Read the love story behind or Engaged 2019 cover stars.
How did you two meet?
Tim is from Newport and I’m from Middletown so we both grew up in the same area. In high school, there was a lot of crossover between our groups of friends. We spent a lot of time working together at Ben and Jerry’s every summer in downtown Newport but it wasn’t until our senior year that we began dating.
How long were you together before you got engaged? How did you get engaged?
Nine years. Time flies! Tim knew me well enough that no matter where he proposed, he knew I was going to bawl my eyes out. Luckily, he picked a somewhat private location. At the time, we were living in North Carolina and decided to take a road trip home for Christmas. After crossing the Newport bridge, he took me on a detour to watch the sunset at Brenton Point. I thought it was a little unlike Tim, but it was a sweet idea. This was also the place where he asked me out all those years ago. Before I knew it, he was pulling a small box out of his jacket and popping the question! Of course it was a “yes,” immediately followed by an embarrassing number of happy tears.
What made you decide to have a smaller, more intimate wedding?
We’ve always known that a smaller, more laid-back wedding was going to be the right choice for us. Neither of us enjoy big events, so doing something more intimate was the best way for us to minimize stress. I also knew that I’d probably be spending a lot of time crying that day and I do not like to cry in font of people.
Another reason why a big wedding was never ideal was I had some family members that we knew would not be able to attend. Two days after we got married, we visited my grandparents to recreate the big day, bringing flowers, favors and a special cake by Celebrated [see photo below].
What were you favorite and least favorite parts of planning?
The biggest challenge was definitely the guest list. We wanted to keep the wedding small but there were so many friends and family that we wanted to include. After evaluating all options from eloping to having a giant celebration, we settled on something a little unconventional. The ceremony was with immediate family and was officiated by one of our dearest friends, Jessica. After a quiet dinner, we opened it up for all friends and family to enjoy a fancy cocktail party.
In order to have one less date to remember, we opted to have our wedding on the anniversary that we already celebrate: October 12. This meant our wedding fell on a Thursday night which actually worked in our favor. It fit perfectly with the low-key vibe we were going for.
We didn’t spend too much time developing a theme because the Dorrance really stands on its own. The last thing we wanted was for our decor to compete with it. The wonderful folks at Rustic Roots Design worked with us to create a color palette for the florals so they would complement the rest of the interior without overwhelming. Adding in some candles and mercury glass completed the look. This made it elegant but not over the top.
Why Providence / the Dorrance?
As far as aesthetics go, we have a soft spot for the styles of yesteryear, especially those from the turn of the 20th century. From the moment I stepped foot in the Dorrance (which was many years before we were engaged), I knew it was the place. The outside of the building is timeless and the interior, with its high ceilings, stained glass and ornate detail, is stunning. We’ve also grown to love Providence over the years. It’s where all of our favorite date nights happen!
Another thing we loved about the Dorrance was how willing they were to incorporate vegan options. Our guests loved the food!
How did you come across Olivia Gird for your photographer?
We’ve actually worked with Olivia several times before, standing in as models for styled wedding shoots. Not only is her photography so beautiful and full of warmth, but she is an absolute joy to work with. She makes us feel comfortable, and knows exactly when and how to make us laugh. It’s always a fun time with her!
What made you decide to do a first look? Would you recommend other couples consider doing one?
Yes! We’re so happy we did it. It gave us time to slow down, take it all in and appreciate the moment before things got crazy. There’s something really special about it just being the two of you and if you don’t do a first look, it may be hours before you get a quiet minute to yourselves.
Tim, we loved your suit/bowtie combo — did you always know that you were going to take a less modern approach with your wedding-day wardrobe?
Thanks! Not to say I’m against a black and white tuxedo — I’m not, everyone loves a good tux; but, as I worked it through in my head, it just didn’t feel like the right statement/aesthetic for us or about us in our moment. Just in general, I like me some textures and patterns. I feel like they’re often an entirely unexplored dimension in typical American formal wear. I felt like a tweed suit was a simultaneously traditional and non-traditional solution, if that makes sense.
I have to say, tweed gets premium brownie points for practicality, too — it was a chilly and windy, fall-in-New-England day.
The “love” balloon is so cute — what gave you the idea to incorporate it in your photos?
Thank you! We picked it up at Paper Source on a last minute run for wedding decorations. Whether it’s confetti, balloons or something else, a few simple props can be a lot of fun.
Did you run into any issues while planning or on the day of the wedding? If so, how did you overcome them?
On the morning of the wedding we left our apartment in Boston to head down to Providence. Of course, that was when the car decided to not start. The battery had been unreliable for a few weeks, but we were so busy with the wedding, we didn’t think to have it checked out. After about ten minutes of serious panic, we got lucky and the car started. We were so terrified it would happen again that we didn’t turn the car off at all along the way, despite having to make several stops. After we made it to Providence, we forgot all about it until it was time to head back home. We had a good laugh. Even if we couldn’t make it back, all that mattered was we got married!
If you had to narrow it down, what would you say were each of your favorite moments were from that day?
Stacie: Definitely the first look. After two years of planning and not knowing what Tim’s suit looked like, I was dying to know! But really, the first look ended up being way more special than I anticipated. It was the best.
Tim: Am I allowed to say eating the doughnuts? They were exceptional. I still think about them sometimes…
Tim: One of our other favorite moments happened the day after the wedding. We were staying at the Biltmore [now the Graduate]and walked over to City Hall to file our marriage license. Tim’s parents happened to be eating breakfast across the street and got a few photos of us leaving, marriage certificate in hand. It was a lovely surprise!
Do you have any advice for recently engaged couples?
Planning can be awfully stressful, especially if you’re trying to stick to a budget. If you hit a block where it looks like you won’t be able to get something you really wanted, keep looking and get creative with your options. We put off planning longer than we should have because we had no idea how we were going to make a small wedding happen. After bouncing around some ideas that initially didn’t sound so great, we were able to build on them and come up with the perfect solution. Don’t throw in the towel unless you’ve explored all your options. Often there is a compromise that will make everyone happy.
Finally, how’s married life treating you so far?
It’s fabulous! We can’t decide if the best part is the wedding rings or finally being able to call each other husband and wife.
The Details
Ceremony, Reception & Catering: The Dorrance // Additional Photos: The Biltmore [now the Graduate] // Bride’s Makeup: Jessica Berndt // Close Family and Friends’ Makeup: Brandon Ward // Hair: Salon Bella // Bride’s Dress: Etoile, BHLDN // Bride’s Flower Hairpiece: Rustic Roots Design // Groom’s Suit: “The Edward” (a Tobacco Donegal pattern in Shetland tweed) from Walker Slater, Edinburugh, UK) // Desserts: PVDonuts // Flowers: Rustic Roots Design // Officiant: Jessica Berndt // Place Cards: DIY by the Bride