Alyssa & Scott’s Pale Blue, Garden Inspired Wedding at Springfield Manor in Thurmont, MD

I think we’re finally settling into a routine around here, and getting used to being around each other 24/7. One new habit that has been really helpful has been meal planning for the week on Saturday or Sunday. We spend 20-30 minutes checking our freezer inventory, and figuring out what we’ll have for dinner each night of the week. Then I can make one trip to the grocery store for any items we need (though we’ve been really good about using items we already have). It’s become one less thing to think about each day, and while the baby is napping, I can start to prep since we’ve already decided what we’ll be having for dinner. We also try to make extra so we have leftovers for lunch, and we order out at least once, to help support our favorite restaurants. I’m hoping to continue the meal planning once this is all over, as its become a big time saver and stress reliever. What new habits have you picked up while you’ve been home?

Since the spring weather seems to be here to stay, we’re bringing the warm weather vibes with today’s wedding. The lush lavender fields are to die for!

Springfield Manor Winery & Distillery is a beautiful venue. It has everything from a cute manor house, lavender fields, the picturesque mountain backdrop, and sprawling vineyards. The day of our wedding happened to fall on the annual Maryland Lavender Festival so the lavender was in peek bloom! The overall aesthetic for the day was romantic, and incorporated shades of pale blue, ivory, peach/ blush throughout our décor and also in the bridesmaids dresses and groomsmen accessories.

I wanted beautiful flowers, but also wanted to keep it budget friendly. Our florist and planner both really helped me decide where to splurge on my flowers and where we could save. I knew I wanted my bouquet to be a show-stopper and the florist brought my vision to life. My bouquet was a mix of lush garden roses, peonies, ranunculus, and pops of pale blue lisianthus. The guest tables had a mix of florals, greenery and bud vases. As a nod to the lavender fields of Springfield, the florist placed a lavender sprig at each place setting.

The most special moment of the day was a toss up between the first look and our ketubah ceremony. Over our two years of engagement I had dreamed about this moment. After reading letters that we had written to each other the day of, we had our first look in front of the manor house. We cried and laughed at the same time, while our photographer and videographer captured every emotion. It was so nice to have a private moment just for us before we officially said, “I do”, in front of everyone. We had initially planned the ketubah ceremony to be intimate, to just include us and our parents. However, when it actually happened all of our family members, closest friends, groomsmen and bridesmaids wanted to be a part of it. The ceremony was so special and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Both my husband and I are Jewish and had a traditional Jewish ceremony led by Scott’s childhood rabbi, which was really special and personal. We had our closest family and friends read aloud seven blessings underneath the chuppah with us.

To couples that are planning their weddings, I would say, while your wedding is hands down the best day of your life, remember it is just a day, and that the wedding is meant to be a celebration of your love, family and friends all in one place. You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a stunning wedding. One of the biggest pieces of advice I tell my engaged friends is to try not to stress the little details too much, and to really be in the moment on your big day – my planner definitely helped me to be able to do that. And lastly, to quote a line from my father’s speech at our wedding, “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.”