Jordan and Tucker’s “vintage grandma garden party” (her words, not mine) had it all: a dramatic sparkly bridal gown, a rainy fall day, one of the best culminations of a DIY wedding I have ever personally seen, and the perfect historic estate in the woods of Central Pennsylvania as their backdrop. Their eclectic and whimsical celebration burst at the seams with joy and love. I’m thrilled to share some of their favorite moments with you from this colorful fall DIY wedding!
The Details
The Venue
Moonstone Manor is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with a varied history of ownership. Dating back to 1739, the gorgeous property once served as a farm, public house, inn and gristmill, a United States Post office, a railway ticket office for the Pennsylvania railroad, and now, fully restored, as a very special venue for weddings. Parts of the old gristmill are still on the property and are popular backdrops for wedding photos. What once was a bustling location for so many diverse reasons and peoples, this magical space is the perfect setting for celebrations. Jordan & Tucker’s historic estate and garden wedding was extraordinary.
Moonstone Manor took over three decades to restore and complete. Quite a labor of love! Even rainy day weddings, like Jordan & Tucker’s, are fabulous at this venue. Read on and enjoy Jordan & Tucker’s stunning fall wedding photos!
DIY Wedding Planning
Jordan & Tucker thought of everything when it came to preparing for their big day – every big and small thing – from umbrellas being available if it rained (and it did!), to custom decorated matches as takeaway gifts. Rain on your wedding day is good luck though, right?
Jordan even designed their invitation suite in its entirety – an epic, sparkling, colorful culmination of their planning process, perfectly in line with their full vision.
“I absolutely LOVED wedding planning! I love a dinner party and what’s better than a big party with all your loved ones there to celebrate the two of you? We really enjoyed picking out little details to make the day feel more personal, like small drink stirrers with our dogs on them or match boxes with lyrics from our first dance song. Tucker’s mom thrifted some incredible candlesticks with the cutest engravings that we put on our sweetheart table and they now sit in our dining room. It was fun for us to think about things we love to experience together, and find ways to tie that into our guests’ experience as well. Also – shoutout to all of our incredible vendors for taking my ‘vintage grandma garden party’ dream and making it an incredible reality.” – Jordan
About Jordan & Tucker
Tucker & Jordan met during high school at the old Bishop McDevitt building in Harrisburg sometime in 2009. They were each other’s first “real” boyfriend and girlfriend and like most high school relationships, theirs was short lived. The two remained friends and they’d catch up over summers when they were home from college. After graduating, they both moved home and joined a kickball league (as college graduates do). Eventually, they found their way back to one another. After dating for several years, they bought a house together. Tucker proposed after a lovely dinner at Note Bistro when they were sitting side by side, sharing (affectionately dubbed) “river beers” on their favorite bench on the riverfront in the Shipoke neighborhood of Harrisburg.
(Fun fact: we did their engagement session the previous winter on this same stretch of the river.)
Their Favorite Moments
“I like this one because of how natural it is. It wasn’t posed. It captures a moment where I’m taking in the beauty of my wife, taking in how fortunate I am to have Jordan. Your wedding day is so hectic and there’s so few moments where you can just sit back and take everything in. Anna was able to capture one of those moments, these are exactly the kind of photos we were hoping for.” – Tucker
“I love this moment away from the rest of the party with us surrounded by our closest family and friends. I remember feeling so happy and relaxed. It was the perfect ending to the perfect night. Also, the focus and the reflection in the bubbles just makes it so dreamy.” – Jordan
Getting Ready
The historic manor has quarters for both partners and their wedding parties, and they’re exquisite. Jordan got ready in the bridal changing area with close family members. Tucker got ready in separate quarters with those closest to him.
I asked Jordan & Tucker to share their thoughts about their vintage DIY wedding to sprinkle throughout their story. Jordan shared, “looking back at the photos from our wedding day brings back all the feelings of joy and excitement. We spent so much time planning and talking about what the day would be like, and looking at our photos takes us back to those moments and lets us relive not only the memories of events but also the feelings and emotions we were experiencing.”
First Look
There wasn’t a dry eye to be found from onlooking family members during Jordan & Tucker’s first look. Jordan had a very special first look first with her father and then a second first look with Tucker. Tucker twirled Jordan around to see the full effect of her sparkly dress. Seeing two of the most important people in Jordan’s life absolutely light up when they saw her for the first time is a cherished memory. The couple’s big smiles during their first look say it all – love wins, always.
Dodging raindrops, we explored what we could of the grounds for some dreamy couples portraits before the chaos of a given wedding day took hold.
