An Intimate Wedding at a Private Residence in Stuyvesant, New York

Carolyn (24 and a speech-language pathologist) and Philip (29 and a self-employed consultant) Morrill met on a dating website. Carolyn sent the first message, and they quickly bonded over common interests before tackling their views on more serious social issues. They had their first date at a local beach where they continued their meaningful conversation and realized just how much they had in common. Philip proposed six months later on the day after Christmas in the snow at sunset. They got married just four months after that in Stuyvesant, New York at an old Dutch barn that was converted into a private residence. Carolyn's mother helped them find the venue on Air BnB, and they instantly fell in love with its wood beams and large floor plan. They decided on a neutral color scheme with pops of red (chosen by the groom) in the invitations and flower arrangements. Carolyn's oldest brother, a landscape architect by trade, volunteered to create the natural-looking bouquets and table arrangements with both red and white roses. Decor was kept to a minimum with mostly just birch candle holders to give the space a warm, romantic glow. Carolyn and Philip decided on an intimate wedding party of just thirteen close family members, so they only needed one reception table for their Thanksgiving-style feast. After dinner, they cut into a beautiful small, tiered wedding cake decorated with a penguin cake topper. "The whole wedding reflected us as a couple, from the small ceremony with family to the big meal that everyone helped make," Carolyn concludes.