Meghan and Chris’s November wedding was held at a gothic style mansion in the Catskills, New York. They were entranced by the venue, which was filled with rich history, and stunning woods surrounding it. They really tried to make it their own; the first dance, for example, was done behind a curtain with a spotlight so their 75 guests could only see their silhouettes. They also had a tarot card reader as an option for guests who didn’t want to dance in the evening.

“We’ve always known we wanted our wedding to be unique,” Meghan shared. “The wedding theme was moody, for sure. The outdoor ceremony space at Spillian, our venue, actually reminds us so much of the Twilight wedding! The house was serving absolutely stunning dark and moody feelings. We honestly barely had to decorate as the house comes with so many gorgeous and unique pieces.”

The couple opted out of saying public vows and exchanged them with each other, in private, that morning. “We woke up all cozy on that chilly morning and got to cry and hold each other before the craziness of the day,” Meghan said. Both of Meghan’s parents walked her down the aisle and they also switched the family sides during the ceremony so their respective families could see their faces during the ceremony.

Their approach to the reception was equally thoughtful. Instead of a grand entrance, Meghan and Chris joined their guests for a porch group photo before heading inside for dinner. At around 8:30 pm the bonfire was lit, and guests were given ’mores kits. The night ended with just the bridal party left on the dance floor, to join them for their final dance, Still into You by Paramore.

“There’s so much to double and triple check,” Meghan said when asked about their challenges during planning, “but once we arrived at Spillian, we handed over our wedding binder and they took care of everything!”

“We wish more people knew how freeing it feels to say no to traditions that don’t work for you!” she concluded. “We really didn’t care for speeches, public vows, and a cake. I also wasn’t really interested in throwing my bouquet, or doing things like ‘something borrowed, something blue’ etc. While we totally see how that can be so special to couples, it didn’t fully feel like ‘us’. Doing things our way ended up making our wedding feel super fun and relaxed.”