Lounsbury House Wedding: A Late-Summer Celebration in Ridgefield, CT

You found a venue you love. Now comes the harder part.

Who lines up the wedding party before the processional? Who tells the caterer when to pass the first tray? And who notices that the escort cards are still in a box in the trunk?

Most couples hire a venue and assume those pieces sort themselves out. They don’t. That’s the gap a coordinator fills, and it’s exactly what Francesca and Maxwell’s Lounsbury House wedding looked like when the details were handled and they could just enjoy it.

They married on September 20th, 2025 at The Lounsbury House. Their invitation asked for end-of-summer formal attire, and the day delivered on that: white satin, dusty blue, sunlight through the hedges, and a garden ceremony at four o’clock.

Hi, I’m Kayce

I’m the owner and lead planner at KR Occasions. For Francesca and Maxwell, I served as their day of coordinator, which meant we met in the months before the wedding to build the timeline, sort the small logistics, and get every vendor on the same page. Then I ran the rehearsal and the wedding day itself so nobody in their family had to.

I plan and coordinate weddings across New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut. If you’re looking at a similar date and want someone in your corner, take a look at my services or reach out here. I’d love to hear what you’re planning.

Now, here’s how the day unfolded.

Getting Ready Inside the Mansion

Francesca and her bridesmaids got ready upstairs, in a room with tall arched windows and a pale blue settee.

Her flat lay told you the whole palette before you saw a single flower:

• An ivory invitation suite with a gold botanical border and blue lettering
• A pearl and floral hair comb
• Pointed-toe mesh flats with white lace appliqué and a crystal center
• A long veil with a scalloped lace edge

Her gown was the anchor of the whole design. Ivory satin, square neckline, thin double straps, and a low open back with a large structured bow at the waist. The skirt fell into a chapel train lined with covered buttons. Simple from the front, and unmistakable from behind.

Maxwell got ready in room across the hall, in a black peak-lapel tuxedo and black bow tie, with a deck of cards on the table.

Then came the first look with her bridesmaids. Francesca stood at the top of the curved staircase while seven women in dusty blue looked up at her. Their reaction says more than I can.

A First Look on the Porch

Maxwell waited on the wrap-around porch holding her bouquet, facing the columns while Francesca walked up behind him.

That bouquet is worth pausing on. White ranunculus and roses, white anemones with dark navy centers, pale blue delphinium, and silvery eucalyptus trailing off one side. Michele Ford built it, and it set the tone for every arrangement that followed.

The porch is one of the better first look spots at this venue. You get shade, clean white columns, and no guests wandering through the frame.

The Garden Ceremony

The ceremony happened outside in the walled garden behind the house.

A white pergola stood at the end of the aisle, dressed with a garland of white blooms and greenery. Tall clipped hedges framed both sides. The lattice gazebo sat off to the right, and the bluestone aisle ran straight down the middle between rows of white folding chairs.

Their wedding party lined up behind them: bridesmaids in floor-length dusty blue in mixed necklines, groomsmen in black tuxedos with white boutonnieres.

If you’re weighing an outdoor ceremony here, September is a strong month for it.

Portraits Around the Grounds

After the ceremony, we sent everyone out for portraits while the porch was reset for cocktail hour.

The wedding party gathered on the gravel drive at the back of the house, with limelight hydrangeas blooming behind them. Francesca and Maxwell then took a quieter set in the garden, under a dogwood that had already started turning red.

One of the useful things about a Lounsbury House wedding is how little walking this part requires. The columns, the gardens, the staircase, and the hydrangeas all sit within a few minutes of each other, which keeps your timeline from getting eaten by travel.

Cocktail Hour on the Porch

Guests moved to the wrap-around porch. Cocktail tables wore white linens with dusty blue sashes and small bud vases of white ranunculus and blue delphinium, echoing the bouquet.

The porch runs the length of the house, so it holds a crowd comfortably. On a warm September evening it’s the best room in the building, and it isn’t even a room.

Inside for Dinner

The reception moved indoors under the crystal chandeliers.

