Meg & Matt's Wedding
The Vision
Woodland forest magic, feathers, ferns and faeries, Alaskan and Adirondack wilderness wedding, Wild Center reception
The Flora and Fauna
Wild flowers, rustic roses, fall foliage, mums, hydrangeas and cattails, pine needle bridal path through a fern carpeted forest
Working with Megan and Matt was a joyous challenge in an unusual sort of way. This couple knew exactly what they wanted right from the start. Having spent years together in a variety of educational, occupational and geographical situations, Meg and Matt developed strong and specific preferences along the way. This closed our creative gap considerably and set down definite and limiting parameters.
Megan is one of the strongest women I know. Her sense of self has been solid since infancy and her vision of perfection can be one of her biggest burdens. That said, Megan was able to communicate her and Matt’s wishes for their wedding in such a way that the planning and execution of the event was happy and fruitful! And dare I say…? “Perfection!”
And so… from both sides of the continent came the joining of the Adirondack wood nymph and the Alaskan nature boy. Every detail of their wedding demonstrated contributions from each side and a mixing of the two. From the tree planting ceremony to the table names, West and East met in the Northern forest and combined heritage, family and tradition to form a new partnership of love.
The floral elements were intrinsic to the overall mystique of the entire day. We added delicate wax flowers, guinea fowl feathers and eucalyptus seeds and leaves to Meg’s hair to complement her exquisite headpiece and veil. These same flowers were echoed in her bridal bouquet and those of her bridesmaids.
The bridal bouquet was made with very specific requests from Meg herself. It was to be; “ large, but not too large, rustic and wild but not too messy, contain wild roses but not florist roses, include daisies, mums and wax flowers and feature feathers, berries, branches, wispy greens and graceful foliage.” It needed to be just the right size and shape to cover her hands but not drape down too far. To see Meg burst into tears of joy when we handed her the finished product is a highlight of the whole event!
We loved, loved, loved Matt’s and his groomsmen’s boutonnieres. They were made from the same eucalyptus leaves, berries, guinea fowl feathers and wax flower buds that adorned Megan’s hair. They were finished off with antique velvet green ribbon that also wrapped Megan’s bouquet and Olive’s incredibly beautiful and delicate flower girl halo.
Formal shots of the Bride and Groom were taken at Megan’s grandparents’ home right down the road from the ceremony. This dock on the Raquette River is the setting for many wonderful childhood memories for Meg and her parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.
Megan and Matt wanted to get married at her parent’s home that they built themselves in the Adirondacks. Every detail of the day was lovingly crafted by hand by her family. From the simple, elegant front porch that served as the ceremony site, to the incredible landscaping stocked with flowering bushes and a multitude of mums, the day was a feast for the senses.
Especially significant and touching was the tree planting ceremony. Meg and Matt took a tree from the Adirondacks and soil from Alaska and planted the tree on their parents’ property. They ceremoniously watered the tree with water from the nearby Raquette River.
Sharing a quiet moment right after the ceremony, Meg and Matt marveled at the absolute beauty and perfection of the day… Their thoughts were expressed by a friend who exclaimed, “Oh my God Megan and Matt! This is incredible! Where are you going to honeymoon? Narnia?”
The Wild Center-The Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks was the perfect venue for the reception. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in afternoon autumn sun beside the Greenleaf Pond while Meg and Matt spent a few minutes alone on the peaceful Rainbow Bridge.
Gorgeous on it’s own, the Great Wolf Hall of the Wild Center became even more spectacular with the details added by Perennia. Tables were arranged with burlap, antique wooden boxes crafted by Meg’s grandfather, rustic floral centerpieces, deer antlers, granite table names and flickering votive candles. Live beech tree saplings dotted the perimeter of the room. The bride’s mother picked, pressed, mounted and framed glorious botanicals that hung from green ribbons against the granite stones surrounding the hall.
After all the emotional speeches and a delicious dinner the action headed to the dance floor where the merriment continued deep into the night!
All images above © Jeffrey Foote Photography
Flower Messages
Red Chrysanthemum - Cheerfulness, Wellness
Daisy - Purity, Loyal love, Cheerfulness
Orange/Yellow Tea Roses - Fascination, Joy, Friendship
Red Button Poms - Truth, Love
Orange Waxflower - Susceptibility
Pheasant Feathers - Spirituality
Eucalyptus Greens - Protection
“We are so fortunate to have had Perennia’s unrivaled talent and passion help us create the wedding of our dreams. We positively would not have had the wedding we did without them! ”
OFFICIAL PERENNIA REVIEW:Matt and I were married on September 26, 2015 in Tupper Lake, NY. We hired Perennia to design...
Posted by Megan Prince on Sunday, November 8, 2015
