1. Real Weddings

A Charming, Vintage Wedding at Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vermont

Elinor (Nellie) Berkman (29, an early childhood teacher) and Chris Jaikaran (32, a planner for the Department of Homeland Security) met one summer at

Elinor (Nellie) Berkman (29, an early childhood teacher) and Chris Jaikaran (32, a planner for the Department of Homeland Security) met one summer at a bar in Washington DC. "Chris would say that he approached me first, but really it was Chris’s best friend who walked over on his behalf," notes Nellie. The couple hit it off, and after dating for two years decided to take a trip to Paris, Nellie's favorite city. During their first day there, at each of her favorite places, Chris presented Nellie with poems he had written in different styles that described their life together. By dusk they made it to Sacre Coeur, where he told her he had one more poem to give her. "As I read that last poem, he got down on one knee. When I looked up, he handed me one last notecard that said 'Veux-tu m’epouse?' or in English, 'Will you marry me?'" recalls Nellie. Despite their far flung engagement, the DC-based couple looked a bit closer to home for their wedding day, specifically, to Woodstock, Vermont. "My family has been going to Vermont for the last 20 years, so it really feels like home to me," says Nellie. "I always knew I wanted to be married in the small non-denominational church in the town of Plymouth Notch." The quaint, historic town served as the perfect setting for the couple's sentimental, vintage-inspired day—which even included Nellie's grandmother's 80-year-old wedding dress. She was the eighth woman in her family to wear it!) To honor the rustic beauty of Vermont, the couple kept most of the day's details natural, yet elegant, with a color palette of pink, blush and coral with grey accents.

Gray Trifold Custom Wedding Invitations
"For the reception, I wanted to switch into a fun and airy dress," says Nellie. After the ceremony, she shed her grandmother's vintage wedding dress in favor of a more modern, A-line gown by Monique Lhuillier.
Inspired by her grandmother's garden, Nellie chose peonies for the day's main flower. She carried a classic bouquet of f white and pink peonies with coral garden roses and ranunculus, tied with an ivory satin ribbon and pearl pins.
Coral Alfred Sung Bridesmaid Dresses
Nellie and Chris First Look
Them men accessorized their dark gray suits with gingham bow ties and cranberry pocket squares to match the bridesmaid dresses.
The Black Tux Gray Groomsmen Suits
Historic Plymouth Notch Church
Pink Peony Ceremony Arrangement
Classic Ivory Ceremony Programs
"We knew we wanted a Jewish ceremony, but we also wanted to honor the Hindu, Muslim, and Christian backgrounds of our parents," says Nellie. "Bob Alper, the rabbi who named me as a baby, happens to be a stand-up comedian in Vermont, and came out of retirement to officiate our ceremony." The couple stood under a custom wooden chuppah, covered by a lace tablecloth belonging to Nellie's grandmother.
Pink Peony Aisle Pew Decor
"My siblings each read a text from The Qur’an, the Bhagavad Gita, and a poem by Khalil Gibran. We said our vows in both Hebrew and English, and Chris successful stomped on the ceremonial glass," Nellie says of their eclectic, interfaith ceremony.
Nellie and Chris Wedding Ceremony Recessional
Woodstock Inn Cocktail Hour
Nellie always knew she would wear her grandma’s 1930s wedding dress—seven women in her family wore it before her, including her mother. The vintage wedding dress has a sweet-heart neckline and a lacey Elizabethan collar. "The silk has aged, and now has a gold tint to it," notes Nellie.
Instead of traditional escort cards, Nellie's mom wrote everybody's name and seating assignments on a vintage window pane.
Long, wooden farmhouse tables were topped with burlap runners and lop arrangements of pink peonies and garden roses.
Wooden Farm Table Reception Seating
Low Pink Peony Reception Centerpiece
Nellie and Chris First Dance
"I Choose You" by Sara Bareilles First Dance Song
The blush piping on Nellie and Chris's buttercream wedding cake was designed to mimic the lace from her reception dress.
Woodstock Inn Tented Wedding Reception