One evergreen piece of advice I read over and over is to know your priorities. Really reflect, choose, commit. For this pair, number one was passionate vendors and yummy, locally sourced, food (I mean, the bride founded Nella Pasta). The result, besides total bliss, was one pretty-as-can-be rustic dream wedding, thanks to help from Mstarr Event Design and Megan Braemore Photography‘s lens. See it all here.
From the Bride… Jordan and I met during our freshman year of high school and instantly formed a friendship. After 14 years filled with on and off romance, and one adorable puppy later, we finally decided to tie the knot!
We instantly fell in love with The Barn at Gibbet Hill. We wanted a rustic and romantic wedding that truly captured our love story. We always envisioned an outdoor ceremony with an indoor reception at the same location. It had the rustic New England charm we were looking for complete with castle ruins, a rolling countryside and an elegant barn. Most importantly, we wanted a sustainable meal sourced with local and seasonal ingredients. Overall, our goal was to have a truly unforgettable wedding not only for ourselves but for all our family and friends.
We truly enjoyed the wedding planning process. We did a lot of online research to pick our vendors and logged some serious hours on our iPad’s! After scouring websites, blogs, and reviews I knew I wanted a team with a similar entrepreneurial spirit to myself. I started my own food company, Nella Pasta, 5 years ago and I understand the passion it takes to pursue your dream. It was important to us that each of our vendors loved what they did and were actively pursuing their passion because it only makes the end product that much more special. In the end, it was exactly that. Each vendor played a key role in the success of the day bringing their true talents to make our day perfect! We are so thankful for each of them.
With such a beautiful backdrop, we decided to keep our color palette light and neutral with slight pops of color. We wanted a truly romantic and rustic touch so the centerpieces alternated between tiered candles on gold rustic wood and stunning florals. When it was time for the ceremony, the guests were shuttled up to the top of the hill and enjoyed wooden signs we had placed along the ride up with cute sayings that read one thing on the way up and something else on the way down.
We wanted to keep some things traditional so we did not do a first look. Instead, we embraced the anticipation of seeing one another for the first time as I walked down the aisle. We built up the moment not only for ourselves but for all our family and friends. Our bridal party consisted of our closest family and friends from childhood, high school, college, our siblings, and even my mother who stood as my matron of honor. I was a flower girl in my parents wedding so I knew I wanted my mom to also play dual roles in my wedding and stand proudly by my side.
The morning of the wedding, the girls and I enjoyed a mimosa bar and delicious breakfast treats, and we sipped and snacked while getting our hair and makeup done. The boys had it easy by playing 9 holes at a local golf course in Groton!
My advice to all is to just enjoy the process and have fun with it! And of course, take in every second of your wedding day because it goes by quick. But if you have a great team to document the day, it will always be unforgettable!
From Mstarr Event Design… I had been itching for some clients to get married at The Barn at Gibbet Hill. Enter the super sweet Rachel and Jordan who have actually known each other since high school. Rachel is the owner of Nella Pasta, makers of (yummy!) pasta using local and seasonal ingredients so we knew that organic elements would be a major component on the design front. Among other details, that translated to herb escort cards and favors (grown locally by one of Rachel’s colleagues), one heck of a head table with a barn board top and a lush floral runner, sage accents at the place settings, and reclaimed wood and candle centerpieces on half of the guest tables.
Gibbet Hill is a truly idyllic setting, particularly its grounds. Rachel and Jordan chose to do the ceremony in the ruins of General William Bancroft’s castle. not everyone chooses this spot, and while it requires transportation for guests (provided by the venue, of course!), let me tell you…it. is. worth. it. You’re transported to what feels like the Irish countryside and that drive up and down the hill was complete with grazing cows brought in specifically for the ceremony and custom wood signs Rachel commissioned from a vendor on Etsy.
We kept the decor simple, enhancing all that the venue, and time of year, had to offer. My most favorite being were the terra cotta pots for the herbs that we gold leafed. Everything is better with gold, no?
Photography: Megan Braemore Photography | Videography: Chris Walsh Productions | Floral Design: Petal Floral Design | Invitations: Studio Slomo | Bridesmaids Dresses: Dessy Collection By Vivian Diamond | Bridesmaids Dresses: Jovani | Hair + Makeup: Danielle Keefe Artistry | Band: Now And Forevers | Bridal Gown: Paloma Blanca | Bridal Shoes: Louboutin | Bridesmaids' Robes: Silk And More | Ceremony + Reception: The Barn At Gibbet Hill | Design, Styling + Day-of Paper Goodies: mStarr event design | Escort Card + Mr & Mrs Wood Sign Calligraphy: Laura Hooper Calligraphy | Escort Card Tags: Tasteful Tatters | Rentals: New England Country Rentals | Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic | Wood Signage: Rak Design On Etsy