How and where did you meet? Sara and her roommate hosted a Great Gatsby party, and Thomas attended as one of the dapper guests. He was taken by Sara’s beauty, charm, and excellent hosting skills. He asked her out on a proper date shortly thereafter.
What was the proposal like? Thomas had plans to take Sara up on a hike to the top of a mountain they often climbed together so they could watch the Leonid Meteor shower and propose there. However, that evening was a particularly frigid one, even for November, so Sara suggested they find a shorter hike. Thomas cleverly thought of another close by, a shorter hike that also had great views. They hiked to the top of the mountain, laid out a blanket to watch the shooting stars, and drank some hot cocoa Thomas had brought. After several stars went by, they went up the tower on top of the mountain, and Thomas asked Sara to marry him, to which she immediately said yes. Afterwards, he revealed another hidden surprise - there was a bottle of champagne and flutes in the backpack to celebrate!
How did you choose your venue? We wanted to celebrate in a place that shared our values, so a working permaculture farm was a great fit. We also wanted to do much of the wedding ourselves, so we needed a venue that was flexible. On top of that, it was wonderful to have a place where both of our immediate family members could stay on the property for the weekend to continue to celebrate with us. The view from the barn was breathtaking, and we knew we wanted to be married outside, surrounded by nature and our loved ones.
What was your theme/color palette? Our color palette was deep jewel tones. Sara’s mom used those colors in a watercolor painting, and her sister designed the invitations, table numbers, and menus around the painting. We really wanted the rich colors of late summer/early autumn to be the focus, mirroring the beauty of the setting.
What was your favorite detail from your wedding? Thomas - “Getting married to the love of my life.” Sara - “My favorite detail is the moments we took just for ourselves, like going out after dinner to stand in the dark and look at the moon, while our guests enjoyed our food and dancing to the band, and we just had a moment to take in our wedding day.”
How did your wedding reflect your relationship as a couple? This was a wedding only we could have had, it was so personal, and really reflected who we are as a couple. From making homemade raspberry jam from our garden as favors, growing flowers for the centerpieces (my aunt and mother did too), brewing beer and making most of the food for the reception, to writing our own vows, it symbolized all the ways we work together as a couple. We also chose to symbolically plant a cherry tree during the ceremony with Liam, Thomas’s son and Sara’s step son, to highlight that we are a family that is growing together. This tree now is planted in our garden as a living reminder of our wedding day. We also chose to combine our former last names, honoring our families equally, into a new last name which we both took. We are a combination of our two loving families, but now a new branch, and our new name reflects that.
featured professionals | VENUE: Sky Island Farm // WEDDING OFFICIANT: Sara’s godfather // CEREMONY MUSICIAN: Mark Ricker, a friend of Thomas’s // PHOTOGRAPHER: Brooke Ellen Photography // FLORIST: Sara’s aunt Ginny and mother Debbie // EVENT RENTALS: Celebration Rentals // INVITATIONS: Sara’s sister, Elise // BAND: Steppin’ Out // CAKE: Sweet Simone’s // WEDDING GOWN STORE: BHLDN // BRIDESMAID DRESSES: BHLDN // GROOM’S FORMAL WEAR: Alfani suit, tie from Etsy shop Bubibubi Ties // JEWELRY: Rent the Runway earrings, BlushingBridalShop Etsy custom belt, vintage bag from Sara’s great grandmother // HAIR & MAKEUP STYLIST: Sara’s sister, Elise // Rehearsal Dinner: School Street Bistro
