Becky & Salt took “rustic farm wedding” to a perfectly literal new level. Throwing an intimate real farm wedding in New Hampshire – one with chickens, sheep, horses and manure.
Becky brought with her a love of the outdoors, Zoe, her cherished pup and a sense of positivity wrapped around love. Salt brought with him a vibrant young daughter, a love for all things ocean and a commitment to stay true to himself. Together they live by the New Hampshire ocean soaking in all it has to offer. On sunny days Salt hits the waves, on stormy days they puddle jump.
Becky grew up in Pennsylvania and studied fish biology in Indiana. A job brought her to New Hampshire where she currently works as a writer for Seagrant.
Salt grew up in Massachusetts. He is a big cross country and downhill skier. He worked in Telluride as ski patrol. He also worked as a lobsterman, plus a decade as a carpenter and now works in solar fields. His resume is one to be jealous of, also including a band drummer. And no, Salt is not his real name. But we aren’t spilling the beans on what is!
While Becky is not as much of an adrenaline junkie as Salt and his daughter are, the couple has slid right into a mutually active lifestyle full of passion. Their time spent together rarely involves indoors. On nights, they can be found catching live jazz performances, cooking and cherishing one another’s company. Volunteering at a local farm in Lee, hiking, being at the beach, or throwing on parkas and soaking in the rain. Their love for the local farm is so strong they chose to have their wedding there.
Coppal House Farm is one you may know from the year round farmers markets. Run by a contagiously enthusiastic couple John & Carol, the farm produces everything from produce to eggs and local meats. They also boast an incredibly large sunflower patch that must be seen when in full bloom!! Becky and Salt have become family there and couldn’t imagine having their wedding anywhere else.
The challenge in this was creating a wedding venue out of a working farm. The barn housed sheep over the winter and required mucking out a blanket of manure before the smell was wedding appropriate. And this was just the beginning.
Becky was able to get ready in the temporarily vacant farmhand’s apartment. While Salt changed out of his coveralls 15 minutes before the ceremony in the horse barn. Salt was joined by his best man, boss and good friend (all the same person.) Becky was joined by her sister, mom and Salt’s daughter.
Her mom made her own dress. Becky accented hers with a handmade sash. And included with her wildflower bouquet was Zoe’s collar. At 14, Zoe quietly passed away in April unable to hold our for the wedding.
Having joined us for the puddle stomping engagement shoot at Odiorne Point, Salt’s daughter was ready to be our assistant. She couldn’t have been more excited and ready for the celebration. And helped us by hollering out directions for the happy couple during photos.
“The band is going to switch to Pachelbel’s Cannon and that’s when I come out of the yurt.”
Our favorite line of the day. And completely true to this couple. They are two people who stay very in line with their values. From eating locally sustainably caught seafood to living more minimalistically, their wedding was an example of this.
Their cutlery was compostable bamboo, cups made from corn, seats out of hay bales, lambs for entertainment. Local Wachussett beer, locally sourced BBQ, and centerpieces of live chard and herbs. The string lights came from Becky’s Aunt, the lawn games sourced from what they already owned.
And the band. Being a musician himself, it was especially important to have live music from local talent. The Blackberry Bushes Stringband came from Vermont, the lead singer in her third trimester. They tromped out to the field for the ceremony and brought down the barn atop a pallet stage.
Becky’s friends came in from Pennsylvania, Idaho, Alaska, Texas and Georgia complimenting the more local crowd. But what really stood out was of the 200 guests, nearly half were kids! They spent the night playing lawn games, wandering through the fields and visiting farm animals.
It’s truly heartwarming to be a part of a celebration so genuinely authentic. There were no decorations from Party City, or cliche bride and groom items. Their wedding cake was one tier, homemade and almost forgotten about. Dancing was on a dirt floor next to the lamb pen. Compost and recycle bins lined the buffet table. And no agenda was set.
So people danced the night away, kids ran themselves tired, the chickens, sheep and horses watched on. And a couple’s personality was perfectly captured. From our first meeting with Becky & Salt we were captivated with them and their wedding vision, and to say we were excited to photograph their real farm wedding would be an understatement. Now that the wedding is over we’re excited to have them so close by and look forward to meeting up for some seacoast music and food!!
REAL FARM WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS DETAILS:
Coppal House Farm – Farm Wedding Venue
Pin Up Hair Salon – Hair & Makeup
Jeanne Pounder – Officiant
BHLDN– Bride’s Gown
Seychelles – Bride’s Shoes
J. Hilburn– Groom’s Suit
Richter’s Jewelry – Rings
LuluSplendor – Bride’s Earrings
Hook & Matter – Bride’s Sash
Jes Raymond & the Blackberry Bushes – Band
Zazzle – Stationery
Pinewoods Yankee Farm – Flowers
Goody Coles Smokehouse & Catering Co – Caterer
Are you looking for Real Farm wedding photographers? Or are you planning another equally awesome wedding? We’d love to chat with you and learn more about your wedding plans. Here’s where you can contact us!!
