Arielle and Steve's Wedding at Brooksby Farm

On Sunday, June 20th, I was the day-of coordinator for Arielle and Steve's wedding at Brooksby Farm in Peabody, MA. The bridal party had hair and makeup done by Pyara Spa & Salon, and carried beautiful bouquets from Bow Street Flowers. The wedding day started with a first look for the bride and groom in front of the gazebo at Brooksby Farm, followed a Ketubah signing ceremony. The forecast showed thunderstorms right in time for the outdoor ceremony, but even with dark skies and clouds, the rain didn't come down! Guests were able to enjoy a dry and beautiful Jewish ceremony under a traditional chuppah, and a cocktail hour outside the Smith Barn.

The details for this wedding were just amazing. The guestbook included little library cards and envelopes for guests to fill out. A gorgeous birdcage for cards was decorated by the bride with bits of moss and flowers. The escort cards had little skeleton keys tied to them, and were all placed in stoneware bowls that were handmade by the bride! Arielle has her own etsy shop where she makes and sells bowls, mugs, and other stoneware items. Guests absolutely loved being able to take these home with them.

The tables were named after authors, and were topped with gray linens, burlap runners, a couple of handmade stoneware vases, pink peonies, sprigs of lavender, a few jars filled with a variety of items, a book by the author, a tree stump, and a sign in each tree stump with the author's name.

The food for the cocktail hour and reception by Green Olive Catering was probably the tastiest I've ever had at a wedding. There were three stations of food and an incredible range of hot and cold dishes, like hummus and homemade chips to salad and pasta. They also provided dessert, which were three different kinds of cupcakes. Instead of a traditional cake cutting, the bride and groom cut into a red-velvet cupcake together.

The groom, Steve, is actually part of a band, and they really rocked out during the reception and had guests dancing. Later on in the night, there was actually a group sing-a-long, where lyrics were passed out to everyone in the crowd, with the bride and groom leading on banjo and piano. Songs included classics like "Eight Days a Week" and "Sweet Baby James".

It was definitely one of the most unique weddings that I've been a part of, and loved how creative everything was! Professional photos from Emily Sterne of Emily Sterne Photography will be coming later on, but for now, here is a little sneak peek!

A special thanks to my assistant, Rachel, for helping me throughout the day! Arielle and Steve, thank you so much for allowing us to be part of your wedding day, and I hope that you enjoyed your honeymoon in Europe!!

~Emilie

Paisley Place Cards + Marriage Quotes

I can't believe it's been a few weeks since my last post! It's been crazy busy with non-stop weddings for Pink Orchid recently, and on top of it all, I had to squeeze in a trip out of the country because I was a bridesmaid in my friend Amy's wedding just this past Saturday! The wedding was held at the Four Seasons Resort in Whistler, Canada, and my goodness, that hotel is gorgeous. The spa, the rooms, the service, the food.. everything was phenomenal, and I really enjoyed my four days there, along with a few days in Vancouver beforehand.

Here are some photos of Vancouver, and the top of Whistler Mountain, where there was still lots of snow!

I designed a few pieces of wedding stationery for Amy, including her programs, place cards, and table numbers, and other than that, I tried to stick to the bridesmaid role as best I could. But, who am I kidding, right? The coordinator side of me kicked in throughout the rehearsal and wedding, but in a much smaller scale because of the help of the hotel staff and four other amazing bridesmaids. Thankfully, I was still able to enjoy the wedding!

Her stationery included a paisley design, and the colors matched all of the bridesmaids dresses perfectly. The place cards were attached on little Crate&Barrel memo clips, which guests were able to take home as a favor. Guest names were printed on the front, and a marriage quote was on the back. There were ten total quotes so every guest at each table had a different one. They weren't your typical lovey-dovey marriage quotes. Let me know if you have a favorite!

“What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.” – Leo Tolstoy

“Many marriages would be better if the husband and wife clearly understood that they're on the same side.” – Anonymous

"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage." – Lao Tzu

"An archaeologist is the best husband any woman can have: the older she gets, the more interested he is in her." – Agatha Christie

"People stay in love because they’re intrigued, or because of chemistry, kindnesses, and even luck. But part of it has got to be forgiveness and gratefulness!" – Anonymous

“The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they're right if you love to eat with them all of the time.” – Julia Child

“Marriage is a three ring circus: engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering.” – Woody Allen

"You don't marry someone you can live with - you marry the person who you cannot live without." – Anonymous

“Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed.” – Albert Einstein

Amy and Eugene, it was so fun to celebrate the weekend with you, and I wish you both the very best!!

~Emilie