This Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, wedding united four generations and friends from around the world.
Words by Andrea Smith
When Wilmington native Sean Barrett pictured marrying the love of his life, April Pagliassotti from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he envisioned a crisp fall day in October. The couple set their sights on Terrain at Styer’s in Glen Mills for its quaint, romantic setting.
“I laugh because we kind of just decided to get married,” April reflects, smiling at Sean, who is sitting next to her. “There wasn’t a traditional engagement.”
Their relationship began in 2013 with dinner and a movie at home, and within the first year of dating, they both saw signs of a lifelong partnership. They discussed marriage on and off for years, pondering during the pandemic what timing might be best. As their 10-year dating anniversary neared, they started making plans.
Around 50 family members and close friends— some traveling from as far as Taiwan and Japan— attended the intimate ceremony and reception on October 25, 2023. The moment united four generations, including family members on both sides who had passed away and were pictured at the “In Loving Memory” table.
“Those generations are very important to our family history,” Sean says. April adds, “Almost all of our grandparents were immigrants or were married to immigrants, and that’s something I had always wanted to incorporate.”
April’s “something borrowed” also honored her family history: “It was a gold-beaded bracelet that my grandfather had given to my mom,” she explains, noting she only spent time with her grandfather briefly as a toddler. “She’s Chinese but from Myanmar, and she left when she was a child at 9 years old. He had given her this gold bracelet that she has kept since then, and she let me wear it for the day.”
In addition to working with local vendors they knew and loved, family and friends played a significant role in their wedding day. Longtime friend Shannon Foley helped craft April’s bouquet and decorations out of artificial florals. “The nice thing is, they last forever,” says April, who saved some for decoration in the couple’s home.
Sean’s parents and his sister planned the rehearsal dinner. A friend played “This Is Love” on piano for the bride’s walk down the aisle, and another friend officiated the ceremony. A coworker of Sean’s kept the party going as the DJ, and April’s brother and sister-in-law prepared handmade treats for the guests’ thank-you gifts.
The couple relied on Terrain’s team for catering, event management, and organic décor that complemented their “wildflower wedding” theme. Pumpkins and gourds displayed alongside the shop’s potted flowers offered an autumnal aesthetic, and the ceremony had a natural backdrop of trees with green and golden leaves. “They made it so easy. So much was included,” April raves. “I was impressed—everything went so smoothly.”
Looking back, the couple appreciates how their photographer, Hilary Myers, captured candid moments, especially on the dance floor. “We had my parents, your parents, everybody,” Sean says—April finishes his sentence: “was dancing together.”
“A lot of these people had never met…and it was so great to see everyone having fun together,” she says. “It was all of these people who are part of our lives coming together to celebrate us.”