Just married |
D and I got married on June 9, 2012 in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Piers Park, East Boston. During the days leading up to our wedding, the rain did not let up. Everyone was worried that our outdoor ceremony would be rained out. Everyone, except for me. I was convinced that the sun would come out on our wedding day - and it did!
Our ceremony in Piers Park |
A long time ago, during our venue search, we came up with the idea of having an "urban beach" wedding. I would say that our wedding came pretty close - the ceremony was in front of a gazebo on a pier jutting out into the waterfront, with a marvelous view of downtown Boston. Also, I just realized that the roof of that gazebo kind of goes with my dress - surprise bonus points! And speaking of the dress, I ended up wearing a Betsey Johnson number that required exactly zero alterations. You know you got the right dress when it fits you like a glove.
We wrote the entire ceremony ourselves and it was exactly what we wanted - meaningful and brief. We got married in front of fifty of our closest family and friends, but there were several dear people whose absence I felt very vividly, especially during the ceremony. My grandparents could not make the trip to the wedding, and we tried to skype them into the ceremony. We did a trial run with my laptop a month before, and everything went smoothly. But on the day of the wedding, the internet connection refused to cooperate. It kept dropping the video call, and as a result my grandparents missed the entire ceremony. We knew for a while that they weren't going to make it to our wedding, and I thought I had time to prepare emotionally for their absence. Apparently, I was just fooling myself. But there was another absence that came as a complete surprise. Two days before the wedding, my best friend told me she could not come. She had an excellent reason, being almost nine months pregnant and unable to handle the five hour drive, and I know she really wanted to make it to the wedding, but it was like the straw that broke the camel's back. Just days before the wedding, I broke down crying, wondering what was the point of having a wedding at all if so many dear and important people could not be there. We proceeded with the wedding, of course, and I don't regret a single moment. But I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that my grandparents and my best friend did not see us get married.
Our first dance - salsa! |
After the ceremony, we all walked four blocks to our reception venue, a converted firehouse with huge red doors. After the cocktail hour and dinner (with lots of toasts), came the part of the wedding I was looking forward to the most (besides the ceremony, of course). We hit the dance floor! D and I had been taking salsa lessons for three months before the wedding to practice for our first dance, and I think our guests were impressed. We danced for two hours straight before we had to vacate the venue, and I had a blast.
Cupcakes! |
There were a lot of "traditions" and expectations that we did not include in our wedding. My dad did not walk me down the aisle - instead both D and I walked down the aisle with both of our respective parents. There was no long white dress, obviously. We didn't have a bouquet toss or a garter toss. There was no champagne (we don't like champagne, we served four kinds of wine and four kinds of beer instead), and there definitely was no cake cutting ceremony. The thing is, we don't really like cake! Oh, but there was delicious dessert - we had the best cupcakes ever invented. We still have a couple of cupcakes sitting in our freezer, and they tempt me every time I open that freezer door.
Our wedding was wonderful, it was very much "us", and it went by entirely too fast. Despite some doubts in the past and the stress of the planning, I am glad that we chose to share this day with our family and friends, and I am so happy with the way our wedding turned out.
All photos by Shane Godfrey Photography.
Oh wow ! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteYour dress is perfect, the bluish green is beautiful and the lace overlay and style looks a bit like your inspiration dresses.
Sun is magic huh... we had the same, heavy rain the whole week, but I knew it would be warm and sunny on the day.
And yes... some of the hardest parts is accepting that some best friends / loved ones are not being able to be there, but know that they were with you in heart and spirit.
It really does look like you guys can dance, and your shoes are super cute !
Here is for love and joy and adventures !
Thanks, Amanda!
DeleteI actually changed into my salsa dance shoes before the dancing started. :)
Congratulations again!!
ReplyDeleteLove your post, it looks like it was a beautiful wedding. But, most importantly, you guys look so happy together. Wishing you much happiness and joys ahead! Congrats again!
Love you
P.S. I am so so sad that I couldn't make it.
P.P.S Got your card the other day! Thanks so much!
Thanks, darling!
DeleteI know you wanted to be there, and I am also sad that you couldn't make it, but it's ok. I'll see you soon.
Wow, beautiful. Love the dress and the venue, and most especially, the salsa! Really looks like you guys nailed it based on that picture.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you couldn't have all the people there you truly wanted - I can imagine how hard that is. Hopefully you found a time to celebrate with them privately.
Thank you! And yes, we visited my grandparents right after the wedding weekend, and I got to see my best friend a month later.
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