There is nothing more beautiful than being in the mountains, and the mountains are truly the perfect place for Lea & JH’s wedding. They’re both avid hikers. They love the outdoors and their cute doggie, Knox.
You’d never know it, but a couple of hours before the wedding it started pouring rain. Dark clouds started rolling in over the mountains and a thunder and lightning storm caused the entire hotel to lose power. Lea & JH remained so calm and never complained once. As luck would have it, as soon as Lea put her dress on the rain stopped, the power came back on, and it ended up being the perfect day with the most killer sunset. You know you’ve lucked out when the entire bridal party agrees to walk into a waterfall for pics. These guys crushed it!
Lea + John-Henry
Eagle Mountain House, Jackson NH
August 15, 2015
Wedding day weather: Sunny with scattered showers
Number of guests: 150
Your budget: $35,000
Biggest splurge: the band
Biggest savings: the centerpieces
Why did you choose the Mountains for your wedding?
JH and I live in Cambridge MA. We both grew up having an appreciation for nature and over the past few years, we have loved weekend trips up to White Mountains of New Hampshire to go hiking and camping with our dog and our friends. We thought the area would a great destination for guests that would give us amazing photographs and memories while keeping the overall atmosphere casual and fun.
Wedding day theme:
Casual/rustic
Where did you find your inspiration?
More than anything, our goal was to plan a weekend that would be memorable and fun for our family and friends. We were inspired by the weddings we’ve attended that 1) gave us a feeling like we knew the couple better after we left and 2) gave you the feeling that the couple really appreciated having you there
How did you choose to personalize your wedding?
We wrote out own vows, our dog was our ring bearer and my mother and I worked together to make the centerpiece vases and floral arrangements. Family was involved in the entire ceremony, cousins played the entrance music as we walked down the aisle, another cousin officiated.
What was your favorite part of the reception?
The speeches by my best friend, JH’s brother and my dad were amazing.
What are three things you’re super glad you did?
1) went for a live band over a DJ
2) chose a venue where everything – rehearsal, ceremony, reception, lodging- could all happen in one place
3) holding the event over a weekend rather than a one day affair gave us a chance to spend so much more quality time with our guests
What was the biggest challenge in planning your mountain wedding and how did you overcome it?
An outdoor mountain wedding means you never know for sure what you’re going to get. A bear ran across hotel property during our welcome reception on Friday, it rained on and off on the wedding day and the hotel lost power right before the ceremony. It was really important to stay positive and be flexible. We did our best to plan for the things we had control over and let go of the stuff we didn’t and I think everything turned out perfectly in the end.
How did you find and choose your vendors?
A combination between recommendations from friends and websites like the knot and wedding wire.
What is your best piece of advice to other mountain brides who are planning their weddings?
Find time to take advantage of the setting. You picked the mountains for reason! JH and I arrived at our venue a day early so that we could settle in and go for a hike before everyone arrived. The day of the ceremony, we offered an outdoor yoga session overlooking the mountains for our guests and JH went golfing with a big group at the hotel’s beautiful golf course. The mountains have so much to offer! Try to take advantage of all it and encourage your guests to do the same!
New Hampshire Wedding Vendors
Wedding Photographer: Anne Lee Photography | Band: Silver Arrow Band | Wedding Venue: Eagle Mountain House | Bouquets and Boutonnieres: Ivy & Aster Floral Design | Hair: Debony Salon | Dress/Veil: Allegria Bridal | Suits: J Crew | Invitations: Lavender and Mint