Meet Wedding Florist Fleur Du Nord Farms

Posted on September 29, 2022

Love the idea of lush floral arrangements mixed with fresh greenery that compliment your special day? Then you’ll fall head over heels with wedding florist Fleur Du Nord Farm.

Located in Milton, Vermont husband and wife team Sam and Elena specialize in timeless wedding bouquets, boutonnieres, table arrangements, and more. Just as exciting, you can even visit their beautiful 11-acre farm yourself and pick your own stems.

Elena sat down with Vermont Weddings to share what got her into floral design, and what she loves most about weddings. Read on to learn more.

How did you get into wedding floral arrangements?

We started doing wedding florals when we grew and designed the flowers for our own wedding. We were able to do this after buying our 11 acre homestead in spring of 2021. Since then, we have been expanding the farm to a low us to grow flowers all season long.

How would you describe your floral arrangement style?

My style is classic, lush floral arrangements. We love to mix greenery and focal florals to add dimension and balance but not take away from the couple on their big day.

What inspires your work?

I am inspired by the seasons in Vermont as well as the couple’s personal style. I try to balance the two to create florals that match your and the environment where the event is.

Any special tips for couples for working with a wedding florist?

Wedding flowers work in the background to accentuate the venue and to draw the attention of the guests to the romantic moments. As a wedding florist we want to ensure that we are able to make your vision come to life while balancing your budget.

What’s your favorite moment during a wedding?

My favorite moment is watching the couple’s faces as they walk down the aisle. The emotion is so pure and beautiful.

What’s your favorite thing to do in VT?

We love going to Cold Hollow Cider in the fall and getting cider donuts with a hot cup of apple cider. There is nothing better.

If you weren’t a wedding florist what would you do?

Wedding floral design is only part of my career. When I am not working with flowers or tending to the farm, you can find me working in public health to improve the health of the perinatal population.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

Although Sam and I love flowers, we love our cat, Pabst more!

Thank you, Elena and Sam! Learn more about Fleur Du Nord Farm in the Vendor Guide.

Elegant Summer Wedding at the Kimpton Taconic Hotel

Posted on September 27, 2022

Childhood sweethearts, Becky and John, finally had their big day at the Kimpton Taconic Hotel in Manchester, VT. The photographer, Idena Beach, shared that she absolutely adored capturing this couple. This wedding can only be described as pure bliss and big smiles.

An Emotional Day

Becky and John had been dating since middle school, so to say that they know each other well is an understatement! Case in point? Their pre-ceremony gift exchange. Becky bought a particular perfume that John likes so she could surprise him by wearing that scent…and John ended up buying her the same perfume as a gift! It was a fun little moment where everyone was laughing at how well they know each other.

John also included an old sports t shirt of his for her to sleep in. Becky is a huge PJ lover! When asked what her best guess is when it comes to his gift to her she said, “Pajamas. I love Pajamas!” There was a note taped to it as well. It was a small, funny little moment, but there was not a dry eye in the room because the couple’s love was so apparent.

Before putting on her dress, Becky saw John and his groomsmen outside taking photos on the street in front of the hotel. Idena remembered how she captured Becky’s happy tears and excitement over the nearness of their ceremony!

A Kimpton Taconic Hotel Wedding

The Kimpton Taconic Hotel is the perfect place for an elegant wedding. Becky and John’s wedding party got ready at the hotel and took pictures around the property before preparing for the ceremony. The beautiful garden was an elegant setting for their outdoor ceremony. (John’s face says it all as Becky walked down the aisle with her dad. The ceremony was beautiful, memorable, and full of laughter.)

Everyone enjoyed cocktail hour out on the terrace before heading into the ballroom for the reception. Becky and John’s family and friends enjoyed speeches, dinner, and dancing the night away together.

This was a special day full of wonderful memories for everyone involved!

VENDORS

Venue: Kimpton Taconic Hotel, Photographer: Idena Beach Photography, Florals:
Nancy Bishop Florals, Cake: Black Bird Cake Design, Entertainment: Top Hat Entertainment

Your Next Read:

Looking more Manchester, VT summer weddings? Check out this Colorful Summer Wedding at the Wilburton Inn.

Want another real wedding post? Check out any of these.

This Vermont Carnival Engagement Shoot Is Sure to Make You Smile

Posted on September 22, 2022

When Moho Photos sent us this carnival engagement shoot, we broke out into huge smiles and knew we had to share it. If you’re looking to do something fun and unique for your engagement photos, a carnival (or amusement park or state fair) is an excellent photoshoot idea!

Champlain Valley Fair Engagement Session

These photos were taken at the iconic Champlain Valley Fair in Essex, Vermont. Dubbed “the ten best days of summer” this fair happens every year in late August to early September. (Check out this list of fairs and festivals in Vermont for other possible venues.)

If you’re hoping to book an engagement session at the Fair (or another carnival) we recommend trying to go on a weekday versus a weekend because it will be less crowded and you’ll have more time to linger and get your shot.

