When rustic meets romantic in a beautiful Vermont setting, magical things happen. Magical things like breathtaking blooms from Middlebury Floral & Gifts + the groom’s mother, the fab stylings of Wile Events and a crazy cool list of DIY projects that are chock-full of personality. Ashley Caroline Photography was on hand to capture every stunning moment and THE VAULT is a definite must-see.
From the Bride… Trevor and I met in New York City six years ago, got engaged in Middlebury, Vermont (where we decided to marry) two years ago and made it official on September 12th of this year.
During a visit to Trevor’s hometown in Vermont – we were making our usual Maple Syrup run to a family friend who owns a gorgeous property and sugarhouse. Knowing my affections for reclaimed wood and rustic details, Trevor’s father asked if there was a possibility of us hosting the wedding there – and when they agreed, we never looked back. This private property & gorgeous barn was a stunning backdrop to my personal style and wedding inspiration. They had never held a wedding on the property, making it all that much more special.
Despite living in major cities for the last 15 years, we both grew up in small rural towns, and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. I wanted my personal style to shine through the event – I’m not bohemian, and I’m not completely rustic. So we avoided flower crowns, mason jars, and burlap and kept our aesthetic romantic and chic with a vintage feel.
Trevor and I incorporated some special elements into the wedding to really make it “ours.” I surprised Trevor by walking down the aisle to a string quartet playing Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe”. We only had one reading – it was a letter than Johnny Cash wrote to June Carter on her birthday. Trevor loves Johnny and had once written it to me on my birthday. Both of our paternal grandmothers have passed away, so as a tribute, I wore my grandmothers antique cameo ring down the aisle and had Trevor’s grandmother’s antique blue brooch attached to my bouquet.
We gifted our best men (that’s how we referenced them) the coolest chambray pocket squares from NY to Nashville – a small company I discovered on a business trip to Nash. We gave our best ladies initial necklaces on long gold chains by Brooklyn based jewelry designer, By boe, along with deep berry nail polish (my accent color) from Smith & Cult.
Our biggest challenge was photos. My husband and his groomsmen were almost all hockey players – and played together at Princeton & Taft. We had a lot of very tall guys and a few hockey mustaches to deal with. With a 5’0 bride – the result was a lot of strategic angles from our amazing photographer and a stiff neck.
We also fashion ourselves “foodies,” and used an amazing local farm to table restaurant to cater our wedding. The menu had a French countryside feel, and we served locally sourced items for our cheese & charcuterie table during cocktail hour. We also served local libations from Otter Creek Brewery, Woodchuck Cidery & Drop-inn Brewery.
With a VERY tight budget, this wedding was truly a labor of love. Our friends and family all contributed in ways to make my vision come to life. I do a lot of antiquing, and particularly collect antique barware, brass pieces and deer antlers. I came up with an idea to use the antique decanters I collect as our table numbers, along with using my brass candlestick holders and vases to create a romantic tablescape. Turns out, the 30 brass candlesticks I own aren’t enough to decorate an entire wedding – so my mother set out to collect over 500 pieces of brass over the last year. Yes, I said 500!!! Her efforts alone helped set the table (pun intended) for the perfect decor. We also used old crates, vintage maps, vintage cake/dessert platters, and old frames borrowed, shipped from our home, or collected by my mom throughout the wedding.
My wedding planner, Wile Events, custom-designed my save-the-date and invitation suite and had them custom printed. My request was a unique envelope liner – and they created a gorgeous guinea feather print that felt special and luxe.
Trevor’s Aunt & Uncle own a nursery and gifted us all of the succulents used throughout the wedding.
Trevor’s mom was a former florist and along with her sister, hand decorated the florals on our Arch. Our wedding planner and friends also took loose flowers to create supplemental arrangements for the tablescapes and décor.
Trevor’s father built us our Wedding Arch.
The best part of the night was when the two of us we were able to step outside of the barn filled with all of our guests – dancing and enjoying themselves and take it all in. We were surrounded by all of the most important people in our life. Bistro lights above us, I have to say it felt pretty magical.
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Photography: Ashley Caroline Photography | Floral Design: Middlebury Floral & Gifts (and Groom's Mother) | Wedding Dress: Watters | Bride's Shoes: Alexandre Birman | Jewelry: Dannijo | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Rory Beca | Catering: Tourterelle | Hair And Makeup: Kacie Corbelle | Band: Lowell Thompson And Crown Pilot | Venue: At Home | Bridesmaid Gifts-Initial Necklaces: By Boe | Event Planning & Styling: Wile Events | Groomsmen Pocket Squares: NY To Nashville | Succulents: Rolling Green Nursery NH | Tent Rentals: Vermont Tent Company