Round tables in white linens, gold chiavari chairs, slate blue napkins, and low arrangements of white ranunculus, anemones, and blue delphinium in clear glass. Taper candles in silver holders and pillars in hurricane glass filled in between. Salads were preset so service could start the moment guests sat down.

The room does a lot on its own here. Original moldings, gilt mirrors, and chandeliers mean you don’t need tall centerpieces competing for attention. Low florals and candlelight are usually the right call in a historic mansion. Let the architecture carry it.

Their cake was a single tier in white buttercream, hand-piped with blue hyacinth-style florals, green stems, and small pearl dots. White roses and eucalyptus on top, plus a carved figure topper of a couple. They cut it under a gilt-framed landscape painting.

The First Dance, Reception and the Send-Off

Francesca and Maxwell had their first dance in the foyer, on the black and white checkered floor, with the grand staircase and its patterned runner right behind them. Guests circled the edges and clapped. 

During the reception, Francesca changed into a white sequined one-shoulder jumpsuit. Tailored Entertainment kept the floor full the rest of the night.

During the send-off, guests lined both sides of the porch with ribbon wands while the two of them walked out through the front doors, the foyer chandelier glowing behind them. A good ending to a good day.

What Francesca and Maxwell Said

After the wedding, they left this review:

“We hired Kayce as our day of coordinator for our wedding at the Lounsbury House. She was extremely helpful in the meetings leading up to the wedding by thinking about all the tiny details that are easy to overlook. She got things done, and made sure our rehearsal and wedding ran smoothly from start to finish.”

The line about tiny details is the part I care about most. Day-of coordination isn’t really about the day. It’s about the meetings beforehand, where we find the gaps in the plan while there’s still time to fix them.

Lounsbury House Wedding FAQs

Where is Lounsbury House?

Lounsbury House sits at 316 Main Street in Ridgefield, Connecticut, in Fairfield County. It’s in the historic center of town, walking distance from shops and restaurants, which makes it easy on out-of-town guests.

What’s the history of Lounsbury House?

The mansion was built in 1896 for Phineas C. Lounsbury, a former governor of Connecticut. His family later gave the house to the town, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Today it operates as a nonprofit run for the community’s benefit.

Can you have both the ceremony and reception at Lounsbury House?

Yes. Francesca and Maxwell held their ceremony in the garden, cocktail hour on the wrap-around porch, and dinner and dancing inside. Indoor ceremony options exist too, which is worth knowing if you’re booking a shoulder-season date.

How many guests does it hold?

Capacity depends on which spaces you use and how you set the room, and published numbers vary quite a bit. Ask the venue directly for the count that applies to your setup. You can reach them here. 

Do you have to use their caterer?

Couples bring in outside catering here, which is part of the appeal for anyone who wants control over the menu. Confirm the current vendor requirements with the venue when you tour, since policies change.

Do you need a coordinator if the venue has staff?

Venue staff manage the building. A coordinator manages your wedding: your timeline, your vendors, your family, your décor, your rehearsal. Those are different jobs, and one doesn’t replace the other. Here’s more on what day-of coordination actually covers.

What’s the best time of year to get married there?

The gardens are at their best from late spring through early fall. Late September gave Francesca and Maxwell warm light, blooming hydrangeas, and comfortable weather for an outdoor ceremony and porch cocktail hour.

Planning Your Own Lounsbury House Wedding?

If this day has you picturing your own Lounsbury House wedding, the venue gives you a lot to work with. Gardens, a porch built for cocktail hour, chandeliers, and a staircase your photographer will thank you for.

What it doesn’t give you is someone whose only job is making your day run on time. That’s mine.

I coordinate weddings in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and I’d love to hear about yours. Book a discovery call and let’s talk through what you’re planning.

Vendor Team

Wedding Planning + Day-Of Coordination: KR Occasions

Venue: The Lounsbury House

Photography: HK Photography

Catering: Best in Gourmet

Florals: Michele Ford

Beauty: Bridal Bloom

Ceremony Music: Continuo Music

Entertainment: Tailored Entertainment