Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      7 Things to Do in the Morning to Be Healthier and More Productive

      Kick-start your day by making habits out of these mood-boosting tips. Read More
    • Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      Should You Refrigerate Bananas?

      It's one of your favorite fruits, but does it belong on the counter or in the refrigerator? Read More
    • This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      This 3-Ingredient Homemade Weed Killer Uses Vinegar to Safely Remove Pesky Growths from Your Garden

      A few easy-to-find ingredients are all you need to create a powerful formula that squashes weeds. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    Our 20 Most Popular Recipes for Summer

    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    The Most Patriotic Flowers for the Fourth of July, According to Symbolism

    Show your love of country by displaying these varieties on America's birthday.
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    How to Start Entertaining Friends and Family More Regularly

    Make gathering with loved ones a priority.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We're Putting Up Walls Again—Is the Open Floor Plan on Its Way Out?

    We asked the experts to weigh in on this popular home design concept.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    A Month-by-Month Hydrangea Care Guide

    Confused about when to do what to your favorite flowering shrubs? We have you covered.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Pillows

    How to Wash Pillows

    They're an essential element of a comfortable bed, so keep yours fresh and in their best shape ever with these expert-approved tips.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Who Pays for What for the Wedding?

    Get the traditional rules for who pays for the wedding details.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    How to Melt and Reuse the Leftover Wax from Candles

    Our easy melt-and-pour method saves the last bit of this home essential.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    Can Rice Water Really Encourage Hair Growth?

    This buzzy ingredient is a star player in many new-age hair care products.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Weddings
  3. Real Weddings
  4. A Rainy, Intimate Farm Wedding in Kentucky
Martha Stewart Weddings

A Rainy, Intimate Farm Wedding in Kentucky

Skip gallery slides
Pin

1 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Carson and Blaine

bride-groom-blaine-carson-wedding-194-mwds110873.jpg

Pre-ceremony, Carson Massler and Blaine Lawrence shared a quiet moment on the grounds of Hermitage Farm, in Kentucky. Carson wore a Monique Lhuillier gown that she ordered online and then modified, working with a seamstress to add lace sleeves, a fluttery scooped back, and a tulle sash. "I was inspired by antique dresses," she says of the alterations.

1 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Record-Setting Rain

bride-groom-blaine-carson-wedding-178-mwds110873.jpg

Ask Carson Massler what the weather was like at her wedding, and she'll laugh as hard as the rain fell. "It was crazy, epic, and very wet," she says of the autumn day she married Blaine Lawrence at a sprawling horse farm in Kentucky. In fact, notes the nurse and part-time stationery designer, "It set a state record for the third-highest rainfall ever!" Which would've been tolerable, if not ideal, had their nuptials taken place inside. However, the house on the property only fit 100 guests; they had 325, which meant the couple, who didn't rent tents, took pre-ceremony photos in the rain, ate in the rain (before the food was moved inside), and had their first dance, barefoot, in the rain. "All the things you worry about on your big day happened to us," says the bride. "But that's what we loved about it: It was real.""Our first-look photos, taken in the rain, are my favorites," says Carson.

2 of 15

3 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

With Nature Overhead

Unkempt Willow Branch Wedding Arch with Pink and Orange Flowers

The same could be said of their courtship, which began at a Louisville bar in 2012. "Neither of us are 'bar people,' so naturally we hit it off," says Blaine, a director of a kids' summer camp. To wit: They snuck away from their friends, went for a walk, and sat under an oak tree talking until the sun came up. The "real" part? Each was dating someone else. "We felt something there," says Carson, "and we couldn't do anything about it." But when they both found themselves single a few months later, it was on.

Their I do's were exchanged under a driftwood arch covered with roses, eucalyptus, olive branches, and dahlias.

3 of 15

Advertisement

4 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

DIY Details

stationary-invitations-blaine-carson-wedding-008-mwds110873.jpg

After just five months of dating, and a surprise proposal with a ring that had been in Carson's family for five generations, the duo got to work. "We wanted a place that represented Kentucky," says the groom, who wore cowboy boots with his Jos A. Bank suit. Hermitage Farm, near their home, fit the bill. "The pastures, oak trees, historic architecture—there's so much charm," he says. They added personal touches, too: Carson designed the paper goods, and Blaine built a ceremony arch out of driftwood from the banks of the Ohio River, the site of their first date. Though the rain was mostly relentless, there was a tiny break. "The clouds parted just in time for our vows," says Carson of their Christian service. "Everything else was a series of little disasters, but not the part that was the most special to us."

The letterpressed suite, designed by Carson and printed by Hound Dog Press, prominently featured a tree motif as an homage to the night she and Blaine met.

