What could be better than having your wedding in the heart of Boston, next to its famous waterfront, in its staple landmark, the Exchange Conference Center?
Nothing, according to Sarah & Siddique, who booked this venue for their New England wedding with an international flair.
Most of the couple’s guests and their families arrived from the UK, Ireland and from across the United States; guests hailed from San Francisco, New York City, Maine, and more!
Together with the locals from our state, they fell in love with the city skyline, the beautiful waterfront, the elegant Exchange Center and, of course, the outstanding food by East Meets West catering.
However, let us start from the beginning of this perfect October wedding day!
The bride gets ready at the Seaport Hotel, surrounded by her family. In the penthouse suite, Maryelle Artistry ensures that Sarah and her bridal party look fantastic. The ladies enjoy a glass of Champagne, and finally, the flowers arrive. The bride dawns a beautiful Pronovias dress and Manolo Blahnik shoes: she is ready to meet her groom for the first look.
The first look always makes me emotional. Caroline Winn artfully captures these precious moments. Let me share these touching, joyous moments with you!
After the magical first look, the couple and their families stroll along the city’s historic waterfront, approaching the venue where their ceremony and reception will take place.
We are now at the famous Exchange center, a gorgeous, impressive building with cathedral ceilings and complete with modern amenities.
While the guests were getting ready and taking pictures, the multitude of vendors works to ensure that everything is prepared for their arrival. The space brims with beauty: The floral designer, Les Fleurs of Andover, designed exquisite and abundant floral compositions. Grand urns with elegant floral arrangements grace pedestals. Vases and votives surround the foyer, next to the escort cards made of the hand-painted oyster shells by Etsy.
The bride fell in love with the delicate palette and the floral décor which featured roses, hydrangeas, sweet peas, and freesias, artfully mixed with lush greenery.
The lighting by Retonica was installed, the DJ Deja took care of the sound, and the musicians’ quartet by Atlantic Strings started to rehearse.
A delightful, local bakery B. Michelle provided the incredibly elegant cupcakes (including some which were gluten-free) and a small but exquisite wedding cake.
East Meets West catering took care of the outdoor cocktail area- where fresh local oysters, gigantic shrimp, and clams were served after the ceremony.
In my role of the wedding planner, I ensured that everything is on time and in order, meticulously coordinating the various aspects of the beautiful day.
Then, the bride and groom arrive at the venue with their wedding party, and soon the Center is ready to welcome their guests.
Everybody enters on time; the quartet plays the lovely processional music. Finally, we see the bride arriving with her father, who brings her toward the groom. The ceremony starts, led by the groom’s uncle.
The ceremony was enchanting, meaningful, and sharp, as some authentic English humor was added to the recipe.
After the ceremony, everyone goes outside to enjoy the sunset, which is complete with picturesque ocean views. They enjoy fresh seafood, delectable appetizers, Champagne, and, most importantly, each other’s company.
The reception continued with delicious food, entertaining speeches, great wine (some delivered from California where the bride’s family lives), and the newlyweds' touching first dance.
After the couple's first dance, the enthusiastic crowd gathered on the dance floor and danced non-stop thanks to the expert guidance of the DJ Deja.
The couple cut and tasted the cake, which according to them was out of this world, and returned to dance.
When the reception came to an end, the guests continued the celebration throughout Boston.
Photo credit: Caroline Winn Photography