Real Wedding: Erica & Matthew
Erica Goudy might never have connected with fellow Dartmouth student Matthew Dickman if it hadn’t been for her good friend Stefanie. Although they sat at far ends of the table at Stefanie’s birthday party during Erica’s senior year, the next day Stefanie made sure the two had a chance to get better acquainted. Walking with Erica on the campus green, Stefanie spied Matt and spontaneously invited him along to join them on a road-trip to New York City. Just as spontaneously, Matt accepted the offer. The weekend that followed marked the beginning of a lifelong love.
Both lined up jobs in San Francisco after graduation, where they stayed for two years before quitting their jobs and heading to Paris for six months! When they returned from France, they settled into New York for a year and a half, but when Matt was accepted into a graduate program in Chicago and Erica decided to take a job in New York, their relationship entered a new phase, one centered around their careers, trips between LaGuardia and O’Hare airports, and lots of long phone conversations.
When Matt graduated after three years, Erica joined him to drive his car back from Chicago to the East Coast. The second morning of the drive—the day before their seven-year anniversary—Matt suggested taking a scenic detour. And one hour later, he turned off at a gorgeous upstate New York inn. They checked into a beautiful suite, started a fire in the fireplace, and relaxed while looking out on the wonderful scenery of the Lake Placid area. When they had settled into the couch, Matt asked Erica to spend her life with him. After tears of joy and a champagne toast, the newly engaged couple enjoyed an amazing six-course meal at the inn’s restaurant.
Always on the move—and more often then not on their BlackBerries—Erica and Matt wanted to have their wedding in a place where they could slow down and relax with friends and family. That’s why they chose Vermont, and the rustic elegance of the Pitcher Inn in the Mad River Valley.
To make sure they’d be able to spend quality time with everyone, the couple decided to limit the guest list to 85. Everyone was invited to the welcome party on Friday, the wedding on Saturday, and Sunday’s closing brunch. In the welcome package of wine, nuts, and other treats that greeted them on arrival, each guest also received a personal note from the couple.
All through the weekend, guests—who had come from as far away as London, Israel, Mexico, and Italy—were presented with a variety of activities and fun surprises, including hot-air balloon rides and pashminas aplenty for ladies unprepared for the cool Vermont evenings. Babysitters and kids' meals helped ensure that younger guests and their parents got to fully enjoy the festivities.
The location at the Pitcher Inn, combined with a gorgeous summer day, helped create an unparalleled setting for the wedding. And the couple discovered that, thanks to the talent and resourcefulness of their Vermont wedding professionals, they had to do little more than exchange their vows. Erica and Matt praise their wedding planner Belinda Norris; Zoë Pappas, who designed their stationery; florists Gwen and Minner Hobbs; the photography team of Rick and Paula Labrecque; and Ari Sadri and the staff at the Pitcher Inn, who together created a day—and a whole weekend—that was beyond anything they had expected or hoped for.
Erica’s mother worked with calligrapher Jane Eakin to create a Quaker marriage certificate, which during the ceremony was signed by the bride and groom and each guest, signifying that the entire community supported the union. As guests came up to sign, the bride and groom had an opportunity to greet and thank each person, adding even more intimacy to their special day.
When the bride and groom entered the reception tent, they were blissfully astounded. It glowed with perfect warmth and elegance. As they intended, the food was phenomenal. During the after-party, which took place in a pub downstairs at the Pitcher Inn, the couple sat with friends and family around the fire pit, Erica in her wedding dress—without the shoes, though! After all the dancing at the party, people enjoyed cigars and delicious snacks, including s’mores made with the Inn’s homemade marshmallows roasted on hand-whittled sticks. A
more-than-perfect end to the day!
Photography by Cronin Hill