ELISABETH GERBER to KEITH MCMANIS
May 12, 2007
THE PONDS AT BOLTON VALLEY

THE PROFESSIONALS:
Favors, Place Cards & Programs: Jar Design
Floral & Event Design: Floral Artistry
Photography: Michael Riddell
Cupcakes: Snaffle Sweets
Entertainment: C-Note Entertainment
Tuxedos: AfterHours Formalwear

                              

ELISABETH GERBER, KNOWN AS LIS, AND KEITH MCMANIS
first crossed paths over pints of Ben & Jerry’s. She was art-directing a photo shoot for the company; his agency provided the models. The shoot was a success in more ways than one, for soon after, Lis and Keith started dating. “He was the first guy that loved me for me - everything and every part of me,” Lis says. “We both knew we had met our match!”

When a job change took Lis to Portland, Maine, Keith stayed in Burlington, and the two made frequent trips between cities. On a drive to Portland, exactly a year after their first meeting, Keith was pulled over for speeding. His excuse? “I had to get to her apartment before she got home so I could hide the ring.” He got there just in time, and on their way out to a favorite restaurant in Freeport later, managed to sneak the ring past a suspicious Lis - she frisked him before they left - by slipping the box into his sock. All through dinner, Keith insisted that he wouldn’t embarrass her by proposing in public - and then, when she asked for their dessert to go, he proposed “some sparkly” instead, finally revealing the hidden ring. 

                              

For their wedding in Vermont - now the couple’s home state - they aimed for a casual-elegant style with traditional touches and personalized surprises. An earth-toned color palette complemented the wooden beams and floors of the venue, with the browns, greens, and barn red reflecting the hues of the Vermont landscape. Instead of bridal party bouquets, Lis and her mother found antique books with meaningful titles, like New Beginnings, and let each bridesmaid pick a favorite. A stylist friend, Matthew Mead, added fabric, ribbon, dried flowers, and antique buttons to the covers, and each bridesmaid chose a passage from her book to read during the ceremony. The favors included a personalized note to each guest, which became a vehicle for conversation at every table. During the ceremony, talented friends performed two songs - one as a beautiful duet, the other with a group of 15 or so singing from the balcony. “The acoustics were -amazing, and you could just feel the love and energy coming down!” Lis says.

Serving cupcakes instead of a traditional cake was “more personal, a bit more casual, and less expensive!” Lis says; the couple arranged them on tree stump pedestals, which the florist decorated with moss and orchids. “It was my favorite detail of the wedding,” Lis says. She also praises the other professionals who added their special touches to the day, from the attentive coordinator at The Ponds at Bolton Valley Resort to the DJ who always knew just what the crowd needed. She urges other brides “not to see a vendor as just that; see them as a professional with thousands of creative ideas for you!” Finally, she adds, “Stay calm. This day happens only once in a lifetime, but the memory will be instilled in all those you shared it with for their lifetime, as well.”