{"id":859628,"date":"2026-03-22T01:00:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T06:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/?p=859628"},"modified":"2026-03-16T12:05:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:05:53","slug":"rustic-meets-garden-party-fall-wedding-inn-at-fernbrook-farms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/rustic-meets-garden-party-fall-wedding-inn-at-fernbrook-farms\/","title":{"rendered":"A Rustic-Meets-Garden Party Fall Wedding at The Inn at Fernbrook Farms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Lauren and Jake didn’t begin <\/span>wedding planning<\/span><\/a> with a detailed vision board. What they did know was that they wanted the day to feel relaxed, welcoming, and a little outdoorsy. When they visited the <\/span>Inn at Fernbrook Farms<\/span><\/a>, the direction became obvious. The working farm, open fields, and historic buildings already carried the atmosphere they were hoping for.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of transforming the space, they leaned into it. Earthy greens and warm neutrals were layered with <\/span>fall tones<\/span><\/a> like terracotta, cinnamon, dusty rose, and mauve. The result was a rustic-meets-garden party setting that felt easygoing and personal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their story began years earlier through a shared friend. Lauren’s coworker had gone to college with Jake’s childhood best friend, who was performing a live music set at a bar in May 2018. Lauren was dating someone else at the time, but Jake stayed loosely connected through that circle of friends. When Lauren’s relationship ended, their mutual friend gave Jake the signal.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Lauren puts it, he “jumped right in—to my DMs.”<\/span><\/p>\n

They officially started dating in November 2018. Then came quarantining together during the pandemic, moving in together in 2022, and an engagement on their front porch in June 2024. On September 27, 2025, they returned to that same friend group moment when Jake’s childhood best friend—the musician playing the night they met—stood beside them again as their officiant.<\/span><\/p>\n

What We Love About This Inn at Fernbrook Farms Wedding<\/span><\/h2>\n
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A greenhouse rehearsal dinner surrounded by fields and string lights<\/span><\/li>\n
Guests discovering the mystery ring bearer by checking under their chairs<\/span><\/li>\n
A snowboard guest book inspired by the couple’s Vermont ski trips<\/span><\/li>\n
Lauren surprising her grandfather with a polka dance<\/span><\/li>\n
Lauren turning her mom’s 1990 wedding gown into a party dress<\/span><\/li>\n
A vintage trailer bar serving craft beer, coffee, and espresso martinis<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Featured Vendor:
\n<\/em>The Inn at Fernbrook Farms<\/a><\/h2>\n
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Taking a DIY Approach to Wedding Planning<\/span><\/h2>\n
Lauren and Jake decided early on to handle the planning themselves. “To be completely honest, we didn’t start with a clear vision,” Lauren said. “Once we booked the venue, the ideas naturally followed.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Designing the wedding themselves allowed them to <\/span>personalize<\/span><\/a> nearly every detail. They created all of the printed materials, including save-the-dates, invitations, signage, menus, and seating charts.<\/span><\/p>\n
One of their favorite additions was the guest book. Instead of a traditional book, they <\/span>spray-painted an old snowboard<\/span><\/a> white and asked guests to sign it. The idea came from the many winters they’ve spent skiing and snowboarding together in Vermont.<\/span> $\"\"$ <\/p>\n
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How Their Wedding Weekend Led Into a Personal Ceremony<\/span><\/h2>\n
Lauren and Jake wanted their wedding to feel like more than a single event. They began the weekend with a <\/span>rehearsal dinner<\/span><\/a> inside the venue’s greenhouse.<\/span><\/p>\n
The space was surrounded by crops and greenery, with Adirondack chairs gathered around a fire pit and picnic tables under string lights. Dinner was served buffet-style from the bed of an antique truck while the sun set over the surrounding fields.<\/span><\/p>\n
Before the ceremony the following day, Lauren and Jake shared a first look and exchanged <\/span>vows<\/span><\/a> privately in the fields with their parents and bridal party present. “It meant a lot to have them there,” Lauren explained. “They’ve all played such a big role in our relationship.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Their <\/span>officiant<\/span><\/a>, Phil—Jake’s childhood best friend—also added a few unexpected touches during the ceremony. One of them was a clock engraved with their wedding date. At the end of the ceremony, the couple set it to permanently display the exact time they were married.<\/span><\/p>\n
Another playful twist involved the rings. Instead of a traditional ring bearer, the ring box was taped beneath a guest’s chair. During the ceremony, everyone checked under their seats to reveal who would bring the rings forward.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Why the Venue Became the Starting Point for Planning<\/span><\/h2>\n
For Lauren and Jake, the <\/span>venue<\/span><\/a> shaped nearly every decision that followed. The property felt familiar to Lauren right away because it reminded her of the farm her grandparents owned while she was growing up in southern New Jersey. “The venue felt genuinely rustic, not like a farm-themed ‘barn’ venue,” she shared.<\/span><\/p>\n
The property offered several outdoor ceremony locations, cocktail hour areas nearby, and a reception space inside a permanent clear-top tent attached to the historic inn. The farm-to-table menu was another reason the couple felt drawn to the venue.<\/span><\/p>\n
Because the setting already carried so much character, the design stayed simple. Soft fall colors blended naturally into the fields and greenery rather than competing with them.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Hiring Vendors Who Brought the Right Energy to the Day<\/span><\/h2>\n
After booking the Inn at Fernbrook Farms, Lauren and Jake started assembling their <\/span>vendor team<\/span><\/a>. Many came recommended by the venue, while others were referrals from friends.<\/span><\/p>\n
