Weddingbee bios

I work as an Instrucitional Technologist at a local college and SO works as a Retirement Councelor. 

We are huge sports fans, especially the Red Sox.

This is us waiting in line for World Series tickets in 2007- we got in!

We also have two animals named after Red Sox players.

Pesky- our Napoleon Cat

Youk- our very happy Bulldog

We also have another cat, Lilo.

So regal

We live in Boston and love the city life but both grew up in small towns. We are planning our not-so-small rustic elegant wedding at Brooksby Farm Smith Barn in Peabody, MA.

It all started on a dark and stormy night…

Ok, so not really, but doesn’t that sound like a much better introduction to a romance than it all started on a perfectly fine Friday night of Memorial Day weekend. To be perfectly honest, Mr. Fenway and I “met” online a few weeks prior to our actual first meeting. I generally don’t tell people that part of the story though, I guess because there are still some social stigmas about meeting “online”- not that my story of us meeting in a bar (which is still technically true) is all that much better, at least socially speaking.

Anyway, after a few weeks of e-mails and IM conversations (ah, back in the day when I actually used AOL IM- seems so long ago!) we made plans to meet on May 25, 2007. We met up at Boston Beer Works by Fenway Park (not to be confused by Boston Beer Works at Canal Street, by the TD Garden where the Celtics and Bruins play).

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Right from that very first date, I knew we had something special. It was so easy to talk to Mr. Fenway and there were never any of those awkward silences that so frequently accompany any introductory meetings. We talked about anything and everything and closed down the bar (barely paying attention to the Red Sox game that was on that night- they were in playing in Texas and they won, but that’s all either of us remember). Mr. Fenway had plans to go to a concert the next night close to where my apartment was and we arranged that he would call me after the concert and see if we wanted to get together then. I was very surprised that he actually followed through and called when he said he would, but I was already in PJs and bumming out watching movies on the couch with my roommate so I turned down the offer of meeting up that night. I did let him know that we were having a cook out the next day, and invited him to that. He came and I was so excited when I saw him walking up the sidewalk to our apartment, I still get those same butterflies when I see him sometimes and it takes my breath away that I can still feel that way after all our time together.

We have essentially been together ever since that first night out at Beer Works, and we consider the day we met to be our anniversary and celebrate it every year. We made it “official” (first by his asking me and then by our changing our status on Facebook to “In a Relationship with…” which of course everyone knows means it is a big thing) a few weeks later, but there was never any doubt that we were pretty serious about each other right from the start.

While it has not always been smooth sailing and we have had our share of arguments and miscommunications, I wouldn’t trade anything. I often think about how lucky we are to have found each other, as Lord knows we are not perfect people by any accounts, but we are perfect for each other. We tend to balance each other out and complement each other well.

One of the first pics of us- taken about a week after we first met

 

How did you and your SO meet? Do you tell people an altered version of the story?

Our story actually invloves Beer Works for two significant milestones in our relationship.  The Fenway Beer Works location is where we met, and the Canal Street Beer Works location is where SO declaired his love for me for the first time.  He confidently stated, "You know I love you, right?"  To which I reassuringly replied, "Really?"  After a few minutes (where I'm sure SO was sweating it out a bit) I replied that I loved him as well. 

Anyone else have a restaurant play such a significant role in their relationship?

Even though I knew a proposal was likely I was still totally surprised when it actually happened.

On July 28th, we had made plans to go to Charly’s on Newbury Street for dinner to eat Prime Rib outside. We had made these plans weeks before and I would be lying if I said the thought of a proposal didn’t cross my mind, but I tried not to focus on it. We had an incredible meal and then we went to J.P. Licks for desert (since I had a free sunday there for my B-day). It was really good and the best part was the jazz band that was playing right outside. We were sitting off to ourselves a little bit and they started playing Treme’s Song from the HBO show Treme that we watch. It was really cool but I knew that nothing would probably happen there because Mr. Fenway is a pretty private person.

We walked home and had the usual discussion about who’s turn it was to walk Youk (it was Mr. Fenway’s- but he was trying to make me do it- now I know why but at the time I was pretty much just ready to be home). He also told me that part of his plan hadn’t happened yet so not to expect an engagement. This totally got me because he has told me in the past he had plans to propose but was postponing them until part of his plan came together. So I was admittedly a little disappointed but totally convinced that this was not the night. When we got home, he asked me to pour him one of our homebrews so it could warm up a little (warming the beer helps more of the flavors come out) while he was out walking the dog. I thought this was a little weird (like why couldn’t he just pour the beer himself for goodness sake) but it’s not totally out of the norm so I didn’t really think much of it. I changed into PJs and was watching TV on the couch because he said he wanted to spend some time together. I almost ruined all his planning because all I wanted to do was read a little bit and go to bed, not stay up to watch TV (I may have said something like why do we have to hang out now, we’ve been hanging out all night and I’m tired- yep, I’m good like that). But I begrudgingly agreed to spend more time watching a show with him and was waiting in the living room when he got back with Youk.

