One Couple's DIY Fall Wedding in Upstate New York

angie reed wedding couple dog
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Angie and Reed's love story begins like many modern romances do: with an online dating platform. They went on their first date in 2013 and then began spending most of their free time together. Within a few months, Angie moved in to Reed's apartment. Two years in, Angie (who works in publicity at a book publisher) and Reed (a designer and director at a design firm) had left their home in Brooklyn for a vacation in Greece. They had somehow managed to find a spot in Santorini away from the crowds and overlooking the water. That's when Reed popped the question. And after Angie accepted his proposal and they took some time to revel in the moment, they hiked back down from their spot and ran into a couple on their honeymoon. The newlyweds had spotted the engagement in action and snapped a picture, which they later sent to Angie and Reed. "It was a very special, fun moment, as Reed is not the sort to stage a proposal and have a photographer waiting to capture the moment," Angie says. "I love that it was captured anyway. It's pretty cool to have a photo of ourselves getting engaged, with nothing but the Aegean Sea behind us."

After two years more together, they headed to another destination to get married. The couple chose the Catskills area of New York, as they've been visiting it together throughout their relationship. Foxfire Mountain House was a charming setting for their intimate fall wedding, on October 7, 2017, which had just 78 guests.

For the design and style of the day, they made decisions organically and were influenced by their tastes, the season, and their budget. Since their venue didn't call for much gussying up, they went the DIY route with most of the décor, and made the weekend about getting married and spending as much time with their loved ones as possible.

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The Intimate Setting

angie reed wedding venue
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Once the couple was engaged and decided on upstate New York as the region for their wedding, Angie instantly thought of Foxfire Mountain House—an inn she had discovered on Instagram during their early stages of renovation. Luckily, the venue had just opened for business and they had available dates. The couple had the entire property to themselves over the weekend, which was a huge deal for the pair, who stayed onsite with their parents and wedding party. "It was really important for both of us that we be able to get time with all of our guests, and not feel as if we had only a few hours during the reception to be with them," Angie says. "Foxfire was incredibly generous with the space, and all of our guests were able to come and go as they pleased." Plus, neither the bride or the groom seek the spotlight, and the quiet, intimate atmosphere of the inn made them feel at ease.

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Their Classic Attire

angie reed wedding couple
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Reed wore a wool suit, shirt, and tie from J.Crew, and he opted for navy as a less severe option to black. He slipped on a Marc Jacobs tie bar and into Grenson shoes to complete his look. To find her look, Angie went wedding dress shopping with her sister and mother, and the bride-to-be vowed to try everything on regardless of if it was what she expected she'd wear. At Stone Fox Bride she slipped on this dreamy chiffon wedding dress with ruffles almost on a lark. The cream dress with subtle blush pink buttons along the front was a standout. She accessorized with salmon-colored Charlotte Stone sandals with a heel she knew she could easily walk and dance in, garnet-and-pearl drop earrings from Faris, a pearl bracelet a colleague made her, and her Mociun rings. The bride also did her own hair and makeup, knowing she wanted to keep things minimal and natural.

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With These Rings

angie reed wedding rings
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Reed popped the question with a Mociun double-sided moonstone-and-diamond ring and then the couple picked out an engagement ring together from the same jeweler. They returned once more to select their wedding bands.

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Faux Real

angie reed wedding bouquet
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Angie's bouquet—as well as the bridesmaids' headpieces and the guys' boutonnières—were actually made with faux flowers (including peonies, roses, and ranunculus) by Angie's friend Brittany Carmona-Holt from Adorned Florals. By skipping fresh blooms, the couple was able to maximize their budget while still getting the desired effect. Not to mention, she now has a very special keepsake from the wedding day.

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Mismatched Bridesmaids

angie reed wedding bridesmaids
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Angie let her attendants choose their own dresses. Her only request was that they not wear prints.

06 of 21

Man and Woman's Best Friend

angie reed wedding dog
Alyssa McElheny Photography

The couple's dog, Shelby, ran around and played before joining the couple for photos in her faux flower collar. But she stayed inside during the festivities. "She loves people and was delirious with excitement," Angie says.

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The Dapper Dudes

angie reed wedding groomsmen
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Reed asked his groomsmen to wear whatever they liked, and the entire group all ended up in shades of gray and dark blue.

