Meagan at Maine Seasons Events sent us Emily & Mario’s sensational August wedding that is SO charming and fresh and, well, just delightful! She had lots to tell us about the day, so we’ll just get right to it!
From Meagan …
Where to begin!? SO many special details make up the ingredients of this lovely story. Emily is originally from Maine, and now lives with Mario in New Orleans. They decided to be married at Emily’s oceanfront home in Georgetown. This home is a special place for her family, as it is the retirement home of the bride’s parents, and on the point, the bride’s father’s memorial stone bench is located. Sadly, Emily’s father passed away in 2002. Emily, her mother Carolyn and Maine Seasons Events went about planning a special, colorful and festive wedding celebration, over the course of a year, from Maine and New Orleans. The officiant was a family friend who had conducted the bride’s father’s memorial service at the same location 7 years prior.
With guests coming from as far as Bangladesh and as near as just down the harbor, there were many logistical considerations involved. This family, and so many of their friends, are some of the nicest, funniest, smartest, kindest people ~ it was an incredible celebration. With 170 guests in attendance, on a tented waterfront lawn in Maine, typical Maine weather delivered and as the bride arrived at the ceremony by water, in a family friend’s boat, a thick fog rolled over the point. This element caused surprise and then delight for the groom, attendants and even the guests, as the bride’s boat arrival was a top secret mission-only the wedding planner, the bride, her mother and the officiant were privy to this long kept secret plan. Not even the maid of honor knew until just before her, the bride and bride’s brother with the bride’s young cousins, were picked up to be taken to the dock. When the bride appeared with her brother, escorting her down the aisle, the laughter and clapping could be heard from the guests and the pictures of the groom’s face, once he realized what was happening, are priceless!
From the bride’s grandmother’s Juliet cap, worn on her wedding day, the bride’s mother sewed a tiny purse, lined with blue satin, for her daughter to carry down the aisle. She also had a family heirloom pocket watch engraved for her son, Wyatt, to carry as he stood in for his father and escorted his sister, Emily, to her groom.
Guests arrived at the ceremony to receive, from the bride’s cousin, a woven fan and a custom-designed wedding program attached with yellow and white striped ribbon. They walked down the hill to the ceremony site and were welcomed by lemonade and iced tea, being served by the caterers.
Wanting the wedding to be a collective effort of many creative and talented people in the couple’s lives, the stylish bride and her diligent and visionary mother, thought of many creative details in the dandelion yellow and pewter gray color scheme, to honor New Orleans and Maine. Many friends and family members contributed their talents to create the wedding elements. The bride’s brother, a graphic designer, created the custom damask design for the wedding paper, complete with silhouettes of the bride and groom, trumpets, lobsters and the couple’s dancing Chihuahua. A yellow based candy bar with chocolate soccer balls for the groom was on display in the bride’s mother’s silver collection, incorporating hand made truffles, from the couple’s friend who is a pastry chef in New York City.
(invitation photos by Maine Seasons Events)
Favors included silver Jordan Almonds, tiny yellow matchbooks, engraved with the “em & m” logo of the wedding. Centerpieces consisted of locally gathered rocks, moss and multitudes of varying height clear glass containers of freesia, button poms, hypericum, calla lily, Dusty Miller, spider mums and daisies and were provided by Willow.
One long table for 36 was the center of the large tent, with a constellation of yellow and white illuminated paper lanterns hung from above. Two of Emily & Mario’s friends and Maine Seasons Events installed all of the lighting in the days that preceded the wedding. A photo booth was on site to capture impromptu visits by guests and then inserted into the guest book with written notes. A table of photographs of the bride and groom’s parents and grandparent’s wedding photos as well as photos of them as children was set up next to the guest book.
A local band provided the reception music and the couple’s friend, a D.J. from New Orleans, came to provide dinner music, and a late night, old school dance party. Oh what an evening!
all images courtesy of Cunningham Photography
Ahhhhhh…… so much prettiness all in one place!
Emily’s dress was purchased in New York at the Designer Loft. It is a LaRichi gown ~ the style is “Renee.” The maids dresses were from Thread!
A huge thank you to Meagan at Maine Seasons Events ~ and to all the moms in the world who help their children plan their dream weddings!