About two hours outside of Boston is an East Coast staple: an apple orchard. The luscious greenery of the New Hampshire countryside offers a sort of peace and laid-back way of life. This was the setting Laura and Anders immediately fell in love with whilst scouting for their ideal wedding venue.

“When looking at wedding venues, I was keeping an open mind to different locations, including Boston (our home city), country clubs, vineyards, and local farms. It just so happened that the place we fell in love with the most (Alysons Orchard) was ~2 hours away from our home,” the bride says.

So, without intentionally planning, the couple would now be hosting a destination wedding. Luckily, the coordinators at the orchard assured Laura and Anders that they would do everything they could to meet the couple’s wedding vision, including the possibility of having a romantic horse and carriage for the bride’s entrance and having a goat as the ring bearer. Additionally, the couple would get the opportunity to get away from the chaos of their everyday life in the city and enjoy the scenery while checking off in-person vendor meetings.

Luckily, Laura had wonderful people around her to help in what would be her 1.5 yearlong planning process.

“Our families joined together to make decorative signs for our welcome party and baskets for guests which included handmade candles, tea towels, and the weekend’s itinerary. My mother sewed country fabric linings for apple baskets that were used as décor during our reception,” the couple says.

Aside from being a wonderful seamstress, Laura says her mom was one of her most valuable resources, aiding her in keep track of the planning to-do’s. The couple communicated with vendors via phone and email and would try to coordinate multiple in-person meetings on the same day to be efficient during their day trips to New Hampshire.

“Our planning was actually a breeze – everything fell into place and I knew that we had hired the right team,” the bride says.

Once the wedding weekend arrived, Laura and Anders relaxed into the ease of New Hampshire orchard living with little to worry about. One hiccup did occur – there was a major accident on the road that had the two school buses the couple rented for guest’s transportation stuck in traffic. So, the time leading up to the wedding was admittedly a little stressful for the couple. “Thankfully, the accident cleared, everyone was safe, and the ceremony only started a few minutes behind schedule,” they say.

Although Laura and Anders understand the long planning process would have been shorter and easier had they chosen a venue in Boston, the couple doesn’t think it would have been as special. Some of their favorite memories of the event for the couple were hanging out in the on-site lodge over the weekend and spending hours under the stars with their close friends and family. 

“If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. If you want to book a wedding venue similar to mine, plan for a lot of hard work. But at the end of the day, you will be rewarded with hours of quality time with friends, family, and, of course, your new husband,” Laura says.

We are hungry for a crisp New Hampshire apple and a weekend away now! 

Vendors: Photographer: Nicole Chan Photography; Décor planning/Day-of coordinator/Florist: Holly Long with Naturally Elegant Designs; Ceremony/Reception Site: Alysons Orchard; Stationery: Greenvelope & Minted; Cake: Frederick’s Pastries; Makeup: Alyssa McKenzie; Hair: Hair That Moves; Ceremony gown designer: Allure Bridals (Purchased at Madeleine’s Daughter Bridal);  Reception dress designer: Dress the Population (Purchased at Lord & Taylor); Groom’s Clothing Designer: Men’s Wearhouse; Bridesmaids/Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Bill Levkoff; Caterer: A Vermont Table; Horse and Carriage: Philip Warren; Guitarist: David William Ross; Band: Clockwork Productions