There are so many special touches wrapped up in this charming Gloucester affair, I am not even sure where to begin. From the bride’s beautiful bouquet to the cute as can be bunting to those beyond lovely centerpieces (mason jars + burlap + clothespins = FABULOUS), this darling soiree is boasting a bundle of heartwarming details… and each one was crafted with L.O.V.E by the sweeter than sweet bride and groom. And if that isn’t just the best news to start off your work week, Amanda Cannon Photography was on hand to capture every last ounce of lovely… which means an entire Monday filled to the brim with pretty. And how awesome is that?!? Click here for more.
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From the Bride… Before I say anything else, it’s imperative that I give a shout-out to the amazing community that surrounded us on our wedding day. Our family, wedding party, guests, and vendors were amazing people who made our day exactly what we wanted it to be.
Adam and I had been dating for five years when he proposed on a blustery December day in northeastern Massachusetts. Pretty soon after, friends and family started asking us a slew of questions about the wedding date, location, etc. The two of us snuck away to a coffee shop over the holidays to discuss. Since we’re both teachers, we approached this like a unit plan, creating a list of values that we would live by through the planning process. (Example: “When in doubt, go smaller.”) These values saved us from unnecessary conflict and gave us a unified vision. One of our biggest values was to stick to our budget, and after convincing my parents to only give us a limited amount, we were off to plan. One of our most important values was that we decided everything together. Adam was absolutely 50% of the planning process. We were excited to make this a DIY wedding, and we have a number of talented friends who we knew could help make it happen. Adam and I designed all the save-the-dates, invitations, thank you cards, etc., and we printed everything at home. We made burlap bunting and used letter stencils to paint the words DRINKS! (for the bar), DANCE, and A (heart) M for the reception space. My talented sister drew a tree for our guest book thumbprint tree. We made all of the pinwheels for the bridesmaids and moms with the help of some dear friends. We found mason jars at a local flea market, and we attached the embroidered table numbers to them with a clothespin (another reason I knew I was in love with this man: he asked me to teach him to embroider!). I baked blueberry-peach wedding cobbler the day before the wedding instead of having a traditional cake.
I’m six feet tall, and after trying on just one long dress, I knew I wanted a short one. BHLDN was the answer with their Fondant Tea dress! Our venue was just two miles from our apartment on the rocky coast of Gloucester. The same day we put down our deposit, we found some vintage postcards at a local used bookstore and used those as our save-the-dates. We didn’t want a stated theme, but went with a style of bringing the outside in. This meant projects like scavenging 85 grey rocks from a local cove (which were lovingly returned after the wedding) to serve as the base of our place cards. Adam hand-stamped all of the luggage tags, which were then tied to the rocks with pistachio-colored embroidery thread. Our niece and nephew were our “pinwheel bearers,” and instead of rings or flowers, they handed out miniature pinwheels to guests sitting on the aisle. Our favors were personalized notes to each of our guests that were hung on twine under a window at the reception. Two photographer friends of ours created a photobooth, and we scavenged costumes from etsy, friends, and a local school’s theater closet. I made my own bouquet, and it was lovingly tied with the cuff links, shamrock charm, and baby ring from my deceased grandparents. One of our good friends officiated, and he wrote the ceremony script. We worked together on our vows, which were unique but thematically tied together. One of my very favorite moments during the ceremony was when Adam and I went to hug our new in-laws, and my 6’9” dad pulled out a well-placed step-stool for Adam to stand on in order to properly hug him. We tied our rings to a rock with twine and passed them around during the ceremony as a ring warming. Our recessional song was “When You Love Somebody” by the Fruitbats, the band that was playing the night we first met. We learned how to waltz and did a surprise dance in the middle of the cocktail hour. The day was just so lovely. We are so grateful.
Wedding Photography: Amanda Cannon Photography / Flowers: Sage Floral Studio / Flower Design: Bride and Groom / Wedding Venue: Ocean View Inn & Resort / Bride’s Dress: BHLDN / Bridemaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s Vest + Pants: J.Crew / Bride’s Shoes: J.Crew / Bride’s Hairpiece, Necklace + Earrings: BHLDN / Paper Goods: DIY by Bride & Groom / Bride’s Ring: Etsy / Groom’s Ring: His Grandfather’s / Hair: Samantha Mountain of West End Salon & Spa / Music: Groom / Photobooth Photography: Micaelan Davis Photography / Getting Ready Pictures: Annie Greene / Alterations: Best Fit