Local Wedding: Ashley and Greg in Chestertown

Sep. 10, 2012

5:15 p.m.

We asked the bride to look back on her big day and reminiscence about everything from the ceremony to the music to the catering. Here are some snippets of what she had to say:

Greg and I met at Washington College in 2004 and so it only made sense to return to Chestertown to get married. After scouting many venues, we found Brittland Manor, a historic home situated right on the banks of the Chester River. It was absolutely perfect! It encompassed everything I was looking for--historic, vintage appeal, right on the water-- in a location that had meaning to us. I can't say enough about Natalie Turner, who runs the manor operations. She was a great resource throughout my planning.

We were a little antsy about the weather, as I'm sure all brides are. In fact, our rehearsal dinner the night before had to make a last minute switch indoors as a major front blew through featuring strong winds and lots of lightning. Luckily it all passed through in time for the big day and we had a gorgeous sunny, breezy day. All that stress for nothing!

For my wedding dress, I was looking for something vintage looking with lace and a little bit of bling. I went with the Maggie Sottero Bernadette dress which I purchased at the bridal boutique in Columbia, MD. The cut-out back is what sold me!

I didn't want to bridal party to look too matchy-matchy so I told the girls to get whatever yellow dress they wanted and felt most comfortable in, and to accessorize it whatever way worked best for them. All of my bridesmaids wore J Crew, except for my maid of honor who wore a vintage dress she purchased from Etsy. The groomsmen all wore suits from Jos A. Banks with ties and socks from Express. I thought it was particularly special that Greg chose his dad as his best man!

Our caterer was amazing! I can't say enough about Brian Schmidt from Garden & Garnish (Trappe, MD). Our menu featured prime rib with hollandaise sauce and a crab cake accompanied by asparagus and red-roasted, garlic mashed potatoes. Brian also started us off with a spinach salad with a homemade apple cider vinaigrette. From start to finish, Brian and his staff were PHENOMENAL. They accommodated every request graciously and were exceptionally professional and efficient. If there were more than 5 stars, I would give them more.

Our ceremony/cocktail music was done by Nevin Dawson (accompanied by Betsy Babylon)-- a string duo out of Chestertown. They played during our ceremony and were even able to learn the music from the movie "Up" (one of our favorites) to play during our recessional. They also played a medley of classics by the pool during our cocktail hour. I can honestly say that our reception band is what made the whole event what it was. Frank Hohl and Snackbar Jones (out of Virginia Beach, find them via Sam Hill Bands) were simply amazing. They played a variety of covers for every generation flawlessly. They kept the crowd packed on the dance floor the entire night and even indulged me by allowing me and the bridesmaids to rap "Baby Got Back" with them on stage to close out the night.

I don't know that I could pick one special moment from that day. I think the most special part of the entire wedding weekend was that from start to finish we were surrounded by our closest family and friends. Because we rented the manor for the weekend, we were able to hold many events-- from a bridal luncheon to a departure brunch-- that allowed both of our families to spend the duration together. It felt so amazing to spend three days surrounded by people who love us and wish us well in our future together. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing time!!

More Photos From The Wedding

Photos by Natalie Franke Photography
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