How did you two meet?
We met like most couples nowadays, online. We had many mutual friends on Facebook and I saw Mark and had to friend request him. We finally met in person after months of texting and we’ve been together ever since.
How did you get engaged?
Mark proposed to me on May 13, 2017. He had been thinking about it for awhile and went to my parents first. He was supposed to wait until June to propose since that was the month we had met seven years prior, at the very same place, but he is horrible at keeping secrets and couldn’t wait any longer. I had no clue what was going on. He told me that his sister and her husband were in Providence for a work conference and that we were going to their hotel to see them. (They are from Maine so we don’t get to see them too often.) I wasn’t feeling great and didn’t want to go, but he kept pushing (he promised to go to my favorite coffee shop) so we got in the car and went downtown. When we got to the hotel and went up, he opened the door and the room had balloons and flowers and he proposed there. I was completely shocked and didn’t believe him at first. I immediately felt a million times better! I did not suspect a thing, he did a great job! It happened to fall on my father’s birthday so we had dinner plans with the entire family which worked out perfectly to celebrate my dad, our engagement and Mother’s Day weekend.
How did you come across Mel for your photographer?
I’ve known Mel for a long time. Within five minutes of being engaged (After telling my best friends and calling my mom) I had already sent Mel a message telling her that I would be needing her help. It was a no brainer for us to go with Mel, we didn’t even think twice.
What were you favorite and least favorite parts of planning?
Our favorite part of planning was seeing everything come to life. We went with our first instinct for the major decisions, like photographer, venue, hair and makeup. We didn’t want to feel overloaded with options. It was a great way to alleviate any potential stress. Our least favorite part was the waiting. We made a lot of big choices right away, so we had a lot of time before we could start making decisions regarding details. You start to feel like you are forgetting everything!
Why a fall wedding?
The fall is our favorite time of year — the colors, the weather, the fun things to do. Plus, neither one of us wanted to wear a suit in the summer. Too hot!
What drew you to the Publick House for your venue?
If we’re being honest, Google. Dan googled, “Rustic Venues in the area”, and it was the first location that popped up. It was the only venue we actually looked at. We took a tour, and booked our date that day. It was love at first sight.
What made you decide to do a first look? Would you recommend it to other couples?
We wanted to be able to spend as much time with everyone as possible. Cocktail hour is always such a fun part of any wedding and we wanted to be able to see everyone and mingle. I also enjoyed the fact that the photos did not feel rushed. We were able to take our time and relax. Mel is amazing at what she does!
What was your first dance song? How did you pick it?
“How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding. The lyrics were perfect, and Mark also liked that it was on the shorter side so we wouldn’t be stared at for too long.
Was there a vendor that you were particularly impressed with that day?
That is extremely difficult to answer because all of our vendors were amazing. Mel sticks out because I have known her since we were little kids. Seeing her in her element was such a cool experience! She knows how to make a couple feel so relaxed. What makes her a great photographer is that she gets to know every couple she works with and is able to modify her style based on their personalities. Although we didn’t need makeup/hair for ourselves, Sarah Depault Beauty was also amazing to work with. They made all of the women look beautiful and were so professional and friendly.
Tell us about the phone ‘guestbook” — it’s such a cool idea! How did you come up with it?
A friend of mine shared a post of the Fete Phone on Facebook so I looked at their website and thought it was such a cool idea. You order a phone online and set it up with a voicemail greeting for your guests. Throughout the night people can pick up the phone, hear your greeting and leave you a message. A few weeks after the wedding, we received a digital download of everyone’s messages. (The messages towards the end of the night are the funniest, as we had an open bar.) We thought it was so different from anything we had ever seen at a wedding, and wanted something unique.
Did you run into any issues while planning or on the day of the wedding?
We honestly did not run into any issues. When we toured our venue, the wedding coordinator gave us the best advice. She said, “There is no sense in stressing over anything. The only person who will even realize if something goes wrong at your wedding is you.” That stuck with us throughout, and we just tried to enjoy every minute. (Even when Dan’s shoes hadn’t come in yet two days before the wedding!)
If you had to narrow it down, what would you say were each of your favorite moments from that day?
Mark: Seeing Dan.
Dan: My favorite part was right before the ceremony we snuck up to our suite and we could see all of the guests arriving. We had five minutes to ourselves to just take it all in and just be together. I would definitely suggest this to any couple getting married. Sneak away for a second and take a deep breath.
Do you have any advice for recently engaged couples?
Enjoy the engagement! I said to Mark when we first started planning that I wanted to make sure that we were able to enjoy the engagement as well as the planning. Neither of us wanted to feel any stress or pressure. Remind yourself that is truly is your day and will go by way too fast. Enjoy the entire process.
How’s married life treating you?
Great! We just closed on our first home together. We can’t wait to start this next chapter together!
The Details
Photography: Mel Colvin Photography // Ceremony, Reception, Catering & Cake: The Publick House // Officiant: Jeanne Costigan (Dan’s Aunt) // Hair & Makeup: Sarah Depault Beauty // Grooms’ & Groomsmens’ Suits: Men’s Wearhouse // Wedding Party Dresses: David’s Bridal // Candy Bar: DIY by mothers of the grooms // Flowers: The Flowering Vine // Ceremony Music: Legacy String Trio // Reception Music & Uplighting: Music Machine Entertainment