A Classic Boston Wedding

“Classic, elegant, and fun”

Congratulations on your wedding! What made you decide on having your wedding with us at Fairmont?

We wanted a venue that truly represented historical Boston. The Fairmont captured that history, while exuding classic elegance. We fell in love with the friendliness of the staff at the Fairmont, the fun of the Oak Room, and the location of downtown Boston. Once we walked into the Oval Room and saw we would be seated in the center of a semi-circle surrounded by our loved ones, we were sold! Carly and Catie Copley were a definite bonus!

Where did you have your ceremony?

We held our ceremony across Copley Square, at Old South Church.

Tell us about the flowers you chose. Did you go traditional or contemporary?

We chose light pinks, ivories, and greens, including garden roses, hydrangeas, hypericum berries, and ranunculus. The Oval Room contained more traditional centerpieces, while we included pops of fun, such as floating limes in tall and short vases at cocktail hour. We loved our florist Beach Plum Florals and can't recommend them more. At the end of the night, they returned to donate the centerpieces to a hospice, an element that was important to us.

Tell us about the meal you served your guests. What type and flavor cake did you have at your reception?

Being in Boston, we served a traditional raw bar at cocktail hour. For dinner, guests had a choice of beef tenderloin with a gorgonzola cheese crumble and cognac cream demi-glace or grilled atlantic salmon with a charred citrus basil butter sauce. We also offered a vegetarian truffle risotto. We had a small Strawberry Orange Blossom cutting cake by Cakes to Remember. However, since the bride is an admitted cupcake lover, we offered guests our favorite, Georgetown Cupcakes. After dessert, we served late night snacks, including french fries, chicken fingers, and sliders. Our dancing guests enjoyed this feature!

Where did you go on your honeymoon? Tell us about it.

We went to Sandals' Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. This was our first tropical getaway as a couple and we LOVED it! We were treated royally and even had our own butler. Our highlight of the trip was a snorkeling catamaran cruise, where we stopped to climb Dunn's River Falls.

What element(s) did you add to make the wedding uniquely 'yours'?

We filtered our colors of pink and gold throughout the wedding, as well as our Boston theme. Guests at the hotel were greeted with a gift box that included Boston food favorites. Escort cards and table numbers featured a picture of the Boston skyline. Guests were seated at tables named after our favorite date spots in Boston. On the back of guests’ menus, we wrote a thank you note, in which we mentioned a donation in guests' honor to the Alzheimer's Association, a charity close to our hearts. On the gift table, guests placed cards into a pink mailbox and could also look at wedding pictures of our grandparents. We also had His, Hers and Ours signature cocktails. Mike loves mojitos, so he chose the Mikejito and Beth chose her favorite drink to be Marry Me Margaritas. In ode to our honeymoon in Jamaica, the Ours drink was the Jamaican Me Crazy Rum Punch-a guest favorite! One final special element is that before the wedding, the bridesmaids brought Elizabeth's wedding shoes to Michael and he penned a special note on the bottom for her to read.

Another integral part of the day is the wedding dress! Tell us about what you chose to wear. Did you follow the old English saying "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue"?

After trying on many dresses, Elizabeth fell in love with a dress by Allure Bridals. She incorporated lace from her Nana's wedding dress around the stem of her bouquet. Her something new was her veil, which was created for her by her favorite local seamstress. Her something blue was her rehearsal dinner dress.

What was the first song you danced to as newlyweds?

Our first song was David Gray's "You're the World to Me", a long-time favorite song of ours. We took dance lessons, which was a favorite part of our preparation process. So much fun! When we cut our cake, we also danced to Train's "Marry Me", which was a special encore moment for us.

Now that you are married and have had time to reflect on your wedding day, what was your favorite moment?

Both of us agree that our favorite moment was when Elizabeth danced with her father to Van Morrison's "Bright Side of the Road". Elizabeth gifted her father with a private dance lesson for Father's Day, where they learned basic moves for the dance. However, when she arrived on the dance floor, she, the groom, and their families were blown away when her father let loose and pulled out all the stops. It is a sure favorite and cherished memory for all.

Vendors & Service Providers:

Photography: Melissa Robotti Photography: www.melissarobottiphotography.com
Music: Freestyle by Wilson Stevens Productions: http://wilsonstevens.com/bands/freestyle-band/
Flowers: Beach Plum Floral www.beachplumfloral.com
Uplighting: PSAV
Dress: Allure gown bought at La Reine Bridal- ask for Deema http://lareinebride.com
Invitations: Cordially Yours http://cordially-yours.carlsoncraft.com
Programs, table numbers and escort cards: The Happy Frog www.thehappyfrog.com
Veil: Doris Couture, Needham
Hair and Make Up: Teal Hair and Makeup Studio http://teal-studio.com
Brides shoes: Kate Spade, Chestnut Hill
Bridesmaids' Dresses: Bari Jay dresses specially styled by Style My Bridal www.stylemybridal.com
Groomsmens' Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse
Groom’s Tux: Brooks Brothers
First Dance and Father Daughter Dance lessons: Hamby Ballroom Dance www.hambyballroomdance.com and Ballroom Bliss http://ballroom-bliss.com
Rentals Unlimited for chairs and gold sequin sweetheart tablecloth: www.rentals-unlimited.net
Georgetown Cupcakes: www.georgetowncupcake.com
Cakes to Remember: http://cakestoremember.biz
Trolley: A Formal Affair www.aformalaffairlimousine.com
Photo Booth: Parrott's Photo Booth http://parrottsphotobooth.com