Chai & Alicia's Rustic Fall Wedding- Beech Springs Farm (Part 1)

We've had the privilege of attending 3 weddings, 3 weekends in a row this Fall, and I continue to be so impressed and amazed by the creativity, the love, the time and the planning that go into every wedding detail, to make each day so unique and so...you. 

Our friends Chai & Alicia got married in late September at Beech Springs Farm in Orrtanna, Pennsylvania (about 15 minutes from Gettysburg). It was rustic, beautiful, fun, relaxed, and full of warmth. The weather was perfect, the venue was sweet, and the time spent together was priceless. Take a trip into their wedding weekend, thanks to Melissa McClain Photography and the bride & groom!  Watch for the purple font for Alicia's insight and inspiration.

The magnetic, postcard-sized Save the Date 

The beautiful invitation

The welcome bag for hotel guests: honey from the farm, a few Starbursts, water, homemade caramel pretzels, a map & a couple Gettysburg pamphlets and a weekend itinerary

The entire wedding weekend weather was perfect. Warm days with hints of Fall in the air and chilly but refreshing evenings. It was the ideal backdrop for Chai & Alicia's outdoor wedding. Upon arriving at the farm, guests parked in a field lot, then walked through this garden and gate toward the large Norway Maple tree, where the ceremony took place. 

I had a chance to speak with Jayne (the owner of the farm) the day of the wedding for a few minutes, and she told me that when she and her husband moved in and bought the farm years ago, she imagined their grandchildren getting married in the backyard one day. Last year, they converted their barn into an event space and decided to dedicate one day per weekend to a wedding or event on their property. With the garden, the farm, the view, the house (where bridesmaids and the bride get ready), the small groom's house (an air conditioned, relaxing space where the guys can get ready and hang out before a wedding, that is located within the garden), that gorgeous tree, the bonfire area (yes, really!), the sweet owners who were involved and present throughout the weekend and the countless spots for picture perfection, I was amazed by this venue over and over. Note: It's called Beech Springs Farm because there are beech trees behind the springhouse that are estimated to be over 200 years old. With lots of beech trees and springs on what was once a 350 acre farm, the history and beauty of this land are enticing, entrancing and enthralling. 

 I'm not sure whether any of Jayne's grandchildren have gotten married yet, and whether their weddings took place on that farm, but I know that our friends were lucky to have found such a wonderful space for their big day!

Oh, by the way, if you know someone who is on the lookout for unique rustic wedding ideas, check out Beech Springs Farm's pinterest page!  

Why Beech Springs Farm for you?

We really loved our venue.  It was different than any other venue we had been to.  The owner was super nice, it was personal and they take really great care of it because it is also their home.  We loved, loved LOVED that as part of the venue we got a wedding "day of" coordinator, even though she did a lot more than just the day of.  Our wedding venue does not advertise - they do not go to wedding shows and they only book by word of mouth.  We were so lucky to book them, because they are now booked into 2016!

A glimpse of the barn, and the dress

The bride, groom and wedding party- sleek and sophisticated!  

What Advice Can You Offer to Future Brides & Grooms?

Try not to stress!! Easier said than done, but the day of, just let everything go the way it's going to go!  It's impossible not to stress during the planning, but on our wedding day, I made a conscientious effort not to get stressed about the schedule, and try to focus on the fact that I was marrying an amazing guy!

Our other tip would be to like your vendors and trust your gut. If you meet with someone and their price is right but you don't like them, you won't like what they do on your wedding day.  Also prioritize a few things and make sure those things are what you spend your money on.  We wanted great photos, and we made sure to get a photographer whose work we loved.  We prioritized photos, catering, and the venue.  I would say, don't settle on the things you want - just prioritize!!

(My other tip would be to elope and save your money and stress!  Go on an awesome vacation!)

Thanks again to Melissa McClain Photography for permission to share these gorgeous photos 

(notice her watermark on some, mixed in with my amateur shots). 

Two frames were suspended from the tree with a real vase of flowers hanging in the middle of each. Since it was hanging by a thread (a piece of fishing line?), the vase turned in the breeze, and it was such a creative touch! 

Cocktail hour was held outside on the lawn between the garden and the barn

Giant Jenga (which the bride's dad made!), a bean bag toss and bocce were all available and used by guests.

Bartenders provided wine and beer, servers butlered a few hors d'eouvres and a beautiful station of antipasto, fruits, veggies and spreads was set up outside (see vendor reviews below for photos). 

Ready for the reception? Check out Part 2 of this post here! 

Chai & Alicia's Rustic Fall Wedding- Beech Springs Farm (Part 2)

...Continued from here. 

Menu cards (placed in pocket-folded napkins) and place cards! 

Loved the gold signs on the bride & groom's seats, and the hints of purple and green around the table. 

Also, the mismatched, unique flower arrangements around the barn. 

What Made This Celebration Unique?

