From the Bride…

It all started with an accidental instant message, back when AIM was a big deal. It was late September 2009 and we were both in college. For the life of me, I cannot remember the exact first words, but I think it had to have been a question about one of my assignments meant for a classmate. I can’t say it was a total glitch, after all Aaron was on my “Buddy List,” but prior to that point neither of us had ever really spoken to the other outside of a small hello.

Aaron and I went through junior high and senior high school together in rural eastern Pennsylvania. We even had some classes together. Aaron’s best friend happened to be my neighbor and happened to work with Aaron’s neighbors. We were constantly around each other outside of school, especially in the summer when both of our respective neighbors would organize mass games of manhunt and capture the flag. It was as if we were just ghosts to each other, never acknowledging the other. Once we left for college, I only saw my old co-workers during semester breaks. I was down in Baltimore when I learned later that Aaron was in Williamsport, PA. Until the accidental message, we had spent almost 10 years together without knowing anything about the other. The connection was instant. We both are shy, quiet, introverted people but small talk was never awkward. Over and over we’d both exclaim, “ME TOO” as the list of similar interests and thoughts piled up. It was baffling, exhilarating, and so comforting. Above all, our passion for being outdoors seemed to always be the topic of conversation.

Our first date was in November 2009, when we were home for Thanksgiving. I went to Aaron’s house, a place very familiar, but now very new. We went out for a walk once it was dark to the Christmas tree farm that abutted his parent’s land. There was snow on the ground, and the full moonlight just made it through the fog to light our way. I remember us sitting on a pile of harvested trees, in silence, and I was just looking anywhere but at him. Aaron and I had been following the super moons. It was one of the things we could both see while we were apart. Aaron was finished college, and working close to home in PA, while I was finishing up my last year in Baltimore. At that point I lived on the 15th floor of an apartment building looking East. It seemed the moonrises were what kept us going.

In April of 2012, I drove home to see the largest super moon of the year with him. We hiked all around that same Christmas tree farm as our first date, waiting for the moon to come up. Aaron proposed to me that night. I never saw it coming. The entire night I spent talking about my thesis and course load, completely pre-occupied, and Aaron was just egging me on. We were engaged for 3.5 years. Right after I graduated, I convinced Aaron to move to Vermont with me. I had been to Vermont for an internship and fell in love with the state. We talked a lot about setting a date, but we knew we had a small budget and we really wanted an outdoor wedding on a farm – ideally one we lived at. It seemed so fitting when we were offered an opportunity to live on and manage a Christmas tree farm in 2014. Both of us really wanted an autumn wedding. It’s our favorite season. We chose September 27th, 2015 to say, “I do.” It was a full moon, a super moon, and there was to be a total lunar eclipse. And to top it off, we’d be getting married on a Christmas tree farm. There were big expectations for the weather all around. In Vermont, late September weather is completely unpredictable. We were so lucky to have had a perfect day – clear skies, warm weather, and most of all, a perfect view of the total lunar eclipse. Trees and moons. It couldn’t have been more perfect for our outdoor souls.

Photographer: The Light + Color / Dress Designer: Free People with added lace and embroidery done by the bride / Caterer: Lazy Farmer / Bridesmaid Dresses: ModCloth / Flowers: All grown on site (at tree farm) by bride and arranged by bride and maid of honor / Invitation Suite: Designed by bride – hand painted watercolor background, hand drawn lettering, and then printed through Wedding Paper Divas / Decorations: a mix of new and found objects, almost all handmade by bride and groom, bride’s family, and wedding party / Event Venue: Walker Farm‘s Elysian Hills Tree Farm / Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Details of the Day – from the photographer:

The girls looked gorgeous as they helped Ramona into her stunning modern crocheted lace dress that perfectly complimented her soft but whimsical personality. A little whimsy was added to the guys’ attire with varying colorful socks. There were many special touches to the day that provided glimpses into Ramona and Jack’s upbeat and colorful personalities – Ramona’s heirloom vintage jewelry that belonged to her grandmother, including her engagement ring, Jack’s tie that featured stick figure runners as a homage to his love of running, indulging in local pie for desert, their fun interactive couples’ toast, and their photo booth guest book in lieu of a traditional guest book. These unconventional aspects of the event made this night truly memorable.

