Private Property Quiet Luxury | Haley and Brandon

Feb 19

Written By Rachel Giles

Everyone, say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson!

Haley and Brandon are two of the sweetest people around, and the minute we met- I knew their wedding day would be magical

The Vibe

When Haley, Brandon and I met for the first time I knew their vision was going to make for an absolutely stunning wedding day. Throughout our initial chitchats, Haley said to me, “I want this day to feel like it stepped out of a Nancy Meyers, 2000’s romcom and into a party in the Hamptons. Classy, intimate, elevated, yet fun and relaxed.”

While I was listening to them describe their vision, I was crossing my fingers that I would get the opportunity to design and help bring their vision to life. I meannnnn, c’mon! I had been dreaming of creating a wedding like this for years! I am SOoOoO thankful I was able to be a part of their wedding.

At the top of Haley and Brandon’s priority list was their venue! Haley had always daydreamed of getting married under the big willow tree in the backyard of her childhood home. She wanted it to feel very “Father of the Bride”-esque and for each moment of her day to be sentimental, effortless and timeless.

When you are designing and planning a private property wedding, you have to be intentional and mindful of your guest’s experience. Haley and Brandon knew they wanted their wedding to be comfortable for friends and family. However, they didn’t want it to feel like a traditional backyard wedding.

Haley’s childhood home was the big grounding, effortless, feature, but they wanted it to be a thoughtful experience that had that quiet luxury vibe to elevate the whole experience.

This is where picking the right vendors comes into play! I can’t lie to you… logistically, a private property wedding can be one of the biggest challenges for a planner. The right team of vendors can bring your dream day to life no matter the location.

Instead of focusing on BIG produced moments- she and Brandon wanted intimate, meaningful moments. They didn’t want to just go through the motions of a wedding day, rather, they wanted opportunities to be present and be able to soak in their wedding day surrounded by their loved ones.

Haley got ready with her bridal party in her childhood bedroom, where she did her own makeup(!!!) overlooking the Willow that she’d be getting married under. Iconic. Guests enjoyed cocktail hour gathered around the backyard pool where they enjoyed passed drinks and hors d'oeuvres. As a way to pay tribute to the couple’s love for the outdoors, we converted an old canoe into a drink station, where guests could help themselves to ice-cold Topo Chicos.

Throughout the evening there were several intentional design choices added to incorporate their families. For example, the big willow tree was such an important feature of their day so we had baby willow trees brought into the reception tent as a way to tie ceremony to the party. The champagne bucket behind Haley and Brandon is a family heirloom, as well as the cake topper on the cake Haley’s sister (who works in an incredible bakery), made.

Their reception was under the stars in a beautiful sailcloth tent behind the house. Beyond romantic if you ask me!

When it was time for Haley and Brandon to join their guests, they casually strolled into the tent without making a big fuss or huge announcement. They simply continued mingling with their loved ones and danced the night away. It was a pretty magical evening that concluded with fireworks and the bridal party jumping in the pool!

Live Band Vs DJ

The never-ending debate - to have a live band or to bring in a DJ. Haley and Brandon would have LOVED to have a live band, and at the beginning, this was a must-have for them. However, the further we dove into planning and chatted about what was important to them - we decided against a full live band and opted for a Live Musician DJ who brought a unique blend of spinning tracks and live music services. For the ceremony and cocktail hour, we brought in a string quartet that added another touch of elegance.

There is no doubt that live music changes the atmosphere of an event, so having those live music moments was a really beautiful touch, that didn’t break the bank. This really was the best of both worlds and ended up being perfect for this effortless backyard soiree.

Congratulations, Haley and Brandon! Your wedding was an absolute dream and I loved every second of planning with you two!