Elegant Fall Wedding, The Crane Estate

Ashley & Ethan, October, 19th, 2014, The Crane Estate, Ipswich 

Ashley has been a great friend of mine since we were babies, and together with her now-husband Ethan, has been a true supporter of my business both personally and professionally since I first opened the doors of Meredith McCarthy Floral Design 7 years ago.  When they asked me to be a part of their amazing big day, I truly could not have been happier!

The Crane Estate is a very special place to Ashley.  It has been a part of her entire life story, she began working in the event department as an intern during college, and has been the Private Event Manager there for eight years!  She, and now Ethan, truly loves this piece of property, which made it a perfectly fitting venue for their wedding day.

Ashley and Ethan celebrated their marriage on Ashley’s 30th birthday! So, we really went all out on the details, we had to do justice to two very important milestones!  There were so many elements to this wedding that were really beautiful and special.

Guests were welcomed by the gorgeous exterior front door, which was adorned with a large A and E, which I covered in moss and hug with ribbon.  I also created a garland that cascaded down the railings of the front steps with grapevine with hydrangeas and ribbon at the ends.  We placed their guest book - a map of massachusetts with a heart marker on Ipswich! -  just inside the front door and styled it with a vintagey looking wooden box and bud vases, which gave guests a teensy taste of what was to come with the rest of the decor.

I created a designed out of flower petals down the aisle, which was really one of my favorite details, the white and blush rose petals swirled down the aisle and really popped against the green grass! I framed the aisle with topiaries adorned with blush roses, which were very fitting for the setting of a 1920’s era Estate.

Ashley carried a bouquet of  all white flowers: Roses, Garden Roses and Ranunculus with a touch of Dusty Miller, which was so soft and beautiful - a perfect and timeless look for a bride!

The bridesmaids wore a gorgeous dusty purple color and carried Roses, David Austin Garden Roses, Spray Roses and Brunia Berries (Grey Berries). Their Jewelry was made by Ashley’s maid of honor, Angela of Luxa Jewelry.  She makes custom jewelry for bridal parties, and amazing pieces for everyday life, but of course it was extra special that she was able to add such a lovely touch to her best friend’s wedding (and Birth) day!

Ashley spent a lot of time choosing her linens and chairs, and I absolutely love what she ended up with.  The linens had a subtle damask pattern, and the chairs were just rustic enough, but still fit perfectly with the setting.  I filled the tables with big and lush centerpieces  in a clear pedestal vase with mercury votive candles.  I used flowers that added a lot of texture and volume: Roses, Hydrangeas, Garden Roses, Berries, Spray Roses and Dahlias.

The night was truly magical, and was capped off by the most amazing Harvest Moon.  I’m so glad that these two, who are so special to me, has such a beautiful day!

I hope you'll enjoy these photos, taken by Derby Studios.

A Vintage Fall Wedding, The Crane Estate

Amanda & Bjorn, October 10, 2014, The Crane Estate, Ipswich

This fall wedding at The Crane Estate was just beautiful.  The lush  colors mesh so beautifully with the setting and color scheme of the Estate.  I absolutely love when clients really use the inside of the house.  So many fall in love with it for the amazing views and the fact that it’s on the ocean (all things I love, too), but the really special thing about this particular property is that the inside is just as special as the outside.

Amanda and Bjorn used the whole house for their intimate wedding.  The ceremony was in the dining room, cocktails and dancing in the ballroom and dinner in the gallery.  The details we incorporated really dressed up the house and made it feel like it was theirs for the night!

The color palette for this wedding was ivory, peach and orange with a touch of green.  Such a beautiful accent to all the rooms inside the crane estate!  I think it’s really best to work with the unique colors and patterns in the house, rather than trying to fight it with colors and styles that don’t feel like they fit with the 1920’s seaside mansion.  Every detail down to Amanda’s perfect dress helped to create a elegant, vintage feel.

Amanda’s bouquet was really special, she gave me a brooch which was a true family heirloom - it dates back to a time before her Father’s family emigrated from Wales to the US - which I attached to the handle of her bouquet.  

