Results tagged “crane estate at castle hill” from Beantown Bride, Boston weddings, wedding blog, real weddings, DIY weddings, wedding blogs

Author: Andrea E. McHugh
Photography by: Earl Christie

When Brian Larson, 29, an attorney, enlisted the help of Oliver; he and then-girlfriend Samantha Gillombardo's beloved Yorkshire terrier, for an unexpected proposal with a ring including his grandmother's engagement diamond, there was nothing she could say but an enthusiastic "yes!" The two met in law school, and when their friendship blossomed into something much more, the couple decided in lieu of a hometown wedding, they would share their newly-adopted Massachusetts digs with loved ones from near and far. "Since our wedding was a destination wedding for all but some work friends and neighbors we've befriended here, we wanted to highlight the picturesque New England seashore and sleepy fishing towns that we love for our family and friends coming from the Midwest," explains the groom. Deciding on Ipswich's Crane Estate on castle Hill, perched high above stunning Crane Beach, was simple.

On a picture perfect mild July day, Samantha and Brian exchanged vows in the estate's sunken garden just as the sun began it's slow summer decent. Resplendent in a gown by Christos custom modified from an A-line silhouette to her desired mermaid style, Samantha says her wedding day look "truly was what I always pictured when I daydreamed about my wedding as a little girl." Her bridesmaids, a gaggle of galpals spanning from pre-kindergarten through law school, were garden chic in tea-length dresses by J. Crew in "sour lemon," a sun drenched yellow hue.

After whirling around the dance floor during their first dance to Queen's Your My Best Friend, an unorthodox selection inspired by the couple's favorite film, Shawn of the Dead, Samantha and Brian sliced into their 4-tier meticulously planned cake featuring two tiers of vanilla cake filled with fresh, whole raspberries and key lime cream, one layer of chocolate cake with fresh strawberry filling, and a top layer of white cake with buttercream frosting, "chosen with [my] mother and the groom's father, the cake purists of the group, in mind," laughs the bride.

Says the couple, "Since we live far from many of our family members and friends, it was a rare gift to have so many people we love together in one place. Someone told us to take a moment during the festivities to stand off to the side together and watch our guests have fun out on the dance floor and mingling over drinks. We made sure to follow that advice, and now have lots of happy, mental snapshots of people we cherish celebrating on our big day."

Wedding Day Details:
Invitations: Papermints
Gown: Christos
Florist: Hamilton Gardens
Cake: Cakes for Occasions
Venue: The Crane Estate
Music: C-Zone