It’s been awhile since we had Katie Stoops‘ photography here on Snippet & Ink, so I’m happy she’s back today with this charming wedding. A rustic venue on a beautiful day, delicious local food, and lots of friends and family… it doesn’t get much better than that. Zach and Clay were kind enough to share some of the details about their wedding with us:

Finding the right venue was tough. D.C. is full of beautiful ballrooms and grand spaces, but those didn’t feel right to us. This barn was perfect – it’s only about 20 miles from Washington, but it feels a world away, like you’re really in the country. Although the barn was cleaned out and “finished,” with hardwood floors and so on, it’s still a functioning barn. There are goats in the lower level! On the day of our wedding, there were some other surprise guests – a small herd of alpacas had been moved there, too! The guests loved it. The alpacas were probably the single most photographed thing from our wedding. Hot new wedding trend: alpacas! You heard it here first.

Credits: red barn wedding sunlight

Credits: alpaca farm wedding

Credits: invitation with red barn

Credits: matching boutonnieres

Our ceremony was the best part of the entire day – it was very personal and meaningful and “us.” And we loved how informal it was, with the guests standing beneath a large tree there on the farm. We had friends do a handful of readings. It was a very special moment for us that we were so proud to share with family and friends.

Credits: wedding ceremony trees

Credits: late afternoon wedding kiss

Credits: cocktail hour wedding

Credits: miniature pie buffet

Flowers were from a floral wholesaler and were arranged by friends and family. Somewhat to our surprise, the DIY parts of our wedding ended up creating really fun memories. A small group of family and friends headed out to the barn the day before the wedding to string lights, clean up, arrange flowers and so on. It was actually really fun, and the “handmade” aspect of it really made the whole event feel special and personal.

Credits: party lights barn

Credits: laughing wedding toast

Credits: barn wedding

Zach and Clay’s advice for anyone planning a wedding?

In general, just approach the entire event as a blank slate, and don’t do things because you think it’s what you’re supposed to do. For example, we mingled with the guests as they arrived at the barn and were served welcome glasses of Prosecco. Then, for the ceremony, we all headed over to a big evergreen tree and stood in the shade. It just seemed silly to us to “hide” until the ceremony. If that’s what you want to do, great! Just make sure it’s because you want to, and not because you think tradition compels you. Make the day what you want it to be – there are no rules.

One more piece of advice: Read Miss Manners’ Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding. It will help you keep your sanity about what’s really important about the wedding day, and about how you can have an amazing event on a small scale.

Photography: Katie Stoops

Venue: Agricultural History Farm Park in Montgomery County, Maryland

Clay’s navy blue suit, blue checkered shirt: J.Crew

Zach’s light gray pants, vest / necktie:  J.Crew / Banana Republic

Stationery: By Hand Invitations

Rentals / lighting: Capital Party Rentals / Atmosphere Lighting

Gypsy Jazz band: Hot Club of DC

Catering / drinks: Oliver Friendly from Eat & Smile Foods / Ace Beverage

Dessert: Dangerously Delicious Pies

Congratulations Zach and Clay! Yet another example of how simple can be just perfect. And thank you to Katie Stoops for sharing these lovely photos with us. You can see lots more from Zach and Clay’s wedding over on Katie’s blog.

Zach & Clay’s Wedding Menu

Prosecco

Watermelon Mint Julep
-
36-Hour Smoked Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches
with Homemade Pickle and Slaw

Roast Vegetable Crostini

Pork-and-Scallion Wontons and Vegetable Wontons

Trio of Soup Shots
Roasted Corn; Sweet Pea with Thai Basil; Mushroom with Homemade Bacon

Ratatouille Spoons
with Lime-Poached Shrimp

Baby BLTs with Homemade Bacon

Gruyere Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
with Caramelized Onions

Mini Crab Cakes
with Roasted Corn Slaw
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Choice of Pie
Peach, Blueberry, Chocolate-Peanut Butter, ”The Baltimore Bomb”