Welcome back to another fabulous week of wedding inspiration at Style Me Pretty Massachusetts! We are heading north across the border today for a lovely New Hampshire wedding by Sweet Tea Photography. This darling bride and groom made an effort to marry their own individual styles for their perfect wedding. The result is simple elegance at its best. It is formal but not too fussy, romantic, thoughtful and sweet all at the same time. Just charming! See it all in the full gallery!
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From Sweet Tea Photography…On September 2nd, 2011, Amy Powers and Nate Powers married at The Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield New Hampshire. The White Mountains made a lovely backdrop for their ceremony. Amy & Nate met in high school but didn’t begin dating until after they reconnected at a New Years Party in 2007.
From the Bride…Initially I set two requirements for a wedding venue. First, there had to be accommodation within walking distance of the reception so guests would not have to be concerned about driving or waiting for a shuttle. Second, I wanted the reception space to have windows and not feel like a conference room. This narrowed the options significantly! Once the list was down to three, I ultimately chose the Mountain View Grand because of the beautiful location, the charming details only found in a historic building, and the excellent service.
In planning and designing my wedding, I stalked Martha Stewart Wedding, Vera Wang’s blog, and Style Me Pretty! I also interrogated my cousins, sister, and friends who have been married. Regarding look and feel, I am very feminine and I like pretty things, Nate is very functional and minimalist. I wanted formal, he wanted casual. In an effort to marry our tastes as well as ourselves, I kept channeling “simple elegance”. Nothing over the top or ornate, just simply elegant. A garden theme evolved through the process as well since the ceremony was going to be next to a garden, the reception was in the garden room, the flowers were garden roses, and the favors were honey. We stuck to basic ideas with lovely details. My biggest inspiration, however, was my dress, which was what ultimately set off the simple elegance train of thought. Groom aside, it was my favorite wedding detail. If I were to be a dress- that is what I would look like.
I chose to wear ballet flats rather than heels on my wedding day. My first thought was a pair of lovely heels. However, upon further consideration I knew I was going to want to switch to flats part way through the reception, and then I would be tripping over my dress! Not to mention, I wasn’t convinced I would be able to walk in heels on the grass, you never know how wet the ground will be etc. So on to plan B. I have always loved ballet, despite my complete lack of talent! Plus I love pink. I thought It would be pretty to have the little bits of pink peeking out, not to mention they were comfortable! I was able to dance all night.
My favorite part of the wedding day was when the groom and groomsmen gave an impromptu performance! They are all talented musicians.
I would tell future brides that: Organization, schedules, spreadsheets, checklists, will keep you calm. Just remember it is a joyous occasion, and allow the whole process to be fun! It doesn’t need to be stressful. Stay on top of it, do little bits every day. Allow people to help when you need it, and politely decline when you don’t. Remember you cannot make everyone happy. Someone will have their feelings get hurt, and someone will be mad at you about something. It’s inevitable, but you cannot let it ruin your process or your day. They’ll either get over it, or they won’t. And if they don’t, that’s on them.
Wedding Photography: Sweet Tea Photography / Wedding Gown: Amsale / Bridesmaid Gowns: J.Crew / Groom + Groomsmen Suit: Studio Suits / Caterer: Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa / Floral Design: Blooming Vineyards / Wedding Cake: White Mountain Cupcakery / Invitations: AB Paperie