Jeremey & Michael | March

📸: Massart Photography // @massartphotography

These two grooms created a lasting impression for their guests with living art at the Providence Public Library.

By Kaitlyn Murray

The Meet Cute: One Saturday night at a bar, Jeremy’s friend introduced him to a blonde-haired boy in a blazer. Two weeks later, they met again. A couple more chance encounters later, Michael asked Jeremy to meet him for a drink at the Dean Hotel’s Magdalenae Room. Upon realizing that the date was going well, they decided to grab dinner at a nearby restaurant. On the way to their cars, they found they had both parked at outside the Providence Public Library, one behind the other.

The Proposal: After spending their first Thanksgiving together in New Jersey, the couple decided to extend their trip and celebrate both of their birthdays in New York City. During this time, they walked into a small bar with delicious espresso martinis — from that point on, Bua became their spot. Several years later, “after months upon months of Michael dropping some not-so-subtle hints about wanting to be engaged, I spent an exorbitant amount of time planning the proposal,” Jeremey recalls. “Should it be a big celebration? Do we include our friends? Can everyone keep this a secret from him?” Ultimately, he realized he needed to stop overthinking it. And so, on a warm September day, he and Michael followed up seeing a show in the city with a stop at Bua. A few funny mishaps ensued, but the question got popped and a “yes” was secured.

The Venue: The Providence Public Library was a natural choice for self-proclaimed history buff Jeremey and aspiring (now published) author Michael. In fact, it was the only venue they toured, and they booked it the same day. “The iconic entry and grand marble function space made for the perfect backdrop to add our own elements of design,” they say. “It’s the perfect place for anyone that is looking to create individual vibes and moods throughout different rooms.”

The Highlights: Michael and Jeremy wanted to create a lasting impression for their guests. “Working with Ten31 Productions, we incorporated ‘living art’ through gold trees,” they explain. “Another added element to our ceremony was having Golden Scroll Soloists perform modern music on string instruments — the idea was taken from ‘Bridgerton!’” The lovebirds also created edible M and J ‘garnishes’ for their signature cocktail, an espresso martini, of course.

The Advice: “If you can dream it, you can do it. Just don’t wait until the last minute!” the couple advise. “Also: Savor every single moment. People always say how fast your wedding goes after countless hours, days and years of planning. The best thing we did after our ceremony was spend about ten minutes before cocktail hour together, just taking in that we had finally made it to our big day!”