Weddings are amazing. That goes without saying. And this drop-dead gorgeous, uber-stunning Grasmere Farm backdrop carefully scouted and planned by Charmed Places? Well… it’s almost too amazing to believe. A glamorous fête with lovely lavender hues and touches of rustic goodness every which way you turn, it’s the fabulous stylings of Matthew Robbins meets a glorious Vera Wang gown meets the beyond brilliant images of Meredith Davenport of Christian Oth Studio. Or as we like to call it, a serious Monday morning treat. Dive into all of the pretty right here. Oh and if you haven’t yet noticed our SMP at Home series on Sundays, you have to take a peek at all of the gorgeousness that happened right here over the weekend!
From Lydia FitzGerald of Charmed Places… One week after hosting an end-of-summer rehearsal dinner at Grasmere Farm, Maria and Matt held their wedding reception at Grasmere — the first wedding in this space outside the family of the property’s owners! Living in NYC and spending summers out at the Jersey Shore, I questioned Maria and Matt’s initial interest in a barn located in the Hudson Valley, but they were convinced that this was the spot, that it represented certain elements of their relationship and they were enthusiastic to jump in and start planning!
The wedding ceremony was held at a regal, stone, Episcopal church located in the heart of Rhinebeck Village. Instead of printing ceremony programs to be distributed to guests, the couple decided to write the ceremony details on various chalkboards and prop them by the church’s entrance, surrounded by fresh herbs and plants and including the bride’s favorite, lavender. As guests made their way from the ceremony to the reception site, signage directed shuttles and cars to an unmarked entrance to the Grasmere property, down a long drive to a secluded area on the grounds where the stone barns stand. Vodka cocktails in mason jars and fresh shrimp from the groom’s family shop in NYC — Leonard’s Market — awaited guests as they arrived. Guests were ushered into the stone barn for dinner just before sunset in time to see the sunlight hitting the three massive chandeliers suspended above the dinner tables. Each place setting was pre-set with chilled, local Sun Gold tomato gazpacho and goat cheese crema, to be sipped or spooned from a demitasse cup.
As night time set in, guests were able to observe a better view of the stark contrasts inside the barn — the tall ‘chimneys’ were stripped to their black insulation with patterns of light projected, creating a very urban, industrial vibe. The chandeliers provided warmth and elegance, as did the dinner tables with their brightly colored florals in pewter pitchers surrounded by candlelight. Dinner gave way to dessert, where the bride and groom dug into a small ceremonial chocolate cake made from the groom’s mother’s recipe and topped with a special lego cake topper delivered to the couple from the groom’s 7-year-old nephew! When the band stopped playing at 11 p.m., the party moved from the barn to the carriage house, where the stone walls were washed in pink light and two fire pits were set at the entrance for guests to use to keep warm as the evening temperature dropped to 44 degrees! Hot pizzas, delivered by a local joint, and plenty of beer kept the party going until the last shuttle call of the evening was made. Maria and Matt were having such a great time, they were the last ones to get on the bus!
Wedding Photography: Meredith Davenport of Christian Oth Studio / Ceremony: Church of the Messiah in Rhinebeck, New York / Reception: Grasmere Farm in Rhinebeck, New York / Event Planning + Coordination: Lydia FitzGerald of Charmed Places / Floral + Event Design: Matthew Robbins Design / Catering: Main Course Catering / Wedding Invitations: Bella Figura via The Village Invites / Table Numbers + Invitation Envelopes: Queen Quills / Entertainment: Hank Lane Music / Photo Booth: Shootbooth / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Hair: Nikki Avanzino / Makeup: Anabel Vargas / Groom’s Tuxedo: Ermenegildo Zegna / Groom’s Shoes: Salvatore Ferragamo