Ideas for Carnival Engagement Photos

Channel your inner child and have FUN! Go on timeless rides like the carousel or ferris wheel; binge your favorite carnival snacks like cotton candy, funnel cakes, or popcorn; get competitive over some games… the fun photo opportunities are endless!

Another benefit of this location is that carnivals provide a variety of colorful backdrops for photos during the day or nighttime, which gives you lots of options.

Scroll through the gallery below for more inspiration.

Ready For Your Own Engagement Session?

We hope this carnival engagement shoot gallery inspires you to have fun with your engagement session, wherever it is!

Feature Credits:

Photographer: Moho Photos

Your Next Read:

Read about this fun arcade engagement shoot.

Want another real engagement post? Check out any of these.

A Laid-Back Vermont Fall Engagement Session

Posted on September 20, 2022

Katie and Alden are college-sweethearts that quickly fell in love through their shared love of the outdoors, including skiing, hiking, and camping!

Outdoorsy East Montpelier, VT Fall Engagement Session

Since Katie and Alden both love the outdoors, a location with woods, waterfalls, and farm land was perfect for their fall session with their beloved dog, Bridger. This gorgeous location has views of Montpelier off in the distance. They spent their session exploring the property, enjoying each other’s company, and smiling ear to ear. The changing leaves in the background looked like it was straight out of a movie!

A highlight of the session was when Katie and Alden popped a bottle of champagne! The smiles on their faces as it sprays everywhere says it all! Kris of K.Lenox Photography captured every magical moment.

Fall-Loving Couple

Vermont is such a beautiful place in the fall, and a destination for many to do some leaf peeping. Since Katie and Alden both love the fall it just made sense to capture their photos then, as well as plan a fall wedding at the Sterling Ridge Resort.

I love that this couple chose have a laid-back, outdoor session. You can tell they both felt comfortable in front of the camera because they were just being themselves. Their personalities and love for each other really come through in the photos because they chose to highlight what they already love to do!

Photography by K. Lenox Photography

Your Next Read:

Looking for more Vermont engagement sessions? Read A Mountain Top Golden Hour Engagement Shoot.

Want another engagement post? Check out any of these.

Wedding Planning Advice from an Expert

Posted on September 13, 2022

My husband and I just celebrated our four year wedding anniversary in August. While driving to Québec City for our anniversary getaway (itinerary coming soon!) we were discussing some of best decisions we made for our wedding. Here is some of my best wedding planning advice, inspired by our experience and expert advice I’ve learned since running Vermont Weddings (which I wasn’t when I got married).

Wedding Advice I’m Glad We Took: Do A First Look

I’m so glad we did a first look! For starters, seeing each other in a private moment was so calming and special. Also, doing a first look and portraits before the wedding allowed us to spend more time at cocktail hour with our guests!

Plus…it rained right before we got married, which pushed our ceremony inside. While the sun came back out after, and we still got out later for pictures, I’m glad we got our main portraits done ahead of time!

Wedding Planning Tip: Get Ready at Your House (Or Make Where You Are Homey)

I loved my wedding morning so much, I wrote a whole blog post on how to have the best wedding morning! While I know it’s not possible for everyone to be in the comfort of their home (I see you, destination couples!) you can try to make wherever you’re getting ready feel comfortable.

Food, music, and a strong timeline are a few great keys to start.

DIYing Your Wedding Can Be Fun

Admittedly, this isn’t for everyone, but because I genuinely like to do crafts and design work, this was so fun for me! I DIY’ed pretty much everything from the signs to the bouquets.

If you decide to go this route, I highly recommend giving yourself plenty of time to complete your crafts. Also, just because you’re doing it yourself doesn’t mean it will be cheap; keep track of your receipts so you can stay on budget.

My Favorite Wedding Photo: Get A Full Group Photo of Everyone at Your Wedding

We asked our photographer to take a photo of our whole wedding and it’s one of my favorite photos from the day. We printed it poster-size and framed it over our living room sofa, and every time we have friends visit they love to look and find themselves in it! It truly makes me smile every time I look at it.

If you want to pull this off for your wedding, it takes a bit of planning. First, definitely let your photographer know this is important to you. Try to scout a location for the photo ahead of time (ex. a large area for guests to stand and/or a high point for your photographer to stand to get the shot). Secondly, know it’s not going to be perfect. It’s likely that someone will have their eyes closed or will be looking off to the side, or cut off on the edge. You’ll still get the essence of the day!

We scheduled this photo at the very end of our cocktail hour and used it as a way to round everyone up and move in for dinner.

Wedding Budget Advice: Budget for a Videographer

I am so glad we have both pictures and a video to look back on and remember our day! While I felt very present during our ceremony, memories do fade over time, and it’s nice to be able to rewatch it together.

I’m really glad we budgeted for a videographer in addition to a photographer for those memories.

