So many of you have asked me to post pictures of my wedding day - Jessica and I both appreciate that so many folks are so interested in our Big Day, and on my Sky Scenes segment on NECN this morning I showed as many pictures as I could fit in the segment, playing Kenny Chesney's "Anything But Mine" under the photos - that was our first dance after walking in to Big and Rich's "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." The day was perfect in so many ways - our family and friends are wonderful and provided so much support and love, and our vendors were phenomenal. I couldn't possibly thank all of them in the short segment I was sharing pictures, so I've described the wonderful job they did in this post, just below the video slideshow.
I mentioned in the slideshow that most of the pictures were taken by three folks, including my groomsman, buddy and fellow meteorologist Josh Darr. 
Of course, taking the pictures meant he was the only groomsman not in one, so here he is, looking sharp just before the ceremony!
Our vendors had no idea that we were going to write about those who did a wonderful job for us, and post it on my website, so know that everything is from the heart and here because we know how difficult it is to trust someone with such a major event, and we want to share just how terrific these folks have been with us. The reception site is listed first, and thereafter they are in alphabetical order - click on the name of each vendor to link to more information about them.
The Ocean View Inn and Resort...The location is absolutely breathtaking, but still isn't the greatest asset so much as the unparalleled staff and the people. Overlooking Thatcher Island's twin lighthouses and the Atlantic Ocean, the Ocean View has a large outdoor deck under a canopy, and a fantastic indoor reception area. The grounds are beautiful and the rooms are quaint and old-fashioned in a very classy decor. Above all, the people are amazing. The owner, Peter, was meticulous about every detail at the Inn for our wedding from the very first day we booked with him. He was there the entire night of the wedding to assist if he was needed, and made sure to take wonderful care of everyone - bridal party and guests alike. Of course, most of the wedding reception coordination was taken care of by Steve Weinstein - the wedding coordinator provided by the Ocean View Inn and Resort who was absolutely top-notch. Steve's careful planning and robust explanations prior to the day set up the perfect wedding, but he was there to execute every step of the way, and "saved the day" around every corner at the wedding. With Steve there, we knew we could completely relax and let him handle everything, and he did just that. He even stayed for our party after the reception, which we had in the 9-room bridal suite that we rented for the night. The food was amazing (we'd discovered that during our tasting), from cocktail hour to main course, and the staff was delightfully polite and amazingly attentive. And fast! Everything was perfectly coordinated and timed. An unbelievable experience.
ATS Productions, Abbas Sadek, Owner and Videographer...We knew we were in wonderful, trusted hands with Abbas. A videographer at NECN, Abbas' high-caliber work appears on our air daily, and his production company outside the station picks up right where his A+ quality work leaves off every day at New England Cable News. What was amazing about Abbas was that he didn't miss a thing - every time I'd feel there was something going on that we would want on video, I'd turn and look for Abbas. I realized after the first couple of times of doing that, that there was no need - he was already blended perfectly in, grabbing video of every moment with his high-end, professional camera. I've never seen a videographer so attentive and so determined to cover everything. Initially, we were uncertain about whether we wanted to go the extra step of having a videographer, but at the end of the day, we both agreed there were so many memories and moments we couldn't even imagine not having on video, and there's nobody else we ever would have wanted to cover such a special day.
Audrey's Flower Shop...Everything was absolutely perfect for our floral arrangements. From bouquet, to boutonnieres, to corsages, centerpieces and both church and reception site decoration, the flowers were flawless. Jessica wanted light green hydrangeas for most of the floral decorations, and Heather worked with her to make sure everything would be just the way she wanted it. The centerpieces were fantastic - we'd purchased small lanterns and Heather at Audrey's Flower Shop build circles of hydrangeas to surround each one, and mastered the art of keeping them full enough to impress, but not too big to overpower the lantern. It was Heather who pinned by boutineer on me just before we went to the ceremony, and she was as pleasant as one could possibly be - such a wonderful smile to see just before heading over to the church!
