Meghan & Jacob’s Fall Foliage Mostly-Masked Wedding at the Warren Conference Center in Ashland, MA

Last weekend, Meghan and Jacob got married!

It was a perfect fall day at the Warren Conference Center, cool, but not cold – ideal for a mostly outdoor celebration. The venue felt historic and sprawling and oh-so New England, with an assortment of lodges and cabins spread across the wooded grounds.

The 20 guests were mostly family and a few best friends. The wedding party wore dark grey suits and deep blue dresses and the couple provided them with matching masks. Since half of the guests were in the wedding party, it made for quite a beautiful and coordinated scene!

The ceremony was at a large Roman Catholic church, blending Meghan’s religious traditions with Jacob’s Jewish ones. (There was a reading of First Corinthians at the beginning and breaking the glass together at the end. “Mazel tov!”) The priest spoke about their shared honesty, goofiness, joy, and goodness. And all of those qualities shone throughout the day.

At first, I thought the fall leaves were past their peak brightness, fading into elegant rusty reds and earthy mustard tones. But then, around the corner and behind the barn, we discovered a hidden trove of vibrant orange leafy goodness. It made a gorgeous photo backdrop and there was a carpet of bright fallen leaves for tossing (as you’ll see below).

Meghan and Jacob are outdoorsy and adventurous. Before moving back to Boston from Montana (where they met), they took a month long road trip around the west coast, camping and exploring national parks. Postcards from those parks made up the guest book and pictures of their travels amplified the decor.

The reception was full of beautiful moments and a few surprises. For their toast, Meghan’s bridesmaids asked each guest when they first knew the pair was perfect together. The anecdotes were sweet and funny – from surviving family game nights to supporting each other through goals and challenges. Jacob’s dad moved everyone to tears when he spoke about frequently traveling with Jacob as a child and how, in Meghan, Jacob had finally found his home.

After the toasts, we snuck down to the reservoir for some extra photos. It was an overcast day, so we weren’t sure if there would be much of a sunset. But soon enough, the sky was shifting from a dusky grey-blue to vibrant shades of lilac and magenta, reflecting in the water as the sun dipped behind the trees.

I loved watching them there, just the two of them, standing off a bit, looking out at the water, newly married and so in love. They weren’t alone, but they may as well have been. Every twirl and glance seemed to end with them kissing and laughing in each others’ arms. It felt so light and lovely to be a witness to their joy.

Back at the reception, there was a surprise during dinner – a video compilation of the absent guests expressing their joy and wishes for the married couple. Some spoke, some danced, some held up a glass in congratulations. Their wishes were many and varied and their presence was felt, filling the room with even more love.

Meghan and Jacob danced with their parents and with each other. They cut the wedding cake – a bit fell on Jacob’s tie – and after dinner, everyone headed out to a field to play games and talk around a bonfire.