Overlook Farm

Check out one of our favorite couples to tie the knot at Overlook Farm! Congrats you two!

Hannah & Nick {Clarksville MO} from sweetTea media on Vimeo.

Just when we thought we had seen ‘unique,’ along came Debra and Brian!  This bearded man and tattooed lady asked us to help them create a Midway Carnival theme for their most unconventional wedding celebration.  Married at the Overlook by a minister sporting a top hat and tails (think master of ceremonies in the center ring), with guest served freshly popped popcorn, seated on straw bales and led down the hillside path to the reception by an acrobat and stilt walker, this wedding turned almost every nuptial tradition on its ear.  Scratch the wedding cake and replace it with a “tower of candy” (consisting of the bride’s personal favorites),  replace the head table with bar height rounds for all, substitute the buffet table for 5 active food stations served to guests straight from the wood fired oven and grills, with guests invited “behind the counter” to interact with the chefs. Sipping on a cocktail created just for Debra and Brian’s big day, guests could watch as their commemorative t-shirts were printed in front of them.  The warmth from the outdoor fire pit was no match for the warmth created by Debra and Brian towards their family and friends. The love and affection they exhibited made for a joyous and heartfelt celebration. It may not have been “the greatest show on earth” but it was certainly the greatest wedding many of their guests had ever attended.

Maybe it was the groom speaking Italian to his mother, or the wedding guests gathered around one long table under a late afternoon sun; this wedding felt like it took place in the Italian countryside.  After gathering under a massive oak tree, the groom led the wedding guests up the lawn to the Overlook, where, just short of the ceremony site, sat the bride in the shade of a lofty ash tree. Leading the guest to a waiting bride was just one of the many unconventional touches Julie and Anselmo planned to make this day feel inclusive and romantic.  Family, friends, and great food were highlighted at this wedding feast through the intimate seating arrangement and the very carefully planned menu served from under the huge maple tree behind Avalon.  Together, Julie and Anselmo are destined to live la vita dolce.

There is beauty in simplicity, and Jennifer and Cody’s wedding was simply - beautiful. Wed at Rackheath House at the spot where two towering silver maple trees are joined, this elegant bride chose a classic afternoon ceremony followed immediately by a garden tea party among the mid-September blooms of Rackheath’s extensive garden.  Sweet and beautiful describes Jennifer and her wedding celebration. Guests visited on the patio or sat at one of the many tables dotting the lawn and scattered throughout the
garden.

If it is “good luck to rain on your wedding day,” then Meredith and Preston are very lucky. Lucky because, well…it rained!  And, lucky because the rain held off (just barely!) until the outside ceremony had concluded.  Taking advantage of the beautiful grounds at and around Rackheath House, where the ceremony was held, this beautiful bride and her handsome groom were fortunate to have planned to have the photographs taken before the ceremony.  The staff at Overlook Farm was able to quickly move their wedding reception from the Courtyard to inside The Station restaurant for their evening celebration. More luck - Meredith and Preston were also lucky to have found one another,  they even look like they belong together!

Kettle corn, vintage plates, cowboy boots, red suspenders, apple pie, cherry pie, and fireworks in an Indian Summer night sky - this “Country Fair”  wedding was a perfect theme for this very creative bride and groom. Sarah and Kyle (ok, mostly Sarah) designed every last detail of their one-of-a-kind wedding. From the boutonnieres, to the bridesmaids dress, to the very playful photo booth and festive flag banner - no detail was left unexplored. The brides unique and charming sense of style, a blend of vintage and “hip,” was carried throughout the day. Working closely with the couple, the chef created a ‘blue ribbon’ menu of a bbq sampler, country greens, corn bread, and more. In addition, the staff designed a “farmer’s market” salad bar served from an actual farm stand.  The specially created Blueberry Mojitas (using berries from the farm) were a hit.
This “best of show” day was one we will never forget!

Our brides are the best!  We spent this past weekend with three different brides, touring the property and helping their country-wedding dreams come true.  Kate came in from Chicago, Sarah from Minneapolis, and Erin from St. Louis, and each is bringing her own unique style to the farm. Check out Sarah’s blog, Sarah’s Confections, for a peak at her ‘country fair’ inspired wedding weekend at the farm this Fall.  Kate’s floral designer is going for “casual elegance with an OMG factor added for flavor”  for her garden ceremony and outdoor reception.  Erin loved the beauty of the garden and lawn at Cedarcrest Manor for a very refined country experience for her wedding guests.  Chef Tim is creating a “farm stand” salad bar for Sarah’s reception with wooden berry boxes, a variety of seasonal produce, and a selection of ‘farm fresh’ salads - all offered in one of our farmers’ market stands.  Yes, we will get the pictures posted as soon as we have them!

You never forget your first.  Amy and Gene were our first Overlook Farm wedding couple and, for that, will always be dear to us.  Married at the Overlook on a gorgeous late autumn afternoon, the image of the bride walking up the expansive lawn on her father’s arm is an image that we have visited again and again.  Dressed in formal attire, yet processing down the grassy isle following their “I do’s” with Gene’s black labrador retriever in tow, tells you how down-to-earth this very fun and handsome couple is.  That, and their two-sided tiered wedding cake;  creamy white and classic on one side, and, on the other, a monster truck climbing up a “hillside” of chocolate frosting - a nod to Gene’s love of all motorized sports and vehicles.