Vermont Weddings

The red, black and white color palette of this Vermont farm wedding is just perfectly coordinated right down to the spots on the dairy cows. Love when you can get the farm animals to cooperate like that! In all seriousness, everything from the pinwheel bridesmaid bouquets, hoola hoop carrying “ring bearers” and fabulous red balloons spattered about the event just makes this farm wedding anything but typical. It’s captured in serious style by Studio Atticus Photography, and you can eat it all up in the full gallery!

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From Studio Atticus Photography… Kelly and Paul’s southern Vermont wedding embodied romance, vision, and imagination. The ceremony was held outdoors in “Field 7” of Norwich Farm. The Dairy Farm holds a special place in the groom’s heart, as he had worked there milking cows while Kelly attended Graduate school in the area. After a post ceremony snack near the barns, the guests were transported to the Path of Life garden, where they enjoyed cocktails in a sculpture garden and then moved on to a tented reception.

Unique elements of the event included a black, white, and red theme that punctuated every aspect of the celebration, pinwheels for the bridesmaids instead of bouquets, giant metallic hoola hoops for the “ring bearers” to carry down the aisle, a red megaphone for one of the youngest attendants to announce “the bride is coming!” during the processional, red balloons, black and white cows, an accordion player who serenaded everyone during cocktail hour, and a perfectly gorgeous September day.

Wedding Photography: Connie Miller of Studio Atticus Photography / Music: DJ Addam / Wedding Cake: Irene’s Cakes by Design / Ceremony Venue: Norwich Farm / Catering: Occasions Catering / Reception Venue: Path of Life Sculpture Garden / Floral Design: Petals Floral Design / Tent Rental: Rain or Shine / Bride’s Dress: Reem Acra / Bride’s Shoes: Marc Jacobs

Rich in traditions both old and new, this sweet as can be Vermont wedding by Orchard Cove Photography is just as classic as they come. With a 200-year-old farmhouse to set the scene and an equally endearing couple, it perfectly displays all that is wonderful about timeless weddings. If you ask me, old-fashioned is very in fashion when it come to weddings, and there is more old-fashioned, timelessness to devour in the full gallery.

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From the Bride… We wanted an old-fashioned wedding at home and to really make history where we are putting down roots: on our farm in Vermont. I imagined a rural wedding with our guests parading through our meadows and long harvest tables for the wedding feast – it was even more beautiful than I could have anticipated. Getting married on our 200-year-old farm was perfect. It made our home sacred.

Our wedding was rustic and romantic; mercury-glass bowls on the tables with crimson pears and dusky purple figs, ivory pillar candles in glass canning jars, linen napkins. We wanted the pictures of the day to be interchangeable with other centuries.  Finn has a background in bookmaking, so he designed and sewed our wedding invitations, which were delivered sealed with scarlet wax.  Our friends wove an arbor for us from grapevines and draped it with black and crimson berries. It was really gratifying to use the services of our friends and neighbors. Our friend, who runs a local chocolate shop, made organic black-rum caramels for favors, which we wrapped in brown paper and sealed with wax. She also made our wedding cake and was mother of the flower girl!

I think we started a lot of traditions that day. But one tradition Finn and I shared with our guests was five minutes of Quaker silence during our ceremony. It was long enough to really bring us all into the blessing of the moment.  The candles were lit by each of our mothers as in a normal unity candle tradition, but instead of a unity candle, Finn’s parents built a luminaria behind the altar, which is the type of structure that is burned on sacred days in the pueblo where they live in New Mexico. The luminaria and altar were both on the site of Finn’s proposal.  A gun was fired by Finn’s Dad to alert the wedding party to start the procession. Finn and his Dad elk hunt together and my dad was a lifetime writer for Sports Afield and Field & Stream (hunting & fishing magazines), so firing a muzzle loader seemed appropriate. Also, our house is on major Revolutionary War ( and I think French & Indian War) ground.

My favorite part of the day was reaching Finn at the altar, who was weeping. And vowing to be his wife, this day and every day.  My veil flew off in the wind right after we were pronounced husband and wife. No matter. Finn scooped me up and carried me down the aisle.

Wedding Ceremony & Reception: Bride & Groom’s Home / Wedding Photography: Orchard Cove Photography / Catering: Kathleen of Bevo / Florist: Hollyhocks / Wedding Gown: Wearkstatt via Deb at Sewly Yours / Bride’s Shoes: Cydwoq / Bride’s Hair: Shear Cuts / Hair Accessories: Bride’s Head Revisited / Groom’s Suit: Michael Kehoe Ltd. / Wedding Cake & Favors: Daily Chocolate / Event Rentals: Celebration Rentals, Inc. / Place Cards: Timeless Paper

If I had ONE word to describe this New England wedding, it would be happy. Yes, of course. All of our weddings are happy. But this one ~ from Orchard Cove Photography ~ it’s just more happy. Filled with brilliant blues and apple greens, set in the spring in an idyllic New England town … it’s just more. Add to that a super-adorable couple and Amanda’s award-winning style … well, it all makes us pretty certain that you’ll leave here with a smile on your face!

See the whole gallery here!

Head on over to Orchard Cove’s blog for even more fabulous shots from this terrific celebration!

