Drawing inspiration from the plush gardens of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, this Bride and Groom transformed the beautiful, sleek lines of Boston’s State Room into a classic, New England wedding. With pretty flowers, invitations designed by the graphic designer Bride and Boston Common Band to keep everyone on the dance floor all night, this couple pulled off their vision and made sure all the guests enjoyed their special day. See it all from Lauren Methia Photography in The Vault!
From The Bride…I met Brett at Syracuse University in 2006, just 3 days before he graduated, while I was just finishing up my sophomore year. We discovered we had been in a lecture together the entire semester but had never connected. So after unknowingly being at the same school for 2 years, we started our relationship back at our parents’ homes at opposite ends of Massachusetts (how’s that for timing?). Brett moved to Boston a year later, and when I graduated in 2008, I headed straight for the coast to start our life together, finally in the same city.
As the days of wedding planning began, we were torn. We had fallen in love with Newport, Rhode Island after our engagement amongst the stunning views on the Cliff Walk. It would be a gorgeous setting for our nautical loving selves to tie the knot (pun intended). But when it came down to it, Boston was just—it was us. We couldn’t think of anything better than hosting all of our loved ones in our beloved city. We couldn’t wait to share it with everyone and show them everything we loved about this beautiful, historic, small town of a city.
We surprised ourselves when we chose the State Room as our venue—a sprawling modern space that starkly contrasted our classic New England style. But we loved the blank slate of the room which enabled us to design it exactly how we wanted. No rugs or wallpaper or drapes to compete with. But most of all, we loved the focal point of this space, which displayed the driving force behind our wedding inspiration: a two story panoramic view of Boston Harbor.
Our vision was set: soft and classic with vintage nautical touches, all inside of a bold modern space. We knew we wanted to soften the look by bringing in natural elements of varying textures; our inspiration came from the plush gardens of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard (our annual vacation destination). These varying shades of natural greens and muted warm floral tones set the foundation of our color palette along with the weathered gray of the cedar homes native to coastal New England. We were also greatly inspired by textures: wood, brass, lace, moss, rope, all used in unison; it gave so much dimension and character. All these elements set against a Boston skyscraper—we were thrilled with the result. It was classic and timeless, with an unexpected twist…which just so happened to be my same goal I had in looking for a gown. I can’t thank my mom enough for all of her help with the details. Her impeccable eye kept us on track the whole way.
As a graphic designer, I was pumped to design my invite set and paper products. I can’t tell you how much time I spent from sketching ideas to refining each piece. I knew I wanted letter press from the start, and was even able to help with the printing process. I cut the paper, inked the press, and ran the machine: it was so immensely satisfying to physically create these pieces from start to finish. The program was another favorite, which featured amazing little illustrations of the bridal party by one of my bridesmaids. (My friends are all so talented, it’s silly.)
We scheduled a lot of time for photos before the wedding, not wanting to miss any of our favorite Boston backdrops. We loved the idea of being able to spend some time together, calming our nerves before the big event. A trolley took us around the city from the Seaport to the Public Gardens to the historic Boston Public Library. At this last stop, we arrived to find a pride flag flying proudly above the city, as just one day before, the supreme court made it’s landmark decision on same-sex marriages. We were so overjoyed to share our special weekend with a nation-wide celebration of love. As Justice Anthony M. Kennedy stated that day, “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were.” What a weekend for a wedding!
Our biggest goal for the reception was just to throw a damn good party. We were so thankful to have all our loved ones together with us on our special day and wanted everyone to be enjoying themselves just as much as us. Our marriage could not be without all the people who support us and love us, so it was important to us that this was a celebration for us all. Thus, it became my husband’s obsession to find the perfect band, which he did. We did not step off that dance floor (and neither did our guests!) the entire night.
I could go on and on and on about our wedding, the details, the people, the perfect moments and the inevitable mishaps… but I’ll leave it with this: I truly would not have changed one thing.
Photography: Lauren Methia Photography | Event Planning: Simeral & Co. | Floral Design: Les Fleurs | Wedding Dress: JLM Couture, Inc | Cake: I Dream of Jeanne Cakes | Invitations: Seaside Paperie | Bride's Shoes: Kate Spade | Makeup: Danielle Keefe Artistry | Hair: Salon 142 | Band: Boston Common Band | Favors: Garrett's Popcorn | Groom's Attire: Hugo Boss | Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux | Ceremony Music: Divina Strings | Transportation: Old Town Trolley | Venue: State Room: A Longwood Venue | Bridal Boutique: Madeleine's Daughter | Groom's Accessories: Brooks Brothers | Groom's Cufflinks: Tiffany & Co. | Guest Book: Cardtorial | Mother Of Bride Dress: BHLDN | Raw Bar: Island Creek Oysters | Rentals: Table Toppers of Newton | Sunglasses: Knockaround | Welcome Bags: Seaside Paperie