This week’s Wedding Story is actually 2 bride-to-be’s whose big days are rapidly approaching! Both Tracy and Jessica are getting married in October! Since Tracy’s wedding comes first, we’ll start with her.
Tracy, who is an active “Knottie” and is actually the Moderator of the Rhode Island Knot Board, is getting married this coming weekend! Here’s Tracy:
When are you getting married? October 1, 2010
Where is your ceremony? Reception? Both the ceremony and the reception are being held at Linden Place in Bristol, RI
What made you choose that reception location? We fell in love with the nostalgia of the mansion (have you seen the spiral staircase?), the beauty of the gardens, and the charm of the carriage house. My fiance's band (a 20-piece non-marching marching band) played a wedding here and he loved it. Once I saw it, I fell in love as well. I am also excited to march down to the Bristol waterfront bars for the after party!
What aspect of your wedding are you most looking forward to? I am so excited to see everything come together and to have everyone Steve and I love enjoy it.
What has been the best resource for you during the planning process? The Internet! There are so many blogs and websites (theknot, Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake in particular) devoted to helping brides that it can make one dizzy. But Google has been my best friend.
How is your wedding going to be unique? We have a lot of personal touches. Our friend is officiating. Steve's friends from college are in a tuba quartet and they are playing the music for our ceremony (um, Final Countdown by Europe for the recessional--played by 4 tubas--LOVE!). Our good friend is DJing the cocktail hour. The tables are named after places Steve and I have traveled. Our "guestbook" will consist of vintage postcards that guests will be able to jot down their thoughts (or favorite travel spots). They will then place them in a piece of vintage luggage.
Any advice for future brides? Don't research TOO much! Sometimes over-searching can make you question your entire vision. Also, ask for help. Often.
Photos courtesy of Olivia Gird Photography.
Next up we have Jessica. Jess was a bridesmaid in my wedding on 9/5/09 and got engaged 4 days later when we were on the honeymoon on 9/9/09! Remember her Tiffany – themed bridal shower a couple months ago? She's been planning for a little over a year and is now only a couple of weeks away from the big day!
When are you getting married?
Next month
Where is your ceremony? Reception?
Ceremony is at Blessed Sacrament Church (this is where my parents exchanged vows over 27 years ago); Reception is at Oceancliff in Newport.
What made you choose that reception location?
It was very important to us to pick a place that only focused on 1 event for the day. What I mean by this is that Oceancliff has only 1 ballroom so there is no way they can have two weddings going on at the same time. Also, Newport is very special to us because we go there every summer and one of our favorite restaurants (Red Parrot) is there which we always go to to celebrate our anniversary! Cory also wanted something on the water and I wanted something secluded… Oceancliff has both of these qualities. It is also somewhat historical being right next to the Kennedy compound and all. (I love the Kennedy’s)!
What aspect of your wedding are you most looking forward to?
I have a couple things that I am most looking forward too! One is walking down the aisle during the ceremony. This is my favorite part of all weddings! I cannot wait to see the look on Cory’s face! Secondly I am looking forward to taking pictures with my bridal party! We have an amazing photographer (Zenobia Studios)…she takes very candid shots and I think she will make it so much fun!!! I am also looking forward to the reception…I cannot wait to see the ballroom all decorated in fall color florals while enjoying the food and of course the company!!
What has been the best resource for you during the planning process?
Hmmm… I’m going to have to say at first it was Theknot.com but since I am very much into weddings, I did not use a lot of resources. Luckily Jen and I have the same taste with many things so I was able to use some of her vendors that I loved the outcome of which eliminated a lot of research/resources for me.
How is your wedding going to be unique?
Well…I’m not sure it will be unique but here are a few things that I am doing that may not be as popular as the ideas used in the more traditional/average wedding. I am having a photobooth which is becoming more popular nowadays but its still unique because not many people (guests) have seen this at a wedding. Since it is a fall wedding we are having a selection of 20 flavored pies for dessert (along with my cake). My bridesmaids are NOT wearing the same dress…they all have a dress by the same designer, all the same color and all floor length but different styles to go along with their personalities! And just our family alone is unique…haha.
Any advice for future brides?
You want my true advice?...ELOPE! This sounds so negative I know but Cory and I were lucky in a way that our parents were able to pay for our wedding. The only downside to this is that they thought since they are paying that they should have a say in EVERYTHING. It was mostly on one side that we had a lot of fights pertaining to the guest list. They also not only were giving us their opinions but kept repeating their ideas OVER AND OVER that we had to keep reminding them that this is OUR wedding and not theirs. I have always dreamed of my wedding day and have been looking forward to it since I was 7 (like many girls) but after realizing how difficult it was with some family members, and how much it strayed away from what Cory and I really wanted, we both said if we were to do this over again we would get married ourselves either away on a vacation or at town hall.
Photos courtesy of Zenobia Photography Studios
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