Becca and Brendan, The Old Round Church,
Richmond, VT

I grew up in Vermont, so we had decided that it was a perfect location for our June wedding. We wanted a wedding ceremony location that was indoors, just in case it rained. The Old Round Church was perfect–right across the street from close family friend’s home–and we loved the history behind it and the fact that we would be able to visit the location in many years to come. The Old Round Church has such a beautiful, simple New England feel to it that we adore. It was nice that it didn’t need to be overly decorated to still be beautiful! We scouted out many venues for our reception and were so lucky to have found The Essex! The atrium at The Essex continued that simple style that the Old Round Church had. With wall to wall windows, the Atrium looked like a greenhouse and the twinkle lights from the rafters sealed the deal. What we fell in love with the most at The Essex was the location for the cocktail hour, which was held next to the Atrium in their patio/herb garden. This allowed for our guests to walk around the garden area and enjoy the culinary works of the kitchen that were all part of the Vermont Culinary Institute!

The décor for the wedding was meant to hold on to the simplicity of the Old Round Church and The Essex Atrium. If we had to categorize the wedding, I would say it would be casual-elegant style. Our favorite colors are blue and green, so we used navy blue and grass green as our main colors, which work so well off of each other. Originally, we couldn’t decide on a theme, but we fell in love with our “falling leaves” invitations and loved the idea of incorporating a leaf theme into the wedding. We utilized the leaf theme throughout the wedding and reception and pulled in green apples to complete the design. Green apple and leaves were used in the escort cards, table numbers, and cocktail hour decoration. Some elements of our reception were DIY, including the table numbers which were made out of apple stamps with the numbers in calligraphy by my sister Jane. The escort cards were green apples with two green cardstock leaves. In silver paint-pens, my father wrote out the guest names on the larger leaf and the table number on the smaller one. These leaves were pinned into the apple stem to make it look like real apple leaves!

With the atrium at The Essex being all white, we wanted to pull in our colors to make the room “pop” against the walls. We used navy blue, white, and green Chinese lanterns of different sizes to decorate the area above the dance floor. We also used navy blue tablecloths with white linens and green flowers to make the guest tables stand out. Our flowers were such a huge highlight of our wedding, which really pulled the reception together by bringing the more natural element into the room.

Above all else, we value family and traditions in our wedding. It was extremely important to us to incorporate these into both the wedding and reception. Brendan’s strong Irish heritage was used frequently in the wedding. Nancy from A Schoolhouse Garden put in Bells of Ireland into the bouquets and centerpieces to honor his heritage. In addition, we had Brendan’s mother read the Irish Blessing and we used a celtic oathing stone during our vows. The Celtic Oathing Stone was something we read about and thought that it would be a perfect addition to the wedding. It is said in Celtic tradition that when vows are said while holding the stone (usually a river stone) that they will be “set into stone”.

Our ceremony recessional was to the tune of Jerry’s Beaver Hat, a traditional Irish fiddle tune. We downplayed the Irish traditions in the reception with the exception of the last dance. It was extremely important to both of us to have “The Parting Glass” played as the last song of the reception. This song is a very old Irish song that was traditionally sung at the end of gatherings of family and friends. A fun note—it was actually the original Auld Lang Syne song! We felt that this song said everything that we wanted to say to our guestsabout togetherness, love, and the importance of close family and friends in our life. It was perfect.

On my side, my heritage is more of a melting pot. My details were inspired by my mother and the strong women on her side who were from Slovenia. To incorporate a little bit of blue into the bridal bouquet, I chose to have a few blossoms of Iris in there, which also were the flowers used in my mother’s wedding bouquet. I was extremely close to my Grandmother on my mother’s side. She had passed away in 2008 and I wanted to honor her memory and keep her close on my wedding day. I purchased a pin locket for my bouquet in which I placed a photograph of Grandma. It was pinned to the bouquet for the entirety of the wedding and it was amazing to be able to hold her memory in my hands as I walked down the aisle. My second cousin had found a pin owned by our Great-Grandmother in an old snuff jar and sent it to me on our wedding day. It was worn by our Great-Grandmother on her wedding day in 1910 and I was fortunate enough to continue that tradition one-hundred years later. I found a place for it and it was pinned inside my gown by my heart. Finally, I found a beautiful hand painted parasol that I fell in love with for the wedding. From Etsy.com the parasol was white and the word “love” was painted on the top. I felt that it would be amazing to have for photographs and it spoke to what the day was about—being in love.

Favorite parts of the day …
Becca – It is nearly impossible to choose my favorite part of the day. It’s amazing that everyone always says that your wedding day is the best day of your life—and it is SO true! If I had to choose one it would have to be dancing to the last song of the night, “The Parting Glass” a traditional Irish song that is played at the end of a joyous occasion. I think that was the moment that we were able to reflect on how amazing the whole day truly had been, and we were able to look back on all the other countless memories that were made that day.

Brendan – My most vivid memory has to be when Becca and I read the vows we had written to each other. I was very nervous about saying something so personal to a group of people that were so close to us. When it came time to say my vows, I had to resort to my notes in my pocket, and I began reading them out of order. That moment added a sense of humor to our ceremony, which was great because laughter is such an integral part of Becca and my relationship. When it came time to hear the vows that Becca had prepared, my nervousness melted away. The biggest surprise had to be when Becca sang “Here, There, and Everywhere” by the Beatles to me during the reception. It is one of our favorite songs, and I kept pushing to have our musicians play it during the ceremony, and Becca refused. I wasn’t sure why she didn’t want it played, but when she sang it in front of all of our family and friends it was a great moment.