I created two large pieces that framed the ceremony space with lots of ranunculus, roses, green-to-white kale leaves, berries, succulents, dusty miller, curly willow and, my favorite, green hanging amaranths.  So gorgeous.

Their only bridal party was the cutest little flower girl - I made her a small bouquet and a head wreath with orange ranunculous, hypericum berries and babies breath with cascading ribbons down the back.

Outside of the house, on the front terrace, there are two Griffin statues which we dressed up for this party!  I built garlands for their necks with lush greens and orange flowers.  This is such a fun way to add some softness to the outside of the house, and make the stately mansion a bit more festive!

The centerpieces on the tables echoed the other details, they were a gorgeous, textural mix of the same floral and greenery that we used for the ceremony, placed in mercury glass pedestal vases.  I loved the addition of the hanging amaranths so much, it makes the pieces feel so elegant and also vintagey.  It’s a unique addition that you don’t see so often, and makes the centerpieces feel very lush and special.

Amanda and Bjorn’s photographer, Scott Metzger, put together this slideshow of their photos, enjoy!

Nautical Romance, The Annisquam Yacht Club

Liz & Scott, October 12, 2014, The Annisquam Yacht Club, Annisquam 

Liz and Scott were married on the back deck of the Annisquam Yacht Club on an absolutely gorgeous October evening.  One thing that I love so much about autumn weddings is that the sun starts to set a little earlier in the afternoon, making a sunset ceremony truly possible!  You can see in their photos that the light was really magical for these two.  You really couldn’t ask for a more beautiful New England backdrop than the Annisquam harbor.  There are many old wooden sailboats moored here, which look especially amazing on a fall afternoon like Liz and Scott’s wedding day.

The bridesmaids wore different styles of light chiffon dresses in a dusky light blue color.  The yellows and whites that we chose for the bouquets really popped against the dresses!  Liz didn’t want a typical “fall” color palette for her wedding and I think the outcome was really special. We used monochromatic yellow roses, dusty miller, white roses and white hydrangea in the bouquets.  I loved this combination because it was simple and sweet, but with tons of texture and visual interest.  I hand tied the handles of the bouquets in burlap and lace, which really added to the layers of texture and made the colorful, yellow flowers stand out.

After the ceremony, all the girls placed their bouquets in clear glass vases on their dining tables.  This is an excellent way to repurpose flowers and continue to enjoy the bouquets throughout the evening.  Liz and Scott created many other Nautical details for the reception, which added to the decor.  I love when brides and grooms get very involved in the decor aspect of their wedding!

The Annisquam Yacht club is such a great venue, there is so much character and scenery in the venue and it’s surroundings, it just needs a little bit of dressing up, it doesn’t need to be completely transformed in order to make it feel special.  The deck overlooking the water, where Liz and Scott had their ceremony, can also be use for cocktails, and even dancing!

I think their photos by Flavio D Photography really capture the details so beautifully!

Colorful Summer Wedding at Willowdale Estate

Erica and Jeff, August 8, 2014, Willowdale Estate, Topsfield Ma

Jeff has been a close friend of mine and my husband Bill since High School.  To say that I was excited and honored to be part of his and Erica’s big day is an understatement!  I absolutely love when I can help my friends to create the wedding of their dreams, especially when they have as beautiful a vision as Erica did!

Erica and Jeff’s ceremony took place behind the mansion in the garden courtyard, surounded by by beautiful manicured gardens in full bloom. The setting was perfect, there were many details including lush, blush hydrangeas and mint bows adorning each chair, which were my favorite detail of the ceremony decor. 

Erica always knew she wanted a traditional all white rose bouquet.  We personalized it for her by adding crystals and pearls to the bouquet handle.  I think it came out perfectly and she loved it. The bridesmaid's bouquets had lots of different blooms which created lots of texture and visual interest against their bright coral dresses. I loved the succulents and the added touch of the mint ribbon. 

Erica picked the color pallette for the reception as well, she chose a mint and coral color scheme with accents of blush pink, then gave me free creative reign on the floral design itself - the best thing I could ask for!  We incorporated lots of crystal accents.  There was a lot of color and a lot of texture in play in the details of this wedding, I loved it! The centerpieces were a mix of roses and spray roses, hydrangeas, dahlias and succulents placed in glass cube vases which we embellished with burlap topped with a coral satin ribbon and a crystal brooch for a little sparkle. Erica made the wooden table numbers, which she painted mint for a pop of color and to tie in the color scheme throughout the evening.