I did a lot of DIY projects that contributed toward the overall picture of the day. It was also a unique venue, and I loved our bonfire at the end!!  We heard from a lot of people that they thought it was a fun, relaxing way to end the evening. 

We also thought having a small wedding gave us a lot of time to enjoy the people who were there, and we got more face time with everyone than we would have if we invited 100+ people. It was one of our favorite parts of the day. 

Clockwise from top: The venue had a sleigh for gifts, including a secure bird cage for cards. 

The couple's 'guest book' was a wooden puzzle and guests were asked to sign a piece. 

Family photos of weddings past, and family members who hold a special place in the couple's hearts.

This awesome purple backdrop was made by a friend of the bride, and was so cool! 

The barn had a trough that was turned into a soda cooler. Brilliant!

Not pictured: A sign on the bar saying that the couple made a donation to the Human Rights Campaign, in favor of the right to marry, no matter who you love. 

  

Alicia's dad toasting to the happy couple

What Was Your Favorite Wedding Moment?

For me, it had to be walking down the aisle with my dad.  My dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer before I was 8.  He underwent experimental treatment at NIH, and had an amazing oncologist (who also happens to be the uncle of one of my law school friends!).  He was given a very short time to live, and to have him there was the most amazing thing I could ever wish for. 

...and from the groom? 
I'd have to say seeing Alicia walk down the aisle by a long shot. It was definitely worth the wait. 

The view looking down from the reception

The dessert table was AMAZING, and the quilt in the background was made by Alicia's mom! 

There were so many special touches throughout this couple's big day and weekend. 

Since the dessert station was already set up when we came into the barn, a sign sitting in front said, 'Please do not touch until the wedding cake it cut!'.  The selection of desserts included pies, (a naked!) wedding cake, laddu (an Indian confection with lots of sugar) and coffee. Yum!

Panoramic photo taken and shared by the couple's friend, Rocky. Thanks!

I have the most comfortable, heart-warming recollections of the bonfire at the end of the night. After the reception was over, any remaining guests were invited to join the couple, the parents and the owners of the farm by the fire. A table was set up with water, beer, and s'mores ingredients including (wait for it...) peanut butter cups, cookies and cream chocolate, and the traditional milk chocolate bars. 

It was a delicious and deliriously sweet way to end the day. 

Note: We were thankful that the bride and groom told us about it in advance, so we could bring a warmer change of clothes. 

Vendors- 

We loved our photographer, DJ, florist and venue - especially our photographer(s).  

Melissa, our photographer, was supposed to be out on maternity leave, and so we had a sub shooter, Harmony Boore, who has her own photography business, Philter Photography . 

Melissa ended up being able to come (!) and we got lucky and had 3 photographers at our wedding! We LOVED Melissa and Jason with Melissa McClain Photography.  I really felt like Melissa, Jason and Harmony wanted us to have a great day, great photos, and lots of memories.  I never once felt like they were there because it was a job, or because they just wanted to make money in the wedding "industry." We are SO thrilled we picked them.

We also loved our DJ, G2 DJ Services (Mark and Adam). They definitely kept everyone on the dance floor, and they did a great job at entertaining everyone.  They were tons of fun, laid back, and arrived before our contract time because they "wanted (our) wedding to be perfect"! I thought they were awesome, and I really enjoyed them!!

Our florist was Greystone Flower Farm in New Oxford. Nancy was so sweet, and she did an AWESOME job on our bouquets and bouts.  I loved everything about my flowers, and she was great.  She listened to what I had to say, and created amazing flowers for our day!!

Lastly, our venue.  I cannot say enough amazing things about our venue.  Stephanie (the coordinator who works with BSF) was so sweet, helpful, and amazing!!! She did so much for us before, on our day, and even after.  I could not have been happier with Beech Springs Farm, Jayne Shord (the owner) and Stephanie.  Also, the bonfire after was part of our wedding package, and we had so much fun!  They also made our day very special, and I didn't feel like just another bride and just another paycheck.  They truly cared about us having a good day and having a great time.  We really lucked out with our vendors, and they made the difference between a good day and a great day!!

Photographed by Jason G McClain, Harmony E. Boore, & Melissa McClain

The beautiful antipasto display outside (festively decorated for Fall), the delicious pear gorgonzola salad, and the two entrees, Tuna Steak & shrimp, and the juiciest (beef) steak you can imagine, 

all grilled right outside of the barn. 

Catering: Fabios Events Catering

Dress: Renaissance Bridal 

Suit: Jos. A. Bank

Officiant: Joyce Shutt 

Hair: Serenity Salon & Spa of Gettysburg

Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn, Gettysburg

Rehearsal Dinner: Fidler & Co. Craft Kitchen

Thanks, Chai & Alicia for sharing your big day, in person and on Wediquette! Thanks again, Melissa McClain Photography, and as always, we wish the happy couple the very best in their marriage and lives together!