Wedding Bells: Cape May Edition

Saturday August 13, 2011- I woke up at 6:30 in the morning, an unheard of hour for me.  Alas, I did it! I brushed my teeth, dressed and headed downstairs to "Founder's Hall," a room in the hotel that the bridal party had to get made up in.

The room itself is something to write about, much like most of the rooms in Congress Hall.  It has bright sapphire blue walls, ornate gold trim everywhere and fun fuchsia infused fabric!  Bold and beautiful.  We were supposed to be down there by 7 to begin our hair and makeup.      

Eileen getting veiled... jumping the gun, but the best picture of the room I have!

Over the next five hours, we were all hair'd and make-up'd.  Eileen gave us our jewelery for the wedding, pearl drop earrings and a double stranded white and black pearl bracelet.  Beautiful.  She also gave us each a gold necklace with an angel wing, our initial and birthstone.  It was so sweet, and I love it- I definitely put it on immediately after the reception with my bridesmaid dress for the post-wedding-hanging-out-at-the-hotel-bar- times. 

The box our gold necklaces came in color coordinated with the reception hall... of course !

Whilst we were getting made up, I sent my handy-dandy-friend-slash-life-saver Katie to the store to buy me a strapless bra since I had conveniently left mine in Houston.  At one point I almost left my bridesmaid dress, so we'll chalk this mistake up to a win.  Thankfully there is a lingerie store super close to the hotel so I called ahead and let them know that she was coming with my ID and credit card so they would let her buy it.  I told them I was getting ready for a wedding, so when she arrived they snootily asked "Is this for the bride?" ..."no, no...it's for a bridesmaid..." calm yourselves. 

Anyway- Katie saved the day.  Snaps to her !  ... also coming in snap worthy-- dress tape.  Find it. Invest. Bring it to all wedding moments.  No one likes a wardrobe malfunction.

Moving on.

Circa de noonish- the photographers arrived and began their thing.  I took one photographer up to the man room where Bennett, Dad and the groomsmen we waiting and also brought them their boutonnieres.  I don't think there is anything cuter than guys helping put boutonnieres on one another.  :o)

Down in Founder's Hall, we each took individual shots with Eileen.  She also had her own mini photo shoot.  She's more in the shy side when it comes to the attention being on her, I on the other hand eat that stuff up.  I should probably tone it down. Eh.

The trolleys they had rented began picking guests up at the hotel at 1:15 and bringing them to the church about 15 minutes away.  There were 3 trolley runs-the Bridal party being in the last.  Eileen and her grandfather rode in a antique car they had for the day- I can't believe I don't have a picture of it...truly awesome.  Bennett and Dad had driven out there already in Bennett's car.

My grandparents on the trolley!

Once we arrived at the church it was go time.

I really wish I knew what I was doing here...

Lined up and walking in!

Then the MOH

...and the beautiful bride 

The church ...built in 1876 I'll have you...

this is what I'm saying

was packed ! A little different than wedding part I.  BUT, it was wonderful.  It was really great to have so many friends and family so close together (literally and figuratively).  Its been almost a year since we were so closely surrounded by that many people who mean so much to us and it was really heartwarming.  Even though I cried the entire ceremony, it was a very heartfelt moment.  As a whole, it felt very intimate- even with the 180 person guest list ( don't know how many came to the ceremony- the church is supposed to max out a 120...we had a few standing in the back)  I loved the size of the church, I could see almost everyone's face.  It really added a sense of closeness to the otherwise large guest list.  Thank you St. Peter's by the Sea.

one of the few shots where I'm not wiping my eyes.

The packed church, vow renewal, and me with a kleenex.

The bridal party stood the whole time, to help conserve space.  You can't tell from these pictures, but after the first regular pew, there are smaller choir pews the are perpendicular to the other pews and the altar.  This was really cool because the families sat on their respective sides. I think this help with the intimate feeling. *snaps*

My mom's cousin, Father Henry gave a wonderful and beautiful service.  In his homily he spoke about how your wedding day shouldn't be the happiest day of your life... it can be the happiest day up until that point, but that more happiness should follow.  I liked it.  Eileen's 13 year old brother complimented him on it later.  ha ha.

After some I Do's B & E remained husband and wife and recessed out of the church to a Motown tune.  It was fun.   The guests were all given a handful of "Wedding Rice" aka heart shaped sprinkles (we ate some...totally sprinkles!)  and then tossed (or pelted) them at Bennett and Eileen as they walked down the stairs of the church.  It was really cute! I picked sprinkles off people (including out of my grandfather's hair) for the next 15 minutes.  Two trolleys were waiting ready to take people back to the hotel to freshen up, rest, or do their thing before cocktail hour two hours later at 5.  The wedding party waited for the last trolley, and Bennett and Eileen took off in the super sweet antique car.  So sad I didn't take a picture.

When we got back to the hotel it was time for wedding party and family photos.  I was given the task of wrangling our side of the family together for photo time.  They had not all been informed that the extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, gparents etc) were included in the photo sesh.  So a few frantic phone calls later the wrangling had ceased.  Whilst the family assembled, B & E were off being the stars of the paparazzi.   After the flashes and clicks had ceased I ran upstairs to our room for a quick refresh.

