The moment we saw the bright pops of pink bursting from every nook and cranny of this gorgeous Maine affair, we had one thing and one thing only in mind… Valentine’s Day. Then we saw the smiling faces of the adorable bride and groom, the perfectly crafted DIY details and the breathtaking backyard location and we knew it most definitely had Cupid’s stamp of approval. Which is why we’ll be spending this lovely holiday basking in every last love-filled moment captured by Becca Wood Photography… and soaking in some serious pretty. Join us in the gallery for more.
From the Bride… We successfully planned our wedding on a $6,000 budget. Luckily our venue was free (my Grandmother’s house in Harpswell, where my parents were married, and where I knew from the time I was a little girl, was my future wedding venue). We wanted to make sure we sourced all our suppliers locally from Harpswell- and if we couldn’t do that, then Maine. Most were recommendations from friends and family. The only supplier we hired from research was our photographer, Becca Wood. We did a lot of research to make sure we found someone who shot the style we wanted to show, and one who had great reviews.
Most of our details were ideas stolen from Pinterest, as I was obsessed with pinning before the wedding. The icicle chandelier made from hoola hoops, the personalised mason jars, the Chinese lanterns, the boat bar, even our invitations which resembled an antique air mail letter. One of my favourite details of the wedding was my entrance to the ceremony on my Papa’s lobster boat with the dock as the aisle, and our exit as a married couple on the little skiff (Grant had never driven the boat before, and had a lesson that morning). We planned the wedding while living in London, and I made a trip to Maine once, 3 months before the wedding to meet the suppliers, and to start working on the DIY details. It would not have been possible without my parents hard work and collection of decorations in the few months before the wedding.
Luckily my experience in the event industry meant I knew how important it was for organisation prior to the wedding day, and my checklists and spreadsheets made everything much easier in the days up to the wedding when we were hosts to our guests who travelled from so far- and many who had never been to the States, and when most of us were running around like mad trying to collect all the mismatched plates & silverware from neighbours and family, and organise all the DIY projects (this is now something I recommend to all the RSA wedding couples before their wedding, spreadsheets and checklists are your friends).
We basically had a 3 day party, as all our ceremony guests arrived 3 days prior to the big day. We had a traditional Maine Lobster Bake the night before, and the pig roast on the wedding day. We had an extra 60 evening guests after the ceremony and dinner, we had fireworks, Croquet, Corn Hole, dancing, and a buffet from the left over dinner.
Wedding Photography: Becca Wood Photography / Wedding Location: Family Residence in Harpswell, Maine / Floral Design: Clee Miller + Whole Foods + Skills Green House / Caterer: Kate Hodkins / Tent + Rentals: Atlantic Tent Company / DJ: Dave Bulger / Invitations: DIY by the Bride / Wedding Dress: Mark Lesley “Alana” / Shoes: Madden Girl / Groom’s Attire: Hugo Boss