One unexpected thing that happened…
During our first dance we had a truly unique and hilarious moment. While we were dancing to Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together”, Brendan’s grandfather decided to steal the stage from us. We couldn’t stop laughing as he danced around us making a scene for the whole room to experience. While the moment is a little bittersweet because it showed a bit of senility on his grandfather’s part, we were able to laugh through the moment and it ended up being some of the best photographs of the night. It will be nice to look back on that moment in years to come and remember not only our first dance, but also Brendan’s Grandfather having a blast dancing to Al Green too!

A few words of advice…
Plan in advance if you can and don’t procrastinate! If you get more done earlier in your engagement then you will be able to enjoy those last months a little more leading up to your wedding day. Also remember that no matter how much you plan in advance there will always be one or two details you missed…and it’s okay. If you have a lot of DIY details, make sure that you ask for help from friends, family, and your fiancé!

Also, your photographs are going to be the one thing that will capture the special moments from your wedding. In our opinion, the choice of your photographer is going to be the most important decision in the planning process. Do your research and make sure that their style fits yours. You won’t regret it when you see your photographs for the first time after your big day!

On the day of your wedding, drink some chamomile tea if you’re nervous and enjoy being around your closest friends and family. Make sure to take a moment to look up during dinner and take the entire reception in. Dance the night away and allow yourself to be okay when your hairdo falls out or if things don’t go perfectly. Do not take one moment for granted, as the night goes by in a flash!

Photographer: Orchard Cove Photography / Floral Designer: A Schoolhouse Garden / Cake Designer: The Essex – NECI / Caterer: The Essex – NECI / Invitations & Menus – 123print.com / Donation Cards & Save the Dates – Vista Print / Becca’s Dress – Paloma Blanca / Bridesmaid’s Dresses – Ann Taylor / Oathing Stone & Parasol – Etsy / DJ – Paul Pecor from Super Sounds

The next wedding is a little ray of sunshine during these cold, winter months.  I adore the birds and twigs throughout the decor representing the two family trees joining together.  Scrumptious pops of lemony yellow hues and sweet little touches, like the embroidered tablecloths, warm up this remarkable, rustic Vermont barn.  There is more from Orchard Cove Photography in the full gallery!

Click here for more inspiration in the full wedding gallery!

James and I grew-up in rural areas- Pennsylvania and New Hampshire respectively- so we really wanted to have that remote getaway feeling at our wedding. Initially we looked into vineyards, but ultimately fell in love with the idea of getting married on a farm in Vermont. The appeal of The Round Barn Farm for us was the feeling that it was our family farm and we could have most of our family stay with us throughout the wedding weekend. Also, the farm is not only beautiful, but produces and serves only local, sustainable, organic foods- yum.

Because our wedding weekend was focused on family I wanted our decor to be symbolic of that so we chose to go with a theme of birds and trees. Trees and twigs represented our family tree and our love of nature and the birds when in a set of two were symbolic of James and I joining two families together. Also, we went with a modern color scheme of grey and yellow, which against the country farm setting was a nice contrast that represents our personality. We wanted to keep things focused on nature and simplicity, after all we were getting married on a Vermont farm, but at the same time have an air of sophistication. I was able to throw in some vintage touches as well, which I love- my birdcage veil, an actual vintage birdcage, the bridesmaid’s dresses in an A-line silhouette, and two old metal milking jugs (we got married on an old dairy farm) filled with sticks and flowers that flanked us at the ceremony.  James and I really did our own thing. We have many families and many who love us so we did want to honor them in small touches. Our one living grandparent, my Meme, walked down the aisle first, I carried my other grandmother’s handkerchief, and we played some Irish and French songs in celebration of our heritage.

I loved the intimate moments that we experienced in the first look, just after the ceremony, and even during our first dance- just looking at the man I love and know that today was our day, it was lovely and surreal. We really enjoyed hearing the loving thoughts and memories in toasts from our family and friends. And throughout the day it was wonderful just seeing everyone have a really good time- it meant we succeeded in planning a fun and memorable wedding for our guests.  My most vivid memory of the day is the exchange of our vows. We wrote them together and it really reflected us. James chose to read them from note paper (he knew it would be difficult to remember up there), but I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I lost my memory of the vows and could barely choke out the words. I had no idea that I would get so emotional, but I’m very happy I just let it happen, it felt natural and happy. I loved our ceremony.

Wedding Photography: Orchard Cove Photography / Wedding Venue: Round Barn Farm / Florist: The Blue Toad Flower Shop / Band:  The Goodtime Stringband/ Bride’s Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Bride’s Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Anthropologie / Hair: Leave it to Laurie / Cupcakes: My Little Cupcake / Favors: Jed’s Maple Products

This Vermont wedding is full of good ol’ New England charm with a bit of DIY yumminess tucked in!  There are so many steal-worthy ideas from the handmade bird mobiles to a hula hooping reception!  Dreamlove Photography totally nailed it with their crisp and colorful images.  Wrap up in a blanket, grab a hot cider and check out the full gallery for more inspiration!

Click here to see the full wedding gallery!

