When the Groom is one of the masterminds behind Dels Frozen Lemonade, New England’s favorite summer sip, you know the wedding is going to be full of fun, summer vibes. And this Massachusetts wedding so is. With a frozen lemonade cart, lawn games and music from Boston Common Band, this Willowdale Estate wedding is simply perfect. See it all from KL Imagery and Frame & Anchor in The Vault!
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From Willowdale Estate…Dell’s Frozen Lemonade is *the* summer drink in New England, and when one of the owners (Matt) married his incredibly chic bride (Whitney) they just had to have the most classic, beautiful summer celebration complete with a frozen lemonade cart, lawn games mixed with effortlessly with gorgeous formal elements.
From The Bride…My inspiration was elegant and rustic romance! ‘Elegance’ and ‘Rustic’ may seem like a strange juxtaposition, but I think it really sums up the feel behind our Wedding Day. Willowdale Estate with it’s tent, mansion, garden, and the surrounding grounds was a perfect location for this. We are both laid back and love the outdoors and wanted that reflected, as well as to provide a beautiful reception and great party that did not sacrifice the details. We had tufted couches paired with vintage seating, antique gold lanterns alongside geometric glass terrariums with moss and white and blush flowers, and white antler place card holders with gold mercury glass candles. Guests could sip on Del’s lemonade or strawberry rhubarb champagne while playing cornhole or snacking on mini lobster rolls. It really showed both sides of us!
We met in a very unique way (Whitney lived in Minnesota and Matt lived in Massachusetts but we met on a bus in Australia. Whitney got the last seat available on the bus which happened to be next to Matt. The bus broke down and we were stuck together for hours before getting to our destination…we’ve been together ever since!) We wanted our wedding day to also be uniquely “us” as well and it was those personalized touches really made the day special for us. Both of Matt’s parents are from Rhode Island so it has a special place in our hearts. Matt is owner of the Del’s Lemonade in Cumberland, RI so we had a cart serving the frozen lemonade to guests as they arrived. To showcase our love of the outdoors, moss and flowers were a theme throughout the indoors and outdoors. Our first look was on the bridge by the river running though the Willowdale Estate property. Matt enjoys hunting and fishing so antler accents were shown throughout the decor, and small antler tines were incorporated into the groomsmen’s boutonnieres. We had a sophisticated s’mores station (Whitney’s favorite treat since childhood!), and Minnesota and Massachusetts shaped cookies were given to our guests as they departed. Whitney’s mother, a talented cook, created a signature cocktail using Strawberries and Rhubarb from farms in Minnesota, which Willowdale bartenders mixed and served throughout the evening. Near the end of the evening, we served french fries and grilled cheeses from Willowdale Catering – I think our guests are still talking about them! It was the perfect snack after dancing the night away!
The Boston Common Band was amazing and made the whole day, from the beginning of the ceremony to the end of the evening, stress-free as far as music was concerned. Not only was there a DJ for the ceremony music and the full band and DJ for the reception – they also covered the cocktail hour by playing jazz music on the piano inside the mansion. They made everyone dance and had some pretty amazing moves of their own.
One of my favorite moments of the day was our first dance. Unbeknownst to us, the wedding party pocketed some of the flower petals we used during our recession down the aisle after the ceremony, and showered us with them during our first dance. Our song was “This Magic Moment” by the Drifters….and it certainly was!
Our Nephew was our ring bearer but was still too young to walk. We had the flower girl pull him down in a vintage wagon found (along with other great antiques like our victorian chair) at the Wrentham Country Store. One of my favorite gifts that was also showcased on our wedding cake table was the custom hand embroidered linen from the Etsy shop StrawberryAndIvy (Whitney’s MOH) She also designed our card box made from a vintage wooden microscope box. Dogwood Floral made absolutely beautiful and romantic flower arrangements and table scapes. She took time to listen to what I wanted, created a sample to ensure we were on the same page, and delivered above and beyond on the day of the wedding.
I also can’t say enough about our Videographer, Evan, from Frame and Anchor. From the first time we spoke to after the video was edited and sent to us, he was so informative, approachable, professional, and made us feel comfortable and involved in the process.
We took on some DIY projects too! The seating chart and other signage was created using frames, moss, and printed material. In order to create an “indoor” lounge area feel outside, we brought in furniture, a coffee table, and customized pillows to arrange under the bistro lights near the reception area. We spray painted tiny clothes pins gold and attached packets of petals to our ceremony programs for the petal toss recession. We also created packages for the kids that would be in attendance at the dinner (coloring books, etc). Because we are from different states and had family and friends coming from near and far, it was also important to us to create a sincere thank you note for everyone. We created these with the help of minted.com and slid them under the place cards. We also created a flip-flop display by the dance floor so guests could dance in comfort. The most time consuming but rewarding DIY project was creating the favors. They were cookies shaped like Massachusetts and Minnesota and decorated in icing with a small heart where our hometowns are located. They were packaged with a heart cookie in-between them and given to our guests as they departed.
Photography: Kelly Lorenz Imagery | Cinematography: Frame & Anchor | Wedding Dress: Amsale | Cake: Eat Cake! | Bride's Shoes: Caparros | Bridesmaids' Dresses: J.Crew | Catering: Willowdale Estate | Hair + Makeup: Blusing Brides | Band: Boston Common Band | Favors: Mother of the Bride | Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse | Transportation: McGinn Bus | Venue: Willowdale Estate | Beverage Services: Del's Lemonade | Bride's Earrings: Glitz & Love | Cake Topper: Better Off Wed | Card Box: StrawberryAndIvy | Custom Letters: Bride + Groom | Custom Matchbooks: The Knot Wedding Shop | Escort Cards: Bride | Floral Design + Lantern Decor: Dogwood Floral Design | Flower Girl Dress: CANDY GIRL DRESS | Getting Ready Custom Shirt: PrettyPersonalGifts | Place Cards: Devin Brown
