16.8.10

366 Days Ago....


Yesterday was our one year anniversary. We are officially no longer Newlyweds –
It’s hard to believe it has been a whole year since I married my first love and best friend.
And we threw one great party surrounded by our families and closest friends.

We are up in Maine, once again, to celebrate, surrounded by our families and friends (thankfully this time it’s not costing us as much :) ), eating year old cake with a splash of champagne and reaffirming our commitment by restating the vows we took only one short year ago. In fact, we are taking our whole honeymoon week off – I guess that would be our honeyversary?

Anyways, even though it feels like the wedding happened only weeks ago, so much has happened since then.
I didn’t know what to do with all my free time post wedding planning so I started my own business. It’s time consuming and challenging but I love it.
We also recently closed on a house. It’s 90 years young, so also very time consuming and challenging :).

If you are interested our new adventures, just need a little more Gloss in your life and/or the many DIY homeownership projects I’m convinced I need to tackle, you can find me here at Classically Modern Nest.

Lastly, I wanted to say thank-you. Everyone here has been a source of encouragement, inspiration, strength, community and laughter throughout this process. Your comments and messages meant more to me than you will ever know. Thank you for letting me be a part of it and share my story with you –
I wish you all the best of luck with your planning and futures.

I’m not one for goodbyes, they are so sappy and final.
So lets just leave it at 'adios', which translates to both 'farewell', and also 'goodluck'.  I’m sure I’ll pop back in from time to time :)

xoxo,
Chelsey

11.8.10

Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Spin Me One More Time


While our guests were eating dinner, I got to steal a dance with my dad. 
We danced to Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman.


At the end, he gave me the biggest hug - I don't think he was quite ready to let go.


Mr. Gloss danced with both his mother and step-mother to the Book of Love by Peter Gabriel and Simple Man by Lynard Skynard.


I think this was a great way to kick-off the night - after we were done with the 'special dances' the DJ invited everyone onto the dance floor and that is where they stayed ALL night.

Our photographers pulled us outside just for a brief moment to capture the sunset -


Before we went back in we stood off to the side, just to watch everything.  Everything we had worked on diligently for over a year had finally come together.  We looked around at all our family and closest friends having a great time and concluded that it was all worth it, times 10.  The time, the money, the stress (because lets face it wedding planning is not all rainbows and sunshine), just washed away and we just watched, blissfully happy and only a tad bit sweaty.


Reflection time over - lets DANCE!






And while everyone was dancing I snuck off for some additional sustenance, since I had all of 6 bites of my dinner - 

Yes, I made s'mores in my wedding dress and surprisingly enough didn't get *anything* on it!




And then headed back out for more dancing....
(the little boy you see on the floor a lot is Jack - he was 'break dancing'.)


At this point I was exhausted, we had one final dance to Ray Lamontagne's You Are the Best Thing.  We said goodbye to our friends and families and were driven to our hotel.



We had arranged for transportation home for everyone who wanted to really celebrate. Unfortunately (or fortunately), no one wanted to leave so the poor bus driver had to sit in the parking lot for 3 hours. (He was still getting paid, so I don't feel too bad for him) but instead of driving everyone home, he ended up driving most of our guests to a nearby bar after we shut everything down - apparently there was more partying to be done!
There are photos from said bar floating around out in cyberspace, however I will not be posting them - you can breathe a sigh of relief and thank me later (yes, you all know who you are).


And that was our wedding day.

Was it perfect? Nope.
Were the days leading up to it stressful beyond belief? Ugh, you have no idea.
Was it everything I wanted? Yes, and so much more. Without a doubt it was one of the happiest days of my life; not just because I married my best friend.  It was an incredible feeling to be surrounded by so much love.  I'm so thankful for everyone who came, who helped, who smiled and laughed and danced - although this was the end of a great celebration, it was the perfect way to start the rest of our lives.


*photos by Erica Lyn Photography and &Unlimited

Previously:

Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Gals Get Ready
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Putting on my Party DressNearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Guys Get Ready
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Gift Exchange 
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The First Look
Nearly Nautical Nuptials :  Wedding Party Photos
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : A Few Moments Alone
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Anchors Away!
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Shortest Walk of My Life
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : A Few Special Words
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Pop That Cork!
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Martinis, Munchies, Mingling and Martha
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Back on Land 
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Reception Space
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : For the First Time Ever....
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Food &A Few Special Words

10.8.10

Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Food & A Few Special Words

While we were making sure everything was legal, our guests were lining up to get some of this yumminess:


We hired Diane Bartley to cater our event.  Her home is only a few minutes away from our tent location which was key since the tent had no kitchen or water.  Our menu was carefully designed so that everything could travel well since it would be all made off-site.  She, and the food, was absolutely fantastic.  She also allowed my mother (who is an avid gardener) to bring in her own fresh herbs and vegetables to encorporate into the dishes.  Yum.