The reception, upon first glance looked rustic, but elegant.  They used basic white tablecloths and simple flatware, but they filled almost every empty space with the most gorgeous and colorful flowers, laced with feathers and dried grasses.  Ball jars filled with flowers even hung from the ceiling!  They folded little wild flowers into the napkins on the plates, and used muted colored paper instead of table runners.  They used plant hangers (the pole kind that you push into the ground) and hung jars of flowers at the ends of each aisle for their super quaint outdoor ceremony. Chayah also hand-made sparrow mobiles to hang from the ceiling of the reception.  She used old scraps of fabric, and grapevine branches harvested from a local grower to mount the birds to!

Tiny christmas lights decorated the ceiling of their reception, and they were smart enough to bring in overhead heaters that were actually quite classy and kept everyone toasty.  To save on funds, Chayah and Mike hand picked antique dinner plates from various thrift shops and antique stores in New England.  Combined with using Ball jars for drinks, it really gave the tables a unique and old-farm feel.  Chayah and Mike had Primate Fiasco, a “psychadelic dixieland” band play long into the night!  Chayah even got up and sang her bluesy version of “Do the Hokey Pokey”, which threw the crowd into beautiful hysterics.

Chayah’s puppy, Athena, was the speedy ring-bearer, and quite the star of the show when ring time came around.  When the time came, she dashed down the aisle, with the rings dangling from a ribbon around her neck.

Wedding Photography: Katie and Max of Dreamlove Wedding Photography / Wedding Flowers: Sarah Jo Willey of Creative Muse Floral Design / Wedding Venue: The Lareau Farm Inn / Reception Band: Primate Fiasco

Every single wedding we see is filled to the brim with special touches, special details, beautiful people. Becky and Tay’s Vermont wedding is such a perfect reminder that behind all the beautiful people and gorgeous details, the emotions of the day are the crowning glory. The flash of a father’s smile, the glint of a tear, the hugs and spontaneous explosions of joy! And who better to capture it all, but Justin and Mary Marantz!

bouquets by The Blue Toad Flower Shop

Justin and Mary Marantz (and Julia!) are experts at documenting the details! But, more than that, they are also there for all the behind the scenes moments that complete the story.

And … speaking of being behind the scenes, I read on their blog that J & M insist on enforcing a ‘ten minute rule.’

“What?” you say, “is a ten minute rule?”

Justin & Mary insist that … immediately following the ceremony … all of their couples (ALL of their couples) step away from the crowd. They take them to a previously scouted spot nearby and allow them to spend those first ten minutes after the marriage ceremony alone, to bask in the feelings of being husband and wife. To just be. Together. Alone. Mary and Justin are discreetly at a distance snapping a few pics, but for the  most part, the newlyweds are alone. (Read more about it here). This is a rule that all wedding photographers should adopt! Ten minutes. No exceptions.

The beautiful couple featured today are Becky and Tay, recently married in Vermont at the Sugarbush Resort. You can see all of the gorgeous details, the heartfelt moments and the spectacular photography from Justin and Mary Marantz right here {part i} and here {part ii}.

Their story …

How They Met

Tay and I met in high school. Although he is of Turkish descent, he was born in Australia and moved to the US at age 5. We grew up a few towns apart on Long Island, and then he moved to my school district in 10th grade. We didn’t actually start dating until after graduation, but we fell in love very quickly and stayed together throughout four years of college even though we were 250 miles apart. There were many long bus trips between Fordham’s campus in the Bronx, New York, where Tay studied, and Dartmouth, where I studied in snowy New Hampshire. The first time Tay came to visit me, he was shocked by how cold it was, but soon (after I casually mentioned that I would only marry a skier), he learned the joys of skiing and couldn’t get enough of New England!

The Proposal

After a few years of work and graduate school – sometimes in the same city, sometimes not – we finally moved in together while Tay got his master’s degree at Dartmouth. A year later we moved back to Long Island for me to attend medical school. That Christmas, Tay got down on one knee in the snow and proposed on the side of a ski trail at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont, where my family has skied every year for most of my life. Given the many memories we shared there, we knew it was the perfect place to have our wedding.

The Wedding

To give our guests a taste of why we love Vermont so much, we filled their welcome bags with some of our favorite local goodies, such as Vermont Liberty Teas and VerMints. We were married in Timbers Restaurant and had our reception at the Gate House Lodge, finishing off the night with fireworks over the mountain. We love the fact that we will forever be reminded of the happiest day of our lives whenever we return there to ski, which will be often!

Congratulations to Becky and Tay!!

And thanks so much ~ Justin & Mary for sharing!

Wedding planner – Tiffany Bailey, Sugarbush Resort; Catering – Sugarbush Resort; Officiant – Reverend Michael Caldwell; Florist – The Blue Toad; Ceremony guitarist – James Kinne; DJ – Chris Ryan of 2KuL Entertainment; Cake – Michelle Lunde of Delicate Decadence; Videography – Betsy Duany; Dress – Ines di Santo;

I feel like there are so many brides out there that are totally and completely overwhelmed when it comes to planning their wedding. Even though I was IN the wedding industry when I planned my own, I was definitely one of those girls. I wish someone had given me permission to embrace my jeans and a t-shirt personality when it came to the design…to craft a wedding that was laid back and yet beautiful, casual and yet really special. Well, that is EXACTLY what this gorgeous bride did and the result is just effortlessly beautiful. Photographed perfectly by Two Chicks Photography, I love, love, love everything about this wedding. Click here to see even more of the goodness.

click here to see the full gallery!

From the bride…When planning our wedding we knew that we didn’t want a long engagement and we knew that it had to be at the beginning of my wedding photography season or I would drive us both crazy in planning this. I think I ended up driving us both a little crazy anyhow, but it was worth it.

