An Intimate, Homegrown Wedding at Cook Hill Farm in Alstead, New Hampshire

Michelle L'Archeveque (28 and a program analyst) and Adam Jones’s (27 and a political and military analyst) one-of-a-kind wedding was steeped in homegrown charm and personal touches. Every detail was carefully thought-out and planned in order to highlight the locale and reflect the couple’s personalities and relationship. They headed to Cook Hill Farm to host the affair, a working farm set in the quaint countryside of southwestern New Hampshire. Inspired by the natural beauty of the setting, Michelle and Adam played up the area’s earthy elements. They started by choosing a sailcloth tent and farm tables for the reception, and added elements like mercury glass, wood, moss and lots of romantic candlelight. They then selected a palette of plum, gray, green and ivory to tie in with the natural backdrop. For the ceremony, the couple created an intimate clearing in the woods and handcrafted log benches to make the outdoor space their own. All the flowers and herbs for the bouquets, boutonnieres and centerpieces were from Michelle’s mother’s garden and arranged by a family friend. The pair even grew all the potatoes served during dinner, and Michelle’s mother baked the wedding and groom’s cakes for dessert. Guests were sent home with locally made maple syrup and Adam’s best man, co-owner of Brothers Vilgalys Spirits, treated each table to a bottle of his very own Krupnikas, a Lithuanian honey liqueur. Since Michelle is from New Hampshire and Adam is from North Carolina, the couple looked for ways to incorporate elements that represented their roots. A guitarist and fiddler serenaded the guests during cocktail hour and provided an ethereal feel to the ceremony with beautiful renditions of classic Irish tunes. And signature cocktails like the Nor’easter and Lavender Collins played tribute to the couple’s Northern and Southern backgrounds. Other personal touches were a stargazing station, cider doughnuts for dessert, tables named after the couple’s ancestors and board games like checkers and backgammon set up for guests to enjoy throughout the evening. A tip from Michelle: “We took a full-on DIY approach to our wedding planning, with the many generous project contributions by friends and family. This made our wedding all ours and a beautiful reflection of our relationship. But it also made for some stressful moments. Our best advice to a DIY couple is to prioritize your projects and set a deadline for when you will stop working on them, so you can enjoy being a bride.”