Stephanie and Henry were married on a beautiful September day surrounded by 25 of their closest family and friends.
Our planning journey began about 7 months before their wedding day. When the couple first reached out to me, they were unsure of whether they wanted to host their intimate wedding at the bride's parents home in Simsbury or a Connecticut venue. They were having a hard time finding somewhere that spoke to them, worked for their smaller guest count and also allowed in outside catering as they had already decided what company they wanted to cater their wedding.
The first step was to secure their venue. We started with a walk-through of the residence in Simsbury to go over the possibilities that existed there and then I worked up a short list of 5 venue options that met their criteria. In the end, they decided to book at one of my favorite venues, the Hill-Stead Museum. From there, we worked together to build the rest of their vendor team and work out the logistics of the day.
We opted to use the space a bit differently than some of my other clients and hosted the reception in the Makeshift Theater rather than under a tent. The ceremony took place on the West Lawn with cocktail hour to follow on the veranda.
Smaller weddings allow us to get more creative with your menu as well as the design. Their caterer, Taproot, set up an amazing spread for cocktail hour that I wouldn't typically see for a larger event. They had a gorgeous grazing board with all different cheeses and meats, bowls of sesame noodles, grilled lamb kafta, lobster rolls, chicken satay, swordfish skewers and so much more. The reception featured a four course meal served family-style. Dishes featured included hamachi crudo, beef and uni handrolls, grilled beets with pistachio butter, grilled bronzini, smoked porchetta and many other seasonal, custom sides.
The bride wanted to create a design that felt like a mix of bohemian and industrial. We accomplished this look by incorporating mixed metals, pampas grass, and whimsical table runners.
Their day was absolutely perfect and a true reflection of their style. For a smaller group, the dance floor was never empty and the energy that filled the air felt like a wedding of 200 people!
I loved working with these two to create an experiential wedding that incorporated everything that mattered to them.
Check out Stephanie's 5 star review she left us after the wedding:
Alyssa is the BEST. She is super organized, patient, and knows everything about the event planning business. She made our wedding as stress-free and seamless as could be, which is saying a lot during COVID times. If you're lucky enough to have stumbled upon Alyssa's site and are still looking at other vendors, I will give you simple advice: stop the search and hire Alyssa. You will be sooooo very happy that you did. Thank you, Alyssa, for making our wedding day perfect!!!
VENDOR TEAM:
Planning & Design: Alyssa Jean Signature Events
Venue: Hill-Stead Museum
Catering: Taproot
Photography: Gina Sierra
Beauty: Chelsea Dae
DJ: Vivid Events
Florals: Amberworks Floral Design
Cake: Alyssa's Cakery
Rentals: PEAK