Some weddings are stuffed with details and I love those but I also have a soft spot for weddings that fall on the simple and edited side. Easy, breezy and filled to the brim with family was the name of this game. Dave Robbins Photography sent over this sweet, sweet wedding and it is both classic and elegant. It is like a breath of fresh air and I am completely smitten with the hints of baby’s breath sprinkled throughout. Be sure to check out the gallery for even more of this lovely outdoor wedding.
{Click here for the full wedding gallery}
We didn’t have a style in mind at the beginning. All we knew was that we wanted every inch of the day to represent us. For that reason we decided to do almost everything ourselves. We were living in a small, woodsy cottage on an old farm when we got engaged. It was springtime and we were surrounded by green moss, trees and birds, particularly sparrows, flitting after each other. Those things ended up becoming the central themes of our wedding.
We wanted two things. The first was to have an outdoor ceremony and reception. The second was to have a place that could not only accommodate the wedding and reception, but also our guests for the whole weekend. When we arrived at Belvedere Mansion, it took us approximately three minutes to decide to put down a deposit. The grounds were beautiful with rolling green hills; tall, wise trees; peace full pond and views of the Hudson. The architecture and decor was representative of what we like, traditional yet homey and full of personality. It was a perfect fit.
We did many things ourselves. My husband is an Art Director and paper-lover so he designed the save-the-dates, invitations, place cards, table cards, ceremony programs, thank you notes, welcome notes and a matching website. He worked with his favorite printing company, Symmetry Lithographers, to custom print everything on our hand-picked paper. We worked closely with our priest, Father Dave, on the ceremony and vows. We hand picked every song that was played. We designed the centerpieces and floral arrangements. My mom and I hand made the welcome gifts out of jute fabric, white satin ribbon and sprigs of baby’s breath accented with Brad’s welcome cards. My mom and my aunts hung large pieces of tulle and ferns from the inside of the reception tent to create a magical feeling when the wind blew. The morning of I did my make-up while my mom did my hair. It was surprisingly relaxing to do everything ourselves because, come time for the wedding, we were happy knowing everything would be a part of us, perfect or not.
Photographer: Dave Robbins / Venue and Caterer: Jeff at Belvedere Mansion, Rhinebeck, New York / Wedding Dress: Reem Acra / Groom’s Suite: Brooks Brothers / Bridesmaids: J Crew / Music: JTD Productions