What do you do when it rains on your wedding day? You get MARRIED!!! We are so glad we chose Water’s Edge Vineyard because when you plan an outdoor wedding and the weather takes a turn for the worst- they’ve got your back! We were so impressed to find a local wedding venue where we could have our choice of one of three ceremony sites, on-site reception AND include our dog in the ceremony! Serendipitously, I had fond memories attending spaghetti dinners as a kid with my family on the property formerly known as the German American Club. Little did I know, this would be the place I would take my wedding vows. Katie Moore, Associate Director of Water’s Edge, was knowledgeable, accommodating and helped us every step of the way planning this wedding. Katie even took it upon herself to transport our floral arch from the Nature Chapel to the back-up ceremony site when it started to rain. Our ceremony ended up being held in the Chapel in Pavilion and – despite the last-minute change- it turned out to be SO magical and beautiful!
John and Adel of John Paul Studios were professional and kind throughout the whole process. We booked photography, up lighting, photo booth, as well as DJ services for both the ceremony and reception. They really are a one stop shop for all your wedding wants and needs! Adel was so warm and patient amid the chaos of our big day. She made sure we got outside to take advantage of the beautiful scenery at Water’s Edge- rain and all! She even transported us on the golf cart to ensure that we got photos in the Nature Chapel. John did a fantastic job MC’ing the ceremony and reception. He was so fun and engaging with our guests which took the celebration to the next level. The photobooth was such a hit at the reception! The photo strips doubled as a great favor for our guests to take home, as well as a keepsake of all the fun memories made that day.
While the wedding was the main event- the food at the reception may have stolen our spotlight for a time. Village Catering Company provided a spread of delicious appetizers during cocktail hour and outdid themselves with the dinner buffet. Our guests are still raving about the bacon-wrapped BBQ meatloaf and the baked macaroni and cheese! Checkerboard Cheesecakes went above and beyond with the dessert bar and our decadent two-tiered cake. Teresa, the owner of Checkerboard, is just as sweet as her treats and her passion for confections showed in every bite! After years of curating cookies for other weddings and celebrations, my mom and I worked together to design and make cookies for my own wedding! It was bittersweet to see how our skills have progressed over time, culminating in making these cookies extra special using our family recipe for the big day.
Looking back on our wedding day, it still feels like a dream to me. Did everything go exactly as planned? Absolutely not. Did I feel like a princess marrying her prince charming? YES! When I recall the day I got married, I will not remember the puddles from the rain or the bottles of bubbles that got misplaced and left behind. I will not remember who was late or what went wrong. I will remember the overwhelming feeling of love and support that surrounded me and the memories I made with the people I love. With the help of all of the awesome vendors and my family- Domers and Reeds alike- we made a rainy day into the perfect day for myself and Jay to become husband and wife. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all of the people who helped us start this new chapter of our lives, and made this dream come true.
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Acknowledgements:
Thank you to Cathy Cowgill for selecting and designing the most beautiful floral arrangements for the wedding. When we met with Cathy, I was overwhelmed at the thought of selecting flowers for the wedding, but her knowledge and experience guided us through the process. She did a wonderful job adding details that complemented the colors for the reception and stayed on theme whether it was the centerpieces for the table or the flowers for our sweetheart table.
Thank you to Tracy Clapper, who, at this point, should be awarded a degree in Psychology & Sociology in addition to her Cosmetology license. Tracy is more than the hairdresser to Rochelle, Kenzie, my mom, and myself- she is a friend and “hairapist”. She listened to us vent and always had a funny story to share with us to give us perspective. Tracy was accommodating with our schedules and made sure our hair was flawlessly cut, colored, and styled for the wedding. Tracy also recommended our makeup artist Morgan, who did an outstanding job!
Thank you to Morgan for her great work beautifying me and my ladies for the wedding. Morgan was so sweet and really knows how to make her clients feel comfortable. She was so personable and communicative from start to finish. She did a great job of using the makeup to accentuate our natural beauty without looking overdone. Morgan gave each of us a complimentary sample of our lipstick to reapply as needed. Aside from making sure we looked great, Morgan’s makeup application lasted well into the night and was waterproof!
