Tyler and Melody were on and off high school and college sweethearts. They'd been planning their wedding before the proposal ever happened. Tyler’s cousin owns a farm in NJ where they both grew up which has a huge barn on the property complete with two horses, two cows, and three goats. They always envisioned getting married there, but the barn needed a lot of work before it was wedding ready for 120 guests. Tyler and his cousin put in long hours, blood, and sweat for 15 months sacrificing almost every weekend in order to work on the property including redoing all of the floors in the barn, tearing down walls, stringing lights, installing a large patio outside, and building a custom bar. The many hours paid off because every detail and piece of inspiration that Melody had came to life.
They wanted the day to feel more like a relaxed celebration focused on having fun, drinking, and dancing versus a formal wedding. The venue was a non-stuffy location, and that’s how the rest of the day was planned. There was a simple barbecue buffet, and they opted to forgo a full bar and instead serve 3 signature cocktails (named after their puppies), beer, and wine.
The bride and groom did everything on their own with the help of family members; there was no day-of planner or on-site specialist. The floral centerpieces were arranged by the bride's aunt, and the centerpiece vases were found by the bride and her mother at random flea markets and garage sales leading up to the wedding. All of the items at the sweetheart table were brought from the couple's own home including the macrame runner, napkins, champagne glasses, and neon M and T signs.
Even though the wedding was on a farm, Melody didn’t want to go overboard when it came to rustic touches. Her favorite detail was the neon pink signs hanging above the bar and in the lounge. It was the one modern detail in an otherwise rustic setting.
The bride's dress was a no-brainer. She doesn’t like being the center of attention, and on the day of her wedding she didn’t want to feel “like a bride”; she wanted to feel like herself. She'd seen this dress made by designer Houghton before she ever got engaged, and as she started going on dress appointments, she remembered it. Every dress she tried on was compared to this one. The dress happened to be in her budget, so she booked an appointment at their NYC showroom and immediately felt like herself.
Private Family Farm, Harmony, NJ | Ceremony + Reception
Christine Alyssa | Photography
George Street | Videography
RichMar | Bouquets + Boutonnieres
Premier Entertainment | DJ
Race Farms | Bakery
Houghton, Showroom | Wedding Dress Salon
Ella Moss, Revolve | Bridesmaid Dresses
Tangles Salon | Hair + Makeup
Men's Wearhouse | Groom + Groomsmen Attire
Swoon Vintage Rentals | Rentals
Wide Eyes Paper Co | Invitation Suite
