Our wedding

Evan and I got married four years ago today.

I enjoyed every minute of our wedding - the planning, the kissing, the eating, the dancing. It was a classic ballroom fete, but with a lot of details that made it feel like "us." We got married in Watertown, my hometown, and the reception was in Boston. It meant a lot to me to do it there, and Evan loves the city, so we were both happy to "head north" for the weekend. 

We actually were living in San Francisco for the eight months before the big day, so much of the planning was done online and over the phone. I'm lucky my mom has such great taste, she was a huge help. And my sister, who was my maid of honor, went above and beyond to make sure everything was gorgeous - and it truly, truly was. Here's a peek at the most fabulous party this Girl Next Door ever threw!

The bridesmaids and I got ready at my parents' beautiful home, the house I grew up in. It was so much fun and such a treat to have all my closest friends nearby to help pamper me and calm my jitters, and the decor was the perfect setting for these photos. My mom even had my dad paint the front door pink in honor of the wedding! (He had to do it twice to get the right shade...) Can you tell where I got my, ahem, attention to detail?

We don't have many photos of the guys getting ready, but this one always cracks me up because there was a lot of drama about learning how to properly tie a bowtie. Luckily, with a little help from Google, they figured it out.

The ceremony was at the same church where my parents and grandparents were married; there was something so romantic and lovely about that connection. The photo of the bridesmaids running up the stairs is one of my favorites, I was so happy our photographer captured the moment. 

After the ceremony, the guests headed to cocktail hour while the wedding party romped around the Boston Public Gardens. It was a gorgeous day and we got some great photos. Our friends were real troopers for letting us drag them around town in their finest and making them act goofy for the camera.

We looked at a ton of places in Boston for the reception, but I knew the Omni Parker House was the right fit the moment I stepped inside. It had everything we were looking for: chock full of history, a beautiful private ballroom (on the top floor, no less!), great food, space to explore, and our guests could stay at the hotel if they chose to. 

My favorite part, of course, was putting together all the tiny details. I wore my grandmother's diamond cocktail ring and bracelet, as well as a brooch fastened at the top of my dress bustle. (The brooch in my hair was from an antique store near my parents' summer home in Maine.) I used my grandmother's handkerchief as my "something blue."

We had a very loose Old Boston/literary theme; the Parker House was once a meeting place for authors such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Charles Dickens, Bronson Alcott (Louisa May's dad) and the like. So we piled some old books (purchased for super cheap from the Strand when its FiDi location closed) where we could and we display photos of our families' past weddings. 

Our florist also arranged some flowers in my grandmothers old teacups and in our silver baby cups (apparently that was a thing when Evan and I were babies?). We used my grandmother's beautiful tray on our sweetheart table to contain all the little flower arrangements. 

In lieu of traditional favors, we had a candy buffet and we made a donation to a literacy fund (get it? books?) and we had two specialty cocktails, the Charlie Dickens (Jack and ginger ale) and the Louisa May (a cosmopolitan). 

Our wedding "logo" was designed by one of our dearest friends, Rick Orlosky, who is a truly talented graphic designer. He helped us create a beautiful invitation and all the stationery that went along with it. I used some quotes by my favorite authors like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Lucy Maud Montgomery to add some literary spice.

Our cake also featured the logo, but the catering staff at the hotel didn't realize it, and when they placed the cake topper on, it wasn't facing the same direction as the logo, so it kind of got lost. One of those funny things in a wedding that no one but the bride notices. We used my grandparents' cake topper; we felt it was a little small for our gigantic five-tier confection so I found this little compote dish in an antique store in Maine that we just flipped over and placed under the tiny bride and groom.

I can't believe it's been four years! It's been so much fun to relive it this morning. Hope you enjoyed it, too!

*All photos by the amazing Theresa Johnson of Johnson Photography.