dreams (from Style Me Pretty) and she managed to exceed my expectations. I wanted the centerpieces, bouquets and archway to fit in with the lush canopies and vines of the gardens. We used Lily of the Valley in memory of my father and gardenias in memory of Tim’s grandmother.
All of my bridesmaids have such different and wild personalities, I could not even consider putting them in the same dress. I loved each of the Amsale dresses they chose in the violet crinkle chiffon. I used Etsy to find the Original Pear who did a great job on our programs. They had a drawing of an oak tree similar to the one at the mansion with our initials carved in a heart on the trunk. Our eco-friendly Oak Tree favors came expertly packaged from the Magnolia Company. To incorporate Tim’s love of skiing, we used wooden skis from his parents basement for our guest book. To incorporate my love of yoga (I’m a yoga teacher) I created the escort cards with drawings of yoga poses instead of numbers to help people find their table. Even though we wanted our guests to feel like part of nature we also wanted them to feel glamorous so I added crystal candelabras and touches of sparkle inside the mansion. The cake was the best of both worlds. A lotus flower sitting atop a tier designed to match the shimmering crystals and pearls of my dress. All of the details were expertly managed by Josh Chalmers, my knight in shining armor. Because of him, I did not have a worry in the world on the big day.
We had a first look which I would highly recommend. Tim and I were able to have a special moment together, just the two of us before the ceremony. Our photographers Rob and Kathleen were amazing at taking our nerves away and putting us in a calm state of mind. Also, we were both happy not to miss a moment of the party. Its so rare that you have everyone that you love all in one place.
My favorite memories of the day are all on the dance floor, especially our first dance. Tim was a good sport and learned to salsa! Our band, Brick Park, tore the house down. No words, photos, or video could ever do this band justice. Thank goodness for our videographer Ian Meltzer of Revery Media who captured my adorable three year old flower girl Abby dancing to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with her dad, because I missed it.
Photography: Robert & Kathleen Photographers / Bridal Gown: Ines Di Santo / Bride’s Shoes: Miu Miu / Bridesmaid Dresses: Amsale / Flowers: Ganim’s Florist / Ceremony Location: Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park / Reception Location: Eolia Mansion at Harkness Memorial State Park / Event Planner: Josh Chalmers / Band: Brick Park Entertainment / Hair: Angela Dubreuil from Naomi Martinez Salon / Make-up: Javier Rosa / Cake: Felicia’s Sweetface Pastry Shoppe / Caterer: Grand Gourmet / Table Cards: Yoga Poses, a nod to the bride’s profession as a yoga instructor