Adding to the evening were the surprises for the bride and groom! The groom’s father surprised the couple with a room full of sparklers during his speech which looked simply magical in the dimly lit barn and the groom’s mother surprised them with Ben & Jerry’s Catering. Seeing the looks on their faces for not one, but two surprises made everyone’s night. A favorite part of their ceremony was their vows: honest, romantic, and unique to their relationship. Their vows told the story of their love and we were able to learn so much more about each of them because of it. We especially loved the line, “I promise to trust in the strength of our relationship because we’re better together,” confirming that these two belonged together.

Photographer: Amy Donohue Photography / Event Planner: Et Cetera Event Company / Floral Designer: Nectar & Root / Caterer: The Farmhouse Group / Equipment Rentals: Vermont Tent Company / Event Venue: West Monitor Barn / Entertainment: Premier Entertainment and Events / Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Photographer: The Light + Color / Dress Designer: Fiori Bridal Boutique / Makeup Artist: Jennifer Perellie Makeup / Floral Designer: Village Green Florist / Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Photographer: Birke Photography / Ceremony: Rock Point Chapel / Venue: The Ponds at Bolton Valley Resort / Wedding Planner: Enchanted Events (violet vendor)/ Caterer: Vermont Culinary Institute / Dress: Monique Lhuiller / Makeup and Hair: Salon Elixir / Bridesmaid Dresses: JCrew / Groom’s Suit: JCrew / Groomsmen’s Suit: JCrew / Florist: Creative Muse (violet vendor) / Rental Company: Vermont Tent / Band: Polka Brothers / Ceremony musician: Bob Wagnar Trio

From the Bride…

We met skiing in Vail, Colorado. After our return to Boston, MA, we began our adventure of dating where we soon found that our love for the snow, skiing and outdoor activities connected us. We later moved in together, bought our dog, which we named, “Vail” and soon after got engaged on the top of Beehive Mountain in Acadia National Park. Our wedding day was held at the top of Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden, VT outside in the middle of March.

Photographer: Kathleen Landwehrle Photography / Hair Stylist: Five Elements Salon and Day Spa / Cinema and Video: Joel Boucher / Band: Ripcord / Floral + Event Designer: schoolhouse garden / Bakery: Trillium Fine Desserts / Reception Venue: The Mountain Top Inn & Resort / Submitted via Two Bright Lights

From the Bride…

Before the Ring:
Kevin and I met in high school in our small town in Vermont. Despite having mutual friends, we just never really crossed paths (though I’d heard some of the girls call him “cute” before and was interested). I was actually joking around with some friends at school one day and said that I’d pick my next crush from the wall of student photos, and I randomly picked Kev’s. A friend introduced us, and the rest is history. We went to college together in upstate New York and relocated to Silicon Valley after graduation.

Proposal Story:
It was a pretty big surprise! Having been together 9+ years, it didn’t seem like the biggest priority. But one weekend last November Kev told me to pack my bags and take time off work for surprise trip to LA. We spent our day exploring the city and ending up at the Getty Museum at dusk. He led me out to a veranda with incredible views as soon as the sun was down and proposed with the city lit up beneath us.

Inspiration/Details of the Day:
I know everybody says this, but we really just wanted a party with the people we loved. We rented out a secluded property in the mountains for three days (it includes a house, a barn, and an upper/lower field among other things) and had time to relax both pre- and post- wedding. We did most everything ourselves, including the wedding playlists, the Bar, appetizers, archway, and flower arrangements. My mother-in-law made our cake and most of the decorations were antiques/thrift items that my mom picked up or already had. We loved the look of gold with our blue, purple and Marsala accents so we used that as a rough color palette. We dip dyed our napkins ourselves 🙂 My family is pretty big on pyrotechnics, so we finished the night with a spectacular fireworks display in the lower field.