Gratuitous Bulldog shot

When he came into the living room, he was holding the empty homebrew bottle (from a trappist ale- one of our “special” bottles) with a message sticking out of it. He asked me how I could have missed the message in the bottle. At this point I thought it was just a note saying something nice because of the timing being wrong again. But when I read the note, it was clearly not this. He told me as I was reading it that “I’ve heard the legends that these messages can lead to pirate’s booty.” He had gone though a lot of work and it was “pirate” like writing on some older looking paper. The note read “To find the treasure ye seek just look in the spot where Pesky sleeps.” So I immediately went to the tub because that is one of her favorite spots, but nothing was there. Then I went to the bedroom but I didn’t see anything there. I looked a few other places and came back to the bedroom where Mr. Fenway took pity on me and told me to look under the covers since pirates buried treasure. Then I found the next “special” bottle with a note that read “Not all treasure is buried, X does not always mark the spot. If you still haven’t found it you should go ask Mr. Fenway (names changed to protect the innocent).” And I turned around and he had the most beautiful vintage ring box from the 1930′s for me and he asked me to marry him. I’m pretty sure I just hugged him and cried a little and he may have had to prompt me to say “yes,” but obviously I did.

I chose the Cassablanca 1900 dress.  I think it fits my "rustic vintage elegant" theme perfectly.

You can read more about my search on my blog through these links:

See the back story on why I started my dress search so early
See how Day 1 of searching went
Weekend One of dress shopping continued in Day 2 of searching
I decided I needed an extra day and went for the trifecta on Day 3
Day 4 brought me very close to my “the one”
On Day 5, 6 bridal shops later, I finally found "my dress"

I just created this in our colors of Fig, Navy and Copper.  Please see my blog for complete list of sources.

 

 

My earlier inspiration board:

 

 See my blog post for sources.

 

The ring is a family heirloom (platinum and diamonds) from my Mother's side (it was her aunt's).   I knew I wanted a simple, vintage ring and my mother had offered this to SO to use.  He knew I knew about the ring and I think he felt bad because he didn't pick it out, but he ordered a special vintage ring box from the 1930's to propose with.  I love the ring and the box so much!  And most of all, I love that I get to spend the rest of my life with the man I love!

Here are my shoes- all photos are personal taken with my iPhone Camera+ App.

 

Just a simple pencil edged veil.  I didn't want it to compete with the dress too much.

*Picture taken on iPhone, appologies for the poor quality.

So after careful deliberation and discussions with my parents (who are helping to finance the wedding) as well as a few late night talks with each other, we decided on …

Brooksby Farms Smith Barn!

I think it is perfect for us, it fits our “rustic elegance” theme and I am so excited about all the DIY projects I am already planning that will fit in well with this venue. It also helps that Mr. Fenway’s friend got married here and has offered us a slew of advice so far. I can’t wait to see how it will all come together, and there is so much inspiration on the web already. Just look at some of these pretty pics:

apple place cards- so cute!

Burlap table runners and herbs in the napkins- perfection! I love the amnesia roses too, but a bit summery for our wedding.

So pretty at dusk!

Source for three photos above

Pretty in daylight too!

The getting ready room- so charming!

Such a pretty barn!

Hope we can have a cheese display that looks half this good! Mmm cheese!

More prettiness!

Farm at sunset!

Great shot!

Ceremony and Reception sign are too cute!

Source for eight above images- this wedding was even featured on The Knot!

Look at the pretty fall colors!

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so romantic

Just love it.

Source- above two images

 

We’re so excited to see how our wedding turns out! I love all the little details in each of the above weddings, I can’t wait to work on creating the details of our wedding that will make it so special. I think the barn is perfect for us- we wanted something that wasn’t too traditional. We also want a laid back feel to our wedding, but not necessarily a casual feel, and I think Smith Barn captures that feeling well. It was a tough decision and there have been some questions along the way as to whether or not this truly was the best place for us (as it was more costly than some places we looked at, but also less costly than others). It was also the venue we had the quickest tour of and got the least amount of information from, but we are figuring it all out as we go along. We are very happy with our decision though, and are having fun with moving forward in making more wedding plans with our date and venue firmly in hand.

Did you “just know” when you and your significant other found the right venue, or was it a more challenging process?

 

You can read more about how my venue search went on my blog:

Start of the Venue Hunt
Venue 1: Brooksby Farm
Venue 2: Salem Cross Inn
Venue 3: Zukas Hilltop Barn
Venue 4: Publick House
Venue 5: Gwyn Careg Inn
Venue 6: Woodstock Hill Inn