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Tricia and Mark’s August Backyard Wedding

Real Weddings

Tricia and Mark held their wedding at their home in Westfield, MA. When we first spoke with Tricia, she was looking for support to manage the multitude of logistical details that go into an at-home wedding. To make things more complicated she was planning the wedding from afar – not able to meet vendors on site or even see her fiance on a daily basis. We provided Wedding Management for Tricia and Mark and had an absolute blast celebrating with them on their September 1st wedding.

Tricia and Mark welcomed sixty of their closest friends and family to celebrate on the grounds of their Victorian-style home. Let me tell you – these two are fun. When I first met them on a hot July day they warned me – ‘our family and friends are FUN and they will want to have a good time’. The energy of their home and the upcoming celebration was sunny, lighthearted and sweet. As a second marriage for both of them, their attitudes were relaxed and celebratory.

In order to host all their guests, their lawn was expertly mapped out by Jerome’s Party Plus. With an at-home wedding, it requires creativity to see your home in a new light and to understand how to best organize the flow of the day to match the property’s layout. As a team, we laid out their super fun celebration – maximizing all the house had to offer.

When the day approached and we arrived on site for setup, it was (refreshingly) a family affair. Sisters, aunts, friends were all on site, ironing table runners, layout out decor and laughing over solo cups of champagne. At-home weddings have an amazing way of bringing people together. As a planner, I embrace the communal vibe – every person’s care and attention only makes the event more full of love.

When it was time for the ceremony to start, Tricia (and I) started to cry – though I hid it to prevent her from crying more! Escorted by her two sons, she walked from their home down the aisle to “Speechless” by Dan + Shay. Whenever I drive to the site on the wedding day, I always listen to the bride’s processional song on my way. It sets me in the right mind frame and really locks me into the emotion of their celebration. Once she saw her husband-to-be, Tricia’s nerves calmed and their ceremony went off perfectly.

After an amazing dinner and service provided by Peppermill Catering, the party kicked off. Alternating between fireball nips and amazing cupcakes provided by Frosted Swirl, guests got in the dancing mood. The party did not disappoint. Emceed by Dave from Excalibur DJ services, guests HAD. A. BLAST. The fireball was passed around (seeing a trend?) and at the end, guests were safely transported home. I never have a drink on the job, and rarely do when it’s over (though I totally love a glass of wine in my PJ’s when I’m home from the long day) but one of the only things Tricia wanted was for us to have a shot of fireball together at the end of the celebration. She was insistent, and I happily obliged. Toasting with her and her amazing group of family and friends ended up being one of my favorite memories of the night, and a fitting way to remember an amazing group of people.

So many congratulations to Tricia and Mark and heartfelt thanks to the vendor team who made this amazing day possible!