We chose Vermont because that’s were I grew up and most of our family is still on the east coast. We looked around a little but quickly decided on the Alerin Barn in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. I am close friends with the family that owns it and had grown up enjoyed their little piece of heaven. We wanted to do something very simple while keeping it “country chic”.

We decided on wildflowers for our bouquet and boutonniere. We chose one type of wildflower for each table and actually called the tables by that flower name (ie: table sunflower, table lily). We purchased our flowers in bulk from Stray Cat Farm in Burlington, VT and my friend Holly arranged them in mason jars tied with twine bows on all of the tables. We also decided to do a wildflower ceremony just before our vows symbolizing the unity of friends and family in support of our marriage. Each guest was handed a flower as they arrived to the ceremony. Just before we exchanged rings our sisters walked around collecting the flowers in 2 large vases. Mark and I added the last 2 flowers completing the unity of the final vase. Mark’s brother Lu played classical guitar during the ceremony and my sister Shannon officiated the ceremony.

All in all, it was the most amazing weekend we’ve ever had! We loved that it rained — the first thought that popped into my head that morning when it was pouring was “mudboots and just roll with it!” :)

Photography: Two Chicks Photography, Lindsey Turner & Dawn Gioia / Couple: Jenni Maroney & Mark Gately / Location: Alerin Barn, St. Johnsbury, VT / Florist: Stray Cat Flower Farm / Dress: by Mon Cheri from a bridal shop in Atlanta, GA / Band: Grippofunk Band / Hair & Makeup: Inspiration Salon – Chelsea Brown St. Johnsbury VT / Caterer: Nomadic Chef / Rings: Cronin Rings in Boulder, CO (family owned) / Brides Shoes: Nine West / Place cards: Moo Mini Cards / Brides Earrings: custom made by Cowboys Sweetheart Jewelry, Boulder, CO / Earrings for Sister/Officiant, sister/flower collectors: Custom designed and made by jeweler Caroline Keens, Falls Church, VA / Boutonnierres: home-made dried flowers by bride and her sister / Table Runners: custom made by Special Occasions / Bartenders: friends of bride, Emily Comstock & her husband Nelson / Wine: Charlotte Vermont Winery / Beer: Long Trail Brewery, Vermont Microbrew, Switchback Brewery, Vermont Microbrew / Groom’s Suit: Banana Republic / Groom’s Shoes: Naot Shoes

West Mountain Inn is a member of our Little Black Book of highly recommended wedding venues in Vermont. If you’re envisioning an elegant, yet rustic wedding in a secluded mountain get-away for a graceful personalized wedding, THIS is the place for you!

photos courtesy of Emily Sterne Photography

The West Mountain Inn is one of those “off the beaten path” places that takes you by surprise and immediately infuses you with the slow, peaceful beauty of Vermont. New England is full of casual, rustic wedding venues, but what just takes your breath away at West Mountain Inn is the total quiet, complete seclusion and the absolutely gorgeous natural environment. Having a wedding at the inn is like bringing all your guests to your own private country estate for a mini-vacation. You can literally rent the entire 20 guest rooms of the converted farmhouse and 2 cottages, the garden filled grounds, tavern, dining room and their beautiful 100 year old historic Vermont Barn. No cookie cutter weddings or multiple events in a day here – you have the whole weekend completely to yourselves. Local, organic wedding menus, onsite wedding planner, miles of private woodland hiking trails, canoeing and fly fishing on the famous Battenkill River, lodging for up to 60 guests, alpacas, lily pond and mountain views are all part of the package. But most of all, it’s being in a place that’s so easy to feel at home that makes all the difference; a place so beautiful it slows your pulse and lets you celebrate each moment you’re there together.

West Mountain Inn from Corinna Raznikov …

Corinna Raznikov Photography

Think about it. “It slows your pulse.” A quiet Vermont inn ~ to invite 60 of your nearest and dearest ~ can you imagine anything more special? More romantic? Rustic wedding elegance at it’s finest!

Please check out West Mountain Inn’s website and blog for the full flavor of the venue. It’s amazing!

It’s been pretty girly on SMP today. Pink flowers, frilly details, totally pretty styles. And I’ve loved every bit of it. But don’t worry, the frilly fun is no where near done as we have one of the sweetest, most charming weddings I’ve seen in a long time. Photographed by the talented Amanda at Orchard Cove Photography, this wedding is complete loveliness. Click here to see TONS of additional photos.

Click here to see additional photos.

We both grew up around Middlebury, so having our wedding nearby was an easy decision. We chose Basin Harbor in particular because of the history that we both have with it. I have family ties there, so not only is it a beautiful place, but it holds a lot of sentimental value as well. With its proximity to our families and friends who remain local, it seemed like an obvious, albeit perfect choice.

As a textile designer, I saw the design aspect of the wedding second only to the act of getting married itself. So needless to say fabric played a big role in our wedding. Inspired by a trip to Paris, we chose pale pink and dove gray as our colors, something Ross did not know one did when planning a wedding (that is, picking colors and carrying them throughout).

I have a deep love (some might say obsession!) of striped designs, and spent many and arduous day researching and sourcing fabric for the tablecloths. Working with Occasions Catering, we poured over fabric samples, trying to find the right stripe and color way. We were able to have custom linens made and rent them, which cut down on the cost considerably. We also scoured flea markets and online shops for months, searching out the perfect vintage Liberty of London fabric to use for both the bridesmaids bouquets and the groomsmen’s boutonnières.

