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REAL WEDDINGS

Lindsey & Eric’s New Hampshire Wedding

Our hearts have been swept off to sea! Eric and Lindsey choose the historic and effortlessly beautiful Wentworth by The Sea as the backdrop for their wedding day. Told in the bride’s own words, with photography by Brea McDonald that speaks for itself, this is a love story that won’t be soon forgotten.

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Q: Can you tell us a little about you and your husband?

A: I’m originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and I went to Connecticut College. I grew up spending my summers in Maine, and part of the reason I chose to settle in Boston is because of its proximity to Maine and the coast. I work for a socially responsible investment management firm in downtown Boston, and recently finished my MBA. Eric is from Hingham, Massachusetts and went to the University of Vermont. He loves the ocean too and is one of those guys who surfs in the spring and fall when the water is frigid! He and his dad own and operate a parking business in downtown Boston near Fenway.

Q: How did you meet?

A: We first met at a New Year’s Party in 2008, but we were both dating other people at the time. We didn’t see each other again until the following May when I went with some mutual friends to his surprise birthday party. We hit it off and the rest, as they say, is history!

Q: How did you get engaged?

A: The proposal was totally a surprise. We had been together for 4 years, but I was both full-time in my job and going to business school at night, so Eric kept it to himself that he was saving up to buy a ring. Meanwhile, we decided to plan a trip to visit Eric’s brother and sister-in-law, who were living in Australia at the time. We all planned to meet up in Queenstown, New Zealand for a few days at the beginning of the trip. We arrived in mid-February after three flights and a lot of security checkpoints – fortunately I was oblivious to the ring Eric had hiding in his carry-on! We had plans to zipline down the hills surrounding Queenstown that first afternoon of our trip, so we decided to take the gondola up early in the day to check out the view. We walked out to a extremely narrow skyline walk. Eric suggested we take a picture, but then muttered something about needing to tie his shoe. I put my hand on his shoulder to steady myself as he bent down, and the next thing I know he was on one knee, holding a black box with an engagement ring. It was such a blur, but I won’t ever forget what he said: “I’ve traveled halfway across the world to ask you something I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time. Will you marry me?” I was so surprised I didn’t know what to do so I just kissed him and eventually remembered to say yes.

Q: Can you describe the vision for your wedding day?

A: Because of our love of the coast, we knew we wanted to get married by the water. We looked at venues in Maine, but a lot of them were out of the way and we didn’t want to inconvenience our guests, many of whom would be traveling long distances. We love the town of Portsmouth, and found Wentworth by the Sea had all the things we were looking for: rocky coastal setting, a large sail cloth Sperry tent, excellent menu options and table service, and a fun New England seaside town nearby for people to stay in. As far as the look and feel we were going for, we wanted to have a combination of classic seaside elegance with hints of vintage and a little color to bring in some happy notes.

Q: What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day?

A: There were so many great moments, but my favorite was our “first look” before the ceremony when Eric turned around to see me. It was such a happy, private moment when we could just let the emotions of everything rush in. All of the work we put into it was done, and now we could just celebrate the meaning of it together. It made the ceremony less pressure-filled so that we both felt more present.

Q: What advice do you have for other couples planning their wedding?

A: Take some time after you get engaged to not plan anything. Then when you’re ready, have a conversation about what you both want out of the day. The details will come together later. It really helped when we were able to finally decide on the place and the date for the wedding, which allows you then to picture the dress, and the colors and theme you want. We had a year and a half to plan, which helped us to book the vendors we wanted without too much trouble. Also, my best friend gave me a really good piece of advice – take time before the rush leading up to the wedding to take a weekend or a night away together and agree to not talk about the wedding. It’s easy to get engrossed in the details of planning, and temporarily lose sight of the big picture.

Q: Any advice for planning your registry?

A: My mom was insistent that I have a registry, and I’m so glad that she encouraged me to set one up because it’s more fun to open a gift than a gift card, which gets used without much thought about the person who gave it to you. Take your time, and start early if you can. I can be very indecisive, so I wanted to be careful about what I selected. Also, be sure to provide a large range of options in terms of price – you’d be surprised how much people want to spend on you!

Venue: Wentworth by the Sea Country Club

Floral Design, Event Design and Planning: Beautiful Days Events

Photography: Brea McDonald Photography

Linens: Rentals Unlimited & La Tavola

Tent: Sperry Tents Seacoast

Trolly: Seacoast Trolly

Hair: Jackie Norris, Wedding Tresses

Make-up: Joya Beauty

Wedding Dres: Romona Keveza, Madeleine’s Daughter

Brides Shoes & Accessories: Badgley Mischka shoes and family heirlooms

Bridesmaids: Jenny Yoo

Groomsmen: Egara & Peter Blair

Cake: Wild Orchid Baking Company

Band: Good Will & Them Apples

Paper: Gus & Ruby Letterpress

 

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