Our Menu included the following:
Marinated, Grilled Chicken with a Tomato & Onion Concasse

Sirloin Tips sautéed with Onions, Mushrooms & Peppers
Spinach Lasagna with Freshly Grated Parmesan

Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Fresh Vegetables & Feta Cheese
Caprese Salad with Fresh Basil Tossed in a Balsamic Vinaigrette
Oven Roasted Red Potatoes with Sea Salt & Fresh Rosemary
Summer Squash & Zucchini Medley with Garlic & Fresh Herbs
Yeast Rolls & Oatmeal Molasses Bread

While our guests were eating, Glossy MOH gave her speech.



We'd been friends for 10+ years at this point so there was a lot of good memories to reflect on - including how we still talk on Thursday mornings early in the AM and call it 'Locker Talk' (we shared a locker in high school).


I laughed, and I cried .... she's the best.


Mr. Gloss's brother (and best man) gave his speech next.


Parts of it were pretty amusing.  When Mr. Gloss laughs really hard it sounds like he's going to choke - this was one of those times ....




Then, we got down to the good stuff - THE CAKE!


If you remember, my dad made the cake stands, I made the two cakes on the side and the top 2 tiers of the center one out of styrofoam - the bottom layer was real and made by my mom.  My aunt and grandmother frosted and decorated the cakes that morning.

I thought it appropriate to annotate the photos below:
1. Me: Give me the knife, you don't know how to do it right.  Him : We have to do it together.
2. Me: You're wrong, I'll do it.
3. Me : You better not smash this in my face, no seriously.  (Look at that smirk on his face).
4. He's still smirking.



...and, he fed me nicely.
Look no mess!
So I fed him nicely.


Up Next : Dance the Night Away

*photos by Erica Lyn Photography and &Unlimited
Previously:

Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Gals Get Ready
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Putting on my Party DressNearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Guys Get Ready
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Gift Exchange 
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The First Look
Nearly Nautical Nuptials :  Wedding Party Photos
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : A Few Moments Alone
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Anchors Away!
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Shortest Walk of My Life
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : A Few Special Words
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Pop That Cork!
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Martinis, Munchies, Mingling and Martha
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Back on Land
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Reception Space
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : For the First Time Ever....

9.8.10

Nearly Nautical Nuptials : For the First Time Ever....

I can't believe its been almost a year since our wedding; I promised myself I would finish my recaps before our first anniversary, so lets wrap it up!

Last time we spoke (I know it was a long time ago) I left you with all our reception details and mentioned that we were patiently waiting outside the tent to be introduced as husband and wife.


Our parents and fabulous bridal party entered first, the music playing was the instrumental beginning to Angels & Airwaves - The Adventure.


...and then US!  Mr. Gloss ushered me onto the dance floor where we had our first dance. 
I kind of love the way he is looking at me in this photo -


Our first dance was Lovely Tonight, sung by Joshua Radin & Michelle Featherstone.



As people were starting to get dinner, we filled out the rest of the paper-work to make everything legal.  As you can see in the first photo I'm clearly quite concerned about what our paster (FIL Gloss) is writing - more like what he is writing in as the paper clearly said BLACK INK ONLY. 


Our witnesses, the best man and maid of honor, signed as we watched ....

...and then it was REALLY REALLY official. 
Which was cause for more champagne!
(and check out the Mr. fufilling his husbandly duties of trying to keep me hydrated - it was HOT!)

Up Next : Dinner & A Few Special Words

*photos by Erica Lyn Photography and &Unlimited

Previously:

Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Gals Get Ready
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Putting on my Party DressNearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Guys Get Ready
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Glossy Gift Exchange 
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The First Look
Nearly Nautical Nuptials :  Wedding Party Photos
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : A Few Moments Alone
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Anchors Away!
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Shortest Walk of My Life
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : A Few Special Words
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Pop That Cork!
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Martinis, Munchies, Mingling and Martha
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : Back on Land
Nearly Nautical Nuptials : The Reception Space