I’ve looked at this pretty little garden party, as seen through the lens of Shannon Grant Photography, over and over and STILL can’t believe the new Mr. & Mrs. planned the entire soiree in six weeks. Yes six weeks. It doesn’t seem possible because every thoughtful detail couldn’t be more perfectly placed and the entire affair couldn’t be more lovely, but this it’s oh so possible and oh so pretty – and you can see it all in the full gallery of images!
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From the Bride… We planned our wedding in six weeks, so the main goal was “just get it done!” But really we were going for a casual elegance. Neither one of us wanted anything stuffy, and we liked the idea of a cocktail party rather than a sit down dinner. We had someone playing old standards on the grand piano while people mingled. It was also only about 50 people so we chose a old Victorian house, now a B&B with an open floor plan, great food and cupcakes. We cared most about injecting things that were “us.” He’s a kung fu instructor and I’m an animator, so there were cartoon ninja and geisha on our invites, the wine was a vendor I particularly liked, etc., just little things that made us happy. I made memorial candles for our family members who are no longer with us. I printed out the names of each couple and a little saying or prayer or poem that was specific to them. My friend from college made our guest book by hand and it was beautiful (and a ton of work!!). My niece who has an AMAZING voice and stage presence sang, accompanied by a piano, for our first dance.
We didn’t mean to make everyone cry, yet the tears we’re flowing, all day. Happy, sentimental tears. It started at the ceremony. I walked out to “Song Birds.” I was doing OK until the flute started playing the melody, then I felt my father’s arm tense up as we started down the aisle. I looked to my soon-to-be husband and was touched that he was crying. When I got up to the altar, I was shocked to see, his groomsmen, all three big, burly, rough and tumble guys were crying — not just teary, we’re talking over flow down the cheeks. I looked to our friend who was officiating, and even he was crying. I could hear a ripple of sniffs out in the pews. It was very touching and meant so much to us that people were genuinely just happy for us. It turned out to be a theme throughout the day, with toasts from our parents and friends, with the dance with my father, and Ben’s sister standing in for their mom who passed many years ago. She was there though, smiling on her kids. It was a day filled with sincere wishes and warmth.
We tried to make the day a celebration, and with such a quick turn around, it forced us to evaluate what mattered to us and what didn’t. (Yes, it is possible to have a beautiful wedding in six weeks with lots of help.) We didn’t seek to please anyone, we just did what we thought was worth the investment. Great space, good music, great food, beautiful pictures, and most importantly, being surrounded by the people who helped make us who we are. It really was the best start of a new chapter anyone could hope for.
Wedding Photography: Shannon Grant Photography / Wedding Venue: Taylor House Bed and Breakfast in Boston, Massachusetts / Floral Design: Henry Schmidt of Weston Nurseries / Catering: D’Lish Intimate Catering / Pianist: Thomas Hojnacki of Berklee College of Music / Guest Singer: Natasha Ostapovicz (The Bride’s Niece) / Wedding Dress: Nordstrom / Hair + Makeup: Hilary Warner / Suits: Men’s Wearhouse