When I was a little girl my parents would take my sister and I to Blithewold Mansion at least once a year. Wandering around the majestic estate I would always imagine my dream wedding on the great lawn overlooking the water. With its grand architecture and design, lush gardens and awe-inspiring views it is the perfect venue for a romantic and elegant garden party. This wedding by Adeline and Grace Photography brings a touch of modern whimsy to a classic style that fits so wonderfully with the stately manor. All the pops of purples, sweet details and beautiful photography are a must-see in the full gallery!
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Wedding Stories RI brought us this sweet recap to enjoy!
From the bride… When Adam and I first got engaged, we knew right away that we wanted to get married in Bristol. When deciding on our venue, one of the first places we decided to look at was Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum. Blithewold was a place that we had always known about but never been to. When we went to go visit it for the first time, we knew as soon as we set foot on the grounds that this was where we were going to get married. It just felt magical. We wanted an elegant, whimsical, and romantic wedding that was fun and memorable for everyone. My dress was a lace gown by Pronovias, and I also wore silver heels by Jimmy Choo which were given to me as a gift by my amazing coworkers! Adam’s suit was by Saville Row Co. and for those of you who want your groom/ groomsmen in three-piece gray suits, start looking early because these were so hard to find! Eggplant purple and gray were our main colors with fuchsia, blush, and blue accents. After deciding on our invitation design, we took inspiration from mason jars and fireflies and used it throughout the wedding, in our decor and even in our specialty drink (Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka and lemonade served in mason jars), twinkle lights sparkling on the perimeter of the tent, and mason jars filled with candles lining the walkway to the tent.
When the wedding day came it was the best day you could have asked for in New England at the beginning of August, sunny and warm with a slight breeze. After all the girls got ready at the hotel (hair and makeup by the amazing Jennie Kay Murphy!), Adam and I had a “first sighting” at Blithewold and took all of our family and bridal party pictures before the ceremony. From there, we went to the church. We knew ahead of time that the church didn’t have air conditioning, so we made programs that could double as fans so guests could keep cool. During the ceremony, a friend who also happens to be a trained opera singer provided the music including a solo of “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” by Elvis, which was my parents wedding song. Flowers were very important to me and the arrangements provided by Sayles Livingston exceeded all expectations. My bouquet was wrapped with lace from my mother’s veil and accented with my late Nana’s vintage sapphire broach. Another sentimental touch was Adam’s grandparents love cup given to them for their 25th wedding anniversary. This was used by his parents for their wedding toast and we carried on the tradition. For catering we had Russel Morin’s, and they did an amazing job. The photos taken by Adeline and Grace perfectly captured our day, and having a videographer made it possible to relive the day over and over. Since Adam and I both grew up near Boston and knew most of our friends and family would be traveling for the event, we wanted to make sure that we planned everything with them in mind. When guests checked into the hotel they received a welcome bag that contained some snacks, water, tylenol, mints, tissues, an itinerary and pamphlets telling them a little about Bristol. Shuttle service was arranged to transport the guests from the hotel to the church, reception and back to the hotel so no one would have to worry about driving. We also planned an after party at the hotel that took place following the reception, and a brunch for all the guests the next morning before they left to go home. Our wedding was everything we had dreamed it would be, a fun, love-filled day we will both remember for the rest of our lives.
Wedding Photography: Adeline and Grace Photography / Ceremony: St. Mary’s Church in Bristol, Rhode Island / Reception: Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum in Bristol, Rhode Island / Flowers: Sayles Livingston Flowers / Catering: Russell Morin Fine Catering / Wedding Cake: Konditor Meister / Lanterns + Uplights: Boston Uplights / DJ: Moondance Productions / Invitations: Minted + Emerald Invitations / Cinematography: Wedding Stories RI / Wedding Dress: Pronovias / Brides Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Amsale / Bridesmaids’ Jewelry: The Limited / Hair + Makeup: Jennie Kay Beauty / Groom’s Suit: Saville Row Co. / Groom’s Cuff Links: Tiffany & Co. / Groomsmen’s Suits: Men’s Wearhouse / Groomsmen’s Ties: Kenneth Cole / Rehearsal Dinner: DeWolf Tavern in Bristol, Rhode Island