A BIG thank you to Rochelle my Matron of Honor, for keeping me sane for the nine months leading up to the wedding. She answered every text, every call, and listened to me ramble and rave when I thought the world was crashing down around me (all while wrangling a baby and three teenagers!). Rochelle did a fantastic job designing our invitations as well as hosting my Bridal Shower. The day of the wedding Rochelle above and beyond her MOH responsibilities and kept me laughing when my nerves started to get the best of me. She was a true pro and made sure I started my big day off right with Starbucks and Krispy Kreme donuts! Her MOH speech was sweet as well as funny, and poignantly described memories of Jay and myself through the years.
Thanks to my niece Kenzie for all her help with the wedding. She was a real trooper the day of, helping me load supplies into vehicles and made sure everything was accounted for and secure. She also did a great job keeping me calm, and even did deep breathing with me when I was overwhelmed. It was such a pleasure to have her help with getting ready in the Bridal Suite and it showed me what a mature young woman she has grown to be.
Thanks to my nephews Lucas and Nate with all their help with the wedding as well. They were so helpful and tended to baby Obie so that us ladies could have some stress-free time to have our hair and makeup done. Lucas and Nate did a great job ushering our guests at the ceremony. I must admit I was emotional seeing them looking and behaving like young men- no longer the little boys I once knew! Nate did a paw-sitively wonderful job tending to Kyrie (our dog) and timing everything just right during the ceremony. Words cannot describe what it meant to myself and Jay to involve Kyrie in our big day. It was also fun to have Lucas and my newest nephew Zaile use the bubble guns for photos – adding a playful tone to the scene.
Thank you to my Grandpa Howard for officiating our wedding. As soon as Jay and I got engaged, I knew I wanted him to be the one to marry us. Many of my earliest memories involve my Grandpa Howard and Grandma Jill, so having them play a central role in my wedding was important to me. Additionally, growing up watching Jill and Howard interact and the way they cared for one another laid the groundwork for what I wanted my marriage to look like. I am so honored that Howard could be the one to marry us and share our special day with us.
Thank you to Sue, my wedding consultant and now mother-in-law. If this wedding was a train- Sue was the conductor in the engine car keeping it on track and advancing. Whether it was planning with the florist, making a trip to Hobby Lobby, or even subbing in for Jay when he couldn’t attend our tasting with the caterer- Sue was there! Throughout this process, Sue’s creativity, foresight, and attention to detail were key to making my vision for the ceremony and reception a reality. When I said I wanted a floral wedding arch, Sue YouTubed all the necessary “Wedding Floral DIY” to not only make it happen but exceed my expectations. Her craftiness was behind so many of the sweet details present at the reception as well. From adding ribbon to the succulent pots and or adding roses to the lanterns on each table- she went the extra mile in every way!
A special thanks to my parents, Dennis and Rhonda. They unconditionally loved and supported me even when I shapeshifted into a bridezilla with severe decision fatigue from planning the wedding. Like Rochelle, they talked me off the ledge a couple times a week for nine months and my dad, especially, added the comedic relief that only a father can do when his daughter is stressing out. Thanks to my mom, Rhonda, for tolerating me on our daily calls and my many, many complaints regarding candles. I am also thankful for her beautiful reading during our ceremony, I will never forget it. They unceasingly put up with me through the whirlwind of planning and preparing this wedding- not to mention the past 30 years! I know I am so blessed to have them in my life and even though our last names are different now- I’ll always be a Reed at heart ❤
Venue: Waters Edge Vineyard
Photography/DJ/ Uplighting: John Paul Studios
Dress: Encore Resale
Makeup: Morgan Szakal Makeup Artistry, LLC
Hair: Tracy Clapper
Her rings: Ashcroft & Oak
His ring: iTungsten
Flowers: Cathy Cowgill Remarkable Flowers
Wedding Arch: Sue Domer
Suit: Adam’s Men’s Clothier
Caterer: Village Catering Company
Cake/ Dessert Bar: Checkerboard Cheesecakes
Cut out cookies: Rhonda Kaye’s Creative Cutouts
Favors: Succulents [Amazon] Altman Plants & Magnetic Photobooth Frames [Amazon]