Travel

July 28, 2009

club wed:

Elvis Has Left the Building

Well, we did it. We got hitched. And all I can say is YIPS! PIPS!

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After all that planning, worrying and running around, it was totally worth it. My wedding weekend was perfect. Absolutely, without a doubt, perfect. Everything went according to plan, everything worked out just as we wished, and at the end of it all—I got the raddest hubz in the world!

I want to give an extra-special shout-out to:

**Karen Rood, the wedding coordinator at Wychmere Harbor Club, our amazing wedding venue. Karen was patient, kind, understanding and, most of all, responsible for making everyone and everything run as smoothly as possible. She also dealt with my only ’zilla moment and made sure that my glass was filled with champs at all times. If it weren’t for Karen, there is no way I would have been able to have such a fantastic—and yes, perfect—day.

**The girls at JLM Couture, home of Lazaro. Holla! My wedding dress was the awesome-est, most gorge, totally best-thing-evs. And that’s what all the guests said! Thank you to the fantastic design team at Lazaro for my gorgeous gown—I certainly wouldn’t have felt half as pretty if it weren’t for you. (And my sisters looked fantastique in their Jim Hjlem dresses too!) Mwah to you all.

**Marita Burns, owner extraordinaire of Swan River Seafood Restaurant, the site of our lobstah welcome dinner. The surprise service bar, the stay-as-long-as-you-want attitude and the delish-on-a-dish fresh lobbies made our guests swoon. Marita and her staff went way beyond the call of duty to make our clambake celebration truly special.

Trip woooots (!) to you all!

Now, before I get to the rest of the pictures, here are my Top Five Tips for all you ladies still planning. Arm yourself with them and I promise your day will be as perfect as mine. (I know that may be a mondo guarantee, but trust, I’ve been there.)

Sweat the small stuff. There’s a reason why people say “The devil is in the details.” And it is because the details are the most difficult—and quite frankly—annoying part of planning a wedding. But the details are also the little pieces of magic that make weddings so memorable. From the bags of Cape Cod Chips and the fans brought from Spain in the church to the sparkler send-off and the sandwiches we served late-night, every.single.one of our guests mentioned something about what they thought was that extra-special something.
“Music makes the people come together.” A wise, wise woman wrote that lyric. And let me tell you: She was darn right. Music can make or break your party. When you book your space pay attention to the acoustics. Ask your band or DJ if they have played the space before. Also, inquire if they have a sound tech, which often translates into non-bleeding ears for guests.
Have a photog wrangler. The only item that didn’t go as smooth sailing as the boat we arrived at the reception on was the photo sesh. We have some fantastic photos and great memories, but it could have been a little easier on my vocal cords and nerves. Pick someone who isn’t in the wedding party to help organize and coordinate all of the principle players. A bridesmaid may be a good choice, but I’d suggest a cousin or uncle who knows the entire family and has a booming voice.
Factor in tailoring costs. You discovered pure perfection and it comes in the form of form-fitting lace avec train, the only deal: you need to take it in just a bit. It may seem like a little job and it may well be, but it is going to cost you. My dress fit perfectly. I mean like made for me perfectly and had I worn the 3 inch heels that I wanted, I wouldn’t have needed a hem. Since I didn’t want to tower over Husband, I went shorter on the stiletto and needed a hem. I also got a French bustle attached, so I could boogie the night away. Those little jobs cost me 500 buck-os. So JS.
Let go. There comes a point after all the planning, all the decision-making and all the re-deciding if you made the right choice when you just have to trust your instincts. For me, it happened about two days before the Main Event. And I just resigned myself to know that if it wasn’t done then it wasn’t going to ever be done. All my guests noticed—and enjoyed—the fact that I was so laid-back. It made them feel like I was having as much fun as they were—and they were right!

Now for the part you've been waiting for—the pics!

Our wedding venue, the Wychmere Harbor Club:

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