Welcome to the latest installment of the “I Do” Interviews! This month our series features Meghan and Joe, a wonderful couple who held their micro wedding with us just as the leaves started to change in late September. Their original plans may not have panned out due to the global health crisis, but we were excited to help plan a beautiful, intimate wedding of their dreams.
This wedding interview series is meant to give future couples a chance to hear the wonderful experiences from those who have recently been there. Our couples have agreed to share their stories so others can hear about everything from their one-of-a-kind wedding, to their incredible partner, at a picture-perfect venue.
Date of Wedding:
September 26th, 2020
Wedding Event Space: The ceremony was under the pergola and the reception was held in the Lighthouse Point room.
Where are you originally from?
Joe and I are both originally from Reading, MA, but we bought a house in Tewksbury about 3 years ago.
What do you do for work?
I am a mental health therapist for children, teens, and young adults.
How did you meet your bride or groom?
Joe and I actually went to high school together. We were in the same homeroom and did drama club together, but we were NOT friends, haha. We started hanging out as friends the summer going into our sophomore year of college. I went to Wheelock College and Joe went to Wentworth, which is a 10 minute walk from each other in the Fenway area of Boston, so we continued to stay friends when the school year started.
On October 29th, Hurricane Sandy hit the Boston area. My roommate and I decided it was a “good idea” to walk to Wentworth that day…where we got stuck for the night due to the storm. Something that night just “clicked” and Joe and I decided to become a couple. We have been together ever since for almost 8 years!
What made you choose Danversport, and this venue/room specifically?
Joe and I got engaged in April 2019 in Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower. We began planning our 250 person wedding, but unfortunately due to COVID-19, we were forced to move our large reception to 2021. We decided to still get married this year though, and knew we wanted to do something small to still honor the day, so we began looking for locations to hold our “mini-wedding”. Our junior prom was actually at Danversport, so we decided to look there knowing it was a beautiful setting. We were fortunate enough to have Danversport take us in on such short notice, and we are SO grateful because everything was absolutely perfect!
How many guests did you have in attendance roughly?
25 due to COVID-19.
What did you offer for food/drink catering?
We started cocktail hour with the Spritz bar, which was a huge hit. Wanting to keep things casual, and because we love seafood, we decided to have a clambake for our reception meal. Everything was delicious, but I have to say my favorite part of the meal were the steamers and clam chowder. Even if our guests weren’t seafood lovers, I feel like there was something for everyone to eat with the package we got, it was perfect!
We also decided to have some fun with the idea of the clambake by ordering custom lobster bibs, suiting to the times we are currently going through! I also just want to give a huge thank you to all the staff who assisted us on our special day. [They] were awesome and so accommodating with all the COVID restrictions!
What was the most magical, moving or special part of the wedding for you?
Growing up, I never pictured my dream wedding only being 25 people. However, looking back at it now, the intimacy and love that I felt within such a small group of people was absolutely magical and so moving. Joe and I wrote our own vows, so I think we were both also nervous to say them out loud in front of a large group of people. Being able to hear each other’s vows in this setting made it so much more meaningful and took a lot of the pressure off of us. This past year has been super tough, so being able to have a day that was perfect in every way was just so rewarding and almost like a light in the middle of tough times.
Did you have a wedding theme?
I wouldn’t say it was a “theme”, but since we got engaged I knew I wanted sunflowers to be a focal point of the wedding. Sunflowers symbolize adoration, loyalty, and longevity, which I feel is just so perfect in defining our relationship. I also love Fall, so I stuck with the sunflowers and deep reds for my color pallet!
What type of style was your dress?
My real wedding dress is actually from Kleinfelds in New York…and is currently still in New York due to the pandemic haha. I found something last minute to wear for this year, keeping it simple with a beautiful hairpiece instead of a veil as well!
What was the song you danced to for your first dance?
We chose not to have our first dance this year.
Who walked you down the aisle?
My dad walked me down the aisle. I am super proud of him for holding it together, because I would have cried if he had started to…
What are/were your plans for your honeymoon?
Our ultimate destination, post-COVID, is to go to Thailand. We did take a mini-moon this year though! We rented a cabin in Vermont for a few days! One of our favorite things to do is travel to breweries together, so it was nice to get a change of scenery for a few days and check out some new breweries together. The foliage was also spectacular!
Happily Ever After
Meghan and Joe enjoyed such a private and personal ceremony and reception at Danversport. Although they plan to still have their large wedding at a time that is safe, we are so honored to have been a part of this intimate and personal affair. Best of Luck!
