Hudson & Sound co-founder, Jamie, shares the details of her Big Day!
Having been with my now-husband for nine years, our perfect wedding was something I had pictured for quite some time. But running Hudson & Sound with my sister means we are often exposed to all things weddings, so it felt a bit weird to be planning my own.
Me and my sister – co-founders of Hudson & Sound
Finding a mansion venue in the area that could fit 150 people was difficult, so when we pulled into Aldie Mansion we fell in love. Located halfway between where we grew up (my husband, Tom, in the Philadelphia suburbs, and me in rural New Jersey) Bucks County ended up being the perfect location. The venue’s historic charm was exactly what we were looking for, and I was so happy to be able to customize it with my style and some homemade decor. The Von Trapp family once caroled in the Great Hall and you could almost hear the stories of this 1927 mansion echoing through every room.
Historic Aldie Mansion in Doylestown, PA
I wanted to tie in the story of Aldie so in addition to including the mansion’s history in my programs, I also made the escort cards out of tiles, an ode to the former residents’ connection to tile making. I also designed a custom monogram (something we often do for our clients) that we included on the flower boxes, cake topper, and some of the stationary.
Tile escort cards
While there were many details I was very particular about, I was adamant about having my bridesmaids choose their own dress that matched their style. All in long navy gowns, each chose a dress that fit their personality, and I loved how that shows in all of our pictures, taken by the talented Andy Todes. (Confession: I loved our photographer so much that I booked him before even finding a venue!)
My bridesmaids chose their own dresses
Photo by Andy Todes
As Tom and I were planning our wedding and our budget continued to stretch, we kept asking ourselves – “Will this make the wedding more fun?” It turned out to be a great barometer of how important something was. Our band was definitely one of those items – when we heard them in person we knew we had to book them immediately. The band makes the party and they really went above and beyond – even standing on chairs while they played!
Our fantastic band: All About Me
The other piece of a perfect wedding for us was the food. Jeffrey Miller was the exclusive caterer and they served up a gourmet feast with a mac and cheese and slider bar for cocktail hour, two signature cocktails (a French 75 for the bride, a “Philly” Manhattan for the groom), a delicious duet entrée, gelato bar and chocolate chip cookies for dessert, and a custom cinnamon cake. I had the menu printed large on wood so that I can keep it and display in my kitchen one day, a constant reminder of our awesome first meal as husband and wife!
We designed our menu and had it printed on wood
Our centerpieces were wine crates we stained ourselves!
One of the highlights of the venue is this gorgeous tree lit up at night. It was a beautiful spot for pictures at night.
I was so grateful that our whole day was captured on video by Live Picture Studios. Although a bit stressful to plan, everything about that day was as I dreamed, and I am so thankful to have shared it with all of our amazing friends and family!
Check out our highlight video!
All invitations, paperie, and decor were custom designed by us at Hudson & Sound! Other vendors for this wedding include the below.
Venue: Aldie Mansion | Caterer: Jeffery Miller Catering | Florist: Buttercup | Dress: Maggie Sottero (Kleinfeld) | Shoes: Badgley Mischka | Photographer: Andy Todes | Videographer: Live Picture Studios | Band: All About Me (BVT Live) | Calligraphy (tile escort cards): Write Pretty For Me | Table Numbers & Cake Topper: Ever Laser | Photo Booth: Shutterbooth
Check out our Vendor Guide for more great vendors that we love!
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