I’m a true believer that the color gold has the power to make everything just a little bit better (it’s totally true), but when I spotted this gorgeous bride’s David Meister masterpiece, I think my mind was officially blown. I mean, are there even words to describe just how awesome this magical gown is… or how amazing she looks against one of the most beautiful farm settings you will ever lay your eyes upon (hello, Riverside Farm)? This, loves, is pure perfection with a side of rustic beauty and you should definitely dive into the full gallery from Michelle Gardella. It’s chock-full of pretty.
From the Bride… We absolutely knew we wanted three things for our wedding: a rustic, but chic wedding with the feel of New England autumn and a city touch, no flowers whatsoever, and ingenuity. For us, those three things dictated how the rest of wedding details were going to flow and, luckily, it made all the difference. We figured, hey! Its our one and only wedding day why wouldn’t we want to go outside the box, do whatever we want to do? There are NO rules.
Always wanting a rustic wedding, we fell in love with Riverside Farm. The entire property is just absolutely breathtaking and it gives you the feeling of romantic seclusion in the middle of the woods. With our guests traveling from Boston to Vermont for our wedding, we wanted to make sure the entire weekend was a celebration. We had “Weekend Survival Kits” sent to each guest upon arrival and organized a welcome cocktail party the night before the ceremony. S’mores around an outdoor fire and cinnamon apple sangria were some of the things that we had that night to kick off the weekend festivities and capture the autumn feel.
For me, originality is everything. And when I found my David Meister gown online, I asked herself, “Who says I have to wear white?” From there, I decided that I’d flip it. I would wear gold and put the bridesmaids in a textured Anthropologie ivory dress. In keeping with the colors ivory, brown and gold, we found brown suede ankle strap shoes, faux wolf shrugs and the Sophia pearl bib necklace from Stella & Dot to complete the bridesmaid look. Feminine rustic! With a dress that speaks for itself, I kept my accessories minimal with two veils – a brown and an ivory, three J.Crew pave bracelets, raw diamond studs that Jeremiah got me as a wedding day gift. The boys wore the Signature Suit from Jos A. Bank in brown with gold ties. Naturally, a sock picture would be necessary, so Jeremiah also picked out socks that suited each groomsman’s personality.
Our ceremony was held at the beautiful Christ the King Church in Rutland, Vermont. Since we had no flowers, I held oversized rosary beads we got on a trip to Spain earlier that year. The beads were blessed by a female Roman Catholic Bishop that we met on the trip. We sealed the ceremony with a high five followed by a kiss.
The reception was at the brown barn at Riverside Farm and catered with some of the best food we have ever had by Occasions Catering. Candles, bare branches and white pumpkins decorated the tables, chandeliers hung from the barn beams and mini burlap sacks containing Bloody Mary kits sat on each guest’s place setting. Instead of cake, we had Ben & Jerry’s come to the wedding with an ice cream cart with some of our favorite flavors. Our DJ, Julian, played the most unbelievable music which kept people on their feet all night. After the reception, we had a Chinese food buffet set up at a local bar as an extra treat for our wedding guests. People loved it!
The next morning, we hosted a brunch at Killington Hotel to say farewell and show how grateful we were for our guests sharing in our special day. The entire weekend, from start to finish, was everything we could have ever imagined. Looking around the the room that night and being in a venue that makes you feel cut off from the world, we could not have felt more in love with each other, surrounded by the people that matter the most to us. It was the most beautiful day. Each moment was better than the next.
Photography: Michelle Gardella Photography | Dress: David Meister Collection | Invitations: Laser Cut Wood By Oslopress | Ceremony Location: Christ The King Church, Rutland, Vermont | Reception Location: Riverside Farm | Shoes: Louboutin | Bridesmaid Dresses: Anthropologie | Caterer: The Linen Shop by Occasions Catering | Makeup: Andrea At Lucia Loves Cherry | Suits: Jos A Bank | Boutonnieres & Centerpieces: Bloom for Life | Bride's Bracelets: J.Crew | Bride's Earrings: Alexis Russell | Bride's Headband: Anthropologie | Bride/Bridal Party Hair: Danielle At AZ Studio, Hingham MA Www.azstudio | Bridesmaid Jewelry: Stella & Dot | Veils: Eileen Reardon, Aunt Of The Bride