Friends & Family Portraits
Jordan & Tucker’s family and couple’s portraits were taken outdoors and on the grounds of the estate. Bright pinks, soft peaches and pale yellows in Jordan’s bouquet coupled beautifully with greenery in every corner of the estate. At one point, the sky opened up and we braved the rain (sometimes with umbrellas, and sometimes without). Jordan & Tucker remained upbeat and positive even with the change in weather. No amount of rain was going to dull their wedding day.
Jordan’s shimmering dress paired so well with her bridesmaids’ dresses, her gorgeous multi-colored floral bouquet and Tucker’s boutonniere. Jordan’s bridesmaids wore elegant mismatched dresses with shades of pink, a burnt or rust orange and a deep red that made Jordan’s sparkly dress pop in portraits.
Ceremony
A decorated indoor arbor with a glimmering chandelier overhead, and personal touches were everywhere at Jordan & Tucker’s ceremony. Guests were treated to floral arrangements that matched Jordan’s bouquet and Tucker’s boutonniere. Each was given a fan with a photo of the happy couple on one side and unique wedding details on the other. Even the officiant’s ceremony speech was in a folder with J & T on the front!
A small string band performed as guests took their seats and continued to play as Jordan walked down the aisle. Set against the greenery of the estate and the gray of the sky, the colors of the bridesmaid’s attire and Jordan’s dress were absolutely breathtaking as they walked into the ceremony space. There were smiles and there were joyous tears as Jordan & Tucker exchanged vows and became husband and wife. After they proclaimed their love, they signed the paperwork with both of their mothers as their witnesses to make it truly official. The ceremony was sealed with signatures and many hugs.
Cocktail Hour
Guests were greeted at cocktail hour by a beautiful golden board with seating arrangements and little lights that made the ceiling look like thousands of stars. Signature drinks garnished with a stir of Jordan & Tucker’s dog’s face added a fun personal touch.
Jordan & Tucker’s favorite moment of the whole day was during cocktail hour. A moment just between the two of them, when they snuck away to share their first meal together as husband and wife:
“Our favorite memory from the day is ironically one there are no photos of. We had a private dinner, just the two of us, during cocktail hour. It not only gave us time to enjoy the delicious food we couldn’t wait to try, but it also allowed us to relax, reconnect, and have some time together outside of the adrenaline of the day. I cannot recommend a private dinner enough.” – Jordan & Tucker.
Golden Hour Portraits
While it rained on Jordan & Tucker’s wedding day, the rain and gray sky made for stunning garden portraits during golden hour. Crisp yellowing leaves dotted the paved walkway underneath green arbors as we explored the grounds together, twirling Jordan’s dazzling dress on our way. These moments feel romantic, timeless – like watching their love in slow motion.
Old growth trees around the estate made this woodsy wedding extra special. The babbling stream on the property provided the perfect ambiance for their romantic evening portraits.
(One more moment for Jordan’s dress, please, and thank you!)
Reception
The reception featured many desserts, flowers everywhere, with matching candles of varied heights. Overhead, little lights illuminated the reception space, as though the party was held under a sky full of stars.
Jordan & Tucker’s colorful vintage cake featured an equally vintage cake topper. Figurines (that really did look like the two of them) stood in the center of a heart, surrounded with all the whimsy of their color palette. After cutting their cake (with a healthy dose of fear of handling a knife together), it was time to ditch the heels and don the crocs to hit the dance floor.
Guests took home Jordan & Tucker’s favorite snacks as wedding favors, chocolate chip cookies from Jordan and cheese puffs from Tucker. As the celebration came to a close, Jordan & Tucker departed through a flurry of bubbles as their guests bid them goodnight.
Jordan and Tucker, I cannot thank you enough for your trust in allowing me to bring your vision to life! Happy first anniversary. May you have many more to come, punctuated by infinite adventures.
Vendor Appreciation
Venue: Moonstone Manor
Catering: What If… of Hershey
Coordinating: Mx2 Event Design
Photography: Anna Claire Photos, LLC.
Videography: Tyler Dancisin Films
DJ: Mixed-Up Productions
Florist: Meadowbrook Floral Design
Dress: Martina Liana
Suit: Suit Shop
Cake: Flouretta Sweet.
Photobooth: Naterpix
Hair & Makeup: MKUP The Beauty Studio
Ceremony Music: Cherrywood Strings
Invitation Suite: Jordan (the bride!)
Planning your own colorful DIY wedding?
Rain or shine, your wedding day deserves to be photographed in all of its colorful glory. My hope is to help you know ease and joy through your wedding process, in a way that allows you to feel truly present and truly celebrated. Reach out to learn more about my process as your wedding photographer, and why your photographer plays such an enormous part in helping you feel your best during your wedding day! I can’t wait to get to know you. 🫶🏻
Looking for more colorful wedding inspiration?
Take a look at Annie & Nick’s spring garden party at Appleford Estate!
