Photography by Ashley Largesse.

This wedding is definitely proof that when you pick a spectacular venue like the Lord Thompson Manor, the hard work is just about done for you. Isn't this place incredible? This was a traditional, romantic celebration that was a perfect fit for the Manor itself - just like the bride's cathedral length veil and tiara! The only extra decorations required? Florals in a pretty, fresh palette of white and peach. See more below!

What was the best advice you received as a bride? To take it all in as much as possible on the day because it goes by so fast. I remember waking up and reading a card from Zach around 7am and already crying (our Maid of Honor and Best Man delivered cards and gifts we got each other that morning.) I was so excited and nervous - I knew I had to just breathe and cherish every minute. It was really amazing to be surrounded by our favorite people. Everyone was so excited!

Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Yes, we tried to keep the wedding as traditional as possible. Jacky did follow the bride's tradition of having something old, new borrowed and blue. We slept apart the night before and spent some quality time with our groomsmen and bridesmaids. It was difficult being apart! We were both so excited and just wanted to see each other.

The Ceremony

How did you go about planning your ceremony? We planned our ceremony ourselves and modeled it to be fairly traditional in regards to the music and the service itself. It was important to us to have family members involved with it, so we each had a member of our family do a reading. Jacky's friend and former dance team coach from UConn, Sarah Harrington, offered advice and a beautiful template for the layout of the ceremony, including music and text that we fell in love with.

What were your ceremony readings? Jacky's cousin Ryan Augustus read the poem I Carry Your Heart With Me by e e cummings, and Zach's Godfather read I Corinthians 13.

What were your vows like? We chose traditional Episcopal vows from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer.

What was your favorite thing about your wedding ceremony? Zach: "When we were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Zachary Putnam and then turned to walk down the aisle - seeing the looks of love and happiness on all of our friends and family's faces."

What was your ceremony music? Processional - Canon in D byPachabel / Procession of the Bride - Bridal Chorus byWagner / Recessional - Wedding March by Mendelssohn.

What advice do you have for other couples in the midst of planning a wedding? Be kind to yourselves and know that this is your one day to do what you want; try not to stress about things that other people might have an opinion about and just do what makes you happy! It will be the best day of your life.

What was your favorite moment or part of the reception? Our favorite part of the reception was during the Best Man and Maid of Honor speeches. The staff at the Manor gathers everyone to the side garden, where the Best Man and Maid of Honor stand on a balcony above everyone and give their toasts, which serves as the kick-off to the evening. It was magical and both of our best friends gave incredible and touching speeches. Then our photographer Ashley Largesse magically appeared on the roof of the Manor (she literally climbed out a window) and took an aerial shot of everyone toasting us in the side garden.

What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? We wanted it to be traditional, romantic and fun. Both of our parents have been married for many years (Zach's parents for 45 years, and Jacky's parents for 28) so they were a huge inspiration for us, and we wanted to pay homage to that and have a wedding that reflected love and family. We loved the heirloom touches in the overall design and feel of each room within the Manor...it was very elegant. It felt like a dream!

What type of cake or dessert did you serve? We had a three-tiered cake that was half chocolate, half vanilla (we couldn't decide!) with buttercream frosting.

What was your first dance song? Our first dance song was Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, but we danced to a slower, more acoustic version.