Vibrant Garden Party Wedding at Glen Foerd Mansion Complete With a Surprise Strawberry Moon

The Vision was to have a vibrant and luminous garden party. She wanted the overall feel to be both of sophisticated and light hearted. Her guests would be encouraged to discover and engage with the beauty of this historic mansion while being dined and celebrated. One thing Audrey couldn't plan was the memorable strawberry moon that graced the evening later on making this explosive and vibrant summer garden wedding that much more unforgettable!

Jon and I got engaged at one of our favorite spots in the Philadelphia area - the Wissahickon trail. When we moved to the East Falls area, we needed to find areas to walk our husky, Leo, and once we found it, we made it a family outing at least weekly. On 10/22/22 we went for what I thought was a typical walk and was surprised by a photographer near the water with a picnic set up. I was completely shocked to the point where I had asked Jon to get out of the way of the photographer, to which he replied, “Audrey, it’s for us.” We had a picnic near the river with champagneIt was the best day and we traveled back home to an engagement party with our family and friends. There was so much joy!

I found my dress at DayDream Bridal in Ardmore, PA while shopping with my Mom. I went to three places that day, and this appointment was the first of the day. The moment I tried the dress on, I had it in my heart that it was the one but I wanted to honor my other appointments. I compared each dress I tried on after that appointment to that one, and I knew it was the one. I went back the following week to formally purchase it. I went with something I didn’t think I would. I walked in wanting sleeves and embellishments and went for something simple and classic and loved every single thing about it!

The bridesmaids all wore their own unique gown. Audrey gave them the guidance of length and color while letting them get creative playing with their own unique style! All of the ladies would be dressed in a baby pink differing subtly in color! Some ladies wore dresses that had ruffles, embellishments and even bows!

The groom and the groomsmen would be dressed in a classic black suit! this was the perfect way to ensure that the evening felt elevated and sophisticated!

Passed Hors d'Oeuvres: Smoked Mushroom Flatbreads Roasted Vegetable Bruschetta on French baguette crostini (N) Mini Maryland Style Crab Cakes Bacon-Wrapped Scallops Asian Chicken Meatball Skewers Mini Philly Cheesesteak Sliders Vegetable Spring Rolls Mini Lobster Tacos Spring Salad: Mixed field greens, sliced strawberries, crisp celery, fresh chevre goat cheese, chopped parsley and white balsamic vinaigrette Entrees: Braised Short Ribs Slow-cooked boneless beef short ribs with demi-glace Herb-Encrusted Salmon With white wine caper sauce Stuffed Chicken Breast Stuffed with provolone and sun-dried tomatoes with pesto garlic sauce (N) Grilled Tofu with Red Curry Firm tofu, marinated in spicy red curry, grilled and served with curry-infused seasonal vegetables. Served with basmati rice (GF, Vegan) Above Served With... Green Beans with lemon and garlic Roasted Potatoes with herbs and garlic (GF) Dessert Course: Dessert Station Seasonal dessert shooters (N) Mini cookies (N) Dessert bars (N) macarons & mini tarts (N) Passed Gelato & Sorbet Bites Delicious and eye-catching chilled desserts (N) Drinks: We really wanted to make sure we had something for everyone on our bar menu so rather than two signature drinks, we went for an array of cocktails and other options and they seemed to be a hit! Cocktails: Aperol Spritz- Aperol, Prosecco, Club Soda Cucumber Refresher- Cucumber Vodka, simple syrup, fresh lime juice, club soda Old Fashioned- Whiskey and bitters muddled with a sugar cube Paloma- Tequila, fresh lime juice, grapefruit fresca soda, simple syrup Rosemary Greyhound- Vodka, Rosemary Simple Syrup, fresh grapefruit juice, club soda Espresso Martini- Vodka, Mr. Black, Cold Brew

Vine and Oak took creative design of the entire day! Jackie has a way of leaving her brides breathless with her vision! She created a bouquet that was even more playful and whimsical than Audrey could have imagined! The pops of color were paired perfectly and would fulfill the vision of a cheerful sunny summer garden party! Their seating chart was a gorgeous structure that had a variety of florals in vases placed throughout! Later on guests would be able to enjoy a lounge that had couches and chairs complimenting the vibrant palette of the day! One of my favorite details was the small lamps placed on the tables to really evoke an inviting and warm feeling of emotion for the night!

Our cake was inspired by strawberry shortcake as it was the first full day of Summer and we love it (it also reminds us of our Dads as it was their favorite, too). We had a vanilla cake, vanilla buttercream icing with fresh strawberry slices. On our wedding day, it happened to be the first full moon of summer called the strawberry moon so it was very fitting!

We chose to put together traditional vows with our own spin to them that felt like us. We also wrote each other letters in our vow books and read them privately the morning of our wedding day before we each got ready. We each had a dance with our Moms, and I also surprised my brother with a dance to Heart of Life by John Mayer. Our first dance was “Evermore” by Hollow Coves. As soon as we heard it, we knew it would be a contender for our dance since the lyrics spoke to our story and relationship. Our DJ played fun, upbeat dance music the entire night. Despite the heat wave that hit Philly that week, our DJ did a fabulous job keeping the party going once the dancing opened.

We made sure to incorporate details from our Fathers on our wedding day in my bouquet and photos of them on the fireplace mantel with a sign saying “With us, you’ll always be.” Jon and I are very family oriented so we incorporated wedding day pictures from our parents and grandparents as well.

My Mom and I both had a strawberry moon on our wedding nights which is so special. She has been my best friend throughout life so I love that we share that detail on our wedding days.

We went into the day wanting to be present for all of it. We both walked away feeling like we got to connect with our loved ones, while really being present enjoying the special moments throughout the night.