This Vibrant Garden Wedding Was Inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream

How many times did Melissa Saphier and Sam Haber pass each other in the office before meeting at a mutual friend's Friendsgiving party in 2016? They may never know—but what they do know is that from the time of their introduction, they have always shared a rapport "as comfortable as a warm embrace."

Those warm feelings never let up—and on a July 2019 trip to Napa Valley, California, a place they'd visited early in their budding relationship, Sam planned a romantic surprise picnic in an olive grove. To the sounds of a violin hidden amongst the trees playing the Talking Heads' "This Must Be the Place," Sam got down on one knee and asked Melissa to marry him. The couple celebrated; began dreaming of the future; and spent some precious time together before sharing the news with their family and friends upon their return home.

Over the next 808 days of their intentionally-long engagement, Melissa and Sam began building their lives together. They adopted two cats, Dodger and Yankee (their likenesses' inspired the pair's big-day wedding motif), and decided to buy a house in Connecticut. But not just any house—as soon as they pulled up to their now-home, Sam turned to Melissa with excitement and said, "We could get married here!" They knew they had found the house—and wedding venue—of their dreams.

Looking back, Melissa says, "We were so lucky—we easily could have been in our old one-bedroom home, postponing a wedding, if not for our unconventional choice to first buy a house and have a long engagement." Ultimately, the couple planned their 200-guest wedding for September 18, 2021; they aimed for beautiful early fall weather, so they could hold their ceremony in their garden's gazebo—while surrounded by pink hydrangeas—and the reception under a tent in their backyard. "It was so special because it was entirely personal—an extension of us and our life together. We even loved getting to sleep in our own bed after the wedding," says Melissa.

The wedding's color palette, composed of soft pinks and romantic blues, was previewed in the invitation suite. Li Ward Design illustrated a crest composed of the couple's house and their cats, and sprinkled in meaningful motifs throughout the set, including the florals from Melissa's wedding dress and a honeybee (the bride's name means honeybee in Greek!). A menagerie of personalized illustrations (which, again, highlighted the pair's felines) created the toile that was splashed across their day-of paper.

Melissa wanted a wedding dress that was "bridal, but not." She loved the idea of color, but wasn't sure how she'd find that in a sea of white gowns. However, while she perused the options in Mark Ingram Atelier, where she hoped to test out a few silhouettes, the associate brought out the one: Monique Lhuillier's "Wonder" gown was the first she tried on, and, thanks to its whimsical floral and butterfly embroidery and appliqués and vintage-inspired black velvet belt, she knew it was hers immediately.

Melissa knew she wanted to be comfortable when it was time to hit the dance floor, so she swapped her Margaux heels for these sneakers, also from Monique Lhuillier; her mom decorated the kicks with extra appliqués from her gown.

"From the very beginning, we knew we wanted the wedding to be as personal and 'us' as possible," shares the bride of the pair's vision. "We worked within the context of wedding traditions, but interpreted them in fresh ways that felt right for us."

Sam's look, however, spoke to tradition: He accented his sophisticated white Zegna dinner jacket with a pink Gucci pocket square (complete with a cherry blossom design), tuxedo pants, and patent leather loafers and a bow tie from Ralph Lauren Purple Label.

Since she had selected such a colorful dress, Melissa knew her bouquet needed to be subtle. She opted for a petite, all-white arrangement, which was tied with a black velvet ribbon that echoed the one on her gown.

Melissa and Sam's wedding had all of the lush, whimsical magic of A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was wild, organic, and elegant all at once, and came together in a black-tie garden fête that felt more like a fancy picnic. The couple was originally inspired by their house, but their true aesthetic vision came together when Melissa found her dress and its corresponding veil; their intricate appliqués drew out that Shakespearian source material. Dawn Goldsmith of DM Events & Design brought that vision to life during the pair's 16-month-long planning process.

The wild, organic, vibrant florals echoed the pink-white hydrangeas that naturally grow in Melissa and Sam's backyard, which doubled as the ceremony site. The deep, monochromatic palette included blush, white, mauve, and cream, and was translated through a series of statement floral arrangements (like this one seen here, on the escort card station).

Those hydrangeas were incorporated into the event's design, too; Ailish Floral studded the pair's chuppah with several mopheads.

"The aisle pieces mimicked the style and vibe of the chuppah, and centered the ceremony spot within a field of flowers," says Melissa of the arrangements filled with dahlias, garden roses, astilbe, larkspur, foxglove, peegee hydrangea, scabiosa, phlox, and privet berry.