Photographer: Colette Kulig Photography / Venue: Squa Betty, Underhill, VT / Floral Designer: Stray Cat Flower Farm / Bride’s Dress: “Carolina” from BHLDN / Shoes: See by Chloe/JCrew / Bridesmaids Dresses: twobirds / Hair: Hair by Anela / Makeup: Makeup by Meg Walsh / Groom’s Suit: Topshop + Asos / Groom’s shoes: Cole Haan / Groomsmen’s outfits: Asos / Save the Date + Invitations: ColorQuarry  / Caterer: Woodbelly Pizza / Fireworks: Northstar Fireworks / Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Barefoot sandals with freshwater pearls, vintage crystals, and lace flowers adorned the bride’s feet, while a sexy antique lace veil adorned her head. Vintage silver, medieval-style tarts, and lush peonies graced a table tucked under an ancient apple tree. The bouquet of blush hellebores, lily of the valley, ranunculus, viburnum, and dogwood was tied with vintage lace, silk ribbon, and metal beads. The silk chiffon wedding dress featured a lace up back, French knots, vintage beads, and hand embroidery. Engraved wedding rings and an elegant cake completed the romantic, otherworldly effect.

Photographer: Beana Bern Photography / Floral Designer: Blomma Flicka FLowers / Jewelry: Edera Jewelry / Venue: Greensboro Barn / Dress Designer: Tara Lynn Bridal  / Veils and headpieces: Ceci Leibovitz Millinery  / Cake Designer: Irene’s Cakes by Design / Jewelry: Ni Designs / Hair Stylist: The Milkhouse Hair Studio / Equipment Rentals: Vermont Tent Company / Equipment Rentals: Vermont Vintage Rentals / Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Behind the Lens: Paul Reynolds Photography / Venue: The Aurora House / Florals: Creative Muse Floral Design / Planning: VT Enchanted Events / Design Styling: Sarah Jo Willey & Jackie Watson / Rentals: Vermont Tent Company / Gown: Fiori Bridal / Favors: Red Kite Candy / Hair & Makeup: Finishing Touch / Cake, Fruit tarts: The Essex Resort & Spa / Stationary: Christa Alexandra Designs / Sea Plane: Seaplanes R Fun / Marina: North Hero Marina / Models: Chloe Johnson & Anthony Modugno

From (DIY Wedding Mentor & Somerby Jones Photography):

We wanted to incorporate simple DIY elements into the shoot that could be easily replicated for an elopement or small wedding. On the sweetheart table, the menu holder is a simple piece of moss-covered kindling with a slit we made to hold the menu. It’s something that anyone with a wood pile–which pretty much everyone in Vermont has–could easily make. The bride’s bouquet and the groom’s flask are wrapped in a blue and white baker’s twine to add a crafty feel and pick up on the blues that were subtly woven into the shoot. The florist, Laura from Unfurled Vermont, foraged for flowers to include in the all the florals, and Brittany from Bridge Street Hair kept both the bride’s hair and makeup simple as we envisioned the couple preferring to spend their time during their elopement weekend exploring the hiking trails with their dog and local area.

Waterbury is known for its craft beer, and with the craft beer in the final shots, we included a nod to the many couples who visit here each year to sample some of the world’s best beer. And we couldn’t have asked for a better pair of models, Dani and Corey, who are engaged and getting married in Vermont in just a few weeks. Being a couple who is getting married in the area, they perfectly understood the style we were going for it and fit it perfectly–right down to Corey’s beard!

Photographer: Somerby Jones Photography / Planners: DIY Wedding Mentor & Somerby Jones Photography/ Ceremony & Reception Venue: Moose Meadow Lodge / Floral Designer: Unfurled Vermont / Make Up Artist & Hair Stylist: Brittany from Bridge Street Hair / Cake Designer: Snaffle Sweets / Beverages: The Craft Beer Cellar / Dress Store: Fiori Bridal Boutique / Wedding Officiant: Greg Trulson / Wedding Stationary: DIY Wedding Mentor

Photographer: The Light + Color / Venue: The Barn at the Intervale / Floral Designer: Village Green Florist / Bakery: Caketopia Cakes / Dress Designer: Wtoo by Watters / Dress from: Fiori Bridal Boutique / Hair Stylist: Kerry Armstrong~ Formal Hair Design / Makeup Artist: makeup artist Jennifer Perellie / Submitted via Two Bright Lights