Brooke Beatt and Matthew Hooks met in Hanover, Vermont. She was going to business school at his alma mater, and he was living in Boston but was a frequent visitor in the winters. They had their first date at their shared favorite bar in New Hampshire and their second on the slopes of Mad River Glen. Two-and-a-half years later, and after Brooke moved to Boston, Matt proposed on a boat picnic with their new puppy, Daisy, in Maine.
For their wedding weekend, they wanted to keep it in Maine but chose venues that were easier to reach than Vinalhaven Island, where the proposal happened. For the ceremony and reception, the Wells Reserve at Laudholm presented the pair with enough space and beauty to pull off a chic outdoor service, cocktail hour by the barn, and reception under a white tent. And Brooke spent time as a child roaming around the trails and beaches in the preserve, which made it even more sentimental.
To bring their elegant farm wedding vision to life, they hired Kate Martin of Beautiful Days Events. She also acted as the florist, and Brooke brought her collection of vases and garden pots to collaborate on the floral elements. “I am an avid rooftop gardener in Boston with a passion for Dahlias and wildflowers, so [Kate] made sure to incorporate almost exclusively local and in-season flowers in a beautiful palette of whites with pops of yellow and blue,” Brooke says. For wedding suite design, the bride worked with her childhood friend, Arianna Berk of Rabbit Rabbit Design House, who also created the save the date map, custom crest, and all calligraphy. “She knows Matt and me so well, and as we worked together it felt like she was reading my mind on all the little details.” And another close friend, Marion Greely of CeCe DuPraz, brought the crest to life on embroidered tea towels and bridesmaids’ tote bags.
At a Lela Rose trunk show at Ceremony Bridal Shop in Boston, Brooke found her “Toulouse” dress with her mother. “It felt elegant but also unique with its Swiss dot fabric and off-the-shoulder neckline, along with the sheer back for a bit of a surprise!” the bride says. She found her Daisy-heeled Prada shoes before deciding on a gown. For her “something borrowed,” Brooke’s mom lent her their family’s deco diamond and sapphire bracelet. And her “something new” came from her husband—a pair of pearl and diamond drop earrings.
On the day-of, the bride gifted her bridesmaids, all in navy dresses of their own choosing, white floral earrings and block print dresses by SZ Blockprints to get ready in. “One of the highlights of the day was the time spent getting ready with this group of women who are so dear to me,” Brooke says.
As a few guests were still running to their seats, the bride walked down the aisle, from the barn to the field, with her parents. Her cousin, Eric, officiated the service, and Matt’s sister gave a reading from the Velveteen Rabbit. “[The reading] was also a commemoration of Matt’s mother who was an elementary school teacher and passed away a few years ago but was very present in our hearts throughout the weekend. I also attached a floral brooch of hers with diamonds and sapphires to my bouquet,” Brooke says. During the ceremony, Brooke’s brother and sister-in-law sang a duet of “Distant Lands” by Kuinka. And the couple read short statements they had written for each other, before reading their vows. “We’d planned this for a months but, of course, ended up writing them while sitting in bed the morning of the wedding.” The ceremony closed with the pair actually tying a knot with sailing ropes, to symbolize a union that will become stronger over time as it’s put under pressure.
After the first kiss, the married couple led everyone to the cocktail hour outside of the farmhouse, where a bluegrass band played, while people sipped on Aperol spritzes and Dark and Stormies. The evening was catered by The White Apron, and they did a great job with the raw bar and appetizers, before guests found charcuterie boards and champagne waiting for them at their tables.
As everyone sat down, Brooke’s parents welcomed guests with a speech. During dinner, the bride’s two maids of honor and two of Matt’s groomsmen roasted and toasted the newlyweds. To close out, the happy couple briefly thanked all in attendance and led everyone to the dance floor, while warm cider doughnuts were passed around.
The Sultans kept the energy off the charts all night. “I got so warm, dancing up a storm; I changed into a shorter reception dress far earlier than I had planned,” the bride says. Matt and Brooke had their first dance to Van Morrison’s “Warm Love.” “We didn’t do any practicing, but our swaying and spins went off far better than I expected!” For those still on the floor after three hours, the after-party moved to Brooke’s father’s barn, where flip cup games took up most of the late night.
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