A Rustic Chic Summer Wedding at Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont

Playing off Vermont’s natural scenery and the elegant, old world charm of the Shelburne Farms Inn, Mia Lieb-Lappen (27 and an investment banking associate) and Mike Panzer (27 and a lawyer) pulled off a wedding rich in rustic chic flair. The pair met and fell in love in the great Green Mountain State at their alma mater Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT, so it only seemed appropriate to return to the area to celebrate their summer nuptials. Shelburne Farms captured the beauty and rustic charm of the state they had once called home, with a waterfront location adding to the venue’s allure. “We also liked that the money spent on the venue goes towards maintaining the farm itself, which is something we liked to support,” says Mia. To balance the homespun feel of the farm, the couple chose a sophisticated color palette of cool blue and gray hues. Silver chargers had a sleek, modern feel and simple, yet romantic arrangements of full white and blue peonies, tweedia, mint, artemesia and lilies adding freshness and vibrancy to the tables. To highlight the importance of family, the couple had Mike’s mother, who specializes in Judaic quilting, design their chuppah and a memorial table was added to the reception in remembrance of Mia’s late father. Cocktail hour and dinner featured a spread of fresh and seasonal eats, followed by local standbys like apple cider doughnuts and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for dessert. Joey Scott and The Connection brought the house down with their renditions of classic oldies and Mike’s sister even surprised the pair with a performance of the song “Home” by the Magnetic Zeros. “Katie even made up the words during the vocal interlude about when Mike and I first met and arranged for the band to join in halfway through,” says Mia. A tip for the taking from Mia: “Don’t let the stress of the wedding wear on your relationship and if it starts to, remind yourself what the day is all about — you and your soon to be husband or wife getting to celebrate your love with all the closest people in your lives. Never lose sight of that.”