Meg and Sebastian’s Berkshires Camp Wedding

Meg and Sebastian hosted their camp wedding at Camp Bonnie Brae in the heart of the Berkshires in Otis, MA. They welcomed their closest family and friends for a weekend of swimming, camp games and most importantly – their heartwarming wedding day.

Camp Bonnie Brae is a Girl Scouts camp that hosts a variety of summer programs for kids as well as beautiful and rustic camp weddings. This camp was special to Meg and Sebastian as Meg was a girl scout for most of her childhood – she even had her girl scout vest and activity book woven into the wedding decor! I first met Meg and Sebastian at a coffee shop in Amherst and was so enamored with their laid back and warm energies. They wanted to host a wedding with plenty of DIY elements, but realized that they wanted wedding planning support organizing all the vendor logistics and making sure their wedding day was executed by a professional so they could enjoy ample quality time with their loved ones.

One of the best aspects of a camp wedding is the ability to house your guests on-site which allows more time together than is often possible in other styles of venue. When I arrived on site for their ceremony rehearsal on Friday I was greeted at the camp’s entrance by friends of Meg’s who were handing out wedding weekend maps – lovingly painted and designed by the maid of honor, Tiama. The camp was already buzzing with friends playing games and family members pitching in for wedding setup. Involving family and friends in the wedding setup and leaving the day-of details to a professional can make guests feel included and special without asking them to work on your wedding day. I love the communal and anticipatory spirit.

When the day arrived – it was a beautiful early September day in the Berkshires – warm and still full of summer life with cooling shade from the pine groves. We put the finishing touches on the ceremony and set up the details – all of which complemented the camp. Meg and Sebastian even used the camp’s retro melamine dinnerware which had washed out to the perfect pastel hues after so many seasons of use.

With setup complete, the ceremony began with a beautiful guitar version of Elvis’ “Fools Rush In” played by Sebastian’s dad. A true testament to their warm personalities – Sebastian had (sweetly) insisted that everyone who walked down the aisle had to give him a hug at the arbor. It quickly became one of my favorite moments of the day and slowed down the oft-rushed processional.

Once the ceremony was complete, guests were welcomed to a social hour with lawn games, camp trails, and cold beer. The wedding party marched out on the camp docks – perfectly captured by Becca Moot Photography. Later, when guests were welcomed inside – they entered the camp’s dining hall for barbeque and toasts. Meg and Sebastian chose to hold their first dance until the end of dinner to have it be a fitting kick-off to the dance party. Meg and Sebastian first bonded over their mutual love of swing dancing – so you can imagine the excitement of their first dance. Meg changed into her party dress fitted with red Keds sneakers. One of the things that still surprises me at weddings (even though it makes logical sense) is like attracts like. So, if the couple loves to swing dance – there’s a good chance a lot of the guests will, too. Their dancing sets were beautiful to watch and I was certain they had to have rehearsed in advance.

Meg and Sebastian’s wedding was creative and community driven. It was such a beautiful tribute to their relationships and to the weekend spent celebrating with family and friends. Congratulations Meg and Sebastian, and many thanks to the vendor team who helped make this day an incredible celebration!