{photography} orchard cove {reception site} Ekwanok Country Club
{ Vtvows.co m }
manchester, vermont
85
V
It’s hard to believe that Emily and Sam Lines’ relationship was anything but fate. A testament to how small Vermont can seem — in the best possible way — the pair were introduced by a high school friend of Emily’s whom Sam had met while at college in Middlebury. Their mutual friend had a feeling that Emily and Sam would get along, and he was right; the introduction proved to be the first chapter in the couple’s love story. Unfortunately, Emily was about to graduate from the University of Vermont and planning to move to San Francisco. She and Sam stayed in touch, thinking someday they might end up living closer together. Sure enough, after a year in California, Emily moved to New York to be closer to her family — and to Sam, who had just returned from a stint in China and was moving to New York as well. Fate, it seemed, was on their side again. Four blissful years later, Sam decided to go to graduate school in Michigan, forcing them to spend the next year dealing with the frustrations of a long-distance relationship. Emily was relieved when Sam came home for a long visit in the summer of 2009. They set off for Connecticut one day to meet Emily’s father for lunch, but Sam had a secret plan. After lunch, he unexpectedly drove her to his family’s home in South Londonderry, Vermont, and suggested they take a walk down a pretty dirt road leading to the house. “I had a little hunch something exciting was happening, I have to admit,” she says. As they walked, Emily noticed a wreath Sam had woven from wisteria vines, decorated with flowers to look like an engagement ring. Leading her to a small dock, Sam asked Emily to marry him, and she responded with an enthusiastic “Yes!”
both Vermonters at heart, the couple infused their wedding with Vermont-inspired elements that showcased the state’s natural beauty.
86
V
Despite their time in big cities, Emily and Sam are both Vermonters at heart, and they wanted to embrace their beloved favorite state in their wedding. The ceremony took place in Emily’s grandparent’s picturesque backyard under a grove of birch trees. Inspired by the trees, the couple used the image of a birch on their stationery, attached birch trees to the tent poles at the reception, and had a gorgeous birchinspired cake. The décor at the Ekwanok Country Club, their reception site, was already “quintessentially Vermont,” so they were careful not to go over the top with design elements. Emily chose the natural colors of ivory, cream, and light green, as well as burlap elements for a rustic appeal. “We wanted the feel to be rustic and homemade and never opulent or too ornate,” she says. The wooden plaques
87
V
featured ing edd
pr
w
Cake: Grandma Miller’s grandmamillers.com Entertainment: Cracked Ice crackedice.net event planning & Design: Storied Events storiedevents.com Event Rentals: Rain or Shine tent & events rainorshinevt.com Floral Design: Bondville Bloomist bondvillebloomist.com
they used as table numbers were handmade by Sam and named after streets they had lived on. Emily and her mother sewed the whimsical napkins, and Emily’s cousin helped punch and glue the place cards. The couple spent a lot of time choosing readings that they felt would invoke the joy of the day. Their minister, who is also Emily’s godfather, worked with them on creating inclusive, spiritual language. The result was an intimate ceremony that is still their favorite part of the day. As Emily explains it, “There was a moment during the ceremony when I was overcome with happiness and a feeling of being luckier than I could have ever imagined.” As the couple laughed at a joke the minister had made, their parents smiled at them from the front rows, the bridesmaids and groomsmen giggled by their sides, and their dog, Bondi, barked to get their attention. Their disparate lives had finally come together, and there couldn’t have been a better time to say “I do.”
Hair & Makeup: Ria St. Pierre haircreationsetc.com Invitations: Paisley Quill paisleyquill.com Photography: Orchard Cove Photography orchardcovephotography.com Reception Site: Ekwanok Country Club ekwanok.com
emily & sam’s Advice
No.
1 No.
2 88
V
a good if a bride doesn’t have for nts wa she at sense of wh gets she en wh ng ddi her we e time engaged , she should tak g kin ma ore bef to do research ns. sio any deci
s
nal
sio ofes
between find the right balan ce ice of adv the & cts your instin your do ls. na sio fes pro ng weddi at wh of se research to get a sen dding we r you let n you want ~ the . ils deta the ne ~tu e fin vendors
{20
aw
air your h p & makeu
11
ed bouti di q u e ng b r i d af al e fa v e n ir ts} veil .c om
your
r you tation or p s tran
you
r go wn
ur
yo tin
des on
ati
your guide
E
D
FL
OWERS DÉ
I MO
RE
N
CO
SP
I R I N G PA
G
87
E
87
&
IN
MO
RE
O
P
R
MORE &
R
S
CAKES
O
C
OF
DÉ
S
WERS
ED
E
FLO
N G PA IRI G
OF
C
E INSP IR
FO
DÉ
87
OD
COR
Bridal Couture
ES
S
OD
I
VINTAG
CAKE
ES
FO
O
F
CAK
87
ES
S
ES
F
IN
PA G
P
N G PAG RI
S
ING
CAKES,
VINTAGE INSPIRED
CAK
IR
O
P
{CHIC & UNIQ UE} FLOW ERS & DÉ
Bridal Couture Bridal Couture OF
Bridal Couture
{CHIC & UNIQUE}
CAKES, FLOWE VINTAGE INSPIRED RS & DéCOR
&
ED
IR E INSP
ucket & An guilla Real Wed
dings to DELIG HT
R
} R IQUE & UN IC OW DéCO {CHFL ERS &
CAKES,
VINTAG
RS & DéCOR CAKES, FLOWE
O
HT
S
DELIG
Destin ation s Nant
DELIGHT Real Weddings to {CHIC & UNIQUE} DELIGHT
IN
guilla Stowe & An dings to Real Wed
•
OR
barrie Fisher photographers
... • Destinations Finger Lakes & Anguilla Destinations Real Weddings to Westhampton & Anguilla
s ation Destin
FL
OWE
É RS D
CO
M
&
D
O
FLOWERS
FO
planning a destination wedding? we’ve got your road map. R
o f f e r i n g a n u n m at c h e d d e p t h o f l o c a l w e d d i n g r e s o u r c e s a l o n g w i t h pa g e a f t e r pa g e o f l av i s h i n s p i r at i o n , v e r m o n t v o w s a n d t h e f o u r w e l lw e d m a g a z i n e s c o n n e c t y o u w i t h s o m e o f t h e m o s t c e l e b r at e d w e d d i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s a n d u n i q u e w e d d i n g l o c at i o n s o n t h e e a s t c o a s t . f r o m t h e c a p e a n d t h e v i n e ya r d t o t h e h a m p t o n s , t h e a d i r o n d a c k s , m a i n e , n e w h a m p s h i r e , a n d v e r m o n t , y o u ’ l l g e t t h e
“insider”
k n o w l e d g e y o u n e e d t o f i n d y o u r w ay a n d c r e at e t h e d e s t i n at i o n w e d d i n g o f y o u r d r e a m s .
FOR CURRENT & BACK ISSUES VISIT: WELLWED.COM