Oh, My Dear Alana. My Soul Sister in so many ways. I knew from the first words we spoke that we were meant to be. From client to friend, I adore you and your Tom Truelove. Yep, that's actually his last name folks! Alana found her 'truelove' and what a love it is! I usually write a little blurb about my couples but Alana, has written something that I just couldn't NOT post. So I will open by describing the boring design details, and leave the main show to the bride, of course. :)
Alana + Tom's jewel-toned, vintage Connecticut farm wedding was held on their very own farm in Morris, Conn., Truelove Farms (shameless plug -- you all have to go there and buy their meats! I made the best Pork Ragu of my life from their product!). Anyway, when Alana and I first spoke about her wedding and her vision, what was most important to her was it be authentic to her personal lifestyle. And any bride of mine, past or present, knows how much I preach that. Alana comes from a very colorful and diverse family, and she wanted that to showcase. She wanted to hire as many strong women-preneurs as possible to reflect her own wildflower independence. So, we started with Miss Athena Bludé Photography, who's amazing photos are below, followed by D.D. Nickel for Glam, Elizabeth Wecker of Fleurescent for floral design, Danielle Gombos of Gather + Lounge for vintage furniture and rentals and A Starry Night Music for killer beats!
When it came to food -- that was just as important! Since her and Tom own their own farm, it was a must to have sustainable and free range protein. We teamed up with Something's Fishy Catering out of Bethel, CT and they used all of Truelove's own meats for the unbelievably delicious dinner!
Design elements needed to be true to farm life and their love for vintage. Alana sourced ALL of her own china which were such an impact on her tables-cape. Jewel toned napkins, linens, vintage water goblets and brass candelabras accented her farm tables, and the show stopper of them all were the hand-made Moroccan Globe Chandies hanging over the head table -- shipped from Morocco from Shindig Lighting.
I would relive this day all over again, and again, and again. Alana and Tom, I can't tell you what an honor it was to be a part of this weekend. It was one of my favorite designs of 2017. Thank you for trusting my crazy ideas! Much love to you both! xo
Alana + Tom's jewel-toned, vintage Connecticut farm wedding was held on their very own farm in Morris, Conn., Truelove Farms (shameless plug -- you all have to go there and buy their meats! I made the best Pork Ragu of my life from their product!). Anyway, when Alana and I first spoke about her wedding and her vision, what was most important to her was it be authentic to her personal lifestyle. And any bride of mine, past or present, knows how much I preach that. Alana comes from a very colorful and diverse family, and she wanted that to showcase. She wanted to hire as many strong women-preneurs as possible to reflect her own wildflower independence. So, we started with Miss Athena Bludé Photography, who's amazing photos are below, followed by D.D. Nickel for Glam, Elizabeth Wecker of Fleurescent for floral design, Danielle Gombos of Gather + Lounge for vintage furniture and rentals and A Starry Night Music for killer beats!
When it came to food -- that was just as important! Since her and Tom own their own farm, it was a must to have sustainable and free range protein. We teamed up with Something's Fishy Catering out of Bethel, CT and they used all of Truelove's own meats for the unbelievably delicious dinner!
Design elements needed to be true to farm life and their love for vintage. Alana sourced ALL of her own china which were such an impact on her tables-cape. Jewel toned napkins, linens, vintage water goblets and brass candelabras accented her farm tables, and the show stopper of them all were the hand-made Moroccan Globe Chandies hanging over the head table -- shipped from Morocco from Shindig Lighting.
I would relive this day all over again, and again, and again. Alana and Tom, I can't tell you what an honor it was to be a part of this weekend. It was one of my favorite designs of 2017. Thank you for trusting my crazy ideas! Much love to you both! xo
From the Bride:
"Our love story has always been intimately linked with the farm that Tom started 8 years ago in Morris, CT: Truelove Farms. We met through a farmers’ market where I had been buying meat from Tom for years before we first went out, and some of our early dates involved collecting eggs from the chicken coops and walking through the fields hand-in-hand. So, when we got engaged we knew the farm would play a major role in the wedding. We decided to have the reception out in one of the fields where we used to walk together and our house now overlooks. We started dating in the Fall and both love that time of year so we wanted that to be one of the main themes of our October wedding but we didn't want stereotypical autumnal colors, preferring something more organic and natural, like what you actually find in the Fall: explosions of color alongside muted drying leaves. Our wedding was in many ways a representation of what Autumn feels like: one last beautiful burst before winter sets in.
The vendors and design inspiration were a reflection of our shared values: Tom's commitment to ethical and sustainable farming was represented through the caterer and florist we chose who both sourced most of their ingredients/flowers from area farms, including our own. Our shared love of food and close connection to our families led to a plentiful family-style dinner with many unique dishes. My bold, eclectic style was reflected in the color scheme, mismatched china plates, decorative Moroccan globes and vintage lounge pieces. Looking to support other strong, entrepreneurial women whenever possible, I tried to hire and shop at as many women-owned businesses as possible: Double G Events, Athena Bludè Photography, Fleurescent (florist), A Starry Night Music (deejay), The Plumed Serpent (bridal shop), Catbird (wedding/engagement rings), D.D. Nickel (makeup) and Lulu’s Southern Pies. These same feminist values inspired our non-traditional ceremony where Tom led all the guests to me instead of the other way around. "
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Planning + Design: Double G Events // Photography: Athena Bludé Photography // Floral Design: Fleurescent // Glam: D.D. Nickel // Reception Tent: Abbey Tent + Party Rentals // Eats: Something's Fishy Catering // Beats: A Starry Night Music // Lounge Furniture + Vintage Rentals: Gather + Lounge // Linens + Rentals: PEAK Event Services // Lighting Design: Shindig Lighting // Gown: Hayley Paige, Plumed Serpent
