A Bright, Summer-Inspired Wedding at Fountainbleau Inn in Alpine, New York

Courtney Spencer (29 and an office coordinator) and Bill Eppel’s (41 and an academic advisor) wedding was all about celebrating the summer season (and each other, of course!) from the bright color palette to a menu filled with warm weather favorites. The day kicked off with a ceremony at the quaint Lawrence Chapel, tucked away in the woods of Alpine, NY. The woodland setting, stained glass windows, stone façade and old wooden pews lent an air of intimacy and old world charm to the event. A reception at the Fountainbleau Inn followed, where guests enjoyed a fun, low-key evening with good company and good eats. While Courtney and Spencer decided to take a more understated approach to the décor, flowers were a big player in bringing the Lawrence Chapel and Fountainbleau to life. Plenty of Peonies, whose florist is a friend of the bride, was given free range with the flowers and put together eye-catching arrangements of brightly colored wildflowers, which lit up the charming, rustic reception room. And Courtney’s father, who is an avid gardener, supplied pots of zinnias to give the décor a little extra oomph. Courtney and Bill took on a few DIY projects themselves to give the day a personal touch, which included the table numbers and favors. On a trip to Charleston, SC, where Bill proposed, the couple took photos of intricate doors and numbers and had them framed to use as the table numbers. For the favors, Courtney and Bill took advantage of advantage of the abundance of fresh fruit in the area and used locally grown strawberries to make jars of homemade jam. A tip for the taking from Courtney: “Enjoy the planning process — remember it's supposed to be fun!”