A Whimsical Purple Wedding at Lord Thompson Manor in Thompson, Connecticut

High school sweethearts Julie and James imagined a romantic wedding, but were overwhelmed by the thought of planning one. “When we first turned onto the long drive to Lord Thompson Manor, it felt as though we’d stepped into someplace intimate and special,” Julie says. It also had an expert team to handle all the details. This freed up the couple to focus on the fun parts, like sampling grilled tenderloin for dinner and organizing an after-party around the fire pit. They chose a cream-and-blush palette with varying shades of purple that would pop against the lush green grounds, creating an ambience that, Julie says, “looked like a watercolor.” The bride wore a tulle ball gown and carried scabiosa, sweet peas, mint and garden roses while lavender delphinium, spray roses, lisianthus, seeded eucalyptus and fabric covered the iron altar. Low centerpieces made for easy conversation, while mini chicken and waffles with strawberry, lime and pepper honey added a playful touch. “They were a huge hit,” James says. A local honey purveyor supplied sweet favors as a nod to Julie’s passion for the repopulation of bees.