If your budget truly doesn’t allow for a wedding videographer, I would recommend asking a trusted friend to at least capture your ceremony for you. You could have them sit in the front row with a tripod and ipad/iphone. It won’t be the same quality as a professional wedding film, but at least you’ll have your vows on video.

Hire a Creeme Truck for Dessert

We got married in August, and it was HOT on our wedding night. We hired a local creeme truck to serve up maple creemes and it was a huge hit, especially with our out of state guests. Four years later, guests still talk about the creeme truck!

Wedding Planning Advice I Give All Couples: Give a Toast

I rarely make universal suggestions but here’s one: get up and thank everyone at your wedding. Your guests are there for you, and a public thank you goes a long way to showing your appreciation! (This also takes the pressure off if you miss thanking someone during the evening.)

This took all of two minutes, and we slotted it right after our first dance and before the dance with our parents.

I really think this makes an impact on your guests, and I wish every couple would do this!

Choose Your Last Dance Song Intentionally

A friend suggested this to me during my wedding planning, and I am so grateful! Thinking about how I wanted our reception to end, rather than trusting our DJ to instinctively guess, was so smart. (What if they close it out with a song that you secretly hate?)

Our pick was “Dancing in the Moonlight” and I still think it’s a great choice!

Delay Your Honeymoon by a Month

After months of intensive planning and looking forward to our wedding… I had the post wedding blues really badly. Having our honeymoon to look forward to was so helpful to get past that.

Plus, it was good to a few weeks to recover from the wedding and finalize our honeymoon plans. I think a month was the perfect amount of time; we had enough time to recover, but we were still feeling that newlywed energy.

(We went to Portugal for our honeymoon and I’m obsessed. If you’re considering it, please DM me and I’ll send you our itinerary!

Do we have any wedding regrets?

You bet! Stay tuned for what we’d do differently!

Overall, we’re really happy with how our wedding turned out and think these are the best decisions we made that may help you while planning your own wedding!

Photographer: Danielle Allendorf Photography | Venue: The Mansfield Barn

Want More Wedding Planning Support?

I created the Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide based on the spreadsheets I created to plan my wedding, the lessons I learned, and TONS of invaluable advice from our community. It’s the guide I wish I had when I was planning my wedding!

Vermont Wedding Favors Guests Will Love to Receive

Posted on September 6, 2022

If you’re looking to show your guests appreciation and add another personal element to your day, Vermont wedding favors are the perfect touch. Keep in mind, you don’t need to give your guests favors. But, if you do want to offer a small gesture, we love the idea of choosing something that will remind guests of their time in Vermont.

We’ve curated a few of our favorite Vermont wedding favor ideas that showcase the talent and flavors of the Green Mountain State, and will be pretty universally appealing for guests! Plus, by shopping from any of these makers, you’re supporting local businesses.

Maple Syrup – A Classic Vermont Wedding Favor

There’s a reason maple syrup is a popular, timeless wedding favor in Vermont: it’s delicious! Runamok Maple has amazing options from their barrel aged maple syrup, to their infused flavors. This is a true taste of Vermont for your guests to enjoy back home.

Live Portrait Sketches

Add a truly unique element to your wedding reception…live charcoal sketches! Vermont artist Joseph Loccisano will sketch your guests, creating timeless art in real time. Guests will enjoy watching the process and will treasure their one-of-a-kind wedding favor!

Gourmet Cotton Candy Favors (or Live Spinning!)

This one is pure fun! Crazy Cotton Candy Lady offers gourmet cotton candy, with over 70 flavors to choose from. Your guests will be delighted by this unexpected, nostalgic treat and amazed by the grown-up flavors! She also offers live, on site spinning which adds a fun element of entertainment to your evening!

Lip Balms

Make sure your guests are ready for those kisses with these all-natural lip balms from Farmer’s Body! Available in several yummy flavors, these all-natural lip balms are a useful and indulgent wedding favor.

Vermont Flannel Custom Beer Hug

Gift wedding guests with a little piece of Vermont they can use every time they crack open their favorite beverage! These adorable Vermont Flannel beer hugs are available in a variety of colors so you can tailor it to your wedding’s color scheme. You can also add a custom label with your wedding details!

Granola Favors

Treat your guests to a yummy morning-after treat with granola from True North Granola. You can select one flavor of granola or a variety of flavors and purchase them separately, by the piece, or packaged in simply elegant, sheer gauze bags.

Wedding Welcome Bags – an Alternative to Traditional Wedding Favors

Wedding welcome bags are a fun way to greet your guests and thank them for traveling to celebrate your special day. They can be given in addition to, or in lieu of traditional wedding favors! Shelburne Gift Company works with couples to design, create and deliver custom curated welcome bags for weddings.

Finding Your Perfect Vermont Wedding Favor

We hope these ideas inspire your own perfect Vermont wedding favor selection. No matter what you choose, wedding favors are an opportunity to thank you community and give them a keepsake from their time in Vermont!