The decor of our wedding was fresh and modern–subtle with pops of color and a clean finish. I am not one for rhinestones and Eric is not a fan of pizzazz, so we went the route of “less is more.” In our 10 months of engagement we enlisted many friends and family members in the collaboration of our day. It was another way of bringing others into our joy and anticipation: Eric and I carefully (and at times painstakingly) crafted each seating “pear”; my sister with astonishing handwriting completed the mirrored seating chart; a family friend concocted batches upon batches of her famous Coffee Crunch Bars for our wedding favors; Eric’s mother and father prepared dozens of fresh cookies for our dessert bar. My desire for our wedding was to have every detail be intentional–nothing haphazard or overlooked. For instance, Eric and I, in our time of dating and engagement, have had the tremendous opportunity to travel the world. Each of our table names, purchased from Wedding Monograms on Etsy, reflected a city in which we had spent time–whether separately or together.
While a large portion of our day was that lovely collaboration, some tasks are best left to the experts. Jen of Bonne Bouche Caterers produced the most spectacular spread from appetizers to dessert bar treats. Having a September wedding—summer on the cusp of fall—we wanted to play up a taste of each season. Jen sourced the ingredients locally and kept the flavors fresh with appetizers of zesty Gazpacho, Ahi Tuna Mini Tacos, and Lobster Crème Fraiche Corn Cakes. While it makes the RSVP’s a bit complicated, Eric and I opted for three entrée choices: beef, chicken, and veg. (Eric’s wedding present to himself was consuming all three options). The beef tenderloin was melt-in-your-mouth incredible, marinated in red wine and garlic then crusted with rosemary and sea salt; the chicken breast was pan-roasted with a caper, white wine, lemon and artichoke sauce; finally, the vegetarian option (of my own choosing) was sweet potato and vegetable curry served on a bed of jasmine rice. Wow, I am craving these dishes all over again just thinking about it!
Keeping in line with our “giving choices” mantra, we opted for a dessert bar with a small, ceremonial cake for cutting. Bonne Bouche Caterers presented amazing fruit tarts and chocolate raspberry ganache bites to accompany the other family-made items. The wedding cake, though smaller, was an incredible piece of work—Topsfield Bakeshop executed my vision perfectly to create a modern, sleek design that had sweet details.
Cocktail hour consisted of passed Prosecco (my pick over champagne any day) and water. This kept the vibe light and made sure no one filled up too much on beer and booze. While Eric and I hated the idea of a cash bar, we needed to be aware of cost and did a limited open bar: beer, wine, and one specialty drink. My brother Josh, master mixologist, spent months perfecting our signature cocktail.
The reception was an absolute blast. It was the much needed release from all emotions and jitters leading up to the wedding. DJ Nixx kept the dance floor jam-packed with the perfect spin of chart-toppers, N*Sync throwbacks, oldies hits, and the ideal number of slow dances. Have I mentioned this was the happiest day of my life? We never tired of smiling, hugging, laughing, and sharing joyous moments with so many phenomenal people.
Tomorrow will feature my favorite little nuggets from the day. Stay tuned!
