Kayla and Avery lying in the middle of her gown, spread in a circle on the lawn, seen from above at Smith Farm Gardens

K + A

Kayla Sica and Avery Santos

Smith Farm Gardens · East Haddam, Connecticut

Kayla and Avery were married on 29 May 2026 at Smith Farm Gardens, a fifteen-acre estate in East Haddam built around an eighteenth-century farmhouse. Kayla’s mother, Bonnie, planned every detail herself: hand-made blue toile linens under a white sailcloth tent, smilax-wrapped poles and a live fifteen-foot tree in the middle of it, and a handwritten note from the couple waiting for every guest. They wrote their own vows, and every tissue left on the chairs was used. This is their day, in the order it happened.

Planned and designed by Bonnie Sica, the bride’s mother

Kayla and Avery arm in arm on the garden path in front of the white house at Smith Farm Gardens
Avery lifting Kayla in the aisle after the ceremony as guests cheer on both sides
Kayla throwing her arm up and Avery laughing as they cross the lawn at night, in black and white

Morning

The sycamore tree and the cottage at Smith Farm Gardens in East Haddam
Kayla with her eyes closed as her makeup is finished
Kayla laughing during hair and makeup in the bridal cottage
Kayla reading a letter with her hand over her face, a gift box on her lap
Kayla and her mother, in a blue dress, smiling at each other by the window
Kayla hugging her father on the lawn after his first look
Avery's shoes, bow tie, watch, rings and vow book, "My vows to my wife"
A groomsman helping Avery with his bow tie
Kayla holding her white bouquet by the window, in black and white
Detail of Kayla's lace gown and white bouquet
Kayla laughing with her bouquet in the bright cottage room
Kayla's bridesmaids carrying her train across the gravel courtyard
Kayla's shoes, invitation suite, ring boxes and vow book laid out with white flowers
Ring boxes and Kayla's vow book, "My vows to my husband", on the invitation suite
Kayla checking her makeup in a hand mirror by the window
Kayla and her bridesmaids in navy robes laughing together in the bridal cottage
Kayla's mother lacing up the back of her gown
Kayla's bridesmaids in pastel gowns reacting as they see her in her dress on the lawn
The white farmhouse at Smith Farm Gardens under a sycamore on a blue-sky day
Avery fastening his cuffs by the arched doorway, in black and white
Kayla in her gown with its long train, standing by the cottage windows
Kayla's bridesmaids setting her veil as she sits on the sofa
Kayla holding her bouquet of white flowers against her lace gown
Kayla stepping out of the cottage door between two topiaries as a bridesmaid lifts her train, in black and white
Kayla sitting on the lawn with her gown spread in a wide circle around her
Kayla under her veil holding her bouquet, in black and white
Kayla in her veil by the old stone wall and the sycamore

Portraits

Avery waiting for the first look as Kayla giggles behind him under the sycamore
Avery turning to see Kayla at their first look under the sycamore
Avery's hand at the laced back of Kayla's gown
Kayla and Avery holding each other on the lawn by the stone wall, her train behind her
Kayla and Avery on the garden lawn below the white chapel, seen from above
Kayla and Avery close together by the picket fence
Kayla and Avery kissing on the brick path in front of the house
Avery lifting Kayla's train as she smiles back at him in the garden
Kayla and Avery under her veil, close to a kiss
Kayla and Avery wrapped in her veil on the lawn, seen from above, in black and white
Kayla and Avery under her veil on the lawn, seen from above
Kayla smiling back over her shoulder as she holds Avery's hand, in black and white
Kayla laughing as Avery lies with his head in her lap on the lawn, in black and white
Avery lying on Kayla's gown on the lawn, the white chapel behind them
Avery buttoning his jacket on the garden path, in black and white
Kayla with all her bridesmaids in blue, pink, green, purple and yellow gowns
Kayla and Avery embracing at their first look
Avery wiping a tear as Kayla smiles at him, in black and white
Kayla looking at the camera as Avery kisses her cheek in the garden
Kayla and Avery walking hand in hand along the hedges
Kayla and Avery by the white picket fence in front of the house
Kayla and Avery laughing together in front of the house
Kayla and Avery walking up the brick path toward the white house
Kayla and Avery on the lawn with her veil and train spread behind her, in black and white
Kayla and Avery under her veil, looking at the camera
Avery lifting Kayla on the lawn with tall trees behind them
Avery lifting Kayla on the lawn, in black and white
Avery carrying Kayla across the lawn, her gown spilling over his arms
Avery lying on Kayla's lace gown, looking up at the camera
Kayla standing beside Avery as he sits on a chair on the lawn, in black and white
Avery and his groomsmen walking across the lawn in front of the barn, in black and white
Avery's groomsmen piling in around him, laughing
Kayla laughing as she walks with a bridesmaid in yellow

