If you didn’t have a chance to view part one, check it out here:Once we had dried off our clothing…and our tears…it was party time! Heading into the cocktail area, our guests finally had a first glimpse of what we had been working on over the course of the previous year leading up to the big event.
We had devoted quite a bit of time to the DIY decor representing international travel as the theme…since many of our guests…including the groom’s family, who hail from Northern Ireland, were traveling to the US to attend the wedding. Throughout the year we had gathered our supplies, creating centerpieces of painted globes (remember the global love project?)
photographs of the bride and groom with their various travel selfies
and vintage windows featuring little teeny, tiny airplanes holding the escort cards.
A mile marker was also constructed representing the 19 different cities and countries that our guests had traveled from to help our families celebrate this special union.
(A special thanks to our son’s lovely fiance, Ashley
for all of the hand-painted signs…a tedious labor of love…) As a special surprise to the bride and groom, I had ordered a cupcake tower from Let Them Eat Cake featuring their little Frenchie Bartlet perched on top of the world.
Although he’s not quite as sweet in real life…
but we do love our little guy anyway…Once the speeches were completed and dinner consumed, the party really got started. Honoring the groom’s Irish heritage, the night lead off with a troupe of incredible Irish Dancers from the Stillson School of Irish Dance,
who soared and shook the old inn to the rafters
and had our guests at the ready to jump in and dance as well!
A difficult act to follow for sure, but no problem for our band Bearfight,
who rocked the night away and had the guests on their feet until closing time! Add in a couple more tunes from Andrea and Ben of BeatRoot
and a bridal rap with her brother, Bearfight’s lead singer Chris…and the night played on.
At the evening’s close, the crowd joined forces with the band for a rousing rendition of Piano Man
(an “end-of-the-night” classic by Billy Joel). Once outside in the cool (now dry) night air, the guests had a perfect view of the wedding-yup, even the bride in her gown-party’s Ice Bucket Challenge (in honor of their friend, Pete Frates, who leads the fight against ALS)…
…from the In Town Trolley, who would take them to the “after party” at a downtown pub.
(Now I don’t know about you, but after being up at the crack of dawn and partying all night, attending another party was the last thing on my mind. Off to sleep for this exhausted MOB!) An incredible (albeit wet) ending to a perfect (albeit wet) day and night that most of our guests will not soon forget.
Looks like it’s gonna be another warm (albeit wet) day in the Northeast! Slainte, everyone! Susan
How fabulous is that!!! It looks and sounds like it was quite a fun and beautiful wedding. I bet the groom’s parents and guests from Ireland were awestruck at all the Irish touches. My daughter is getting married in August and having an outdoor wedding and I’m in charge of the DIY decorations for the ceremony and reception. I think I need to take a closer look at all your touches for inspiration.
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It was a great time, Marie! You are going to have so much fun creating all of the decorations- let me know if you need any DIY help!
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