As soon as the ceremony was over, it was party time! We had done our pictures before the ceremony because we wanted to be able to enjoy the cocktail hour with our guests.
The Back River Fiddlers led the guests up the hill to the reception site with a tune, Pied Piper style.
Most people headed straight to get a drink! We had a dingy (that's a little boat for all you non Mainers) filled to the brim with beer, white wine, and prosecco. Next to the dingy was a table with red wine, water, soda and signature cocktails. Rory's drink was a Cape Newagener (vodka cranberry) and mine was a Maine Summer (blueberry vodka, club soda, and pineapple juice). Guests could put their drink of choice into a lovely turquoise blue mason jar.
There were lawn games scattered around the yard (including this lovely homemade corn hole set) so people had something fun to do as they wandered the yard and socialized. My Mom put so much hard work into getting the yard ready and it showed. Her flowers looked beautiful!
We provided the drinks and cold appetizers ourselves, and had a caterer handle the buffet and hot appetizers. The caterer was Craig Andrews, who owns my favorite restaurant in Boothbay Harbor, Andrew's Harbor Side. He makes the absolute best crab cakes in the world. I ate about a million during cocktail hour! We also had chicken satay, veggie satay, and bacon stuffed mushrooms for hot appetizers.
I had such a good time catching up with all my friends and family. I even gathered all my college friends for a Wheaton photo!
After cocktail hour, we announced the wedding party and then it was time for our first dance. We took dance lessons this summer to prepare, but I don't think anyone could tell! We did a waltz to Norah Jones "Come Away with Me." Everyone said it was so cute how could see Rory counting out the beats as we danced.
Then it was dinner time. We had a buffet with clam chowder, salad, butternut squash ravioli with sage butter, haddock lester, Jack Daniels steak tips, Pigs Fly spinach and garlic ciabatta, and confetti rice. I had a little bit of everything and it was all incredible!
But, I tried not to overly stuff myself because I knew that I had to sing next. Family music sessions are a big tradition in my family, so I had to find a way to work one into the wedding. My Mom, Aunt, Cousin Lindsay and I sang the Bob Dylan song "Make You Feel My Love" while Rory and his Mom danced. It turns out it is not that easy to play the guitar in a wedding dress!
Next, I danced with my Dad and then the real dancing started. I danced my dinner down a little bit so I would have room for cake! Rory and I both kept our promises not to smash cake in the other person's face.
We had chocolate, vanilla, and white layers and I tried a bit of each!
Then it was back out on the dance floor. I danced and danced and danced. The DJ was great and totally played to the crowd. My friends and I were into musicals in high school so he played a Grease medley and some Footloose. We got everyone out on the dance floor. It was just such an amazing feeling to look around the dance floor and see all my friends and family from so many different parts of my life.
We finished the evening with a bonfire and fireworks. We had planned just to do a few fireworks, but then one of Rory's friends surprised us with a giant supply of them so it was quite a show! I just love watching fireworks out over the ocean. The bonfire was such a nice way to wind down the evening.
Last wedding post coming soon: our wedding night in the Cuckholds Lighthouse.
I love that you and your family had a little jam session! That is so fun! And that you had games and a bonfire and fireworks!
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