Here at SMP, we’ve got a lot (today and every day) to be thankful for. First up? This incredibly romantic garden wedding in Maine. It’s quintessential autumn tones set the scene for celebration, but it’ll be the sweet story below that’ll totally win you over. From their Irish inspired ceremony that took place under the watchful eye of a wayward porcupine (!!) to the undeniably beautiful barn reception, Emily Delamater Photography has got it all waiting for you to favorite via The Vault!
From the Bride… What happens when two New Hampshire transplants meet on New Year’s Eve in a Boston neighborhood bar, fall in love over common roots and new pursuits, and aspire for a ceremony that captures past, present, and future and pays homage to a shared love for New England? An autumn wedding in Maine.
Bride and groom, Kerry and Derek, chose Hidden Pond in Kennebunkport for their wedding celebration. Surrounded by the foliage of a classic New England forest and yet almost touched by the mist of the Atlantic Ocean, Hidden Pond wraps the rustic in quintessentially understated Maine refinement and seaside splendor. Our fondness for fall and the coast, for simplicity and elegance, made no concessions here.
Neither did Kate Martin and her wonderful staff. She brought together all of the delightfully disparate elements of the wedding portrait we wanted framed: white pumpkins, rich red and salmon colors, illuminated trees, flower arrangements with texture and depth, green vines, mercury glass, white birch, farm tables covered with candles, an overall feeling of “dreaminess.” And exquisitely framed it was, by the lovely photography of Emily Delamater. Emily knows the perfect shot and has a special way of making even the smallest moments sparkle. We could not have achieved our wedding day aspirations without them.
We were married in the gardens of Hidden Pond, on a crisp but bright late October day, over traditional Irish music and under the watch of a wayward porcupine that wandered a bit too close to our ceremony. Bursts of color punctuated the scene as the trees surrounding this lovely little spot were still clinging to their last autumn leaves. From the warm apple cider to the smiling faces of our guests keeping warm under flannel blankets, it was a moment we won’t forget.
The cocktail hour was held in the Hidden Pond Barn under a canopy of twinkle lights that glittered almost as much as the bridesmaid dresses. The cocktail hour featured some of Maine’s finest offerings, prepared by one of Maine’s finest restaurants, Hidden Pond’s Earth: mini- lobster rolls, grilled cheeses with heirloom tomatoes, and some good local beer – Bissell Brother’s Substance and Maine Beer Company’s Mo. A dinner of lobster gnocchi and slow- roasted lamb followed, lit by table candles and grapevine chandeliers created by Kate’s team at Beautiful Days.
The reception featured one of New Hampshire’s most celebrated and movable wedding traditions (brought to us by Derek’s college buddies): the University of New Hampshire “dance rug,” on which nearly every wedding guest, young and old, must step and perform some action approximating a dance move before they are acquitted for the evening. The dance party that followed was sustained by everyone’s fall favorite, apple cider donuts, freshly baked by Earth, and Maine blueberry wedding cake, prepared locally by Gayle Forte at Let Them Eat Cake.
It was important that the day felt personal to us. We wanted in some modest way to capture ourselves, where we came from, where we found each other, and where we hope we’re heading.
Our wedding celebration ended up capturing us, expressing the pure joy of our love for one another and for our guests so effortlessly that the only thing we could do and wanted to do was get on the dance rug and enjoy each and every minute of it.
Photography: Emily Delamater Photography | Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier | Cake: Let Them Eat Cake | Invitations: El's Cards | Bridesmaids' Dresses: BHLDN | Makeup : Joya Beauty | Hair: Hair That Moves | Officiant: Friend | Ceremony Music: Boghat | Transportation : Intown Trolley | Venue: Hidden Pond | Tent Rental : Exeter Rentals | Ceremony and Reception Catering: Hidden Pond | Event Design, Flowers, Decor + Lighting, Coordination: Beautiful Days | Linens : BBJ La Tavola | Reception Music: Keros Entertainment | Rentals : Peterson Party Center