Liz and Chris both grew up in Connecticut. They met when Liz started working at the same company as Chris. As soon as he saw Liz, Chris was interested and so he came up with a plan: keep organizing work happy hours and slowly stop inviting people until he and Liz were on a date. It totally worked!
Fast forward a few years, Liz had spent months planning a vacation to Ireland for the end of May. The trip was centered around a stay at Ballymaloe House in County Cork. Liz had hoped he would ask at some point on this trip, assuming it would be on some jaw-dropping cliff top at sunset, or with their friends at a pub. Neither of those scenarios happened. Instead, after enjoying a quiet dinner for two, Chris insisted on a moonlit stroll through the gardens. Using one of his classic lines, Chris looked to Liz and said "Sooo can I ask you something without you getting too mad at me?" And before Liz could roll her eyes, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Liz chose an antique ring from the 1870s by designer Rebekah Brooks and one of her original designs for her wedding band.
Liz and Chris chose the CT River Valley for the location of their wedding day due to its gorgeous scenery and unique towns and villages, each with their own character. It was also centrally located for family who was traveling from different directions. They also wanted venues that had both history and personality to charm their guests. The Essex Steam Train and the Lace Factory each fit the bill.
Liz wanted to go for an upscale, eclectic, romantic style. They used a dusty blue as the main accent with complementing colors. Inspired by the spring garden at the nearby Florence Griswold Museum, Liz wanted a lot of botanical and floral details. She incorporated this into the invitations and used a large portion of her budget on florals. Liz collects and sells vintage milk glass, so she used her collection as the vases and vessels for all the floral arrangements at the reception. They complemented the lace accents on all of the tables. The tables had a mix of ivory, white, and dusty blue linens with mixed metallic flatware and candle sticks.
Liz and Chris really wanted their wedding to be a reflection of them, so they customized the ceremony to be tailored to them and wrote their own vows. Immediately following the ceremony, they thanked their guests with a champagne toast. Upon entering the reception venue, they had wedding photos of their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to honor their examples of what marriage and love look like. For the table numbers, they included childhood photos so guests see each of them as they had grown up. During the reception, Liz surprised Chris with a Jameson Whiskey themed groom's cake. They went to the Jameson Academy in Ireland the day after they got engaged. She also kept the reveal - a Hulk Hogan tribute - a secret from everyone including the groomsmen until minutes before. This was a nod to his last name. It was a big hit!
Liz and Chris, your wedding was truly incredible in every way and we hope you enjoy these photos for years to come!
Vendors:
Getting ready: The Griswold Inn Ceremony: Essex Steam Train Reception: The Lace Factory Wedding Planner: Creative Concepts by Lisa Entertainment: ETA Music Florist: Loreta Daka Floral Boutique Gown: Covet Bridal; Made with Love Bridal Hair: Vivid Salon Madison Tux: Men’s Wearhouse Caterer: Cloud Nine Catering Stationary: Minted Transportation: Essex Steam Train Jewelry: Rebekah Brooks Videographer: Sebastian Photography