At 5 o'clock cocktail hour commenced on the back porch of the hotel.  There were tons of passed hors d'oeuvres - including sesame chicken, salmon pinwheels and, naturally, mini bite-size french onion soup in bread bowls! Color me blown away. That just happened...

Me and my mini french onion soup bread bowl. Genius.

The weather was great as people mingled and moved between the food and bar.  It began to drizzle at one point but we were mostly safe under the roof.  Guests also picked up their escort cards while outside, complete with a color coordinated candy stick attached to a hand calligraphitized envelope housing your table number...

my escort card !

Cocktail hour was so fun, I got to give my feet a rest from my heels by slipping into Toms for a little while (my usual post-ceremony foot gear) It was a great time to mingle and see all the people who traveled far and wide to come to the wedding ! I snuck into the reception hall a few minutes before they started letting people in to get some pictures of the room without people everywhere...

those are sugar flowers on the cake. seriously.

I could eat the room for dinner.

It really is as amazing as it looks

The incredible centerpieces! AND check out the pink champagne for the toasts (per E's genius request) !!

 Once all the guests were in the reception hall and at their tables it was time for the grand entrance.  The parents then wedding party were introduced.  We lined up alongside the dance floor and waited for B & E to join the party.

B & E's grand entrance!

They went right into their first dance, which was awesome and danced to "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. They even had an epic dip, but I was too much in awe to catch it on film...err memory disk.
After their dance they invited the wedding party and anyone else out to start dancing.  Within seconds the entire dance floor was packed and then some!  I've never seen anything like it.  Twas magical.  There was an entire dance set, full of the greatest tunes ever, before we even sat down.

We moved into the champagne toasts from the MOH and Best Man - so heartfelt and beautiful, I cried.  After the toasts was the salad course- completely delicious pear and walnut salad.  Then what other than...Dancing!! There was another dance set in between courses.  This might be the most brilliant idea I've ever seen.  This was a no-down-time kind of reception...as they should be! I was either dancing or eating at all times.  It was my two favorite things for 4 hours straight....who could ask for more?

Between courses we were given lemon sorbet to cleanse our palates ...

my palate cleanser...i think it looks like an egg.

Then there was the main dish... filet, crab cake, pureed parsnip, veggies. mhmm.

As it should be.

Cutting the beautiful rasberry filled lemon cake ! 

Post dinner only means...more dancing.

Now... lets talk about the music.  The band was awesome! I have never been to a wedding with a more fun music selection.  Everyone was up and dancing almost the entire time. I wish there was a font or something that could truly express the amount of fun had.  BUT, there isn't. So...take my word. :o)  The band, Alive N Kickin', had a one hit wonder back in the day.  It was the last song of the night- Tighter, Tighter and it rocked.  Bennett and Eileen even joined the band for the song. 

A highlight of the night was the impromptu serenade of E by two of the groomsmen to "You've lost the lovin' feelin" per the stylings of Top Gun.  Complete with aviators. The band played the song and sang softly as the groomsmen belted it out.  They even got the front desk to print off the lyrics. Excellent. Move. You. Two. ! 

the serenade !

B&E tamborining it out ! 

The night ended too soon.  And by ended...i mean moved about twenty feet to the left to the hotel bar.  Fun was had by all. Then it may have moved downstairs to the club in the basement of the hotel.  These people go big.

Katie and I called it a night circa de 2 o'clock...my father was still downstairs partying when we left. Go Steve.



whew. That was a lot.  In short- it was a wonderful, beautiful and fantastically fun filled few days.  I am so thankful to have E as part of our family now, and we couldn't have celebrated any more in style.

handy-dandy-friend-slash-life-saver Katie and me

Snap Jar:
- Katie's save the day run to the bra shop!
- Who ever decided that painting a reception hall Tiffany blue with a black and white checkered wooden floor.
- Mini- french onion soups.
-St. Peter's by the Sea.
-POCKETS  in the bridesmaid dresses!! GREAT. IDEA. EVER.  Came in super handy during the ceremony since I cried the entire time !
- The band.
-The serenade.
-the band, again.
-Cocktail hour.
-The calligraphy.
- B&E
-Dancing to Sweet Caroline with my family... who took "touching me, touching you..." as license to slap me simultaneously 

OH AND I ALMOST FORGOT... E had silhouettes of her and Bennett made on Etsy to use on the program and the menu cards.  I don't have a picture of the menu, but here's the program...

I know it's not very big, but the silhouettes look just like them!

They had also printed out a larger version and matted it with a huge white matting which served as the guest book! So fun.


Overall, everything went off without a hitch.  Other than the wedding coordinator arriving... uh... about 4 hours late.  And the hunt for the flowers which went something like this:

phone convo...

MOH: Hi, I'm calling about the flowers for the wedding at Congress Hall today
Florist: yes... ?
MOH: yeah... where are they? 

OK. I'm excited.  It was great. I wrote a lot.  This may be longer than anything I ever had to write in college.  This is why they always say do what you love!

xo