Some little girls spend a good portion of childhood dreaming about their fairytale wedding -- from the perfect gown to the one waiting to greet them at the end of the aisle.

Surprisingly, this was not the case for today's stunning bride. After looking through the images from Sara and James' magical rustic affair, I have to say I was a bit shocked upon learning that Sara had never anticipated on having the wedding of her dreams! So, how did these two manage to execute the most breathtakingly romantic event that not only stole their guests' hearts, but blew them away, as well? Let's just hear the story from the bride herself!

Every girl dreams of her fairytale wedding — except this girl. My husband and I dreamed of adventure and travel and amazing new foods. We agreed that our dream wedding would be the two of us running off to Hawaii to exchange vows privately before jumping off a waterfall. However, as my mother's only daughter, I could not shatter her dream of hosting my fairytale wedding. So, the planning began with the decision of where our wedding would take place. My family was from New Jersey, and my husband's family was from Boston. For my husband and I, there was no debate — it had to be Boston. The city he grew up in, the one I fell in love in and our home together for the past six years.

Inside the city limits, we had few options on our do-it-yourself budget. So, we expanded our search into looking for somewhere that had the historic presence of our beloved city, but the nature we often escaped to on our many adventures. We found what we were looking for at The Codman Estate in Lincoln, MA. The federal-style mansion and carriage house had the historical feeling of home, while the beautiful gardens provided the natural backdrop we longed for.

The ceremony was held in the Italian garden, where stone steps lead down into a cozy flower-filled garden divided by a long, beautiful reflecting pool. We kept the decorations simple, allowing the natural beauty of the property to speak for itself. Hand-painted signs directed guests from the ceremony to the reception site at the carriage house.

We found the perfect balance of indoor comfort with scenic sunset views by tenting the seating area just outside the carriage house, where the bar and dance floor kept our guests entertained for hours. Our wedding colors of yellow and grey added accents without overwhelming the distinguished elegance of the property. We achieved a rustic, vintage feel by converting an old train case into a card box and creating centerpieces of burlap runners with mason jars tied with twine. We kept it fun with signature cocktails and a homemade photo booth crafted by my dad.

There was no single moment of that day that outshines the rest — more like listening to your favorite song, as every minute was as beautiful as the last. No words could truly explain the excitement I had walking down the aisle along the reflecting pool with rays of sunlight warming my face. No words for the love that surrounded us upon entering our reception. No words for the exhausted content we felt sitting on the ground in our wedding attire, resting our heads against one another as our special day faded into a perfect memory. The realization that the wedding we never dreamed of was everything we could have ever wanted.

 

 

Dress: Mori Lee purchased at Manhattan Bridal / Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bill Levkoff / Tuxedos: BLACK by Vera Wang at Men's Wearhouse / Venue: The Codman Estate in Lincoln, MA / Florals: Whole Foods Market / Music: Unique Sounds DJ Services / Catering: Tastings Caterers / Beverages: Gordon's Fine Wines and Liquors