Victoria and Bill were a DREAM to work with. From our very first Skype meeting until I sent them off after the wedding, I could not have asked for a more fun couple to assist with their wedding. It was a casual, but stunning affair, and so full of love that absolutely nothing could (literally) dampen the mood! There were definitely things that could have gone “wrong,” but not a thing did. And I attribute this to the amazing vendors the couple selected to be part of their big day.
The success of this wedding is proof of the value in doing your vendor research – something that all brides should consider, whether you’re choosing vendors on your own or reaching out to a planner for help (or, in this case, having a wonderful mom help out).
From the time I woke up on wedding day, to the time the last table was rolled away, Victoria and Bill’s wedding team truly out-did themselves. We all went to bed the night before the wedding having seen clear skies in the forecast for wedding day. I woke up bright and early to a phone call from the bride’s fabulous mom saying that I needed to check the weather and we needed to put up another tent. Boy, was she right! Thunderstorms were rolling on in.
Now, last-minute tents (especially in the middle of wedding season) are hard to come by. But the awesome people at Barron’s Rentals came through in a huge way, sending a crew over to Taylor Grady House bright and early to cover our dance floor. This would be invaluable later.
The rest of set-up and getting ready proceeded as planned. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful under a clear sky and a gorgeous wooden, flower-draped arch provided by Bud & Bloom. Victoria and Bill’s ceremony was so personal and lovely, with vows they wrote for each other and all officiated by one very excited and dear friend (who, by the way, wore a t-shirt to rehearsal that labeled him “MINISTER” in big block letters – it was fantastic!).
As everyone moved through the receiving line (another beautiful, personal touch) and inside for cocktail hour, the bride and groom shared a private dinner, and the clouds began to roll in. But not a soul panicked. Jamie, the DJ, moved his set-up further under the tent, and we moved the couple’s grand entrance up just a bit. They entered the reception tent in a misty rain to the cheers of all their friends and family.
And then the bottom dropped out.
Dinner was finished and dancing began in an absolute downpour. The staff of A Divine Event catering was soaked to the bone from running to and from the food prep tent, but every one of them had a smile on their face. The heavily laden dessert table was by the edge of the tent and getting soaked – they said “no problem” and moved it in. The bar was developing a bit of a lake around it – they put a bucket under the gutter and moved water every minute or so. Even the security guard for Taylor Grady pitched in to unload bar supplies in the rain!
And the guests were just amazing. They moved tables, shifted chairs, and ultimately kicked off their shoes to dance in the rain. At one point, the rain was so loud on the tent that it drowned out the DJ’s music. Before I knew it, he’d kicked up the volume and was blasting “It’s Raining Men” as the couple’s friends and family piled onto the dance floor. It was a perfect, unforgettable moment.
And many of those moments were captured by Twin Hearts Photography. They worked around the rain all night to capture all the little details in a beautiful fashion. Beyond that, they even put their cameras aside to help move tables and pick up broken glass when the time called for it. That’s truly above and beyond in the best of ways.
Twin Hearts also helped stage a beautiful cake cutting. The gorgeous cake from Cecelia’s Bakery was “trapped” inside during the storm. Instead of moving everyone through the rain for a photo op, we improvised and brought the top cake tier to the tent. I held an umbrella over the cake while the catering manager navigated slippery stairs to deliver it to a beautifully decorated high-boy under the tent. The cake cutting pictures turned out just precious, and everyone got to share the special moment without getting soaked!
That is team work. And that is the value in having vendors willing to do anything and everything to make your wedding day the one of your dreams. I’ve worked with many amazing wedding vendors and venues, but Victoria and Bill’s was a combination of greats at the most needed of times. I can’t thank everyone there enough, and I could not be happier for Victoria and Bill and the lovely wedding they shared with an amazing group of people who love them.