August 19th, 2017
Annapolis Maritime Museum // Jackalope Photography
The Beginning
After realizing how much they had in common through an online dating website, Ada and Chris met in downtown Annapolis for coffee and a stroll through town. Soon after, they met at Quiet Waters Park along with their dogs. “I think we both knew then that we wanted the same things in life. We wanted to live life to the fullest. We both wanted a life full of adventure, love, and dogs,” shares Ada. As such, Ada and Chris take a vacation each fall. Their trips have included a tour of northern California and Yosemite, a road trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville, North Carolina, and tour of Washington state. “Our trips mirror the way we want to live life together. They are full of adventure, the outdoors, wine, fun and happiness.”
The Proposal
During each of their fall trips, Ada thought Chris may propose. He had her fooled. “One of our other traditions is to ring in the New Year by having a late dinner somewhere in Eastport, followed by having cocktails and watching the Annapolis fireworks at midnight at the end of our street. For his proposal, Chris took a few cues from the show The Bachelor and worked these fireworks into it,” shares Ada. Chris surprised Ada with roses and champagne. Even though he decorated the roof deck with lights, Ada was still clueless about what was about to happen. After sharing a speech with Ada about how much he means to her, he finished his speech by saying, “My resolution for 2017 is to start the year by calling you my fiancé and soon enough, my wife. Nothing would make me happier!"
The Wedding Plans
“When I first started planning, my goal was to never become a stressed out or overwhelmed ide,” Ada explains. “This was supposed to be a fun, exciting time, so I wanted to keep it that way. Every decision we made about the wedding and how we approached it followed that goal of ‘no stress.’” They kept things minimal to help all of the planning continue to feel like an exciting time.
The Annapolis Maritime Museum
“We wanted to get married outside, but if it happened to rain, there needed to be an
equally pretty place for the ceremony. I didn’t want to worry about having to make a call to move the ceremony inside if the weather was bad. That just sounded stressful,” shares Ada, explaining why they chose Annapolis Maritime Museum for their venue. “We also wanted a unique venue that was near the water. We love the outdoors and living in Eastport. Once we saw the Maritime Museum, it just felt right. It’s the perfect combination of outdoor and indoor space.”
The Welcome Happy Hour
Ada and Chris skipped a traditional rehearsal dinner and invited guests to an informal happy hour at their house instead. “I think the best part was catching up with close friends that flew in for the wedding and with family that we haven’t seen in decades. I don’t think we would have been able to catch up as much at the wedding.”
The Vows
Ada and Chris wrote their own vows. “That’s my favorite memory,” Ada shares. “Exchanging those vows with each other and hearing Chris’s words to me—that’s what the entire day was about.”
The Donut Bar
The couple didn’t want a huge, traditional wedding cake so they opted for a donut bar as the dessert. The donuts were pre-ordered from Dunkin Donuts and picked up the morning of the wedding. The actual donut bar display was handmade by one of their friends.
Their Party Animals
Keeping things fun, the couple added plastic toy animals to their place cards. Ada painted a wooden sign that said, “Find your party animal” to go along with the idea. “Our guests loved these and the kids started snatching them up to play with during the reception.”
Their Best Advice
“Keep it simple! It kept us from getting too stressed out and wrapped up in details and organization. Plus, it kept our day more focused and about our story. The moments we remember and cherish the most are the ones between us, our family, and friends. Everything else is just frosting!
The Details
Florist: The Gateway Florist | DJ: Austen Mirabile | Caterer: Palate Pleasers | Cake/ Baker: Small cutting cake by Palate Pleasers; Donuts by Dunkin Donuts on Riva Road | Bridal gown store: BHLDN Gown designer: Blush by Hayley Paige | Bride's makeup: Dorsey Beauty | Bride's hair: David Alexander Salon & Spa | Wedding bands store: Ron George Jewelers | Bride's shoes: Badgely Mischka
Men's attire designer: Banana Republic | Stationer: Wedding Paper Divas /Minted
Favors/ Gifts: Beau-coup Favors | Registry: www.honeyfund.com
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