Real Wedding: Carole & Shawn
Janet Dunnington Destination Weddings [nid:428], Friesians of Majesty [nid:442]
Higher education took on a double meaning for Carole Trachimovsky and Shawn Hutchinson: While pursuing graduate degrees at Boston University, they learned all about falling in love. After finishing their studies, Shawn moved back to Portland, Maine, and Carole stayed in Boston, but a little over a year later, they reunited in Salem, Massachusetts. Carole says that when she realized that Shawn was moving back to a state where he couldn’t stand the drivers, she “knew this was it.”
Shawn wanted to surprise Carole with his proposal, and his plan to keep her in the dark worked out perfectly. Although he’d taken her to browse in a local jewelry store, she assumed he was just doing a little research and that the proposal might come in a year or two. Little did she know that he’d already visited several jewelers and was just making sure he knew what she wanted—and that he was planning to propose in a matter of weeks!
Shawn popped the question while the couple was en route to a night of camping at Sebago Lake in Maine. As they drove along back roads to their destination, Shawn told Carole that he wanted to show her a beautiful spot he’d found the year before. It was pouring rain, but just as he pulled over, the sun came out. While the car idled, he asked Carole to grab something from the trunk. Annoyed, she went to retrieve it, but her irritation melted away when she spotted a note that said, “Carole Trachimovsky, Please Read.” As she opened it up to read the words “Marry Me,” Shawn slipped in a CD of “their” song—“L-O-V-E,” by Nat King Cole—and gave her the ring.
Although Shawn grew up in Maine and Carole spent her childhood in Toronto, they agreed that Vermont was the perfect wedding destination. Carole felt a special connection to the state from spending summers at a cottage on Lake Champlain that had been in her family for generations. And she had another reason to choose Vermont—her favorite time of year is early fall, and there are few places more beautiful to experience the season.
In keeping with the September date, the color palette included rich autumnal shades of gold, cream, and crimson, anchored by chocolate brown. “I’m a chocoholic, so that influenced the palette,” says Carole. Fruit such as apples and pears added dimension to the seasonal arrangements by Tara Pollio Floral-Event Design; bouquets of ‘Black Magic’ and ‘Tiramisu’ roses and earthy sunflowers also carried through the vibrant color scheme.
Because Carole’s family is Jewish and Shawn’s family is Methodist, the couple wanted a ceremony that blended diverse wedding customs. This task was easily accomplished by Shawn’s grandfather, a minister, who officiated. “He combined our traditions in a beautiful ceremony that everyone, including the traditionalists in the crowd, loved,” says Carole. Especially moving was a little-known prayer he included called “The Blessing of the Hands,” which Carole describes as “stunning.” After the ceremony, Carole and Shawn enjoyed their first moments alone as a married couple on a romantic carriage ride through Manchester Village.
At the reception, the whole party kicked up their heels. “It was so amazing to see so many people of different backgrounds and walks of life come together to celebrate our marriage and never leave the dance floor,” says Carole. The hora, the traditional Jewish wedding dance, was a memorable highlight. “It lasted 15 minutes!” says Carole. Having a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cart at the reception ensured there were sweet treats to reward
the dancers.
To help the day go smoothly, Carole relied on the help of seasoned wedding professionals, including photographer Barrie Fisher and Janet Dunnington Destination Wedding and Events, who helped coordinate everything down to the last detail. “Every single vendor was perfection,” she says. “My dad, who believed there was no way that nothing would go wrong with so many people involved, was blown away. I got to know everyone, too, and felt sad not to talk with them once the wedding was over!”
As for advice to other couples, Carole says that in many ways the most important thing—to relax and enjoy yourselves—takes care of itself. “The cliché holds true,” she says. “All the stress just melts away when the day arrives, and it is the most fun you will ever have in your life.”