A Garden Wedding
Bainbridge Island, Washington
We knew it was coming. When my godson came home with a beautiful young woman named Selah, we know it was coming. In fact, his mother and I began talking about garden weddings almost immediately.( Another red, black and white wedding, of course!) So when the official wedding date was set for October 10, 2010, we didn’t bat an eye. After all, MerriAnn helped me start up studio G occasions, and was my assistant coordinator for the first year I was in business as studio G. This would be a snap.
However, in February, when the date was moved up to June, there was a flurry of activity. MerriAnn, having read Jane Austen, I’m sure, thought, “One can never have too large a party.” She immediately decided the wedding would be combined with her 25th wedding anniversary, her in-laws 50th, and did I mention her middle son was graduating from high school that weekend?
MerriAnn & her husband Mark own a lovely rental cottage on their property, called The Beach Glass Cottage, so it was decided to take advantage of their lovely gardens and hold the wedding at home.
While MerriAnn and I created a design scheme that was both garden-y and elegant and inexpensive, since there were extremely limited resources to work with; Ryan went home to Florida to work on education; and Selah to find a dress and new employment. Selah ended up ordering the dress online from China, which terrified me, but ended up being just beautiful.
My husband, Ryan’s godfather, was asked to preside over the wedding ceremony, and though he is an architect, he had been ordained by our church and has served as assistant pastor, elder and teacher at various times throughout the years.
The groom’s cousin, Andrew McDonnell, who is squandering his photographic talent by pursuing his doctorate at MIT, provided the photography for the day, along with Allison, a close family friend.
Ryan and Selah are very passionate, artistic individuals, so as you might expect some things were left to or changed at the last minute. Although they had put much thought into their ceremony, which was a combination of the Jewish and Christian tradition, and into their unique vows, they had not yet put pen to paper. I received their re-draft of their custom ceremony at about 10 pm the night of the rehearsal. Since the middle son’s graduation brunch and ceremony were the following day, so I had make time to sort that out in time for my husband to review when he arrived from the retreat at which he was teaching.
After picking up some extra beverages from the store and the graduate’s godfather from the ferry terminal, my family and I went to toast the graduate. Then I started prepping & greening vases for centerpieces & pulling aside flowers for the bouquets. After everyone had gone off to the ceremony, I spent the next 3 hours making the centerpieces and boutonnieres with the flowers they had purchased.
I saved the bouquets for MerriAnn & her sister who wanted to create them in the morning. I headed out earlier this time, after shuttling the godfather to his hotel -home by about 10. But I still had to make filling for the 100 canoli shells I had made Friday morning. Bed by 1 am this time.
Sunday I had to pick up the 3 cakes at Bainbridge Island’s Town and Country Market - one for the happy couple, one for the parent's silver anniversary, and one for the grandparent's golden anniversary. When I arrived at the house, my assistant Diane was there setting up already, the bouquets had just been finished, and the house was a flurry of activity. Even though I was supposed to be a guest for the day, I had to be who I am, and I joined the activity.
We decided the entry path was just too grey and lifeless –so I purchased some rock salt at the last minute. With it, my daughter and the groom's uncle created a monogram with butterflies ( a wedding theme) and stars (a thing the bride loves) that was a surprising and different entrée to the ceremony site.
We used lovely white wooden folding chairs from Kitsap Event Rental, who also provided the reception tables. Red petals were strewn along the ceremony aisle, and two large urns were embellished with plants, branches, and crystals.
My husband did a great job on his first wedding, giving the couple a hard time for their choice of scriptures. They had listed Song of Solomon 6:8 on their invitation and had insisted he use it in the ceremony. You think you know what it is – “I am my beloved’s and he is mine.” Right? Wrong. That is actually Song of Solomon 6:3. Here is what their verse 8 actually says, “There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, And virgins without number.” It brought a chuckle to all, needless to say.
For all the music, they used Mike Graham, their church’s worship leader was outstanding, Poor Mike – he set up his sound equipment on top of the table where the bride had (mis)placed her vows, causing groomsmen to scramble mid-ceremony to look for them.
Tables were set with my arsenal of silver candelabras and mercury glass lanterns, plus julep cups, and an eclectic mix of red bottles and vases, laid out along black and ivory damask runners made from drapery fabric.
Uncles Dave & Guy and close family friend Michael B. were indispensable here. Who know these men were so artistic!
Since rental china was out of the budget, we chose high quality disposable goods from Smarty Had A Party, an online party store with an amazing selection of fun disposable goods.
We did rent stemware for the almond champagne purchased especially for the occasion – a favorite of the groom’s parents.
Simplify!, the caterer, who is a another family friend just starting out in the business did a nice job for her first wedding, serving an array of appetizers, antipasti, orzo grilled shrimp, and Caesar and caprese salads. In addition to the 3 small cakes and my cannolis, my mother-in-law and sister in law made several huge trays of a to-die-for tiramisu.
After lengthy toasts, and lots of laughing, talking, and dancing, Ryan and Selah were sent off with had a very smoky sparkler send off (this is why you buy the more expensive metal ones!) in the neighbor's convertible bug, complete with sign & tin cans.
It was truly a group effort, and although those of us who pitched in were tired out by all our efforts, we were blessed to be able to provide a gorgeous celebration of love and marriage for three generations.