Bella Bridal Shoppe...From picking the dress to the final fitting, Bella Bridal's owner Ramona D'Agasta made the process easy and fun for Jessica. The dress Jessica selected was being shipped from China, so there was some stress that goes along with such a long trip from such a far away land. Ramona assured Jessica, "I'll do the worrying for you," and that she did! She called them often, checked up continuously, and kept Jessica posted on how things were progressing, all while she was gearing up for her own new baby on the way! Ramona's genuine smile and gentle guidance was a real comfort to Jessica and her bridesmaids, and the gown and dresses were absolutely stunning.
Benoit Photography, David Benoit, Owner & Photographer...It was about halfway through our first of many rounds of pictures when I noticed that, while David was suggesting possible poses for different pictures, he was laying on the ground, nearly upside down, snapping photos. "Do you always get down on the ground to take pictures?" I asked. "If that's what it takes to get the pictures I need!" David replied. This is the perfect example of how dedicated David was to documenting our wedding exactly the way we hoped he would - creatively, distinctively, and with class. We'd been turned onto David's work after viewing one of his albums left behind at the Ocean View, and after meeting with him, we were sold! His task wasn't easy - changing lighting due to rapidly changing (and deteriorating) weather conditions posed one challenge, and a group of ten meteorologists intent upon getting the thunderheads in the pictures complicated the situation more! He handled it all with a smile, and fed off our enthusiasm for the weather, smiling with delight at some of the pictures he was snapping. David is unquestionably a master artist.
Cakes for Occasions...I first met Kelly Delaney when she came onto Good Morning Live, on NECN, as an interview subject with our anchors during Wedding Week a couple of years ago. As part of the segment, I tried her "Opera Cake" on air, and fell in love with it immediately. I never forgot the cake, or how nice Kelly was, and knew that when I'd end up getting married, I'd want to have Cakes for Occasions Opera Cake at my wedding! When Jessica and I went to taste test cakes, Jessica picked out 8 other flavors to try, apparently figuring the first cake I suggested couldn't possibly be the one. After trying the other eight flavors, she took one bite of the Opera Cake, dropped the fork on the plate and exclaimed, "Why would anyone ever want anything else?!" A number of our guests had the same reaction. Aside from the flavor, the cake was an amazing piece of art - and coordinated with Audrey's Flowers to drape hydrangeas down the cake, too!
Cape Ann Bartenders, Steve Smith, Owner & Bartender...Steve Smith and his nephew were exactly what we were looking for - a laid back, easy-going team who worked wonderfully together, and interacted splendidly with our guests. They had a long haul - cocktail hour began at 3 PM, and the reception went to 10 PM, plus set up and breakdown - but smiled throughout the night, and were wonderful hosts at the bar! We had a number of special drinks we'd concocted, and they were very eager to make them for our guests through the evening!
The Event Company...This was one of the companies suggested by the Ocean View, and I can see why! From the very first time I contacted them, the folks at the Event Company knew exactly what size dance floor would be needed at the Ocean View! They were familiar with the venue, as they are with most other venues in the area, and had no questions. From the start, they knew exactly what I'd need, and they installed the floor, and broke it down, without us ever knowing they were there! The morning of the wedding, I mentioned to one of my groomsmen that I'd forgotten to call and confirm the floor with The Event Company. "Don't worry about it...they've already installed it." Amazing!
Fia Workshop of Newton Center...I already knew how wonderful Fia is, as a person and a stylist, from the magic she's worked on my head since I started at NECN! There was nobody else we would have dreamed of having style the hair for Jessica and our bridal party, as well as our Moms, on such an important day. Fia was tremendous, as she always is. Despite all different types and styles of hair, Fia mastered each one, leaving every one of the women commenting on how talented and friendly she was, and how much they trusted her entirely to work with their hair.
Ludwig's Limousine Service...The limo was a surprise birthday present from Jessica's Mom and Dad - and they sure knew who to pick! The driver was phenomenal - we would have been pleased as punch if he'd simply known where he was going and drove the mile between the Inn and the church, but he was truly a gentleman, and a professional! He knew exactly where Jessica should step getting in and out of the limo based upon the kind of dress she was wearing, literally rolled the red carpet out for her, directed us where to go when we came out of the church, helped us pose for pictures, and had a bottle of champagne and two flutes waiting for us even though he knew we'd be riding the horse and carriage back to the Inn!
