Every wedding vendor team is created a little differently. In this series we explore how and why each couple selected the right wedding vendor team for their wedding day.
With champagne and an incredible slideshow of moments from their five-year relationship, Aaron proposed to Maggie in their New York City apartment in early July of 2021. Afterwards, he took her out for a celebratory dinner, during which friends went to their place to surprise the newly affianced couple with an engagement party once they’d returned.
The next day, Maggie and Aaron drove up to Vermont to visit her parents for the July 4th holiday. Naturally, they started brainstorming venues and wedding ideas. With Maggie having spent almost every summer there, as well as plenty of winter weekends skiing and holidays there as a child, the Green Mountain State held plenty of sentiment. There was no question that the couple’s milestone event would also take place there.
Maggie had visited Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home, a few times as a child, and considered it and one other potential venue before choosing Hildene for their wedding location. The estate’s rich history, beautiful landscapes, and picturesque garden sealed the deal. The fact that there was an outdoor element and a reception tent already provided made it all the more appealing.
Celebration dates were limited, as many couples had rescheduled their 2020 weddings to Saturdays in 2022. The couple was limited to a few Fridays and Sundays, and they loved the idea of the former. Most guests came from New York City and then stayed to enjoy the rest of the weekend in Manchester with the newlyweds. All 173 guests lucked out with a beautiful New England day on September 16, 2022, where you could feel summer transitioning to autumn, complete with warm sun shining and a clear blue sky.
When you book a wedding at Hildene, your florist and caterer are included, which helped Maggie and Aaron get a great jump start on the planning with those vendors locked in early.
Maggie wanted to embrace the garden and organic feel of the setting, so Lily of the Valley Florist incorporated seasonal blooms like dahlias and anemones. Florals lined the aisle at the ceremony, which was otherwise light on decor to let the Green Mountains and the couple be the focus. Plus, the secular ceremony (officiated by Aaron’s godfather, a federal circuit judge) was on the shorter side—though very personal and full of laughs.
For the reception, there were planted herbs in terracotta planters and white compotes holding arrangements of white, pink, and burgundy florals. Greenery also hung overhead in the tent, continuing the garden feel.
As for the food and beverages, Pangaea Catering & Events truly served it up. Cocktail hour included a bounty of small bites: bacon-wrapped scallops with maple Dijon mustard, roasted duck with herbed aioli, petite Maryland blue crab cakes, chorizo-stuffed dates, sun-dried tomato and spinach arancini, and Vietnamese spring rolls. As guests were seated for dinner, baby arugula salads with prosciutto, grilled fig, Hildene chèvre, balsamic pearls, and extra virgin olive oil were served.
A trio of entrée options included petit filet mignon, seared halibut, and grilled vegetable strudel. And if anyone was still hungry come the latter portion of the reception, chicken and lemongrass pot stickers as well as chow fun noodles made the rounds, along with tea, coffee, and espresso martinis. The caterer also created the two-tier lemon wedding cake with cream cheese buttercream icing, blueberry compote, and lemon curd, decorated with fresh lisianthus, dahlias, and astrantia.
Maggie found TRUE Event through Hildene, who shared a preferred vendor list with the couple. After reviewing their portfolio of past events at Hildene and across New England, she reached out to Sarah True and Alexis Autencio, who helped plan the modern, organic, and simple-yet-elegant wedding.
“Maggie wanted to play off of the natural beauty of Vermont and the setting at Hildene. We helped take her vision and carry it through all of the little details from the herb cart escort card display to the table top decor, and round menus that sat perfectly on the wicker chargers. The color palette was neutral with lots of textures, and we brought in the deep burgundy to give it depth so it did not feel too feminine. Also that time of year is still summer but starting to transition in season to fall, and the palette was the perfect combination of all of those tones.” —Sarah True, planner/designer
When suggesting photographers, there were two key factors TRUE Event considered before making a recommendation to the bride and groom: personality and style. Liz Banfield’s calming demeanor was the perfect match for Maggie and Aaron. An introduction over Zoom kicked things off, and the connection was instant and easy.
“Maggie and Aaron wanted the focus of the images to be very candid and unscripted. I remember them telling me ‘we love to laugh.’ I made sure to keep the coverage from becoming too static so I could capture this aspect of their relationship. Their lighthearted energy made capturing them feel effortless.” —Liz Banfield, photographer
Aaron’s priority in the wedding planning was the music. He booked a duo to perform during the ceremony and cocktail hour, which played classics by Marvin Gaye and Etta James during the processional.
Aaron knew he wanted a live band for the reception. The Band Method is a go-to of TRUE Event, as their energy is unmatched and they have the ability to read the room and keep guests dancing all night long. When Maggie and Aaron shared the genres they were interested in hearing and the energy they were looking for, the recommendation was made.
The band played a wide variety of oldies and more contemporary music, but everyone’s favorite was when they played a mash-up of Jay-Z’s “Empire State Of Mind” and Frank Sinatra’s “Theme From New York, New York” at the end of the night. Though it wasn’t the only mash-up of the evening: Maggie and Aaron did their first dance to a medley of two different renditions of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” starting slow and soulful with the Lauryn Hill version before speeding up to the original by Frankie Valli.
“The Band Method delivered! We were so excited to see everyone already on the dance floor when we made our entrance into the reception tent.” —Aaron, groom
Hoping to send customized save-the-dates and invitations that used watercolor art and calligraphy, the next move was to find a stationer and calligrapher who could meet the vision. Emily Rose Ink and Erica Jean Calligraphy worked together on the suite, with bespoke elements continuing onto the elevated garden wedding’s signage and round dinner menus. Calligraphed escort cards were also tucked into beds of fresh herbs.
Maggie wanted to look and feel like herself on her big day, but at an elevated level. After reviewing the work of Upstyle, Maggie booked the team to create her classic look.
“I don’t typically wear a ton of makeup, so I showed the Upstyle team some of the makeup I do wear, and they were able to make a more glam version of that look. And for hair, I wanted a Cindy Crawford-esque ’90s blowout, which can be difficult to achieve with my fine texture, but they really nailed it!” —Maggie, bride
As an interior designer, Maggie prioritized aesthetic details during the wedding planning. As the design plan evolved, TRUE Event looked to partner with vendors they not only have a great relationship with, but who have worked at the venue—both of which make executing the event that much easier. In bringing in Ryan Designs, the look and feel of the tented reception—an “elevated garden experience,” as it was called—really came together. Ryan Designs handled all draping, the wall behind the band, and lighting, which included oversize gold chandeliers down the center of the tent and strands of bistro bulbs throughout.
Finally, linens and rental pieces from BBJ La Tavola Specialty Linen and PEAK Event Services were chosen in natural materials: textured linen tablecloths and napkins, rattan chargers, wood bistro dining chairs, and natural brass accents.
“I loved selecting all the pieces for the tent design with Sarah, from florals and lighting to really granular pieces like napkins and pillows for our seating area.” —Maggie, bride
