Andrew and Becca gathered their friends and family at an off-season summer camp in northern Vermont. They had already eloped before planning the gathering, so that really took the pressure off. The legal part was done so this was their chance to just bring their people together and celebrate. The couple wanted the weekend to feel open and relaxed. Guests stayed on site. They swam, cooked meals together, played music, and wandered between small pockets of activity across the camp.

“The wedding theme could be best described as Vermont country summer abundance and joy,” Becca said. “Vermont summer is so special and brief, this wedding was a celebration of overflowing gardens and overflowing hearts. The inspiration was high summer, celebration, and togetherness.”

Becca designed and made her own dress from vintage linen lace she found at a flea market. She also thrifted the vases, placemats, and table details, made or sourced the tablecloths, and crafted ceramic moon favours for every guest. Some of the flowers used during the weekend were grown and dried by Becca ahead of time. Friends harvested buckets of goldenrod to add to the decorations.

Andrew welded the signs that guided guests around the camp and built the chuppah from young birch trees gathered from a neighbour’s property. Friends finished it with flowers shortly before the ceremony.

Everyone was asked to wear a flower crown that Becca and her friends had made together during the week leading up to the wedding. The crowns mixed dried flowers, fresh blooms, and grapevine.

The ceremony took place on a hill overlooking the mountains. The bride’s cousin and uncle performed live on acoustic guitars and vocals. The prelude was You and Me by Penny and the Quarters, which also became their first dance later that night. Their parents walked down the aisle with them to Sea of Love by Phil Phillips.

“I sobbed walking down to aisle towards Andrew,” Becca said. “The ceremony was my favourite part of the weekend. It was so so special and everything I ever dreamed of. I get emotional thinking back on it. Standing up in front of all our people and declaring our love to each other and celebrating together was one of the most special times ever.” When the ceremony ended, guests threw dried flower petal confetti as the couple walked back down the aisle together.

During cocktail hour guests mingled with drinks created by a local soda maker who uses fruit and vegetable scraps to produce unexpected flavours. Dinner was curry cooked by their friend Liz using local ingredients. The meal happened without assigned tables because they wanted their guests to chose where to sit and move freely between conversations.

For Becca and Andrew, the process of planning the wedding became as meaningful as the event itself. “Collaboration!” she replied when asked what her highlight of the planning process was. “Working with our buddies and families on this huge project was so fun. It was so heart-warming to see our community show up for us over and over on many levels. It was a huge gift to us.”

She also had some great advice: “You are going to need HELP if you’re going the DIY route! Be very realistic about what you can get done on your own and how much your people are able to contribute. Don’t try to do everything yourself. If you’re an ADHD/ADD babe, you’re also gonna develop some serious coping mechanisms.”

But her biggest suggestion? Eloping first! “I’m so glad we did, then we were able to plan a wedding on our own timeline exactly the way we wanted to with the pressure off afterwards. And don’t be afraid to tell people ‘no’ stick to your vision and you won’t have any regrets.”