This Couple Got Married in a *Legit* Enchanted Forest
Okay, we can't prove that, but the lush greenery and magical floral-filled ceremony ring lead us to think so.
Naomi Stein and Jeremy Smith’s Delaware County backyard wedding was filled with greenery and florals. Photography by Viva Love
With Earth Day approaching later this week, now seemed like a perfect time to share a summer backyard wedding that feels plucked from nature. The couple got hitched at the bride’s family home in Delaware County, surrounded by gorgeous trees, plants and flowers — and some apropos wedding decor. Viva Love captured all the magic, which you can see below.
Naomi Stein wasn’t exactly thrilled when she met Jeremy Smith in person for brunch at Suraya — their first date after connecting on OkCupid. “His hair was much longer than in his pictures, much to my displeasure,” says Stein, an interior designer and owner of Design Manifest in South Philly. “Honesty, my first impression was: nope!” She stuck it out, however — the conversation flowed well — and they wandered over to Jinxed to shop. She left the date thinking she’d never see him again.
A few hours later, everything changed: She went out on Broad Street to celebrate the Eagles winning the NFC Championship, got hit in the head with a glass bottle and had to get staples in her head. “Jeremy was so sweet about checking in that I agreed to a second date.”
Two years later, the Mount Airy pair got engaged, and another seven months after that, on August 15, 2020, they said “I do” in the backyard of her family home in Springfield. It was an ideal location for their pandemic wedding: They didn’t want to delay another year (they discovered Naomi was pregnant during the planning process and feared they wouldn’t have the energy to do it all again with a baby), and the ample outdoor space allowed them to safely invite 85 guests (a number they’d whittled from 150).
The couple leaned into the beautiful woodland sanctuary setting: Naomi collected vintage rugs that were layered on the lawn and in the reception tent to create an outdoor living room. Their friends, Martha Keen and Hans Hesselein of Apiary Studio, harvested local florals and plants for the table arrangements and decor, which also included crystals and statues. And Matt Muscarella of Terrain created an overgrown seven-foot flower- and greenery-filled ceremony ring, which seemed to ascend from of the ground.
“I wish I could have preserved the arrangement forever,” says the bride. Jeremy, the owner of Meetinghouse Movers, had quite a few favorites. His stunning wife was, of course, at the top of his list. But he also treasured seeing so many friends and family members: His best pals helped decorate, officiate and perform. And he hired his “moving buddies” to do everything from valet parking to ushering, rather than hiring a large staff. Says Jeremy: “If the main goal was to keep the body count low in light of the pandemic, why not only have people you love there?”
The day certainly had a communal feel to it: The attendees even did a group air hug. “Even without touching, you could feel the love and good vibes,” says Naomi. Jeremy, his brother and his new in-laws made most of the main courses (they were still cooking when he was supposed to be getting ready), such as four types of salad (watermelon, chickpea, potato and lentil). There were Marriage-arita cocktails, as well as some snacks from Goldie and Di Bruno Bros. And Pitruco served pizza from its food truck to end the night.
Afterward? The couple headed to Acadia National Park for their honeymoon — a walk in the woods, indeed.
THE DETAILS
Photographer: Viva Love | Venue: Private home | Planning/Design & Invitations: Clover Event Co. | Florals: Matt Muscarella of Terrain (ceremony ring and bouquet); Apiary Studio (table arrangements and decor) | Catering: Di Bruno Bros., Goldie and Pitruco | Bride’s Gown: BHLDN | Hair: Kerri Fawley of Herringbone Salon | Makeup: Shimmer & Spice | Cupcakes: Nutmeg Cake Design | Videography: Mike Wojcik and Alex Kinter (groom’s friends) | Officiants: Erica Grow and Sean Mulryne (friends of the couple) | Rings: Bario Neal | Rentals: Tents for Rent (tent) and Party Rental Ltd. (linens) | Event Staff: Swig
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