Grace and Thomas’ intimate Copper Beech Inn wedding was a beautiful day full of simple details that highlighted the importance of their love for each other and their families. This wedding venue is PERFECT for couples who want a small wedding with just immediate family, and the Copper Beech Inn is located just outside Essex, CT.
Like a lot of my intimate wedding couples, Grace and Thomas said to me when we first met that the number one focus for their wedding day was spending quality time with their families and the few select friends they had invited. In total their wedding was no more than 30 people including themselves.
The Copper Beech Inn is a special kind of venue because all of its rooms are unique and the Inn is spread out across multiple buildings on a few forested acres. Thomas was getting ready with his family in a room in one building while Grace was preparing with her family in another building.
After Grace and Thomas were ready for the day, it was time for their ceremony. The day was a overcast with a chance for light drizzles, so everyone was a little anxious about making sure it didn’t rain before the ceremony in the garden was finished. Luckily, we were able to get the ceremony and all the photos completed in the garden before the first drizzles started and the overcast skies made for the most incredible lighting.
Something that was very special about Grace & Thomas’ wedding ceremony was that they asked each of their moms to choose a reading.
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Because of how small their wedding was and that it included everyone from each of their families, it was really important to Grace and Thomas that we get a photo of everyone in attendance as one big group. Of course we did a traditional nice pose, but then we needed to toss up those hands and celebrate!
Once family photos were complete, it was time for Grace and Thomas to have some alone time before the reception and just bask in the fact that they were finally married. We spent a little time in the garden and then retreated indoors once it began raining a bit.
One of the coolest things about having such a small wedding is being able to seat all your guests at one table with you, known as a King’s Table. This creates a more intimate and memorable wedding reception experience where you can really connect with all the guests you’ve invited and have an experience that feels more like a family-style dinner.
Grace and Thomas DIY’d most of their wedding day details, from sourcing the jam and jelly favors from a local maker and creating all the labels for them to creating the centerpieces and place cards themselves.
Just because Grace and Thomas chose a small intimate wedding doesn’t mean they opted out of the traditions you find at bigger weddings. They still had a cake to cut, and did a first dance and their parent dances around the table their guests were seated at… with their own sense of flair of course.
One of the things that struck me the most about Grace and Thomas’ wedding day that will always stick with me is something that Thomas said in his speech during the reception. He spoke about how he and Grace could have easily eloped, but as they thought about their wedding day they couldn’t have imagined getting married without being in the presence of each of the people who was there. And that’s why they chose to have the small wedding celebration that they did – because their closest family and friends were too important to them to leave out of the most important day of their lives despite otherwise wanting to just get married quietly and privately. ❤
Copper Beech Inn Wedding Vendors
Venue & Catering: Copper Beech Inn
Glam Squad: Posh Salon
Florals: Essex Flower Shoppe
Dress: Mikaella Bridal by Paloma Blanca
Cake: Caked
Favors: Haven Coffee
Rings: Manly Bands and Kay Jewelers
