toddy pond wedding: the reception!

There was just too much to love about Brooke & Stewart’s wedding day.  The weather was perfect, the setting was absolutely lovely, Brooke & Stewart were adorable, their guests were warm & welcoming, and the details . . . well, they were just incredible!  I could have spent hours photographing the tables alone!  And the best part?  Brooke, Stewart, their families, and their friends created most of the loveliness themselves.  DIY wedding geniuses!

From Brooke: “We tried to use artists from Etsy as much as possible to give the day a custom feel.  We worked with each artist to create pieces that were unique to our wedding.  It was such a pleasure to work with such talented people from all over the country.  We were also so blessed to be surrounded by really talented people who were able to step up and contribute to the overall look and feel of the event.”

“I bounced just about every idea off of my Maid of Honor, Annie.  She created all of the table cards which were original collages made from vintage Audobon Society postcards, burlap, tags and watercolors.  She also concocted the seating chart that hung from the big wooden easel.  The wooden easels were actually designed by Stewart on the fly the day before, and then his friend Steve and his wife Kay made them in mass for each table.  We had a blast using what was around us so that we could save money but also incorporate Maine into the wedding.”

“The girls all came together to put the unique centerpieces together.  They were all different which I loved!  We went on a scavenger hunt for pine cones, bits of greenery, moss and other natural tidbits to again enhance the pieces and bring them back to Maine.

“My grandmother, Margaret Brown, made all of the patterned napkins and runners from fabric we found at CityCraft, this cute, super funky fabric store in Dallas.  I looked forever for the jam favors that weren’t too expensive or require me to order a massive amount of jam.  I finally found Worcester Farm- they were great to work with and provided the cutest jars of jams for the day!

So cute!

Brooke sent me a proof of her custom pie banner from Earmark Invitations a few weeks before the wedding.  I was giddy with excitement to see the real thing.  It looked fabulous!

“I cherish the fact that each one of my friends helped in some way.  I think it just goes to show how teamwork can really create an amazing wedding.  While it was stressful to do all of this from 2,000 miles away, in the end, it was much sweeter and more meaningful.”

Brooke & Stewart, thank you so much for inviting me up to Toddy to photograph your wedding.  I feel so lucky to have played such a role in the day’s events.  Seeing you all interact with those who love you the most, most of whom traveled so far to celebrate your love, was an incredible experience for me.  Thank you, thank you.

A special thanks to the J Biddy Band, Wallace Tent & Party Rentals,and the Crocker House Restaurant for helping to make Brooke & Stewart’s wedding reception such a fun, beautiful, delicious, and memorable experience for all!