We really wanted to give our wedding a handmade feel by not to using mass-produced items, choosing instead to source as many products as possible from smaller vendors found on Etsy.com. Small plug to them, as they are such a great resource and a wonderful way to stay within a budget! We worked with vendors such as Paloma’s Nest (our ring bearer bowl and bridesmaid’s gifts) and Stickermesheik (our labels for our wedding favors), and Misspicklespress (adorable custom cocktail stirrers) that really added to the unique design aesthetic we were going for. We also did countless DIY projects, such as stamping paper bags with our monogram and filling them with bird seed and cutting more than 200 strips of fabric to be used as napkin ties for a colorful pop of pattern on the tables. Our bridesmaids were endlessly helpful in pulling everything together, especially in the last few days leading up to our wedding!

But, without question, seeing each other for the first time as I walked down the aisle was the best part. It is an emotion that no one can prepare you for, and completely overwhelmed us both. Plain and simple. Because the day is about more than just two people, we cannot go without mentioning the incredible feeling of having so many important people in our lives together in one place. It is a powerful feeling, and we couldn’t more thankful for the friends and family that we had there with us.

Venue: Basin Harbor Club / Florist: Clare Esperance from the Basin Harbor Club / Photography: Orchard Cove Photography / Annie’s Dress: Amy Kuschel via Deb at Sewly Yours / Invitations and Stationery: Katharine Navins of Tallow Studio / Band: The Pulse of Boston / Hair & Makeup: Indigo / Annie’s Veil: Jennifer Leigh / Gloves: Carolina Amato / Feather: Purchased at Sewly Yours / Annie’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaid’s Dresses & Shoes: J. Crew / Groomsmen’s Suits: J. Crew / Ross & Groomsmen’s Ties: Beau Ties LTD, of Vermont / Flower Girl and Ring Bearer outfits: J. Crew / Fabric for Bouquets & Tablecloths: Liberty of London

It’s always such a challenge to decide which shot will draw you in! Out of all of the amazing images from today’s featured LBB member, which one is going to be THE one?  We reach such a wide and various audience on Style Me Pretty ~ from the ladies who love rustic and romantic to those who dream of polished and plush. No matter your style ~ no matter your plans … we want to encourage and inspire you all! We hope today’s wedding will do just that.

Here are a few of our favorite’s from Corinna Raznikov …

The result of months and months of planning! Our sincere congratulations to the Eilene & Jason on a spectacular day full of love and warmth ~ beauty and sheer gorgeousness …

From Corinna ~ A beautiful fern-themed wedding at the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, Vermont. {It was the same location where Michael J. Fox got married!}  The ceremony took place in the knot garden and the reception was held in the renovated barn on the property.

Eilene and Jason’s story …

A long time ago a friend asked what my dream wedding would be like. I told her I didn’t have one. I never even thought I would get married, but she made me tell her something. I came up with a small and beautiful Vermont wedding in the town I used to live. When Jason proposed I still had that vision in mind, and I couldn’t seem to stray from that. We tried looking at other venues but just felt like something was missing. That settled it! We booked our wedding at the West Mountain Inn in Arlington, Vermont. My first purchases were yellow Tuscan candle holders. They were rustic, with a pinch of the Italian romantic look. Instead of a candle I pictured them with big white flowers, hanging greens, and sparking light illuminating them. I bought them right on the spot. The florist took my vision and made it a reality. I never had a color theme picked out. I just knew what I liked. When I found something I wanted I would make it work with what I already had. I spent many hours researching on the internet to find little things that I thought would compliment not only our style, but also the style of the inn. We didn’t want to make the venue something it wasn’t. There were some challenges trying to visualize how everything would work together in the end, but once I saw that barn I knew it was the dream. It was more than just décor; it was the perfect atmosphere. The wedding turned out exactly how we wanted it, and our photographer captured the wedding like our hearts did. It was about love, family, friends, and the beautiful country. It felt like a work of art in the end. We will never forget those who contributed to that wonderful feeling.

… the rest of their story …

Sometimes we get caught up in all the pretty pictures. All the special touches that will make your wedding unique. But in the end, it’s all about you and the love of your life. Make it YOUR day! Our thanks to Corinna, Eilene and Jason for sharing this very special day!

See ALL their photographs here!

Wedding Credits ~

Coordination: Tricia from Simple Detail Events, Photographer: Raznikov Photography, Venue: West Mountain Inn, Arlington, Vermont, Gown: Pronovias, Florist: Nancy Bishop Floral Design – Arlington, Vermont, Cake: Irene’s Cakes by Design – Dorset, Vermont, Jewelry Designer – Malis Henderson, Linens – BBJ Linens, Make-up – Erin at  Antoine Cosmetics

It’s been SO long since we’ve featured a Vermont wedding ~ barn and all! We have a beauty from Corinna Raznikov coming up in just bit! So definitely ~ check back in a little while …

ps … for all you sneek-peakers … Corinna posted Eilene & Jason’s wedding on her Facebook page {here}.