4 of 15

5 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Bridesmaids in Ivory

bride-bridesmaids-blaine-carson-wedding-106-mwds110873.jpg

"We kept the day's colors as understated as possible because we wanted the natural beauty of the land to stand out," says Carson, who chose ivory J.Crew dresses for her 11 bridesmaids.

5 of 15

6 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

A Moment with Mom

carson-blaine-wedding-bride-mom-0414.jpg
Credit: Ryan Ray

The bride and her mom, Stephanie, shared a sweet moment on the big day. "She was such a trooper!" says Carson. "While I was freaking out about the rain, she kept the best attitude. Seeing my mom smile and enjoy herself in the midst of all that chaos gave me great peace."

6 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Bridal Bouquet

bouquet-blaine-carson-wedding-200-mwds110873.jpg

The bride's soft clutch of roses and dahlias was accented with leafy eucalyptus and olive branches, and burgundy agonis.

7 of 15

8 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Pre-Ceremony Mingling

wedding-guests-blaine-carson-wedding-240-mwds110873.jpg

Guests gathered on the front lawn just before taking their seats for the vow exchange.

8 of 15

9 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Little Ones

children-blaine-carson-wedding-276-mwds110873.jpg

Two daughters of family friends served as flower girls alongside Blaine's 2-year-old ring-bearer nephew.

9 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Happily Married

carson-blaine-wedding-officiant-0414.jpg
Credit: Ryan Ray

The ecstatic pair were pronounced husband and wife by their friend Aubrey Sequeira.

10 of 15

11 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

A Rainy Reflection

carson-blaine-wedding-couple-0414.jpg
Credit: Ryan Ray

The couple took advantage of a brief respite from the downpour to pose on the grounds of their wedding venue.

"It rained all day, but that just made us realize what's most important: the ceremony, when you actually become husband and wife," Blaine said.

11 of 15

12 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Reception Set-Up

carson-blaine-wedding-table-0414.jpg
Credit: Ryan Ray

Long garlands of olive branches, laced with peach and blush-colored roses, decorated wooden farm tables.

12 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

The Reception Tables

table-setting-flowers-blaine-carson-wedding-414-mwds110873.jpg

Farm tables were decorated with pomegranates and their leaves; an olive branch rested atop each napkin.

13 of 15

14 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Group Portraits

bride-groom-wedding-party-blaine-carson-wedding-444-mwds110873.jpg

Post-ceremony, the wedding party, which included Blaine's sister, actress Jennifer Lawrence (right), surrounded the couple.

14 of 15

15 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sources

bride-groom-blaine-carson-wedding-194-mwds110873.jpg

Location: Hermitage Farm
Event planning and styling: Ginny Au
Catering: Jonny V's Catering
Flowers: Jaclyn Journey
Photography: Ryan Ray
Stationery: Carson Lawrence Designs; Hound Dog Press (printing)
Envelope Calligraphy: Connie Newbanks (812-945-3739)
Music: Quartet Louisville (ceremony); Doo Wop Shop (ceremony sound); Fresh Cut Grass (cocktail hour); Familiar Faces (reception)
Rentals: Reliable Rentals; Bryant's Rent-All
Bride's Hair: Allie Powell
Bridal Party's Hair: Jennifer Weinert of Vertù Salon (502-896-9996); Leah Cave of The Salon at Anchorage
Makeup: Sloan Winters of The Beauty Bar at Circe (502-894-0095)
Bartenders: Morris Deli and Beverage Catering (502-458-1668)
Flowergirl dresses: from Rebecca's Bridal

15 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    `
    Martha Stewart Weddings
    View All
    • How to Get More Bang for Your Honeymoon Buck
    • Prince Charles Reportedly Got Emotional When He Met His Granddaughter Lilibet for the First Time
    • This Couple's Farm Wedding Perfectly Blended Rustic and Modern Aesthetics
    • What Is a "Volunteer-Moon" and How to Decide If You Should Take One
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 15 Carson and Blaine
    2 of 15 Record-Setting Rain
    3 of 15 With Nature Overhead
    4 of 15 DIY Details
    5 of 15 Bridesmaids in Ivory
    6 of 15 A Moment with Mom
    7 of 15 The Bridal Bouquet
    8 of 15 Pre-Ceremony Mingling
    9 of 15 The Little Ones
    10 of 15 Happily Married
    11 of 15 A Rainy Reflection
    12 of 15 The Reception Set-Up
    13 of 15 The Reception Tables
    14 of 15 Group Portraits
    15 of 15 Sources

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    A Rainy, Intimate Farm Wedding in Kentucky
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.