To sum this shindig in just a few words? Casual elegance meets old world glamour with one of the prettiest Nicole Miller gowns you ever did see. It’s the handiwork of awesome vendors like Flora Flora, Ryan Designs and Katie Slater capturing every inch. You’d probably never guess it’s a budget beautiful day thanks to one very savvy bride, and these gorgeous snaps are only the beginning.
After the seaside ceremony, guests retired into the casual-chic reception featuring lots of candlelight and natural wood elements. You would never guess it, but Emily did a lot of the details herself! The day was just as sunny and love-filled as the beautiful couple.
From the Bride… I wanted the day to feel casual yet chic and beautiful. I kept the ceremony short and treated the reception like one big party. We had our wedding party sit in the front rows and only had our brothers stand up with us during the ceremony. Family style food, lots of candles and a great band all helped create the fun atmosphere I wanted for the reception. We had minimal speeches that were made during cocktail hour so that everyone could relax and enjoy themselves. I wanted an autumn-themed wedding without being too literal. As soon as I found the invites I decided to go with a tree theme.
I found barnwood table numbers on Etsy and used pinecones from an online craft store for place card holders. I used a mix of vintage-looking urns and wooden boxes for my centerpieces and kept all of the flowers very natural. We decided on white cottage roses, hydrangeas and succulents. I also knew that I wanted the ceremony to be outside by the water and that the end of October was pushing it for weather! I ordered cheap pashminas online and put them in a laundry tote I found that had a bark-like pattern printed on it. I had a fur stole that my grandmother had given me, and I was so happy to have it right there at the end of the ceremony to warm me up. Matt’s mom made all of the pizzelle cookies for our dessert table, they were a huge hit!
I tried to keep my costs very reasonable. My dress was under $1000 and only needed hemming. My florist was remarkably reasonable as well. I also did a lot of the detail work myself, which are things I actually enjoy. I hand sawed all of the pinecone place card holders and printed my own menus and programs with cardstock found online. The mercury glass votives were found at Christmas Tree Shop and the candles were very cheap on the web. We had so many extra candles we decided to do luminaries lining the front drive way of the mansion.
I always thought I’d be nervous on my wedding day but I was surprised that I really wasn’t. I think I felt so comfortable having all of our friends and family there that it felt really welcoming. I loved seeing our friends enjoy all of the details we put into the event and felt honored that they all came to celebrate with us.
Photography: Katie Slater Photography | Floral Design: Flora Flora | Wedding Dress: Nicole Miller | Invitations: Moontree Letterpress | Ceremony Venue: Harkness Memorial State Park | Reception Venue: Eolia Mansion | Bridesmaids Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: A Thyme to Cook, Inc. | Tent Lighting: Ryan Designs