A Traditional Summer Wedding at Log Cabin in Holyoke, Massachusetts

Michelle Nguyen (32 and a sonographer) and Patrick Grant (32 and a contractor) met online and hit it off on their very first date, bonding over their mutual love of snowboarding and their similar senses of humor. After a day of surfing and relaxing during a weekend getaway in Cape Cod, Mass. Patrick popped the question at First Encounter Beach at sunset. “He asked a bystander to take some pictures of us with the sunset and while we were posing he turned and got down on one knee,” says Michelle. For their wedding, the couple planned a traditional early summer affair with a contemporary twist at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, Mass. A venue that offered an outdoor ceremony space with scenic views was high on Michelle and Patrick’s priority list and Log Cabin fit the bill. Set atop Mt. Tom, the venue boasted an outdoor patio overlooking hundreds of acres of lush forests and an idyllic setting for the couple to say their “I do’s.” The day kicked off with an outdoor ceremony, complete with live classical performances, followed by an outdoor cocktail hour where guests snacked on passed hors d’oeuvres and enjoyed the striking natural landscape. The newlyweds then moved the party inside to the Log Cabin’s elegant ballroom for a night of celebrating. They kept the decor classic to play up the space’s traditional vibe, choosing a simple black and white color palette to decorate the room and using bright purple orchid centerpieces to introduce a pop of fresh color. After dinner, guests danced the night away to the sounds of Music Tribute Productions, hitting up Michelle and Patrick’s photo booth when they needed to rest their dancing feet. “We had a life size cutout of us taking the pictures and we recorded our voices giving the instructions,” says Michelle. A tip for the taking from Michelle: “Know that everything may not go perfectly, but it's okay! Just relax and enjoy every moment. You're marrying your best friend!”