The bridal party got their hair and makeup done at Aria Salon, and groomsmen got ready at the Westin Waterfront Hotel. The bridesmaids wore short navy dresses and carried bright pink and tangerine bouquets. The bride wore a stunning crystal embellished Priscilla of Boston gown, paired with sparkly pink Kate Spade heels.
The wedding day started off with a blessing ceremony at the Trinity Church in Copley Square. This beautiful church was built in 1877 and was where the bride and groom first saw each other on the wedding day. The short and sweet ceremony was followed by some portraits of the wedding party and family around the Copley area. At around this time, the skies were still blue and sunny, so I was thinking, "did I worry for nothing??" Their Jewish ceremony at the Courageous Sailing Center was set to be outside, with the stunning skyline of Boston and harbor in the background and I just wanted the weather to hold out a little bit longer.
A couple of hours later... close family and witnesses took part in a Ketubah signing within a draped off section of the tent and this is when the clouds rolled in and everyone knew that the storm was about to hit. Keep in mind, the sailing center is right next door and we were able to get updates from the staff with their weather radar monitors on how large of a storm was coming, how long it would last, and if it would break in time for the ceremony. Once they said... a big one is coming through and it's red... I knew there was no way around it. Then, all of a sudden, heavy rain on the tent drowned out any voices, the wind picked up, and it was a mad dash to tie up all entrances to the tent, secure tables, and hold up sections of draping that were not meant to withstand a huge storm!
Although the worst of the storm didn't last long, more water than I could ever imagine made its way into the tent, so much so that the only dry spots were a few feet wide right in the very center where the ground was slightly raised. Because it was still raining, we ended up having the ceremony inside the tent by moving some tables around to make as much room as possible in the driest areas. They definitely had a beautiful and intimate ceremony, that was full of emotion and love. After the ceremony was over, I couldn't believe it, but the sun came out, and guests were able to enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres outside on the dock and witness one of the most beautiful rainbows I've ever seen in Boston. It was a complete rainbow that really had guests in awe after such a crazy storm.
The wedding reception was a cocktail-style reception with stylish white lounge furniture and different sized tables for seating vs. a traditional seated dinner. Blue Guava designed all of the decor, and used navy blue pintuck linens, bright florals and large blue pillar candles on the tables, paired with pearl Chiavari chairs. Gourmet Caterers provided all of the food and guests really enjoyed it all. For hors d'oeuvres, there were truffle fries, watermelon with feta mousse, beef tenderloin crostini, spiced hamachi spring roll cones, lump crab cakes, and BLT stuffed tomatoes. Stationery displays included a slider station with pulled pork sliders, hamburger sliders, and petite mac & cheese. There was also a Caribbean station with jerk chicken skewers, jasmine rice, jicama salad, bass ceviche, and grilled calamari salad. The wedding cake was provided by Sweet Tooth, and include three different flavors: lemon curd and raspberry, buttercream with fresh strawberries, and chocolate with coconut.
The band, Ripcord, really were such troopers because they had to completely dry off everything and set up again after the storm hit. Once they were able to start playing again, everyone hit the dance floor and had a great time. Boston Wedding Films was the cinematographer for the day, and Maureen Ford of Maureen Ford Photography was the photographer. For now, here are a few shots that I was able to take on the day!
It was quite an eventful wedding day, and even though it wasn't the most ideal weather, I feel like it somehow brought everyone closer together and made each moment that happened even more meaningful.
Grier and Drew, thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your big day! I hope you enjoyed your mini-moon after the wedding, and best wishes for the future!
~Emilie