Keeping in mind that they wanted their wedding day to feel uniquely them, Melissa and Sam asked both Rabbi-Cantor Dan Sklar and their close friend, Brian Quinn, to officiate the service. They incorporated traditional Jewish rituals, as well as modern takes on Hebrew blessings, that they adapted for this moment. Brian retold their love story, the couple recited their hand-written vows, and a loved one read Jeffrey McDaniel's "The Archipelago of Kisses," a poem Melissa fell in love with during high school—and knew she wanted read on her wedding day.

Melissa recounts a special moment that took place at the end of the service: "To put a fun twist on the Jewish tradition of the groom breaking a glass, we decided we would each break one—why not?"

Melissa and Sam's ketubah also featured the personalized illustrations by their stationer; vibrant florals encircled the Jewish marriage contract, and depictions of Dodger and Yankee frolicked at the bottom (with the couple's house between them).

The couple recessed to Hall and Oates "You Make My Dreams Come True," played by a nearby keyboardist and bassist.

The following cocktail hour and reception took place under a sailcloth tent that was lined in bistro lights.

Melissa was so eager to make it to the cocktail hour, that her friends had to chase behind her trying to bustle her dress. But who wouldn't want to join this fancy picnic? The pair's bar echoed her floral gown; from it, the couple served two signature cocktails named after their cats. "The Dodger" was composed of gin, lemon juice, lavender syrup, and a seltzer float; "The Yankee" spotlighted bourbon, strawberry, bitters, and fresh lemonade. Beer from a local brewery, Nod Hill, was also served in addition to the full bar, and an electric guitarist set the mood with some jazz.

The event's lush, organic floral story continued during the reception. Long wooden farm tables were covered in linen runners and adorned with multiple Ikebana-inspired arrangements in earth-toned ceramic vessels, which were handmade by a local artist. 

Figs and concord grapes made for an unexpected touch to the tablescapes; simple ribbed pillar candles and votives added texture and a warm glow without distracting from the organic elements.

The A Midsummer Night's Dream inspiration flowed from the flowers to the tableware. The head table was set with the Laboratorio Paravicini dinnerware from the couple's registry; each plate featured a different flower or butterfly. In a lovely twist of fate, Monique Lhuillier did a collection with Pottery Barn that featured Melissa's dress pattern; the newlyweds placed napkins from this collection at each spot.

The love and energy was palpable as the sun set over the pair's reception tent—these two couldn't help but share a big kiss at the start of the party.

The Broadway Project, a 10-piece band, played while Melissa, Sam, and their fun-loving guests danced the night away. From their upbeat first song, "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone to their last—"Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen—the party continued all evening long.

Though Melissa loved her ceremony gown, she knew dancing would be easier in something shorter. She first spotted this Oscar de la Renta number on Taylor Swift at the Grammys, and, thanks to a wedding miracle, managed to track down the embroidered, appliquéd mini-dress, inspired by Tricia Paoluccio's real pressed flowers, in her size. With a few alterations, including a significant hem, neckline, and sleeve adjustment, the dress became a continuation of her Monique Lhuillier ensemble.

Looking back on their wedding day, Melissa and Sam are grateful they found the balance between tradition and personalization. They didn't feel constrained by the "rules," but instead used them as a baseline to guide their decisions. One of those decisions was a last-minute after-party—they took advantage of their backyard locale and started making s'mores to extend their joyful time with their loved ones late into the dreamy, perfect night.

Photography, Stephanie Brauer Photography
Wedding Planning and Event Design, DM Events & Design
Videography, Lovebrain Films
Flowers, Ailish Floral
Rentals, Peak Event Services
Stationery and Day-of Paper, Li Ward Design
Bride's Gown, Monique Lhuillier
Jewelry, Mikimoto (earrings), Tiffany (cocktail ring)
Shoes, Margaux
After-Party Dress, Oscar de la Renta
After-Party Shoes, Monique Lhuillier
Hair and Makeup, Willow House Beauty
Bride's Getting Ready Pajamas, Morgan Lane
Groom's attire, Zegna, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Gucci via The Real Real
Engagement Ring and Wedding Bands, Cartier
Music, Broadway Project
Caterer, On the Marc
Transportation, Leros Point to Point
Valet, Advanced Parking Concepts
Tabletop Dinnerware, Laboratorio Paravicini
Napkins,  Pottery Barn
Restrooms, A Royal Flush