Just when I think rural Massachusetts weddings can’t get any prettier, we get a whopper of a gorgeous wedding in our mailbox. Yup, this barn wedding captured flawlessly by Kat Braman Photography has got me crushing on my home state again big-time. We’re talking super cute chicken inspired table markers, beyond beautiful flowers, and just a general sense of awesomeness that this adorable couple put together. It’s rustic chic perfection in our eyes and you can see even more right here!
Click here for the FULL wedding!
From the Bride… It was really important to Tommy and me that our wedding feel like “us.” We didn’t want anything really formal. We wanted our day to be beautiful but also put our guests at ease. Early on, we had the idea of getting married at a barn. Though we live near Boston, both of us grew up in rural areas, so a barn felt like the perfect blend of our two backgrounds. I rode horses. Tommy picked potatoes. Smith Barn at Brooksby Farm was absolutely perfect on all counts. It is also, coincidentally, one town over from where we live, and it enabled our friends and family to see the area, some for the first time. Tommy and I decided on a small wedding party — just his brother and my best friend. She and I picked the sapphire blue color for her dress, and it became a constant throughout the wedding. It created cohesion through all of the different elements. Her dress, my shoes, my sapphire earrings (as well as a sapphire necklace that Tommy surprised me with), our invitations and the favors all reflected that color.
Once we had the location settled, we started thinking more about the details. I met with Cyndi from Petals Inc, and she was so much fun to work with. I told her that I wanted really juicy, saturated colors and she went to town. She was so enthusiastic and had such great suggestions for flowers that worked with the colors I had in mind. She understood the location and my wish for the flowers to look and feel like they had just been gathered from outside. I got my family involved in collecting jars of all sizes and shapes, and Petals created centerpieces and bouquets that looked so pretty and organic. There were a lot of fun little details that helped us feel like the venue was really ours for the day. We purchased the lanterns that hung in the barn which added an extra glow. We decided to name our tables after different breeds of chickens as a nod to the location (some of my friends and family had fun choosing which chicken they wanted for their table), and Tommy and I had rooster and hen figurines as our cake topper. My maid of honor wore a pair of earrings that I’d given her when we were 12. I walked down the aisle to “Somebody to Love” by Queen (played beautifully by Bryan Hilliard and his crew from Occasional Brass & Strings), and the original version was our last song of the night. A close family friend polished up his 1975 Rolls Royce to drive me to and from the ceremony. We displayed our parents’ wedding photos, along with photos of our grandparents. Our officiant, Deacon, urged us to write some personal vows, and we were so glad that we did. All of these choices made our day feel so personal and special.
And all of this was captured by our amazing photographer, Kat. She and Tommy have known each other for years. She is not just a talented photographer, but also a godsend for a bride to have around on her wedding day. Kat was so calm, had such helpful suggestions, and knew the answers to questions I hadn’t anticipated. Each of her photos is beautiful, but our first-look photos in the orchard are my favorite. She captured perfectly all of the emotion and anticipation in that moment. To us, our wedding was the right blend of elegant and easy. We couldn’t have imagined a better outcome; everyone who participated helped us create exactly what we wanted and made sure that our guests had fun, were relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. Everything came together so well, and the whole day truly felt like it was made just for us.
Wedding Photography: Kat Braman Photography / Wedding Venue: Smith Barn in Peabody, Massachusetts / Venue Coordination: Tammy Messina (978-204-6345) / Floral Design: Cyndi of Petals Inc. / Officiant: Reverend T.S. Deacon Economos / Catering: Creative Catering / Wedding Cake: Konditor Meister / Ceremony Music: Occasional Brass & Strings / DJ: Zeke Stern of Murray Hill Talent / Getting Ready Location: Salem Waterfront Hotel / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals via Wishing Well Bridal / Bride’s Hair Flower: Misun Bridal / Hair: Fringe Salon (978-745-5500) / Makeup: Laura Lanes / Film Developing + Scanning: Richard Photo Lab