In the golden glow of Vermont’s fall season, Brett and Anna’s wedding at The Wilburton in Manchester unfolded like a love letter to where their story first began. The pair met during their senior year at the University of Vermont, bonding over lakeside days and late-night bowling with friends — a friendship that quietly bloomed into lasting love.
Seven years, two cities, and countless shared adventures later, Brett proposed during a Malibu sunset overlooking the Pacific. When it came time to choose their wedding destination, returning to Vermont felt like the only place that truly made sense.
Their September celebration captured everything they love about New England — crisp air, sweeping mountain views, and vibrant autumn hues. From a sunrise embrace on the morning of their wedding to heartfelt vows shared before family and friends, their day was full of authenticity, warmth, and intentional detail.
Anna’s gown, customized with lace flowers clipped from her mother’s wedding dress, carried a thread of family history, while florals by Nancy Bishop Floral Design reflected the couple’s love for earthy brightness and natural beauty. Guests sipped cocktails in frosted cups adorned with a drawing of the couple’s cat, Flip, and danced late into the evening under the Vermont sky.
In true nostalgic spirit, Brett and Anna passed around disposable cameras and a camcorder instead of hiring a videographer — creating a collection of heartfelt, hilarious “home video” moments they’ll treasure forever.
“We watched the sunrise together — our last quiet moment as fiancés before the day began. We both treasure it deeply.”
How did you two meet? What were your first impressions of one another?
Brett and I both went to the University of Vermont and graduated in 2017. Although we knew of each other, we officially met during the summer going into our senior year, when we both lived and worked in Burlington and became quick friends. We found mutual interests in hiking, lake activities, and bowling on Tuesday nights with our buddies.
Friendship quickly turned into something more once the school year started. While we knew a new relationship during our senior year might not be the wisest decision with looming career and relocation goals, it didn’t matter to us. We found our footing post-graduation and both ended up moving to Boston for work, riding the T between our places in the North End and Brookline/Back Bay for years—until we finally moved in together in the North End of Boston right before COVID began.
Tell us a funny story relating to your wedding day or relationship!
Approximately seven years and two cities later (first Boston, then San Diego), Brett coordinated a beach camping trip with close friends and family to Malibu in November 2022. We spent the day surfing the Malibu waves, setting up our campground, and to my surprise, Brett wanted to leave the site quickly to get the best sunset spot at Point Dume—a stunning cliffside trail with 180-degree views of the ocean.
Brett and I led the way while the others followed behind, claiming they were “stopping for firewood first.” We found a spot just down a path from the edge of the cliffside and felt completely alone as the sun met the horizon. That’s where Brett proposed. Through shock and happy tears, I said absolutely. Right after, we heard cheers from everyone behind us on top of the cliff! It was one of the greatest moments of our lives—so much love. We knew right after we were engaged that we wanted to be married in the place where it all began: Vermont.
Any special ways you incorporated your family or family history into your wedding day?
We created all of our signage from scratch (besides the acrylic drink signs—thank you, Etsy!), opting for table names rather than numbers as an ode to the locations that hold meaning for us. Each table was named after a place that shaped our journey, with a short description for guests to read as they sat down. We even matched guests with tables that meant something to them—like family who share our love for places such as Treasure Island, FL, Waterville Valley, NH, and Lake Winnipesaukee.
We hand-embossed all of our cocktail napkins with a logo initial designed by one of my bridesmaids, Jess. It was a labor of love but such a fun detail that didn’t break the bank! At the bar, we also stocked up on frosted cups featuring a cute drawing of our cat, Flip, to make sure our furry friend was part of the celebration (and to prevent any late-night dance floor glass breakage).
Lastly, one of my favorite details was my dress itself. My mom pulled her wedding gown out of storage and clipped off four lace flowers (after we both tried the dress on, of course). I asked my tailor to attach them however she felt inspired. She created a stunning flower formation on the edge of the back of my dress—it was perfect.
What part of your wedding day was/is most important to you?
While the Wilburton grounds were still quiet and my hair and makeup team was setting up in the bridal suite, Brett and I went outside to watch the sunrise around 7 a.m. and just hugged for a while. It was our last moment together as fiancés, and the last quiet moment before the day began. We both treasure it deeply.
We also chose to share personal vows during our ceremony—something we went back and forth on for about a year. In the end, we were so glad we did. It gave our guests a glimpse into what makes our relationship unique, and during cocktail hour, hearing how much those words resonated with them was incredibly moving.
What was your favorite part about planning your wedding?
We spent a significant amount of time perfecting our reception timeline to kick off with a full dance party after our entrance—we wanted to get our guests moving right away! After coming in to “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (groundbreaking, I know!), the DJ transitioned into a dance remix of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” by ABBA. Our bridal party and guests flooded the dance floor, surrounding us as we celebrated in the middle of it all. It was exactly how we envisioned the night starting—and a moment we’ll never forget!
If you had one piece of advice for other couples, what would it be?
Focus on what matters to you. Sometimes social media can create unrealistic expectations for elaborate details or guest favors that might not be meaningful to your story. Let go of that and plan the day that feels true to your relationship. At the end of it all, what you’ll remember most is who surrounded you and the love you felt.
One spontaneous decision we made was to buy disposable cameras and a camcorder off Amazon. We didn’t have a videographer, but we thought it would be fun to capture our day in an old-school way. Our groomsmen passed the camera around during dinner and later on the dance floor. The footage isn’t perfect, but it’s real, hilarious, and something we absolutely love looking back on.
Venue & Catering: The Wilburton / @thewilburton
Photography: Sean Hood Photography / @seanhoodphotography
Florals: Nancy Bishop Floral Design / @nancybishopfloral
Linens: The Linen Shop / @linenshopvt
Signage: Etsy / @etsy
DJ: 802 Events / @802events
Dessert: Thistle & Honey Baking / @thistleandhoneybaking
Hair & Makeup: Blush Vermont / @blushsalonandbeautylounge
Dress Designer: Mikaella Bridal / @mikaellabridal
Dress Boutique: Jaehee Bridal Atelier / @jaeheebridal
Alterations: Tammie’s Alterations
Tuxedo & Groomsmen Attire: The Black Tux / @theblacktux
Publisher at The White Wren and Bajan Wed, Award Winning Photography + Videographer at Live View Studios, Dad, 80s music lover, crunchy health advocate
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