Sarah + Colin
Waterman's Beach
South Thomaston, ME
August 24, 2013
It is very hard for me to put into words just how special this wedding was. Sarah is one of my dearest friends in the whole world. She is lovely, kind, thoughtful and all around sweet. When she met Colin, I knew immediately that he was just as special. They were so natural together, their interactions so easy, that everyone lucky enough to be around them could just tell it was true love.
What made this wedding even more special for me, was that Sarah and Colin introduced me to my main squeeze, Tyler. You see, Tyler and Colin were roommates, rowing teammates and best friends all through college. Isn't that a fantasy, a relationship with built in besties!? And now Tyler and I were both a part of this wedding, together! Oh, well, I just love love ...and friendship and family. So this one was really precious. Anyhow, I digress...back to the details.
When Sarah called to tell me that Colin proposed, and that she wanted to have the wedding 8 months later, I was ecstatic. You see, part of the reason Sarah and I became such fast friends is that we both LOVE to craft, cook, grow, design and hand-make special treats of any kind. And each time we plan a project, we have an eerily similar vision...not to mention we usually show up wearing the same outfit! We immediately started scrutinizing over Pinterest, wedding style blogs and magazines. It was an honor to help her as she created the event and offer my experienced advice along the way.
After fleshing out exactly what she envisioned, she and Colin settled on maps as a theme. You see, both of them have deep roots in their home states (Maine and California)...they both love and value the places they were raised. So maps were very fitting.
The wedding invitation (a giant fold out map of the US with hearts on San Diego and Owl's Head) was guests' first glimpse of the map theme. Hand made paper map luminaries, map heart garlands, and map stamps were tediously designed for the reception, over many months. By the end, Sarah was calling her dining room "the wedding sweatshop", just to give you an idea of the time spent slaving over these decorations.
For the dining area, guests were seated in long feast style tables, each one carefully named for bodies of water that were important in the couple's lives. White linens were topped with craft paper and dotted with varying sized map luminaries. Interspersed between them were a collection of gorgeous vintage vases, bottles, mason jars and other vessels that Sarah and her mom, Joyce, had been collecting. The flowers were simple green and white locally grown blossoms arranged organically by friends and family helpers.
Over the buffet table an ocean weathered tree branch was hung and adorned with glass globes lit with votives. Antique wood box crates, vintage table linens and owl figures were sprinkled about for a cozy feeling. For the dessert table and bar, we accessorized with hand-stitched and stenciled linen buntings that Sonal and I made the week before over a beer (rough life, I know). Bales of hay covered with blue and green quilts were strewn around the dance floor for lounging. Gifts were placed in Sarah's childhood row-boat, the Sarah~Kent.
During the cocktail hour, guests lingered in the outdoor "room" Sarah and her parents created with wine barrel tables, a dinghy full of beer, and delightful basil vodka lemonade sipped through adorable paper straws. Highlights of this cocktail hour had to be the abundant cheese and fruit spread (Ohmigod, the fresh figs!!!!) and some pretty generous lobster roll sliders (yum)!
The piece de resistance of the evening was most definitely the "Bugster"....Sarah's father's antique yellow VW bug (Dave restored it himself), that drove Sarah right onto the lawn for her grand entrance down the aisle. After the ceremony, two giant balloons were placed in the backseat...and the best picture ever was born! (sorry, tooting my own horn right now)
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| THE GREATEST PICTURE I'VE EVER TAKEN....The kiss, the vintage car, the natural setting, the whimsy of those BALLOONS, the sun...perfection! |
The rest of the night was filled with loving toasts from friends and siblings, a musical performance by Colin's dad and his brothers, a first dance that ended with all guests serenading Sarah and Colin, and one heck of a dance party!! The event was simple, easy, relaxed and filled with SO MUCH LOVE! It was nothing short of awesome.
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| Maine and California touches were present throughout the day |
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| Clever hand made signs from Sarah's dad |
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| Love inspired quotes spread throughout the reception were a sweet touch |
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| The simple and stunning cake atop a crystal pedestal with teeny paper buntings and beautiful shell topper (darn tasty too!) |
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| Colin's brother, Galen, toasting the happy couple. |
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| "I DO"..."ME 2" - I liked the adorable little saying on the favor boxes so much I decided to carry it through to Gold+Bee's buntings |
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| A sweet touch from the bride: cupcake toppers saved from her bachelorette party was placed on the sweets table...oh and hand made donuts! |
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| Sarah's mom handmade ALL of these heart shaped garlands from maps of California and Maine...incredible! |
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| The sweets table included a bunting, nautical lanterns, antique box crates and old family photos paying respect to grand parents. |
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| Another simple touch with big impact from Sarah's mom...white flags modeled after the flags atop the sail tent. Genius! |
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| View of the sail tent from the road...overlooking Waterman's beach in South Thomaston, ME |
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| The head table for the bride and grooms friends and siblings. Named for Lake Washington, where Colin used to row in college. |
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| Sweet fingerprint guest book |
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| Guests surprised the bride and groom by singing the last verse of their wedding song to them as they had the first dance |
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| Stay young, Go dancing! |
Love on and create!
Gold+Bee
Photo credits:Justine Johnson Photography (the really good ones) + Bee's iPhone (the not so good ones)
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