I got married almost four years ago. I’m not one of those women who planned out every detail of her big day when she was five. I didn’t really start thinking about my wedding until I found someone that I actually wanted to marry. So when my husband proposed, I had only a rough idea of the wedding I wanted.
I knew I would prefer for it to be outdoors, ideally at a castle. I also wanted a string quartet to play as I walked down the aisle. And that was pretty much all I had envisioned.
Since I’m a realistic person who knows there aren’t all that many castles in Northeastern United States, I kept an open mind when we started looking at locations. We almost got married in a tiny little church, but it was under renovation and wouldn’t be finished in time for our wedding, so, as luck would have it, I did get married at a castle.
Now, when you think of a castle you probably wouldn’t picture Gillette Castle, but, hey, it is a castle and the view overlooking the Connecticut River is gorgeous.
Our reception was held at a new golf club about 45 minutes away with a dining room that overlooked a lake. The 45-minute drive was not ideal, but completely doable for our guests. Also, since Foxwoods Casino was right across the street, many of our guests wound up spending the night anyway. Unfortunately, because it was the weekend after the 4th of July, there was a big fireworks display that night that caused tons of traffic, so we beat most of our guests to the wedding. But these are the kinds of things that make for an interesting story later on and also act as a cautionary tale for others who are getting married. So, make sure to check out if there are any big events happening the day you’re getting married…besides your wedding.
Our reception was beautiful. Our first dance was preformed with style and grace. (We’d taken lessons because my husband’s sense of rhythm is somewhat lacking). Dinner was enjoyed. The simple, yet elegant cake was cut. I knocked my good friend in the face while tossing my bouquet. My husband and I made sure to eat the dinner that we’d carefully picked out, mingle with everyone at their tables between courses and spend lots of time on the dance floor.
The most simple advice I can give for how to have a great wedding is to have good food, great company, fabulous music and an open bar. With that combination your wedding will be a night everyone will enjoy.
Happily Ever After,
{pictures by Mike Ross Photography}