08 of 21

Portrait Time

angie reed wedding couple
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Before the early afternoon ceremony, the bride and groom took portraits all around the property.

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Custom Backdrop

angie reed wedding ceremony
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Reed designed and built the triangular arbor himself. "I wanted to do something unique, as every arbor I saw was very generic, or overly 'hipster' with branches and such," Reed explains. "Instead, I wanted something clean, simple, modern, but also dimensional. I liked the idea that we would stand under something, and that it would have depth that would change as you moved around it. I came up with a few sketches, and Angie weighed in. The desire was also that it had to easily be collapsed, stored, and set back up again the day of, so the entire thing broke down into eight pieces, then could be reassembled by two people in about 10 minutes." The free-standing structure was 10-feet tall and took Reed an afternoon to get the design right.

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The Ceremony

angie reed wedding ceremony
Alyssa McElheny Photography

"The Greatest" By Cat Power played as the bride and her parents walked down the aisle. "I loved seeing Reed waiting in front of the arbor that he designed and built for the occasion. Approaching the faces of our loved ones in the back row was also so special," says the bride. Reed feels the moment was just as memorable. "Seeing her there and seeing all the faces of our friends and family turned around to look at me—and seeing people who had arrived from around the world—was incredibly touching," he says.

The nonreligious ceremony was officiated by a friend, another pal recited the poem "Love Is Friendship Caught Fire" by Laura Hendricks, and the bride and groom exchanged vows they'd written themselves.

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Off They Go

angie reed wedding recessional
Alyssa McElheny Photography

The happy couple paused to turn back and wave as they recessed up the aisle and across the lawn. They headed to sign the marriage license, which was another favorite part of the day for Angie, who recalls being elated to be married and giddy with the realization that it had happened.

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The Cocktail Hour

angie reed wedding cocktail hour
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Cocktail hour took place at the glass house at Foxfire Mountain House. Thankfully the weather was perfect—a little warm for October and not a cloud in the sky. The food was just as delightful. Soup shooters, assorted bruschetta, traditional stuffed grape leaves, and an assortment of Mediterranean spreads were provided before dinner.

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The Guests

angie reed wedding guests
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Attendees looked great in their cocktail attire. Some of the people at the wedding came from as far as London and Munich to celebrate.

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Fun Escort Cards

angie reed wedding escort cards
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Reed designed all of the wedding's stationery so he decided to have a little fun with the escort cards: Each tented card had an affectionate salutation on the back. "Bonjour, belle," "Hello handsome," and "Hey good looking" were just a few of the witty phrases that greeted each guest.

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DIY Décor

angie reed wedding tables candles
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Angie bought fresh eucalyptus and her friends arranged it down the center of the dark wood farm tables. Reed made the candlestick holders from concrete, and white taper and pillar candles dotted the tables.

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Dinner Time

angie reed wedding salad family style
Alyssa McElheny Photography

The meal was a family-style Mediterranean feast.

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Sweet Treats

angie reed wedding dessert
Alyssa McElheny Photography

The newlyweds skipped the cake but still had plenty of dessert options for guests—including key lime bites and apple crumble.

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A Detailed Dance Floor

angie reed wedding tent
Alyssa McElheny Photography

The dance floor at the venue sports a Moroccan tile design and made for a unique base for the party. Overhead, a disco ball and garlands of greenery added a festive and natural touch to the tent.

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Their First Dance

angie reed wedding first dance
Alyssa McElheny Photography

When it came time for their first dance, the DJ played "Coming Home" by Leon Bridges.

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Songs and Dance

angie reed wedding dance floor
Alyssa McElheny Photography

"We had a lot of fun picking the music with our DJ," Angie says. Some of their favorites? "Because the Night" by Patti Smith, "Starting Over" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" by Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks, and "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi because Angie loves it and feels "very strongly that you are obligated to play the song of the summer at your wedding." The song selections hit the spot, as the reception lasted until 1 a.m.

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Sources

angie reed wedding couple
Alyssa McElheny Photography

Photography, Alyssa McElheny

Location and Catering, Foxfire Mountain House

Flowers, Adorned

Music, DJ Lady Verse

Bride's gown, Stone Fox Bride

Bride's accessories, Faris earrings; Charlotte Stone shoes

Engagement ring and wedding bands, Mociun

Groom's suit, shirt, and tie, J.Crew

Groom's accessories, Marc Jacobs

tie clip; Grenson shoes

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