This beautiful fall day is the perfect time to release this gorgeous wedding on to the blog. I know you’ll agree. Alexa’s smile alone lights up any room. I loved working and getting to know Alexa and Andrew and their friends and family. Cranwell is one of my favorite places to shoot during the fall and reviewing these pictures it’s easy to see why.

Alexa shared some of her thoughts about planning and I know this will inspire others currently making decisions about their day or soon to be engaged. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Callery! xoxo

What inspired you to pick your venue?

We fell in love with the beauty of the mountains of the Berkshires right away and the Cranwell has a view that showcases this perfectly. The mansion sits up on hill surrounded by New England foliage and it has a very majestic feel. We looked at many venues and nothing compared to the view you get when you stand on the back patio of the Cranwell mansion.

Can you share one unforgettable moment on your wedding day?

The first look was the most unforgettable moment of the wedding day for both of us. We were both so excited to see each other and the look on Andrew’s face when he saw me was such a special moment. We had a great time getting ready all day but missed each other and a first look was a great way to kick off the wedding. This is a personal choice for each couple but I am so glad we took the opportunity to have these pictures captured before the ceremony and before all of our guests had arrived. 

What advice would you give couples currently planning their wedding day that you wish you had known?

Try to relax during the planning! There will always be little hiccups that pop up on the day of but when you are in the moment during that day, you don’t even mind! The weather was supposed to be clear on our wedding day and about 25 minutes before the ceremony, the sky opened up and it started to pour. We weren’t sure if we would be able to have the ceremony outside as we had planned but in the moment it didn’t even matter to me. I was so excited to marry my best friend and so happy to be surrounded by so much love that I knew it would be great either way (and the rain stopped shortly after so we were able to use the original plan!)

What is a detail that you are really happy you spent the time and/or money on? 

The photography! I was so excited to have you as the photographer because I love looking at other weddings on your blog as your pictures are so beautiful! I loved how you really took the time to get to know us as a couple and helped us get comfortable taking pictures! From our engagement shoot to the day of the wedding you were terrific and we are so lucky to have gotten to work with you!

Another detail that I recommend spending time and money on is the flowers. I wasn’t totally sure what I was looking for in the flowers but Carolyn brought to life a vision that I didn’t even know I had! We received so many compliments on the flowers and I was in awe when I first saw my bouquet. She did an incredible job and I am so glad to have these pictures that captured them so well.

What was one of your favorite compliments from a guest about your wedding?

We loved hearing that our guests had a great time. We knew that the wedding was everything we wanted it to be but it was made even more special by hearing that our guests also had a wonderful night. We also received a lot of compliments on the band!  We hired Fever out of Northampton MA and they had a great selection and kept everyone dancing all night long.

What was your favorite wedding planning resource?

It was great to be able to bounce ideas off of friends who are married or who have had siblings who recently got married. It’s always helpful to hear real advice from someone who has been through the process and I am so thankful to have such wonderful friends in my life! They were able to tell me great ideas while also letting me know when I was stressing about something that no one else would even notice. I am also so thankful to have had my mother participate in all aspects of the wedding process. She was a great resource and I owe most of the wedding planning to her!

VENUE – Cranwell Resort
FLORIST – Carolyn Valenti Flowers
BAND – Fever
CAKE ARTIST – Pete’s Sweets
HAIR & MAKEUP – Gasoline Alley
GOWN BOUTIQUE – Precious Memories
JEWELER – Barmakian Jewelers
PHOTOGRAPHER – Tricia McCormack Photography