Smith Farm Gardens Wedding | Late Summer Garden Wedding in Full Bloom

A September Smith Farm Gardens Connecticut wedding that captured everything we love about late summer—soft but vibrant color, fresh energy, and that effortless garden atmosphere.

Lian and Nick are the kind of couple you wish you could clone. Thoughtful, kind, completely present—and their guests totally matched that energy. It was one of those weddings where everything just felt good. Calm, happy, easy. Truly some of the best vibes we’ve experienced all season.

The entire day was anchored by an incredible vendor team. At the helm was Of Elegance Events, who planned and designed the event from start to finish. Working with Danielle Mihai is always a treat for us—her weddings are consistently some of the smoothest we’ve ever had the pleasure of being a part of. Every transition was seamless, every detail handled, and the entire day flowed exactly the way you hope it will. Supported by a thoughtful creative team, including Margit Anne Photography, everything came together beautifully.

For anyone planning a Smith Farm Gardens wedding, this is exactly what the day can feel like when the right team is in place—elevated, design-forward, and still completely relaxed.

The Sunken Garden Ceremony at Smith Farm Gardens

The ceremony took place in the sunken garden at Smith Farm Gardens with our musicians tucked under the shade of the big trees—easily one of the most beautiful ceremony spots on the property, and honestly hard to beat for a garden wedding in Connecticut.

We performed as a string quartet with full sound support, so everything—from music to spoken moments—carried beautifully.

We provided full ceremony sound coverage, including:

• lapel mics for the officiant and groom

• a wireless mic for the ceremony reading

Outdoor ceremonies are beautiful—but not always predictable. Having proper sound in place makes a huge difference so everyone is included.

If you’re planning a Smith Farm Gardens wedding, this is one of those details that quietly changes the entire experience.

Prelude music was a blend of upbeat love songs and ballads, and we closed it out with In My Life by The Beatles right before the processionals began.

Processional Moments That Just Worked

Nick walked with his parents, followed by the wedding party, to God Only Knows by The Beach Boys. It’s one of our favorites—there’s something about it that just brings this sense of ease and joy.

Then Lian entered to Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez, which has become one of our favorites to perform. It’s a modern classic.

We closed with This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole for the recessional, upping the energy to welcome guests to cocktail hour.

Cocktail Hour on the Lawn Overlooking the Gardens

Cocktail hour unfolded on the lawn overlooking the gardens, and this is where a Smith Farm Gardens wedding really starts to open up.

We performed with our signature concert sound design, and this is where the whole day really started to expand. The sound was full, vibrant, and carried across the lawn in a way that still felt natural to the setting.

Lian and Nick later told us they couldn’t believe how clearly they could hear everything while they were off taking photos—and that they loved how full the music felt.

We also had multiple guests confess that they assumed the music was recorded until they saw us playing live. That style of production is what makes it feel so elevated.

A String Quartet Setlist for a Garden Estate Wedding

The music moved through a mix of genres and eras, so it always felt fresh and had something for everyone.

• Wouldn’t It Be Nice + Don’t Worry Baby – The Beach Boys

• XO – Beyoncé

• Rather Be – Clean Bandit

• At Last – Etta James

• Perfect / Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

• Fly Me to the Moon / The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra

• Wildest Dreams / Love Story – Taylor Swift

• Levitating – Dua Lipa

• La Vie En Rose – Édith Piaf

• Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder

As classical wedding musicians who have performed for countless garden estate weddings, we’ve learned that kind of range completely elevates the guest experience.

A Tented Reception That Felt Like Its Own World

The reception was held under the sailcloth tent, completely transformed with an elaborate floral installation that even included trees!

This is where Smith Farm Gardens really stands out as a classic estate wedding venue in Connecticut. It never loses that connection to the landscape.

What Couples Say

Lian and Nick posted this sweet review after their wedding:

“Ariana Strings did an incredible job playing at our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour at Smith Farm Gardens! We received so many compliments from our guests as to how wonderful the string quartet sounded! Ariana was a joy to have calls with and really listened to understand our music preferences! We'd definitely recommend booking Ariana Strings :)”

Planning Music for a Smith Farm Gardens Wedding

If you’re planning a Smith Farm Gardens wedding, a few things make a real difference:

• choosing the right ceremony placement (sun vs shade matters more than you think)

• having full sound production for outdoor settings

• thinking through how the day flows from one space to the next

• selecting music that complements the setting

This is where experienced string quartet and string ensembles—and more broadly, classical wedding musicians—can really guide you through the process.

Lian and Nicholas’ wedding was one of those where everything just clicked.

Planning a Smith Farm Gardens East Haddam wedding? This is exactly the kind of day we love being part of. Inquire with Ariana Strings today.