St. Anthony By the Sea Catholic Chapel, Holy Family Parish...A beautiful chapel in a wonderful setting. This fieldstone chapel was the perfect setting for us, though you do need to have local ties to marry here. The Holy Family Parish of Gloucester was a pleasure to work with, and provided Hillary, our church wedding coordinator, a soloist and an organist for the wedding ceremony. Our priest, Father Mark Ballard, made the trip all the way from Haverhill's All Saints Parish, cutting his vacation short, to marry us! This was very meaningful for me, as Father Mark is the one who baptized me, confirmed me, and gave me First Communion all within the last year. To have him at the Sacrament of Marriage, too, was a blessing!
Sea Breeze Liquors...Because the Ocean View Inn doesn't have bar service, we'd need to secure our own liquor. I have to admit that we were a bit anxious about this, because we weren't exactly sure how to go about it. As it turns out, we didn't need to know a thing, and shouldn't have wasted any anxiety, because Sea Breeze Liquors knew exactly what they were doing! The first day we walked into Sea Breeze, Freddie was busy working on something else, but dropped what he was doing, grabbed his clipboard, walked the store with us, and within 20 minutes we had a complete list of what we'd need and how much. There were no concerns about picking up the alcohol, or incorrectly estimating the amount of alcohol needed, because Sea Breeze not only delivers the alcohol ahead of time, but Freddie also checked back during the reception to see if we needed anything additional, and he brought by whatever we were running low on - he was attentive, and wonderfully friendly! And, if you have unopened bottles of alcohol leftover, Sea Breeze will refund the money upon return.
Sound Decision, David Natola, Owner & DJ...David had only done one or two weddings at the Ocean View when he was first recommended to us, but Peter, the Ocean View's owner, said "I've only seen him a couple of times, but he is hands down one of the best DJs I've ever seen." Here, here! David is a true class-act. He met with us several months before the wedding, asking us plenty of questions to get a good idea for what tone we wanted to set at the wedding, all the while making it very clear that our wedding day would just that...ours. He wouldn't upstage anyone, he wouldn't do anything we didn't want, and he would always remember it's our day. He lived his matra to the letter. The music selection was perfect, he assumed the role of master of ceremonies with ease, even giving the blessing for the evening, and was a shining example of dignity and integrity. We've heard from so many guests who were just as thrilled with David as we were, and we are so thankful he's the DJ we chose for the wedding.
Tod Himmer and Daughter, Horse and Carriage...On a day with a lot of wonderful moments, Jessica and I both agree this was one of our favorite memories. The ride in the horse and carriage is certainly enchanting in and of itself, but our enjoyment of the ride went much deeper, as Tod and his daughter made the experience relaxing and fun. They were dressed in tuxes, tails and top hats, had a bottle of champagne waiting in the carriage, and a gourmet chocolate for each of us! Tod had invited me to meet his horse team of Sam and Cody in advance, and they are a wonderfully behaved and mild mannered team of horses...perfect for pulling us down the streets of Gloucester after the ceremony. The ride may only have been a mile, but Tod and his daughter were so friendly, and our time spent together in their carriage, along with our conversation with them along the way, would prove to be one of the most relaxing and serene parts of the busy day.
The big reason Jessica and I wanted to get this post out on my site is because we know the stress that can be involved in planning a wedding or other big event, and we were moved to share how great these folks are because they all shined to make our day absolutely perfect. We honestly believe that we couldn't have possibly found better folks than the ones I've listed here.
If it turns out there's anything I've left out, I'll add it with time, so feel free to bookmark/favorite this page and check back as you need the references!
I second the rave reviews about the staff at The Oceanview Inn and Resort! The owner, Peter, even lent my husband a pair of pants after we discovered (a mere 30 minutes before the wedding) that we'd left them at home in Connecticut.
Posted by: Melissa Lang | September 01, 2008 at 06:53 AM