When your ceremony is graced by a double rainbow, you know you nailed the Most Perfect Wedding Award. Orchard Cove Photography captured this beautiful Autumnal Vermont piece of perfection, and it is beyond phenominal. Gorgeous bridesmaids in adorable fall fashion, a sweet ring bearer pup, gorgeous leaves changing colors for the season, and of course that elusive double rainbow, make for a fantastic wedding. Click here to see the full image gallery!
As we approached our last year in medical school and began to apply for residency we were forced to think very seriously about our commitment to each other. We needed to decide whether it was worth it to apply for residency as a couple or risk not being in the same city.
In the midst of an incredibly hectic interview season, Jono suggested we get away for a weekend in Vermont. We drove up to his ski house near Mount Snow and he had arranged for dinner at a new restaurant. I suspected he was up to something, and asked if I should wear a dress – no ring…
The next morning he surprised me with skins that we could attach to our skis so that we could hike up the mountain. It was a beautiful morning and we set off up the Cascade Trail. Skiers in the lifts above shouted, “You’re going the wrong way” but we loved the challenge. Just near the top, Jono had pulled ahead and was fixing his boot by the time I caught up. While down on one knee, he said the most beautiful words about our relationship and our future and pulled out a gorgeous ring from his ski jacket. I was jumping up and down, and of course, said yes. A ski patrol officer noticed the commotion and came over to ask if we were ok. I showed her the ring and we got our first congrats!
We drove back to NYC that evening and Jono suggested dinner at our favorite restaurant on the upper east side called Sfoglia. There, we were escorted to a hidden back door, up a flight of stairs, and into a private dining room filled with both of our families. Jono has pre-selected for all of our favorite dishes to be served family-style and as usual dinner was amazing. It was the perfect proposal from start to finish!
I remember when we were getting ready, the site coordinator came over to explain that it was raining and the lake was flooding the dock (the site for the cocktail hour). She explained that we could move the ceremony inside at the last minute, but the cocktail hour needed to be decided on earlier on. The room was quiet, as my parents, each of my 9 bridesmaids, and even the hair and make-up stylists stared at me, waiting for a decision. I remember feeling surprisingly calm, looking out over the lake, through the rain, and seeing a patch of clear skies heading in our direction. I knew exactly what Jono would want us to do… I decided to go ahead with everything outside as planned. Sure, I walked out in the rain, but we got the rainbow and the cocktail hour was beautiful. The rain started up again once we were in the tent and didn’t even affect the fireworks!
The ceremony was my favorite part of the day, I feel like I remember every second of it. I wasn’t sure how our interfaith ceremony would turn out (he is Jewish and I am Catholic), but our officiant did an amazing job of balancing our traditions and focusing on our love for one another and our families. She also met with us each individually beforehand to remind us to be present, and it really helped. A friend sung “Feels like home” during the ceremony, while the wedding party and our immediate family members passed around and each blessed our wedding rings. We stood holding each other, looking out over our guests and the beautiful surroundings and listening to our friend’s beautiful voice and the sweet lyrics; we really soaked in the moment and I will never forget feeling so happy and fortunate. It was incredibly special.
Another memorable part of the ceremony was the weather. It was crazy for those 40 minutes, we had rain, sun, wind… and best of all a double rainbow, just as the officiant had finished saying something about how couples who get married in bad weather can weather any storm! We felt so blessed that weekend, but the rainbow was like a sign from nature affirming our commitment.
Ceremony & Reception Location: Basin Harbor Club / Florist: Blomma Flicka Flowers / Photography: Orchard Cove Photography / Band: Sultans of Swing / Bride’s Dress: Sassi Holford / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: J.Crew / Hair: Erin McKenna / Makeup: Heather Garrow of Makeup Artists Guild / Invitations: Shindig Invites / Wedding Structure: Brian Gluck of Vermont Rustic Cedar / Rentals: Vermont Tent Company / Photobooth: Vermont Photo Booth Company