A Muted, Modern Summer Garden Wedding at Smith Farm Gardens in East Haddam, Connecticut
A wider view of the intimate garden ceremony, where the white floral columns created a soft focal point against the greenery.
Smith Farm Gardens · East Haddam, Connecticut
SUMMER · 100 GUESTS · 8 TABLES · 4 BRIDESMAIDS · SET + STYLE · MODERN · MUTED · GARDEN · SAGE + APRICOT
She came to us loving another wedding we'd done at Smith Farm Gardens and wanting the same thing. Then something better happened: every decision she made took the design a little further from the original and a little closer to her. By the time September rolled around, the palette was lime green, blush, apricot and cream, the candles were doing as much work as the florals, and the whole thing was muted, high fashion and full of personal touches. Copy-paste? Never heard of her.
bouqets and bouts
The bridal bouquet set the tone. It was loose and modern, with white roses, white lisianthus, anthuriums and phalaenopsis orchids gathered together and hanging amaranthus spilling down in long lime-green tassels. It had the movement of a garden bouquet with the attitude of an editorial one, and against her gown it read almost sculptural.
Her four bridesmaids carried petite versions of the same design without the orchids, so the lineup felt cohesive without competing with the bride. Next to their sage green silk, the cream and lime tones looked even softer. The mothers and grandmother wore our signature brass cuff corsages set with white ranunculus and textural accents to match the bridal party.
An off-the-shoulder bridal gown with soft floral detailing and delicate earrings, balancing romantic texture with a modern silhouette.
An airy arrangement of white seasonal blooms adds a fresh garden element to the estate's richly detailed interior.
Gaby's romantic bridal gown framed by the white columns and classical architecture of Smith Farm Gardens, pairing modern bridal style with the timeless character of the historic estate.
Gaby's hand-tied bouquet featured Queen Anne's lace, butterfly ranunculus, cosmos, local grasses, and trailing silk ribbon.
Delicate gold jewelry and wedding rings styled against soft ivory fabric, introducing the celebration's warm, understated palette.
Petite bridesmaid bouquets designed with airy white blooms, seasonal greenery, and the loose movement of freshly gathered garden flowers.
A timeless black-and-white portrait highlighting a floral-textured gown and modern, garden-inspired bridal bouquet. Delicate white blooms and cascading amaranthus complement the soft, romantic silhouette of her dress.
The historic charm and lush gardens of Smith Farm Gardens, a romantic setting for a late-summer wedding.
fashion + details
The bride wore the Jenny Yoo Beau gown, a romantic ballgown cut in a textured floral jacquard, with puff off-the-shoulder sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. Her bridesmaids wore sage green patterned silk in varying styles, and the groom and groomsmen kept it classic in black. Hair by Hair-kissed and makeup by Em McNulty Makeup leaned polished and natural, which was perfect on a soft, misty day.
The paper goods carried the same muted palette. Guests were welcomed with a white fabric banner in elegant script, and the bar menu was printed on sage green linen. These are soft, tactile pieces that feel more like textiles than signage.
Then there were the personal touches. The couple’s favors were tennis balls printed with their logo, inspired by their pup and piled into a basket beside his framed portrait. It was the sweetest nod to the true VIP of the household, and exactly the kind of detail that makes a wedding feel like the couple’s own.
A timeless white wedding gown displayed beside the fireplace, bringing classic bridal style into the historic estate setting.
ceremony
This was our first ceremony in the sunken garden at Smith Farm instead of the venue’s more popular spots, and it was a beautiful call by the couple. The space is enclosed by stone walls and blooming hydrangea shrubs, so it already felt intimate. It just needed a focal point.
That focal point came from two white modern columns topped with mounded clouds of local limelight hydrangea. Trailing amaranthus and roses cascaded down the columns, and anthuriums were tucked throughout. Down the aisle, oversized satin bows hung from the first six rows. They’re one of our favorite details we’ve ever designed, and we’ve returned to these photos for inspiration again and again.
The day was misty and gray, and the weather made everyone a little nervous. We set the ceremony up last just in case, and it held. The rain plan stayed on the shelf, and the soft, muted light ended up suiting the design perfectly.
A note for future Smith Farm couples: don’t be afraid to go big at the ceremony. I often hear, “the venue is so beautiful, we don’t need much,” and that’s true at the reception, where you’re immersed in nature in a way you never are in a ballroom. At the ceremony, though, you’re surrounded by beauty on every side, so the eye needs somewhere to land. You want it to find you. That doesn’t have to mean a massive arch. It means a true floral moment.
Two white ceremony columns topped with airy floral installations brought a modern architectural element to the garden setting.
