A Rustic, Bohemian Wedding at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts

Meredith Rottersmann (32 and a graduate student) and Chris Gillis (32 and a carpenter) planned a rustic-chic affair with a subtle artistic flair for their midsummer wedding at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts. “The venue had everything we wanted and everything that felt very us—art, sculptures, woods, vistas, easy-to-transform indoor spaces, a gallery walk and grounds to explore,” Meredith says. The day unfolded with a ceremony on the terrace of the museum overlooking Walden Pond. “DeCordova blended our love for nature with our love for art, and the terrace made us feel like we were getting married in an old friend’s backyard,” Meredith says. As a nod to their Jewish upbringings, Meredith and Chris incorporated traditions like the stomping of the glass and the chuppah into the ceremony, which Chive Events fashioned to channel a dream catcher, complete with flowy pieces of gold-dipped fabric. The pair wrote their own vows and were married by a close friend, giving the proceedings a highly personalized and sentimental feel, and performed a knot-tying ceremony to symbolize the coming together of their two lives. 

With the help of the planning team at Elegant Aura, Meredith and Chris put their personal mark on deCordova’s modern interiors, working with long farm tables, wooden planter boxes overflowing with peach garden roses, dahlias and lush greenery and vintage details like apothecary bottles to create a warm, inviting backdrop for the reception. “The lighting was amazing,” Meredith says. “We had a gobo of leaves shining onto the rafters and bistro lights around the dance floor.” After dinner, the newlyweds and their guests hit the dance floor, where they swayed to the beat of '90s hip-hop and R&B. A tip from Meredith and Chris: “Though we know it feels impossible, try not to sweat the small stuff. Choose what is most important to you and leave the details to the professionals. Enjoy each other and enjoy your big day—it’s true that it goes by so fast!” —Libby MacCarthy