Personality mattered just as much as experience. “It was important to us that they were genuinely good people,” Lauren said. “Not just vendors showing up to do a job.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Photography was their first priority. <\/span>Jess Palatucci<\/span><\/a> and her team documented the day in a candid style that Lauren loved. “She caught every little moment naturally but still guided the posed photos without them feeling stiff. I don’t know how she does it, but she’s a magician.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Music was another big decision. <\/span>Bachelor Boys Band<\/span><\/a> handled ceremony sound, played jazz during cocktail hour, and kept guests dancing well into the evening.<\/span><\/p>\n
For florals, the couple worked with <\/span>Blushing Fields<\/span><\/a>, a nearby family-run flower farm. Their arrangements felt as though they belonged on the property rather than being brought in for the day.<\/span><\/p>\n
Instead of hiring a videographer, Lauren and Jake booked a <\/span>wedding content creator<\/span><\/a>. Vanessa from <\/span>Happily Ever Socials<\/span><\/a> captured behind-the-scenes moments and delivered photos and videos just two days later.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Adding Details That Reflected Their Shared Interests<\/span><\/h2>\n
Lauren and Jake added several details that reflected their shared interests throughout the reception.<\/span><\/p>\n
A vintage trailer from <\/span>Brew Sip n’ Joy<\/span><\/a> served craft beer during <\/span>cocktail hour<\/span><\/a> before switching to a coffee and espresso martini bar later in the evening. Toward the end of the night, guests gathered around a bourbon and cigar station.<\/span><\/p>\n
One of Lauren’s favorite parts of the evening involved her grandfather. Growing up, they spent summers in the Poconos dancing to polka music together. During the reception, Lauren surprised him by asking the band to play one of those songs. “I’ll never forget that,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n
Later in the night, Lauren changed into her second outfit—a shortened version of her mother’s 1990 wedding dress. She kept the original oversized bow on the back, which quickly became her favorite detail.<\/span><\/p>\n
To honor Jake’s Jewish heritage, the reception also included the Hora. Guests gathered around the dance floor while Lauren and Jake were lifted into the air on chairs.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Rolling With Surprises on the Wedding Day<\/span><\/h2>\n
A few unexpected moments added their own personality to the day. At one point, a shuttle of guests arrived earlier than planned while the couple was still finishing portraits. To keep Lauren hidden before the ceremony, venue staff tucked her behind the greenhouse on a golf cart. When another shuttle appeared, the driver took her on a longer route around the farm.<\/span><\/p>\n
What began as a small logistical scramble turned into a quiet moment. “I ended up seeing parts of the farm I wouldn’t have otherwise,” Lauren said. “It gave me a few peaceful minutes to myself.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Another moment happened at the start of the ceremony when Lauren’s veil slipped off halfway down the aisle. Her dad joked “fumble!” while helping put it back on after a guest brushed away a spider that had landed on it. The laughter instantly eased the nerves.<\/span><\/p>\n
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Practical Advice From Their Planning Experience<\/span><\/h2>\n
Lauren and Jake encourage couples to trust the work they’ve already done before the wedding day arrives. “Go into the day knowing the planning is finished,” they said. “Let yourself <\/span>enjoy<\/span><\/a> it.”<\/span><\/p>\n
They also suggest pausing occasionally to take everything in. “We stopped during the rehearsal dinner and again during the reception just to look around. Everyone there was there for us, and that’s a pretty amazing feeling.”<\/span><\/p>\n
Planning the wedding themselves gave Lauren and Jake the freedom to include the things that mattered most to them—family traditions, music, and small details that reflected their life together.<\/span><\/p>\n
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The Wedding Team:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
Photography – Jess Palatucci<\/a>
\nVenue + Catering + Cake – Inn at Fernbrook Farms<\/a>
\nFloral Design – Blushing Fields<\/a>
\nOfficiant – Philip Socci
\nLive Music – Bachelor Boys Band<\/a>
\nVideography – Happily Ever Socials<\/a>
\nMakeup Artist – Caked By Kim<\/a>
\nHair Styling – Euphoria Studio<\/a>
\nWedding Dress – Pronovias<\/a>
\nGroom’s Apparel – Indochino<\/a>
\nRings – Jewel Corner<\/a>
\nTransportation – Spectrum Limousine<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Lauren and Jake didn’t begin wedding planning with a detailed vision board. What they did know was that they wanted the day to feel relaxed, welcoming, and a little outdoorsy. When they visited the Inn at Fernbrook Farms, the direction became obvious. The working farm, open fields, and historic buildings already carried the atmosphere they were hoping for. Instead of transforming the space, they leaned into it. Earthy greens and warm neutrals were layered with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"kia_subtitle":"","footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[1338,1057,1065,1500,1079,1340,1005],"tags":[1120,1114,1100,1109,1106,1099],"class_list":["post-859628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-barn-wedding","category-best-wedding-venues","category-fall-wedding","category-farm-wedding","category-garden-wedding","category-new-jersey-wedding","category-real-weddings","tag-brown","tag-ivory","tag-kelly-green","tag-light-pink","tag-orange","tag-sage-green"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/859628","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=859628"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/859628\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":859790,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/859628\/revisions\/859790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=859628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=859628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/junebugweddings.com\/wedding-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=859628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}