Guests gathered in the sunken garden for a ceremony framed by historic architecture, mature trees, and soft neutral flowers.
White ceremony chairs lined the lawn of the sunken garden, creating an intimate outdoor setting beneath the mature trees.
The bridal party gathered beneath the trees, with sage dresses and white personal flowers complementing the natural surroundings.
A kiss between modern white ceremony columns adorned with cloudlike arrangements of antique hydrangea, garden roses, and trailing amaranthus.
cocktail hour + tent reception
Smith Farm is one of our favorite venues for repurposing because it’s so spread out. It’s a sprawling farmhouse property with back routes everywhere, so we never have to cut through guests to move a piece. After the vows, our team collected the columns, and the two large ceremony arrangements went straight to work in front of the escort display. They gave guests their first floral greeting as cocktail hour began. At the bar, a floral arrangement of reaching blooms and airy grasses sat beside the couple’s custom sage linen menu. It was a small, considered detail that made the whole space feel styled rather than simply set.
Under the tent, the design shifted into a candle-forward look. On the long farm tables, bud vases of white roses, limelight hydrangea, hanging amaranthus and anthuriums were scattered among the couple’s white pillar candles, adding height and gentle movement down each table. Each round table got a large hurricane with a single taper in the center, ringed by white pillars. Sage napkins, wooden cross-back chairs and string lights and rattan lanterns across the tent finished the room. This was intentional restraint, and once the evening settled in, the whole tent glowed.
Airy garden florals in soft ivory and blush, bringing a modern touch to the outdoor ceremony.
A white sailcloth reception tent overlooking the estate gardens, bringing the celebration into a relaxed outdoor setting.
Natural wooden furnishings and an airy sailcloth canopy created a warm, welcoming reception space surrounded by greenery.
Personalized wedding signage and soft seasonal floral accents welcomed guests into the tented reception.
Neutral linens, delicate floral centerpieces, and understated place settings brought a refined garden-inspired look to the tables.
Long reception tables featured scattered bud vases filled with airy seasonal stems, arranged among the couple's candles.
A basket of soft white blooms added an organic floral detail to the warm wood and natural textures of the reception.
Personalized wedding keepsakes offered a playful detail among the celebration's otherwise soft, romantic styling.
The white sailcloth tent nestled among the estate's mature trees, connecting the reception to the surrounding gardens.
A warm, intimate reception with delicate garden florals, natural wood tables, and soft candlelight.
behind the scenes
Smith Farm Gardens is a big property, which makes the wedding day a real workout for our team. We love it anyway. The venue team had linens out when we arrived, so we went straight into tables. Then we split up between the bar piece and the grounded piece at the seating chart while everyone waited on the final weather call for the ceremony.
We’d also stopped at a local bakery we love on the way in. That’s why one of my favorite photos from the day is me eating a donut while putting the final touches on the bar. My assistant also took a selfie in one of Smith Farm’s genuinely fun outhouses (we don’t make the rules).
Flowers used: local limelight hydrangea, local dahlia, local cosmos, local zinnia, local grasses, local foliage, white campanula, pink anthurium, phalaenopsis orchid, white lisianthus, Cotton Xpression rose, champagne rose, white spray rose, hanging amaranthus, white stock, Queen Anne’s lace, white snapdragon, butterfly ranunculus, white ranunculus
frequently asked questions
can you repurpose ceremony flowers at smith farm gardens?
Yes, and it’s one of the easiest venues in Connecticut to do it. The property is spread out, with back routes everywhere, so we can move ceremony pieces to cocktail hour or the reception without ever crossing through guests.
how far ahead should you book a wedding florist in connecticut?
This couple booked five months out, and it worked beautifully. For peak-season Saturdays at popular venues like Smith Farm Gardens, we recommend reaching out closer to a year ahead, since we take only one wedding per date.
what happens if a flower doesn’t cooperate?
It happens. The anthuriums browned the week of this wedding, so we used them sparingly and placed them where they would read as intentional. They looked like part of the design all along. Planning for nature is part of working with it.
The couple shares a quiet moment on the grounds of Smith Farm Gardens, with the historic white estate providing a timeless backdrop for their romantic late-summer celebration.
g + a
Emma went above and beyond in every way, and I’m so grateful. The flowers were absolutely stunning and brought everything to life even more beautifully than I could have imagined. I truly appreciate all the care and effort she put into making it perfect.
the vendor team
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the vendor team *
Floral Design: First Blush Floral Design + Planning | Photographer: Melody Pilling Photography | Venue: Smith Farm Gardens | Catering: David Alan Hospitality Group | Hair: Hair-kissed | Makeup: Em McNulty Makeup | Bridal Gown: Jenny Yoo