Real Wedding: Jennifer & Steve
Photography: Scott Kretschmann Photography
Makeup: Cynthea's Spa
Hair: Caryn Pierce of Chromatics Hair and Color
Cake: Vermont Sweet Tooth
DJ: Music Mix DJ by Jim Severance
Dress: Sophia Tolli
Those who don’t believe in fate may find themselves reconsidering after reading Jennifer and Steve’s story.
Both natives of Massachusetts, the two encountered each other at a bar in Boston one night. However, they had no prior plans of meeting. “There were so many things that could have kept us from meeting that night,” muses Jennifer, “so we feel like it was really meant to be.” Steve, though exhausted from a long day at work, decided to take some time to himself and grab a quick drink in the city. Parking was sparse and just as he was about to give up and return home, he made a last-minute stop at a friend’s bar.
As fate would have it, this was the very same bar at which Jennifer was scheduled to have a blind date. She had been hesitant about the meeting, but finally decided to take a chance. “He asked me to stop down to the bar his band was playing at,” says Jennifer. Due to a crowded night and few empty tables, she ended up taking a seat next to Steve. The two introduced themselves and chatted for the rest of the evening. “He was a gentleman and so easy to talk to,” recalls Jennifer. “I never introduced myself to the guy I was there to meet.”
Knowing they had found something special, Steve and Jennifer spent the next four years together. Then, one stormy night in December, Steve suggested dinner at the Italian restaurant where the couple had shared their first date. Despite the blizzard outside, Jennifer agreed. “So off we went, but not without a large wrapped box that I was made to carry myself.” Curious and eager to know what the package contained, Jennifer remembers thinking: “Is this it? This has to be it!” Once inside the warmth of the Italian restaurant, Steve asked her to unwrap the box. Underneath the paper lay Jennifer’s old ballerina trophy – damaged long ago but now newly repaired. “Steve replaced the broken ballerina with a shiny new one on the old trophy base,” says Jennifer. “It was such a simple gesture, but was one of the most thoughtful things he could have done fore me.”
Still in the midst of admiring Steve’s consideration and thoughtfulness, Jennifer didn’t notice the considerably smaller box he held out in his palm. Needless to say, Jennifer accepted both gifts and the two set a date for a September wedding.
The first question was the location of their ceremony. The newly engaged were hoping to find a spot with “a cozy feel and character” when they headed to Vermont. They found just what they were looking for when they stumbled upon the town of Stowe. They chose to have the wedding at the Green Mountain Inn, a quaint historical inn perfect for the intimate, fifty-guest wedding Jennifer and Steve were planning.
On the day of the wedding, Jennifer was all nerves; unexpected rain had forced the ceremony indoors, she was anxious about her grand entrance down the main staircase and, furthermore, she and Steve had decided against seeing each other prior to the ceremony. Despite all this, the soon-to-be bride descended the steps with ease and grace, and all anxieties were forgotten as she started down the aisle. In place of vows, the two read to each other prepared words. “When it comes to his feelings,” confesses Jennifer, “he makes me feel loved each and every day.”
During the ceremony, the couple held a ring warming ceremony. “We wanted all of our guests to participate in the ceremony somehow,” so the two tied their rings around a small ceramic bowl inscribed with the words To Have and To Hold. As each family member or friend received the bowl in turn, they said a blessing for the bride and groom. Afterwards, at the reception, the newlyweds opted for a more lighthearted first dance than a waltz - they danced the foxtrot around the room to Annie Brooks’ “Crème de la Crème”. However, the most poignant moment for Jennifer occurred as she began her walk down the aisle towards Steve: “Even though there was a room full of people, I remember not noticing anyone but him.”
Jennifer & Steve's Advice
#1 Don’t lose sight of what a wedding is all about. Yes, reception details are important & are a reflection of you as a couple, but a wedding is not about choosing the perfect cake, chair covers, or place settings. Remember that the most important thing is the promise you are about to make to the person you love most in this world!
#2 Planning a wedding is a huge task! It can be fun & make you want to scream all at the same time. Ask for help when you need it. Your friends & family love you & will be more than happy to help you plan such an important event.
To view additional photos from the wedding click HERE
Comments
It was such a joy to shoot this beautiful wedding. Jen and Steve-wishing you many years of love and happiness!