Tell us about your day: The wedding day began with a ceremony in the carousel building at Goddard Park. This location is special to us because we met while running cross country in high school and the park was frequently used for races. The wedding was officiated by Cliff Alston, the Ross’s brother-in-law, who got ordained online so that we could have an intimate and family-centered ceremony. In keeping with the storybook theme, both of the Ross’s sisters shared readings from books and authors. A lock and key ceremony was also featured, and we shared personal letters we wrote for each other. Following the ceremony, the wedding party took a picture on the race starting line in the park before moving on to the reception in the Rotunda Room of the Crowne Plaza. This space also holds meaning for us as we were first introduced at a cross country banquet there.
Escort cards were made to resemble library catalog cards and each table was numbered by chapter. To continue with this idea, the tables featured a frame with the chapter number as well as a write up of a chapter in our relationship. The centerpieces were stacks of books with a lantern on top.
We started the party with a choreographed first dance, and Xtreme Soundz’s fun playlist kept the dance floor packed all night.
We left briefly after dinner so I could change out of my orange heels and into my teal Vans sneakers. Taking a page from one of our favorite movies, Toy Story, we wrote our names on the soles of each other’s shoes before returning to the reception to dance the night away.
The whole day was honestly better than we could have imagined. Ross and I were awed by how much we enjoyed ourselves. Anytime anyone talks to us about our wedding, the word that keeps coming up is “fun.” We planned our wedding based on what we wanted, and it was so nice to see all of our ideas and dreams embraced by our friends and family. Best of all, we did it our way with lots of personal touches that make looking back at photos and videos that much more special. Our storybook wedding really was a dream come true!
Bride’s name: Melissa Hurley
Groom’s name: Ross Tetreault
City: Warwick
Ceremony: Goddard Park Carousel, Warwick
Reception: Crowne Plaza Providence/Warwick, Rotunda Room
Catering/Cake: Crowne Plaza
Photography: Nick MacCarthy
Bridal gown: Alfred Angelo
Bride’s hair: Styled by Sara
Bride’s makeup: Style by Jake
Bridesmaid dresses: J.Crew
Men’s formalwear: J.C. Penney
Stationery: Kathryn Lather
Music: Xtreme Soundz
Transportation: Newport Limousine Service