Katie and Alan were married at the Society Room in Hartford, Connecticut on February 13, 2010. It was a winter wonderland theme wedding and with snow freshly fallen in Connecticut, made the perfect scenery. I was jumping out of my skin when the absolutely fabulous Jamie Collins Photography happily agreed to photograph every lovely detail!! You can see the entire wedding featured on Style Me Pretty blog. Style Me Pretty is a terrific wedding blog that features a wide variety of simply gorgeous weddings (from simple backyard affairs to over the top sophisticated ballroom weddings)!
I think winter weddings can be so utterly warm and inviting, as well as completely romantic. Fireplaces glowing with logs burning... that smell of firewood burning is amazing for the senses. It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like you are in Grandma's house and cookies are coming out of her oven.
Katie and Alan had their first look photos taken prior to the ceremony so they could completely enjoy cocktail hour. They headed to the newly renovated Old State House to take images before their ceremony. The Old State House charges a minimal fee of $200 to take photos for one hour. But, as you can see from the images, so worth the little fee. It's a stunning place for a unique venue, rich with history and architecture. They also took photos together at City Hall in downtown Hartford, Connecticut.
Lots of couples choose to have photographs prior to the ceremony. It's a personal preference. You need to think about whether it works for you or not. You need to decide what works best for you. In the fall (with shorter days) sometimes it's a good idea to see each other prior to the ceremony and get the photos done first. That way you can enjoy the ceremony and cocktail hour, without the worry of rushing images and loosing sunlight fast. On the other hand, you need to think whether you want your fiancee to see you prior to the ceremony. I personally wanted to see the look on his face as I glided down the aisle in sure bliss. I literally floated down the aisle towards the love of my life!
Katie had the most beautiful gown with lace detailing by Watters. We created a lush hand-tied bouquet of 'patience' garden roses, 'vendella' roses, white cattelya orchids and white sweet peas. Wrapping the stems with a very wide ivory satin ribbon and the most gorgeous broach from Regina B (which looked like snow swirling through the sky). The groom's boutonniere was white sweet peas wrapped with thin ivory satin ribbon which was simple and different. (I made several spare boutonnieres for the groom since sweet peas are rather delicate) The rest of the gentlemen had boutonnieres which were white mini calla lilies and a crystal branch with stems wrapped with thin ivory satin ribbon. The bridesmaids carried hand-tied bouquets of white mini calla lilies, white cymbidium orchids, ivory roses and white sweet peas. We wrapped the stems with a dark chocolate/copper color ribbon with copper sequins and thread detailing.
The ceremony and reception were in the ballroom at The Society Room. We created one look for the ceremony, then completely transformed the room while guests enjoyed cocktail hour upstairs on the balcony to create a completely new look. During the ceremony, we lined the bar area with vintage-style containers filled with white hydrangea and pillar candles in metal square luminaries. We created the perfect backdrop with two 12-ft. tall curly willow "trees". They were decorated at the top with white dendrobium orchids and surrounded at the trunk with vendella roses and white cymbidium orchids, then added hanging luminaries. Sixpence For Your Shoe hung their program card off the back of each chair with a deep eggplant color satin ribbon.
I created a dramatic escort card display with Manzanita branches which I sprayed with snow and iridescent glitter to add that wintery look. Button mums tightly clustered together at the base looked like snow and touches of white cattelya orchids, white cymbidium orchids and vendella roses added more interest. Sixpence For Your Shoe draped the tree with crystal garlands (purchased at www.save-on-crafts.com) and hung their escort cards with white wire from those crystals. This was a show stopping pieces as guests entered the venue.
Tables were draped in an ivory shimmer crinkle taffeta linen from Cloth Connection, white napkins with the added napkin treatment Sixpence did (deep eggplant satin ribbon with a vintage-style ring on each napkin which they purchased off of Ebay). Because the room has such enormously tall ceilings we created some tall centerpieces and some low centerpieces. Custom wooden bases, made from recycled wood from the sugar house at my parents farm were made by my talented husband, Scott. Arrangements at the top of those bases were white hydrangea, white dendrobium orchids and vendella roses. Along with hanging luminaries and stems of sparkly crystals. Touches of moss at the base of the arrangement and white cattelya and white cymbidium orchids along with votive cups added interest. Low centerpieces were of white hydrangea, white sweet peas and vendella roses in a vintage-style square footed urn which came from R&S Baskets in Massachusetts.
For double duty, the two "trees" which highlighted the ceremony were used as the couple's backdrop during dinner with their sweet heart table set in front of them. Low pieces which covered the bar area during the ceremony were moved throughout the reception venue (on window sills, in the pub area, etc.)
The Society Room of Hartford is a stunning location. Featuring thirty-five foot tall mural ceiling in the main ballroom, marble, brass and bronze accents throughout the facility. A setting with history and a Great Gatsby era. A coffee station was set up in the lounge pub area. We also set up the candy station in this area. Which I hand dipped over 150 caramel/chocolate apples for with custom created tags by Sixpence For Your Shoe. I packaged each apple in a corsage bag, added ribbon which was purchased at Costco and used silver metallic roping to attach the tags. Acandystore.com provided all of the candy, which were all white which included white chocolate peppermint bark, coconut squares dipped in white chocolate, Joy almonds, yogurt covered raisins, white jelly beans and many more. I purchased candy jars at Walmart and Sixpence For Your Shoe provided the candy scoops. Little clear bags with labels were on the table for guests to help themselves to candy to take home.
Sixpence For Your Shoe purchased a variety of vintage frames off of Ebay and spray painted them silver for their table numbers. Butterfly & Company had tea-dipped the most incredible, real linen napkins to be used with the coffee station and cake after dinner!
Photography: Jamie Collins Photography
Cinematography: Chris Walsh Productions
Flowers: Jessica's Country Flowers
Event Design: Jessica's Country Flowers
Event Planning: Sixpence For Your Shoe
Ceremony Location: The Society Room
Reception Location: The Society Room, Hartford, CT
Linens: Cloth Connections
Invitations: Sixpence For Your Shoe
Bride's Jewelry: (bracelet and earrings) Haute Bride
Broach for bouquet: Regina B
Bride's Dress: Watters
Bridesmaids gowns: Jim Hjelm
Make-up Artist: Sandra Downie
Tuxes: rentals from Men's warehouse (groom's Calvin Klein, groomsmen's Ralph Lauren Chaps)
Cake: Cakes by Donna
Cake stand: Raise the Cake
Card box: The Wedding Main St
Cocktail napkins: Butterfly & Company
Candy: Acandystore.com
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