Anytime Joel Serrato sends me something, I know it’s going to be good. Shed-a-few-tears kind of good. And this clip, featuring the most gorgeous wedding at  the wonderful Riverside Farms in Pittsfield Vermont, is definitely one of his best. Aside from being one of the most stunning locations I’ve ever seen, Joel’s approach to the film is touching, it’s sweet, it’s utterly beautiful. Something that I know the bride and groom feel incredibly lucky to have…

Thank you so much to Joel Serrato for sending this incredible film our way! We love, love, love you and your gorgeous work and are always so thrilled to show it off! Make sure to check out Joel’s blog for even more eye candy.

This is one of those weddings that will completely inspire you. It’s one of those weddings that I’ll refer to over and over on SMP, that brides will use to build their own inspiration boards, that vendors will pull up to show their clients. It’s just one of those picture perfect weddings and I feel so lucky that I am the one to share it with you. Jen Curtis, the photographer behind the day, is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists…and her photographs tell the story of the day flawlessly.

From the lovely, lovely bride…

We say we moved to Vermont for the food, and we did our best to show our guests some of our favorite treats during the course of our wedding weekend. Overnight guests received brownies from the Vermont Brownie Company, (the Maple Toffee Brownie was the best!) and all guests left the reception with a nip of maple syrup from our favorite sugary, Morse Farm. Our caterer, Occasions, did a great job showcasing Vermont food. We had s’mores at a bonfire friday night, fresh Vermont apple cider before the ceremony, tons of local cheese and produce, among a huge assortment of other delicious goodies. In lieu of wedding cake, we served a variety of home-made pies, and our groomsmen used this as an excuse to have a hilarious pie-eating contest at the end of the night. Guests were also entertained by the Dave Keller Band, a Montpelier-based blues/rock group, and a very-popular photobooth by Vermont Photobooth. We had the best time at our wedding, and we’re pretty sure our guests had a pretty great time as well!

Our favorite wedding details were our stationery/paper goods. Gered’s sister, Kara Dunne is an artist, and among her many talents, has studied printmaking at Rhode Island School of Design. She designed our amazing fancy barnyard letterpress invitation suite which was printed by Rob Charlton at the Goosefish Press. Kara also designed our barnyard animal placecards, which were printed by Lasso’d Moon Designs.

All was captured by the fabulous Jen Curtis, and we are so excited to see the art that she created from our day! Some other fun details: My dress: Vineyard by Priscilla’s of Boston Bridesmaids Dresses:  Jcrew / Hair + Makeup: Leslie Rogers / Flowers: A Schoolhouse Garden / Guestbook Box: Just Wright Boutique (instead of a guest-book, we had a recipe box with one card per guest – cards had a space for the guest to draw their picture and write us a message) / Labels for Favors: MAU Promos / Bridesmaid Gifts: handmade crystal necklaces by Roxane Weiss (Miami, FL), handbags by Studio Cherie

I think that it’s pretty obvious that I am OBSESSED with this wedding. It’s the perfect combination of charm, of style, of unabashed gorgeousness. I love,love, love it and am so happy that the perfect bride and groom allowed us to feature it here on SMP. Here is to many years that are as beautiful as this very day. And to Jen Curtis for sharing the stunning photographs…I am in love!

I hope everyone had a great weekend! It’s Columbus Day so I’m not even sure if there are any of you out there reading SMP today, but I am throwing caution to the wind and am featuring a blissfully gorgeous wedding for those of you that just might be stuck at work. You might remember this absolutely jaw droppingly gorgeous wedding that Jen Curtis sent our way a couple of weeks ago. Well, apparently, right down the road on another perfect Vermont Farm…Jen photographed this stunning affair.

From the ridiculously lovely bride…

Gered and I finally met during our Junior year at Colgate University when we were introduced by mutual friends. We should have met 2 years prior, when, unbeknownst to us, we were in the same 8:00 AM Freshman Chemistry class. Unfortunately, Gered rarely made it to class, and when he did, slept through most of it in the back of the room. (I sat wide-awake, up front)We dated for a looong time after college while in grad school in Boston, and planned our wedding for soon after my graduation from residency this past June. We both love farms and barns, and Vermont seemed like the perfect place for our fun and relaxed, outdoor wedding. Conveniently, we both ended up finding jobs in Vermont shortly before the wedding, so we were very excited that our wedding would be our chance to show off our new home to our family and friends!

Riverside Farm offered us the perfect mix of beautiful scenery, rustic but refined barns, and great food. We loved that Riverside offered several different venues so that (even in the case of rain), we could have each event (Rehearsal Dinner, Ceremony, Cocktails, Reception) in a unique space. Our outdoor ceremony couldn’t have been better. The weather was perfect, and we were married in the meadow centered between 3 barns on Riverside Farm. Dave Keller and Ira Friedman played the guitar and organ respectively which gave a unique sound to our Beatles instrumentals for the processional and recessional. We were married under a Chuppah, hand-quilted of family photos by my mother and sister, and we had several friends participate in readings, and read our own hand-written vows, during the ceremony that we designed. My 1 year-old nephew Gavin was the cutest ring-bearer in the whole world, and was brought down the aisle in a red wagon.

Before I dive into the next ridiculously gorgeous wedding, I wanted to let you know that if you haven’t already, you really HAVE to check out the Little Black Book Blog today.  Ingrid, over at Myrtle & Marjoram Photography has sent us one of those wedding that simply glows. It is beyond lovely, beyond swoon-worthy. A must see for sure.