Ceremony

Aerial view of Smith Farm Gardens before the ceremony: the formal gardens, the farmhouse, the ceremony chairs and the white sailcloth tent in the meadow
Smith Farm Gardens from above: the house, the gardens and the ceremony chairs on the lawn
White ceremony chairs with blue ribbons and white flowers along the aisle
A string trio playing under the trees before the ceremony
Avery hugging his mother before the ceremony
Avery at the altar waiting for Kayla
The welcome banner for Avery and Kayla on the ceremony lawn
The ceremony arch of white flowers on the lawn, with blue ribbons on the aisle chairs
The ceremony program on a white chair
Avery walking up the aisle with his parents, in black and white
Kayla and her father smiling as they wait to walk down the aisle, in black and white
Kayla's father hugging Avery at the altar as he gives her away
The ceremony on the lawn, guests on both sides of the aisle and the white chapel behind
Smith Farm Gardens from above during the ceremony, with the tent in the meadow beyond
Avery smiling at Kayla as she reads her vows
Kayla laughing as she reads her vows, in black and white
Kayla laughing over her vow book
Kayla and Avery's first kiss, seen down the aisle with the white chapel behind
Kayla's mother and family clapping in the front row
Kayla raising her bouquet as she and Avery walk back up the aisle
Avery dancing on the lawn as guests come over to greet them
Kayla's bridesmaids watching the ceremony from the front row
Avery wiping away tears during the vows
Kayla and Avery laughing at the altar, the tent behind the stone wall
Kayla smiling at Avery as they hold hands at the altar
Kayla placing the ring on Avery's finger
Avery lifting Kayla after the ceremony as she throws her head back laughing
Kayla and Avery embracing on the lawn after the ceremony, in black and white
Guests greeting Kayla with hugs after the ceremony

The Tent

Cocktail hour in the courtyard garden, seen from above
A grazing board of cheese, fruit and charcuterie at cocktail hour
Two flower girls running across the lawn at cocktail hour
The white sailcloth tent in the meadow, seen from above
A violinist and a cellist playing on the porch at cocktail hour
The signature cocktail menu with white flowers and candles
Kayla's grandmother talking with family on the lawn
The sailcloth tent in the meadow with the trees behind
The peaks of the sailcloth tent against the clouds, in black and white
Inside the tent: birch trees, round tables in blue toile linen and cross-back chairs
A round table set in blue toile linen with white flowers
Bonnie, Kayla's mother, setting favours on a blue toile table in the tent before the guests arrive
The sweetheart table with candles and white flowers
White flowers in gold vases with candles on a mirrored centrepiece
The DJ booth with "The Santoses" in neon script
Kayla and Avery embracing as guests cheer their entrance
Kayla dancing with her father
Kayla and Avery kissing at the sweetheart table, in black and white
Kayla hugging her grandmother at her table
Kayla laughing as Avery gives a toast
The welcome banner at the entrance to the tent
The tent set for dinner, with birch trees and rattan lanterns
A long table with a blue toile runner and white flowers under the tent
A place setting with a blue napkin tied in a bow on toile linen
The bar under the tent, wrapped in greenery
The lounge of rattan sofas on the lawn beside the tent
Kayla and Avery throwing their arms up as they enter the tent
Avery lifting Kayla during their first dance
Avery dancing with his mother
Kayla's grandmother smiling during the toasts
A toast for Kayla and Avery as they listen at the sweetheart table, in black and white
Kayla and Avery raising their arms at the sweetheart table

Evening

Kayla and Avery kissing on the lounge sofa beside the tent
Kayla resting against Avery on the lounge sofa beside the tent
Kayla and Avery walking up the gravel drive, Kayla in her second dress
Kayla standing in the doorway as Avery sits on the porch step in sneakers
Kayla and Avery on the white sofa with drinks, his sneakers beside her heels
Kayla and Avery close together on the sofa, in black and white
The cupola and weathervane on the barn roof against the evening sky
Kayla and Avery on the porch of the white house, Kayla in her second dress
Kayla and Avery kissing on a white sofa inside the house, in black and white
Avery standing behind Kayla as she sits on the white sofa
The sailcloth tent glowing at dusk under a dark sky

The Party

Kayla and Avery coming back into the tent, Kayla raising her arm as guests cheer
Guests dancing under the string lights
Kayla and Avery dancing under the string lights among the glow sticks
Kayla and Avery dancing face to face on the crowded floor
Two guests laughing and dancing together under the string lights in the tent
Kayla and Avery dancing close, in black and white
Kayla singing into a microphone as Avery dances beside her
Avery's hand on the beaded back of Kayla's second dress as they dance, in black and white
Kayla dancing with guests on the dance floor
Kayla dancing with Avery and a groomsman on the dance floor under the tent lights
Kayla and Avery hugging on the dance floor, in black and white
Kayla and Avery dancing hand in hand, in black and white
Kayla laughing as she dances beside Avery
Avery laughing as he dances with Kayla
Kayla with her arm raised on the dance floor, in black and white
Kayla and Avery kissing on the dance floor at the end of the night, in black and white

With thanks to

Planning and design: Bonnie Sica

Venue: Smith Farm Gardens

Catering: Aqua Turf Club

Florals: Best Moments Factory

Gowns: Galia Lahav and Rosie Etienne Bridal

Groom’s tuxedo: Melluzzo’s, Southington

Hair: Simply Gorgeous by Erin · Makeup: Jessie Lynn Makeup

Film: Justin R Film

Photography: Shukhrat Kamalov

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