This Couple's Romantic Garden Wedding Is Full Of Pretty Pink Blooms
Libby and Dillon are big nature lovers which made Willowdale Estate an ideal location for them to exchange vows. Nestled in the rural woods of Massachusetts is this charming, stone, building with old-world charm. They wanted this to remain a central design element throughout their wedding day.
Libby and Dillon first met in the library at Washington University in St. Louis in 2013 when Libby was a sophomore and Dillon was a junior. Libby went up to Dillon and introduced herself, and thankfully Dillon was smart enough to ask Libby to lunch. Thus, their friendship began in college, but it was not until they were actually living in separate cities that they finally began dating. Both realizing how special the other person was and that distance could not keep them apart, Dillon and Libby began flying back and forth between Chicago and New York while Dillon was in medical school and Libby was a researcher. They quickly made up for lost time since college, whether it was skiing in Colorado, traveling to Singapore for a wedding, or Dillon living in New York for four months while he was interviewing for anesthesiology residencies and Libby was applying to medical schools to ultimately become a head and neck surgeon; they quickly knew that they could not live without each other. In 2018, Libby and Dillon moved to Boston together as she started medical school and he started residency. Through the challenges of work and school, the excitement of exploring Boston and going on trips around the world, supporting each other during the pandemic, and finding enjoyment in the little things in life such as cooking and petting strangers’ dogs in the nearby dog park, Libby and Dillon continued to fall deeply in love. On June 20, 2020, Dillon and Libby went down to the dock at Dillon’s lake house in Maine to go fishing, and to Libby’s surprise, Dillon pulled out the ring that he had hidden in his fishing tackle box. As lovers of nature, Libby and Dillon wanted to have an outdoor wedding. They found the perfect venue in Willowdale Estate in Topsfield, MA with its beautiful courtyard and elegant tent. Dillon quickly began the process of finding the perfect band, which was a challenge during the pandemic without an opportunity to see live showcases. Fortunately, The Connection sounded even better on the wedding day than they did on their website. Meanwhile, Libby began the process of planning every other aspect of the wedding. Fast forward to May 29, 2022; Dillon was tearfully trying to get through his vows to Libby under the incredible flower Chuppah designed by Green Lion Design. After saying, “I do” and indulging in some incredible hors d'oeuvres, they began their first dance in front of all of their friends and family. Despite hours of rehearsing this dance, they almost immediately lost track of the choreography with all the excitement, but thankfully no one could tell that they were improvising as Dillon swung Libby around in circles. In the end, it was the perfect night. Dillon and Libby could not have imagined this start to their married lives when they first met in the library all those years ago.
A gorgeous Anne Barge gown with applique's throughout the fabric was a stunning fit on Libby. It accentuated her tiny waist while giving volume at the bottom. In the sun, it caught the light in such a way that she looked as though she was glowing and the veil brought the entire look together. It incorporated the same applique design and truly brought out Libby's joy from the moment she put it on. Her gown showed her true beauty and she looked as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside.
Dillon, our groom, wore a custom tuxedo from Classic Tuxedo in Boston. His perfectly tailored look made all the difference. The cut of his classic black suit paired with a bowtie brought out the formality of the day and was an ideal match for Libby's embellished gown.
For passed appetizers guests were served chicken satay, Korean BBQ beef lettuce wrap, mushroom spring roll, sesame cauliflower bites, and zucchini fritters. Dinner was started with a farm green salad with a butternut squash soup shooter followed by the main course of cod, braised beef short rib and a vegan mushroom risotto. For dessert, Libby and Dillon wanted something fun and provided cookies by Willowdale Estate (the venue) and cupcakes from Georgetown cupcakes.
Florals were the main detail and focus in Libby and Dillon's wedding day design. Immediately upon kickoff of their wedding day, the floral arch captured their guest's attention as the central design element of their ceremony. The rich, bold tones were impeccably designed by Green Lion Design and truly were a work of art. Thinking a bit outside the box and making a color statement is something Green Lion Design did in perfect taste and it was a breath of fresh air. Reception florals added height and kept with a natural elegance and classic feel while bringing the outside into the tent.
In lieu of a wedding cake, the bride and groom opted for Georgetown Cupcakes for their guests and shared an adorable "cupcake cut" privately with one another. They also had their favorite cookies mixed provided by the venue into the dessert spread for a fun snack to grab and bring to the dance floor.
Throughout the wedding entrance and in the venue pictures of Libby and Dillon's story throughout med school and their relationship were on display. It was so clear to everyone present how much they loved one another and how perfect of a fit they are. Seeing images of them in scrubs, hiking, and their engagement session, showcased all aspects of their life on their big day.
