We were fortunate enough this year to have hosted 30 lovely couples who chose to start their
adventure together, joined by family and friends, at Hardy Farm. We always feel honored when
we are able to share our antique farmhouse, whitewashed barn, woodland chapel, sailcloth tent,
Victorian gazebo and vibrant gardens with couples as they say “I do” in our rural Maine wooded
setting. There are views of the eastern White Mountains, pastoral farmlands, and the winding
Saco River from many vantage points in and around the property. The rustic elegance of this
special setting and location continues to draw couples “from away” as well as from closer to
home. Couples getting married this year hailed from as far away as the West Coast, and as
close to home as right here in Oxford County, Maine. Between the farmhouse and the Little
Chatham Lodge, (a wooded log home in the woods beyond the woodland chapel, and our sister
adjacent property), we can house up to 32 guests. This provides a unique opportunity and
flexibility for our couples and guests to use the property as best suits them, and to enjoy a
multiple day weekend of wedding celebrations with family and friends.
Hardy Farm is truly a four-season wedding destination. Our gardens come to life in the Spring
with beautiful blooms and blossoms bursting forth, our sail cloth tent goes up the first of May,
and the woodland chapel with its tree canopy, warm, dappled, filtered sunlight and mossy
ground covering provides a perfect setting for a memorable ceremony. In the Summer, couples
and their guests enjoy cocktails together on the courtyard, a respite in the gazebo, or a stroll
through the raised bed gardens with their vibrant and dynamic colorful flowers. As Fall arrives,
the foliage puts on a show all over the grounds. Gathering around our firepit, under the
twinkling string lights as the sun goes down is a great way to cap off a cocktail hour before
enjoying an evening of feasting and dancing in the barn. The barn is especially welcoming in
Winter, when the lights are all strung and garlands hung. The warmth of the historic farmhouse,
with its wood stoves and holiday décor feels like a quintessential cozy, New England Inn.
It’s aways fun to see how our couples transform the spaces into their own vision. There is so
much creativity and unique flair that goes into each event. Some trends we noticed from our
weddings in 2024 were bold colors in wedding florals and attire, botanicals and high impact
florals in décor, creative draping, audio guestbooks, elegance in monochrome, and in an
ongoing trend, sustainable weddings. A few standouts of these trends, throughout the seasons,
are captured below.
Bold colors were frequently seen this year in both wedding florals and bridesmaid dresses. We
love their impact and striking contrast to the crisp white of a wedding dress, and they add such a
lively and joyful energy to a celebration! Amanda’s bouquet from her September wedding
stunned (as did her bridesmaids in their bold, contrasting dresses).
Anika of Bad Rabbit Flowers arranged these beautiful, bright and bold florals. Photo credit: James Hardman
The use of botanicals and high impact florals in décor was also huge this year. At Nicky and Emilio’s July wedding, Jackie Gardner from Moonset Farm created a gorgeous backdrop in the barn for the couple’s ceremony with a multitude of white flowers amid lush greenery. It was especially beautiful against the whitewashed walls in the barn.
Photo credit: Allison Barrett Photography
Creative draping was a big feature in the woodland chapel this year. Bows were also a popular aesthetic. We absolutely loved the stunning and dramatic bow that Ali Regan of Lemon and Tulips (our amazing local florist right in downtown Fryeburg) created for Kate & Zach’s late July wedding using both trends! What a beautiful backdrop!
As some couples move away from traditional guest books, many have begun adopting creative alternatives. Audio guestbooks popped up this year as a fun alternative to a traditional guest book; providing a creative way for guests to leave a personal message for the bride and groom. It’s like having a compilation of bite-sized voice recordings from wedding guests: so fun! At Alyssa and Michael’s June wedding, an old-fashioned repurposed rotary dial style phone (a fun blast from the past) was used to record messages for the newlyweds. What a novel retro modern twist!
Photo credit: VMG Productions
We saw many weddings featuring elegance in monochrome. Monochromatic weddings evoke timeless elegance and seem to transcend fleeting trends. The classic black and white palette at Susie & Kendra’s May wedding was a real standout. Black and white timeless sophistication at its finest!
Photo credit: Kate Michaud
At Hardy Farm, we have hosted many eco conscious couples. They are cognizant of how much waste a wedding can produce, and many of our couples consider this when hosting an event. Some ways that couples have found to reduce the carbon footprint of their event include sourcing their flowers locally from nearby Sherman’s Farm Market, just down the road in Conway, NH. At Shermans you can pick your own and pay by weight! (What a brilliant way to showcase local blooms). Other couples use local produce and/or Maine seafood. A unique service some couples have utilized is Garbage to Garden, which provides curbside composting service by picking up food scraps and, if requested, providing compost in return.
Photo credit: The Maine Tinker
We really look forward to hosting more couples in 2025, and we can’t wait to see what trends are in store for the coming year! Cheers to a New Year, new dreams, and endless possibilities. The best time for new beginnings is now! Happy 2025!!!
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