The venue that they chose, Willowdale Estate, is really beautiful.  It has a very pretty indoor area, which can be used in case of rain, or for pretty food displays like Erica and Jeff chose to do, but the outdoor garden and seasonal Sperry tent really make this venue shine.  The outdoor area is surrounded with beautiful plantings, which make you feel as though you are at a party in a private garden!  The setting worked really well with Erica and Jeff’s vision for their wedding day, and the weather was just perfect.  It was a gorgeous night, I am so happy for my friends and so glad to be part of their big day!

Here are some photos take by Benoit & McCarthy.  You can see we incorporated many details both inside and out on the food stations, mantle and under the tent.

Rustic Elegance, The Estate at Moraine Farm

Breanna & Stephen, June 22, The Estate at Moraine Farm, Beverly Ma

Breanna and Stephen came to me through Breanna’s Brother and Sister in Law, who’s wedding I also worked on a few years ago.  I always love when I can be involved with many happy days with the same family!

Breanna was inspired by the vintage elegant, rustic vibe of Moraine Farm.  The property is an old estate which overlooks Wenham pond.  There is a working farm on site and the wedding venue is nestled in between huge, old trees, the pond, and a beautiful gardens.  It’s really scenic and unique!

The ceremony was held overlooking a wide, open field and dinner and dancing took place under a Sperry sail cloth tent.  The setting couldn’t have been more perfect for the details I worked on with Breanna and Stephen.  The centerpieces were composed of scabiosa pods, berries, hydrangeas, roses, spray roses and Parrot Tulips in a collections of mason jars, hand wrapped with twine, which cascaded down the center of the long farm tables.  The flowers we selected for this event allowed the color pallete to be soft and natural like the setting of the estate, but also contained lots of texture and visual interest to elevate the overall look.

Alongside the floral pieces, the styling of the other design elements really brought the whole look together.  The table settings and water carafes were vintage inspired; table numbers and menus were written on small chalkboards, and the food displays were composed of vintage wooden boxes, brought in by Fireside Catering, the in house caterer at Moraine Farm.

Lisa Rigby did a beautiful job capturing all the details that day!

A Garden Wedding, The Crane Estate

Becca & Bear, July 12, The Crane Estate, Ipswich Ma

For me and my team, this wedding was particularly fun to be a part of because the Bride and Groom, Becca and Bear, and their families were so wonderful to work with, they had a great team of vendors, and they got married at one of my all time favorite places, The Crane Estate in Ipswich.

We were able to work with Becca and Bear (his real name is Benjamin, but isn’t Bear just the best nickname?) on many extra special touches that really made this wedding look amazing and feel very personal, which, in my opinion, is the best way for weddings to turn out.

We placed a custom birch chuppah on the Crane Estate’s Grand Allee and personalized it for Becca & Bear by adding mounds of roses, hydrangeas and some trailing Ivy in the soft pink, white and green colors that Becca loves.  Bear, his Father and his Grandfather all gave me their family Tallit which we used for the chuppah.  Becca gave me a silk hankerchief with her families initials embroidered on it, which I carefully attached around the handle of her bouquet.

The personal details didn’t stop with the ceremony! We wound soft color and florals all through the cocktail hour and reception.  I especially love the Bride and Groom’s dinner chairs; Becca asked me to decorate her and Bear’s chairs with swags of Ivy and white ribbon, which looked so festive and gardeny inside the dining room of the Estate.

The photos by Ned Jackson are just amazing, and truly do this beautiful wedding justice!

A little love note from Becca's mom...

Hi Meredith,

I've been meaning to write you to thank you for the fabulous flowers for Becca's wedding. The way you arranged the handkerchiefs around the handle of Becca's flowers was perfect!  The Chuppah flowers were incredible.  Our expectations were surpassed and you did all this with a broken foot the night before!  

It was a pleasure working with you!

Thank you,

Jana