A Timeless Vermont Wedding with Old World Charm and a Pittsburgh Cookie Table
Julie and Rich first met on NYC’s Upper East Side, and their first date consisted of grabbing drinks at a wine bar. After dating for 6 months, the couple took a weekend trip to Vermont – a sentimental place for Julie, as she spent a lot of time there with her family as a kid. Due to the pandemic, however, Julie and Rich ended up staying; and their weekend in Vermont unexpectedly turned into months.
A Brooklyn Bridge Proposal
For the engagement, Rich planned a staycation in NYC and arranged for both their families to come to New York.
“That night,” Julie shares, “we planned to go to dinner – me, totally clueless as to what was going to happen – and as we walked by the Brooklyn Bridge, he proposed. It was so special to have our families waiting nearby to celebrate with us afterwards.”
“We truly felt the love and support from those who mean the most to us.”
Planning a Wedding in Vermont
After their engagement, it didn’t take long for the couple to book their venue and start planning a wedding in Vermont. While Vermont was always a special place for Julie, it had become a special place for her and Rich as a couple as well.
“We booked the venue within a couple of weeks of getting engaged and then hired our photographer, Jackie Fox,” Julie explains. “At the beginning, I thought I could plan everything myself because I’m super Type A; but we also bought a house a month or two after getting engaged, so we had our plates full!”
With such an overwhelming schedule in their daily lives, planning a wedding in Vermont at the same time as moving was simply not feasible.
“That’s when we found Kaylen, who owns Sara Judith Events,” says Julie. “She was a God send, and we loved that she was from Pittsburgh just like Rich (total coincidence). We knew she would understand the Pittsburgh traditions we wanted to include and that gave us a sense of relief.”
Old World Charm and a Pittsburgh Cookie Table
When the wedding day arrived, the entire experience unfolded seamlessly. The bride adds, “It truly felt peaceful. There was no stress on the wedding day; we were simply just excited to be with our family and friends and share this special day with everyone.”
Before the ceremony, the couple had their first look photo session at the historic Hildene, which is a home owned by the Lincoln family. It was a last-minute decision and the couple lucked out, as it can be tricky to be granted permission to photograph on the property. The result was a breathtaking first look photo shoot with scenery that the bride describes as “otherworldly.”
With Equinox Resort as their wedding venue, the ambiance created by Sara Judith Events was timeless, natural, modern, and ripe with Old World charm – a fitting vibe that highlighted the rich history of the property. Some of the couple’s favorite moments included their family’s heartfelt and funny speeches, and everyone loved the addition of a Pittsburgh cookie table.
“The cookie table, hands down, was a show stopper,” says the bride. “Rich is from Pittsburgh and they have a tradition there called the Pittsburgh Cookie Table. Family and friends all bake family cookie recipes, and the bride and groom have them on display for guests to box up and take home. This tradition was very important to Rich and his family, so we wanted this to be a detail of our wedding that truly shined.”
The after party took place around a fire pit, where the newlyweds reveled in quality time surrounded by friends and family.
“The amazing party we spent a year planning had just happened and it all went perfectly,” Julie reflects. “And we were MARRIED. We truly felt the love and support from those who mean the most to us, and that is a feeling we will carry with us.”
A Honeymoon in Napa and Cabo
Julie and Rich spent their honeymoon in Napa and Cabo.
“It was originally supposed to be Napa and Maui,” Julie says, “but with the wildfires taking over a couple weeks before the wedding, we had to change our plans. I didn’t have a valid passport, so I actually spent the week before the wedding running to the passport agency in the city multiple times so I could get one in time for the honeymoon! It was all worth it though. It was so relaxing being able to reflect on our wedding while drinking wine and laying on the beach.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Equinox Resort; First Look Venue: Hildene; Planner: Sara Judith Events; Floral Design: A Clover and One Bee; Rentals: Total Events NY, PEAK Events Services; Cake: Black Bird Cake Design; Invitations: Shine Weddings; Wedding Dress: Monique Lhuillier; Groom’s Attire: Ted Baker; Cinematographer: SunDog Creations; Photography: Jackie Fox