We have an absolutely gorgeous, vineyard wedding from Anna Sawin Photography for you today! Paul and Marci were married at the beautiful Chamard Vineyards… flanked by romantic diy details, this couple truly planned a wedding that reflected their personalities!
“Stopping for a moment and taking in the sight of everyone dancing and singing with the band to the Humpty Dance while holding their cotton candy… and our second favorite memory happened a month after the wedding. Someone sent me a video of the bus ride back from the vineyard to the hotels where the whole bus full of people; family & friends who were strangers at the beginning, singing the whole way home “99 bottles of beer” and shouting congratulatory messages to us!
..We DIY-ed lots of things… the burlap table clothes, the ribbons and initials for the reception chairs, the table numbers, the galvanized buckets for the s’mores & blankets, the wine bottle favor tags, the place cards, and the chalkboards! I got lots of inspiration from Pinterest, Martha Stewart Weddings, Southern Brides, Bliss Celebrations, and Paper Source. I knew that I wanted things to be shabby chic, relaxed and with a twist of fun. It was also important for us to source locally. My dress was created by a designer in Woodbridge CT, all the food was sourced locally and in season, we had local beer/wine, etc. The best piece of advice I have is to really define the look you are going for and always check back to see if the projects you are considering fit with that one single minded look/feel (the venue, the dress, the favors, the food, the music). It is easy to get caught up in all of the different ideas that you see everywhere and want to do it all, but there is a fine line between making an event look elegant vs. a tacky mish mash of fad accents ..or a seamless thread carried throughout all elements of the event.
Something Old: my great grandmothers ring and handkerchief
Something New: my parents bought me a necklace that symbolizes marriage and the joining of 2 lives
Something Borrowed: our borrowed was Paul’s late grandfather’s tack hammer to close the wine box at the ceremony (we put a bottle of Chamard wine and notes to each other in the box and sealed it – we will open it up on our first anniversary, then we will put another bottle in and new notes for next year!
Something Blue: this really cute light blue Hanky Pankey thong with rhinestones that said “I do.” My friend Cindy gave them to me at my shower, she always thinks of the best little gifts!
..My advice would be to decide what is really important for you and focus on those few things. Families start to get really involved because they are excited to help, so if you can throw a few low risk activities their way – they will feel like they’ve done something special and the things you really want to do your way you can manage by yourself. The day of, it all falls into place somehow and you will wonder why you ever worried. No matter what happens it will be your day, of special memories & unforgettable moments. OH… and stop to look around!” -Marci, the bride
Wedding Photography: Anna Sawin + Nicki Griffith for Anna Sawin Photography // Wedding Venue: Chamard Vineyards // Officiant: Victoria Burdick // Event Coordination: TRUE Event // Floral Design: Flourescent , Milford, Connecticut // Catering: Gourmet Galley // Cakes: Gourmet Galley + J Cakes // Lighting + Tent Rental: Sperry Tents // Music: O’Brien Strings + The Nerds // Hair + Makeup: Lindsay of Jennie Fresa Makeup & Skincare Boutiquerie + Timothy Pamment Salon // Transportation: STA Transportation + Post Road Limo // Accommodations: Saybrook Point Inn + Comfort Inn , Old Saybrook // Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau via The White Dress by the Shore // Shoes: Something Bleu // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Coren Moore via The White Dress by the Shore // Save the Dates: Pear Tree Greetings // Calligraphy (Escort Cards, Table Numbers, Chalkboard Menu): Kristen Henderson Calligraphy
