Stonover Farm was the first venue Hayley and Steve visited together when planning their wedding and even though it was covered in several inches of snow at the time, they knew it was going to be a tough act to follow. The natural, rustic setting inspired many of their details and provided the perfect ambiance for their “barn dressy” celebration, as Hayley calls it. They brought the outside into the barn by placing trees branches above the dining tables and dance floors and it is one of the most gorgeous barn receptions we’ve seen here on the blog! Their flowers were local and seasonal, and even included some great-smelling herbs. We’re in love with this blue and spring green Berkshire barn wedding! Thanks Orchard Cove Photography for sharing with us. Read below for more details!
From the Bride…
Before the Ring:
We lived in the same freshman dorm at Williams College. Steve was on the third floor and I was directly above on the fourth. Williams organizes its freshmen dorms around “entries,” so you have a group of about 25 freshmen and two junior advisors. We were in the same entry so we spent a lot of time together but didn’t start dating until March. (When we realized that the policy against “entry incest” was not a good one!) And that was pretty much that! We worked on the college newspaper together, we both went to law school, and after a few years of painful long distancing we finally settled in New York and then DC. Most of our wedding party was actually also from that same freshman entry! Thank you Williams housing office.
The Proposal:
I found out that I passed the bar exam early in the morning, and we had a celebratory dinner planned for the evening. After Steve got home from work with champagne and flowers we had a celebratory toast, and then he proposed. I’m still not sure what would have happened if I hadn’t passed…
The Venue:
We chose the Berkshires because we first met as freshmen at Williams College. We were both heartbroken to leave when we graduated, and we’ve been back to the area every year since. We loved the idea of having an outdoor wedding in an area that is so naturally beautiful and that means so much to us. We loved the barn at Stonover, the fact that our families could stay on the property, the beautiful pond and the willow trees – it was just a fantastic setting. We quickly snatched up their last available date of the year!
Details of the Day:
The wedding colors basically chose themselves – the blue of the trim at Stonover plus the bright green that is everywhere in June in the Berkshires were our inspiration. I was lucky enough to have a lot of design help from my sister, Ellery, who is currently getting a master’s in interior design. We spent a few afternoons sanding, staining, and painting signs, and she did a great sketch of the Stonover barn that we used on the program and placecards. As a lawyer these aren’t necessarily my skills so it was great to have help on the invitations, placecards, programs, you name it! (And now that she’s engaged I’m going to have to come up with some ways to be helpful…)
Something Old:
I tucked one memento from each of my grandmothers into my bouquet since none of my grandparents were there to share in the day: a locket that was my paternal grandmother’s with photos of her and my grandfather, and my maternal grandmother’s engagement pin.
Most Memorable Moment:
Walking down the aisle and seeing that so many people who have been important to our lives were all in one place.
Most Surprising Moments:
There were a few surprises. First a violent rainstorm that started 30 minutes before the guests were to arrive. But then the sun came out! Also, the guest who caught my bouquet was engaged within 24 hours! Her fiancé had brought the ring along for the weekend, and proposed in Central Park the next day, while she was carrying my bouquet.
Advice to Future Couples:
a) We chose our wedding venue and date with exactly 5 months to go. We had been together for nine years so once Steve finally asked we were very ready to go! Don’t take the timelines on wedding planning websites too seriously. If you find a venue you love and have a strong idea of what you want, everything will fall into place, even if there are a few stressful moments. We still had time to do a few DIY projects!
b) Once the day has started and you’ve walked down the aisle and you’re standing in front of everyone, take a breath. Take a moment to appreciate everyone who is there and why they have all journeyed to be there. The day is so short and is the product of huge amounts of hard work and love. Don’t let it go by too quickly.
Photography) Orchard Cove Photography / Venue: Stonover Farm / Floral Design: Crocus Hale Flowers / Dress: Jenny Yoo, from Love Couture Bridal / Bridemaids: J.Crew / Hair Stylist: Sun Lee from Pierre Michel Salon / Band: Darlingside and Caitlin Canty / Caterer: Mezze Catering / Ice Cream Truck: SoCo Creamery
This post, made me really want to have my wedding in a barn! You can have amazing natural outdoor shots and all the amazing props to go with it and then easily go inside to the rustic décor for the reception. Perfect!