Ok! This wedding that Jen Curtis sent us is pure magic. And to be honest, it’s her photography alone that brings this lovely, lovely wedding to an entirely new level. The wedding was held at the Amee Farm in Vermont, which is designed for sustainable yet luxurious living…with touches like hand selected antiques in guest rooms that are gussied up with perfectly fabulous linens and such. It’s a dream come true really.

The adorable couple actually met online eight years ago. So great how far the web has come to introduce a perfect pair like this one! The bride ROCKED a Lian Carlo dress and the bridesmaids wore Amsale. They loved the idea of hosting a wedding at a fully working organic farm, with a venue that was absolute perfection.

Eryn actually designed all of the invitations and printed accoutrement’s herself, with letterpress by Jason McDanial of Missing Q Press in Dallas. She used all recycled paper products in the design and ordered vintage stamps from Ebay that coordinated. The couple gifted guests eco-friendly tree seed wedding favors from Plant a Memory. The organic, eco-chic design of this wedding was threaded through literally every detail. The end result…FABULOUS.

Thank you so very much to the HUGELY talented Jen Curtis for sending us today’s affairs. Jen is based in San Francisco though as you can see, will travel anywhere to photograph perfect weddings. We have another Jen Curtis wedding coming up next week, so if you are as addicted to her work as I am, you are in for a treat!

There is so much to love about this wedding. The fabulous color palette of turquoise and orange, the sweet and completely adorable bridal fashions, the approachable elegance that has a slight bohemian feel. Every little bit of it is delicious and Amanda Herzberger did an incredible job in telling the story through photographs…

Amanda is actually the genius behind quite a few of our favorite SMP weddings. Here are a few of the ones that you just HAVE to see…

The Camp Inspired Wedding that was ALL charm /The Elegantly, Mismatched Cape Style Wedding /The Pretty, Yellow Inspired Affair on Long Island.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the gorgeous couple for letting us share in their special day. And to Amanda Herzberger for inspiring us YET AGAIN with your stunning approach to photography.

We have more wedding eye candy coming up next!

I knew that you guys would really heart this wedding that Amanda over at Orchard Cove Photography sent us. It’s easy, breezy gorgeousness…the kind of pretty that we LOVE here on SMP. You can see the joy in every image, you can feel the warmth, the love, the pure happiness in the couple. And yet, it’s undeniably stylish, filled with perfect little details and a genius color palette.

From the bride…

I really loved when we got introduced as a couple at the beginning of the reception (even if our name was incorrect :-) Our first dance was really special and I think that will stand out forever. The biggest surprise, though, was the adorable figurines my parents made of us when we were children to put on the cake table. I loved how they put a little veil on me!

Kevin’s family has a tradition of singing “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Meatloaf during the reception. The guys stand on one side and sing the guy parts and the girls on the other singing the girl parts. The bride sits on a chair in the middle of the circle and the groom stands singing to her. Interesting tradition, I know. But, it was hilarious!

Lots more goodness coming up in just a bit!

There is something blissfully sweet about this summertime wedding. Shot by Amanda Herzberger at Orchard Cove Photography, you can just feel the warmth and joy in every image. Plus, I love the bright and oh-so-happy color palette…particularly the brilliant pops of orange.

The wedding was held this past August at The Mountain Top Inn & Resort, Chittenden, Vermont. All of the girls’ attire, including the bride’s, was by J. Crew. From the beautiful bride…

We wanted our wedding day to be perfectly “Vermont”. We really succeeded! It was comfortable and had a very natural feel. I wanted to use oranges and greens because I  felt like they were such earthy colors and really cried out “Vermont” to me. We wanted our wedding to express how much we love the outdoors and the mountains.

So much more gorgeous to come!

I fell hard for today’s featured wedding. I think that I am clinging to the last days of Summer and this wedding just reminds me of sunny days and dinner among friends.  Photographed by the incredible Amanda Herzberger at Orchard Cove Photography, the color palette is bright and cheerful, the details are sweet and kind of adorable and the love…is literally tucked into each and every corner. Can’t beat that!

We have tons of gorgeousness coming up in just a bit from this lovely, lovely day!!

Daria and Andy Bishop are two of our FAVORITE Little Black Book husband & wife teams! Their enthusiasm and dynamic passion for what they do is crystal clear from the get-go! Put them at Shelburne Farms in Vermont at a dazzling Hindu wedding celebration and … yikes! You’ve got glorious colors of every imaginable hue!

They sent us these gorgeous images from Bina and Andy’s wedding that are knock-your-socks-off sensational …

LOVE the henna-hands shot!

From the Bishop Photographers’ Blog, the beautiful bride, Bina said …

“We designed our own ceremony, fusing traditions from the East and the West, and selected the poems and songs with our friends and families’ help. We also wanted the parts of traditional weddings we most admire and that most represent our love to be part of the day!”

Yummy cupcakes by Cloud Nine Catering.

Andy, the groom, had to sing a song to retrieve each of his shoes!

The clear-tented reception outside the Coach Barn was simply gorgeous …

The beautiful florals are from A Schoolhouse Garden.

Aren’t these two just so-so-so cute!

Congratulations to Bina & Andy on a stunning wedding celebration!

To see all vendor credits, lots more of their wedding photos and some of the pre-wedding festivities at their Sangeet, head over to Daria & Andy’s brand-spanking new website and blog. When we say a blog is fantastic … you KNOW that we know what we’re talking about! BIG beautiful Vermont countryside weddings!

Thanks SO much to Daria Bishop Photographers for sharing the day!