Danielle (Waite) & Mead Sturgeon

July 10, 2010 - Wedding - Georgia, Vermont; Reception – St. Albans, Vermont

Primary vendors for this wedding event:

Photography
RaidenShine Photography

Flowers
Howards The Flower Shop

Weding Gown & Tuxedos
Needleman’s Bridal & Formal

Hair
Hair Loft Design Center Salon & Spa

Centerpieces-Flowers
Claussen’s Florist & Greenhouse

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Although we’d had a few brief conversations while putting together puzzles and playing cards—that’s how we killed time in the waiting rooms — I didn’t get the nerve to ask her out on a date until a couple months had passed. 

Her Story:

In August, I began an eight week clinical rotation in Tucson, Arizona.  Although I wasn’t looking forward to the time apart, I had planned to fly to New Hampshire for our friends’ Meg and Josh’s wedding on September 12, right in the middle of the rotation.

Meg and Josh’s wedding was a blast…in fact, I may have had a bit of a headache the next morning. Mead went to get some water, and came back and knelt down next to me. My heart was pounding as instead of a glass of water, he came back with a small black box. He asked me to marry him, and (of course) I said yes!  (And after spending two hours that morning trying to find someone to jump the car because I had left the lights on all night, he didn’t even ask for the ring back!)

His Story

I asked…

Last summer Danielle and I embarked on a two week vacation across the country. She needed to go to Tucson, Arizonia for eight weeks for a clinical rotation and I, being a teacher, had the summer off and was willing to go for a drive! We made stops at Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches National Park, the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and finally Tucson.
After a couple of days of getting Danielle used to the city and the surrounding area, it was time for me to head back to Vermont. I already knew that I wanted to marry Danielle, and on my flight home I started to develop my plan.

In September, Danielle was flying home for our friends’ wedding…perfect! It took me some time to find the right ring for my girl, but finally I did. I wanted to do the right thing, so I made sure that I had the blessing of Danielle’s parents before I popped the big question (this is what I was most nervous about).

It was the morning after our friends’ wedding and she asked me to get her a glass of water. I came back with the water and the ring. Down on one knee, I asked her to spend the rest of her life with me. Thankfully…she said yes!
Memorable Details

The day before the wedding, the wedding party and members of both families trooped into the American Legion to begin decorating the hall. Even with tablecloths to iron (thanks Dad!), over 100 “poofs” to hang up, centerpieces to place, engraved wine glasses to rinse, and cloth to drape, we were able to revel in the day before the wedding, enjoying those last minutes of planning with our families and friends.

The rehearsal dinner was hosted at Mead’s parents, and a number of family friends grilled so that his family could enjoy the party. It was really special having everyone there, the nieces and nephews in the pool, and after the dinner our friends and family who had made a long trip to Vermont could join us. This made it so that we could spend quality time with many people the day before, because the day of the wedding is SO busy!
Sitting outside the church, waiting with my dad to walk into the church, I was nervous; being the center of attention is something I try to avoid. As soon as those doors opened and I spotted Mead, I felt as though everyone else faded into the background. For the rest of the ceremony, I was almost surprised to look around and realize there were so many people there; it felt like it was just the two of us.

The best man’s speech at the reception was just short of ten minutes long, and something to remember. The perfect balance of humor and sincerity not only targeted the bride and groom, but also the wedding party and the guests. Also memorable at the reception were the number of children on the dance floor; nieces, nephews, friends, cousins…they all seemed to be having as much fun as the adults.

Advice to Brides

When you are choosing your vendors, go with your gut. We chose our vendors based not only upon talent (and price!), but also how well we got along with them and how much they were willing to work with us. You are sharing one of the most important day of your lives with them; make sure you want them to be at your wedding! Vermont Bride was a great resource when searching for vendors; with a full gamut of price, location, and personalities, you are sure to find vendors who will be perfect for your wants and needs.

As soon as we finished eating, we began trying to get to every table in the room. Your wedding day will be very busy, and it is important to acknowledge and thank your guests for coming. We didn’t get to make it to every table, and it may well be my only regret of the entire day!

Your wedding day will be one of the most important and memorable days of your life, regardless of how the centerpieces looked, where each guest sat, or what the bridesmaids were wearing. Enjoy planning the details, but don’t get too caught up in them. If things don’t go exactly as planned on the wedding day, just remember, the guests won’t have a clue!

Testimonials

RaidenShine Photography: If it is even possible to choose a favorite vendor, I think Joe and Linda would have to be it! From our engagement shoot to our last wedding photo and throughout the daunting task of creating a wedding album, everything about our experience with RaidenShine Photography was amazing.

Howard’s The Flower Shop: With our bright color palette, Howard’s had great suggestions on how to turn my visions into a reality. Everything was exactly how I had imagined it! Renting the candles and linens from them was also a breeze and everything in the hall looked beautiful thanks to these little touches.

Needleman’s Bridal & Formal: Going to Needleman’s to find the dress was effortless. The staff were all so helpful and patient; what a great group!

Hair Loft Design Center Salon & Spa: When you have four bridesmaids and a bride all trying to squeeze their hair appointments into 2-3 hours (and all wanting their hair to be perfect), you KNOW it’s going to be a little crazy. Ashley and the rest of the staff handled it perfectly and kept me at ease…and I was so impressed with how my hair stayed perfectly through many hours on the dance floor!

Claussen’s Greenhouse: The staff were so helpful in advising us on the type of flowers to plant for our centerpieces and when to buy and plant the flowers to make them the most beautiful!

Moonlight Entertainment: If you ever thought the role of a DJ could be taken over by an iPod, Moonlight would prove you wrong. Jim really kept the dancing going (an absolute must!) and was very professional and accommodating when we just didn’t want the party to end!

Vermont Bride: The magazine (and the website) was such a great resource for finding vendors; we used it as a starting place for almost all of our wedding preparation needs.

Featured Vermont Bride Magazine professionals:

RaidenShine Photography
802-598-9186
www.raidenshine.com

Howards the Flower Shop
800-371-5715
St. Albans, VT
www.howardstheflowershop.com

Dress & Tuxedos
Needleman’s Bridal & Formal
800-924-Gown (4696)
www.needlemansbridal.com

Hair Loft Design Center Salon & Spa (Ashley Duncan)
802-524-2146
St. Albans, VT

Claussen’s Florist & Greenhouse
800-287-2361
Colchester, VT
www.claussens.com

Moonlight Entertainment DJ
Williston, VT
802-233-5172
www.moonlightentertainmentdj.com

Champlain Valley Tent Rentals
St. Albans, VT
802-524-0990
www.champlainvalleytentrentals.com

Vermont Bride Magazine
P.O. Box 143, Westford, VT 05494
www.VermontBrideMagazine.com

Other Wedding Vendors

Reception: American Legion Green Mtn Post #1
Bridal Jewelry: Zinnia
Catering: Bayview Catering
Church: Georgia United Methodist Church
Favors: Wine Glasses & Bottles engraved by Doug & Michelle Bergstrom of Xtreme Grafix
Limo: Diamond Limo Service
Cupcakes Fischer’s Fancies
Make-up: Nicole Zabbo, cousin of the bride

See the Vermont Bride Love Story index

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